Something in her small face changed. It wasn't confidence exactly; it was decision.
"All right," she said. The words were barely above a breath, but they landed with startling force.
Charles lifted his hand slightly—inviting, not pulling. Annie gave a tiny nod. "I'll do it."
Charles stepped closer onto the shining center of the floor. "Then come here." His voice was calm again, but now it carried absolute certainty.
Annie took one step. When she reached him, she stopped and lifted her face. "You really won't be mad if I do it wrong?" she asked.
Charles answered at once. "No. Even if I mess up."
"Even then?" Annie glanced back at Lena one more time.
Her mother stood rigid at the edge of the floor, torn between running forward and staying where she was. But when Annie found her eyes, Lena gave the smallest nod she could manage.
The conductor looked toward Charles. Charles gave a slight nod back.
The first notes of the waltz rose again, softer than before. Charles bent carefully, adjusting himself to Annie's height, one hand prepared to guide, not overpower. He lowered his voice so only she could hear the next words.
"Just listen to the count," he said. "Nothing else matters."
Annie noded.
---
The music opened like a path before her. The first step was small enough to miss if anyone had blinked. The second was not. Annie felt the count before she trusted it.