Every evening before my elder sister Anna and I went to sleep, we would spend five minutes having a dance party. No matter what went on that day or how mad we were at each other, we would dance. It was a 1 my dad helped start when we were little.
One day, Anna and I had a huge argument on 2 would play with a doll. Before bedtime, we were still angry with each other. Our dad 3 the music.
"For a full five minutes. No talking. Just 4 ," he said.
He played the music until we both agreed to start dancing. After the five minutes were over, we were laughing so hard that both of us 5 why we were angry.
Since that night, and up until recently, our five-minute dance party was 6 we returned to every evening.
Now Anna and I sat with Mom and Dad at the dinner table. It was the night 7 Anna moved to attend college. Mom made Anna's favorite meal. I was 8 to think this would be the last time we all ate together. But Anna ate9. "I want to go and say bye to my friend Jeanie!" she explained.
Looking at the empty chair, I realized how much I 10 those nightly dance parties with my sister. I couldn't shake the feeling of how upset I would be 11 we didn't have one last dance party.
Some hours passed, and I began to get ready for bed, giving up on the thought that our last dance party would 12. Suddenly I heard a knock on my door.
"Are you still up?"
"Yes. What are you doing?"
Anna came in. "Julie, you didn't seriously think I was going to leave tomorrow 13 us dancing one more time, did you?"
Anna played the music and started dancing. I followed 14 lead, laughing.
Though I disliked to think of my sister leaving, the fact that this last dance was as 15 to her as it was to me made the moment even more special.
