I arrived just as the dance recital was beginning. I looked around for a friend whose daughter goes to middle school with my stepson, Jay.

I took a seat and saw somebody waving at me from the front row. It wasn’t my friend. It was my stepson’s mother, Nancy.

I slowly waved back. We’ve had an uneasy alliance over the years so I was uncertain how to react.

I mouthed, “Is there a seat there?”

She shook her head, no. I pointed to the empty chair next to me and waved her over. When she sat next to me, I thought, now what?

What followed is what usually does in uncomfortable situations – dreadful silence, punctuated by a few long, and some short, smiles in between.

Slowly, words explained what remained unspoken. We talked about Jay’s improving school grades. I told her what a wonderful brother he is to my daughter, Mimi. Nancy told me she had quit her job and was trying to figure out what to do with her life. I told her I was still doing my writing.

Then the music started as the sixth, seventh and eight-grade classes each took turns dancing to big band, salsa and disco music. Jay channeled his outer John Travolta circa 1970-something.

I mentioned to Nancy that I was signing Jay up for Hawaiian paddling this summer, which would help him get into shape for high school.

“And the meets are every Saturday so we would love if you and your boyfriend would come, too. I think it would make Jay really happy if we were all there together for him, kinda as a family.”

Nancy said they would like to, as Turn the Beat Around blared from the speakers.

In many ways, I think we did.

I had to phone my husband as I walked to the car.

“Honey, guess what? Your current wife just sat next to your ex-wife as we watched your son dance.”

It was a Marin Moment.

By Dawn Yun

Labels: By Dawn Yun, Marin, stepmother

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