Cissy is a character from my upcoming book, Jealousy and Obsession.
The Charleston was Cissy’s heartbeat—not gentle, but a wild, joyous frenzy that vibrated from her soul. As a child, she envisioned herself on the stage, dancing to the silver screen in her sequined dresses, right down to the top of her patent leather shoes. She could see it as plain as day, her talent undeniable. Cissy Grant didn’t just want to be a flapper girl; she was a force. She grew up in Baltimore in the 40s, and it had its challenges, such as segregation and poor schools, but Cissy had dreams.
Her passion for the Roaring Twenties was just a dream. Her parents thought she would grow out of it, but their patience with her grew thin. They felt that finding Cissy a suitable husband would put an end to this dancing nonsense; Fred was a charming young man from a good family destined to take over his father’s shipping business. They declared marriage was a woman’s true calling, not the stage.
Cissy’s heart plummeted faster than a Charleston dip. To abandon her dreams for a life of polite society and predictable days? No. Not Cissy Grant. She had to find a way out of this. On the day of the wedding, she reluctantly married Fred. The thought of all this made her shudder, so while the celebrations were taking place in the Parlor, Cissy grabbed a bag, filled it with as many of her clothes as she could, and snook out of the back window. She vanished into the night, and she didn’t even look back.
Leaving behind her pearl necklaces, bobbed hair, and parents’ expectations. She traded her silk for denim, her sequins for sweat, and her dreams for ambition. Cissy travelled the country, honing her craft and finding work in small-town theatres and dusty dance halls. When she auditioned for Vernon Wiley, she put in his chorus line. He saw her potential and was soon given a solo spot. She worked and practised hard, and it paid off when Charlie Wickerstan spotted her; he knew she was his next big star.
Now a woman in her prime, Cissy found herself on a Hollywood soundstage, her name in lights for the first time in decades. Her fancy footwork, a symbol of rebellion, was now a signature of grace and power.
She met Matt Adams, the celebrated director known for his sharp eye and even sharper wit. Matt was a whirlwind of energy, just like her, and he saw in Cissy, more than just a talented dancer: he saw the fire, the passion, and the woman who held on to her dreams of that runaway flapper girl in her soul.
They collaborated effortlessly, and their creative chemistry was electric. Matt pushed Cissy to explore the nuances of her performances, and she, in turn, ignited his artistry with her infectious enthusiasm.
She had become friends with Matt’s new starlet, Rosie Bryde. Rosie was from the island and new to the film industry. Cissy took Rosie under her wing and wouldn’t let anyone discourage her, such as Millicent Lee, with whom Cissy had her fair share of run-ins. Rosie and Cissy were drawn to each other and became very close friends. They rehearse their lines together and even go on dates together.
Cissy had her share of heartbreaks; she had fallen in love with someone she thought she could never be with, and her family only found her when they saw her name up in lights. As for Fred, he had met someone; he needed to find Cissy to get divorced solely, and Cissy was more than happy to finalise the end of the marriage she had never wanted.
Cissy Grant, the runaway wanna-be flapper girl, had achieved her dream. She had danced her way to fame, to the applause of millions. But she had also learned that some loves, like some dreams, are destined to live only in the heart’s echoes. And though the ache of her forbidden love remained, it would forever be etched into the magic she brought to the stage, the flicker of profound emotion in the eyes of the dancer who had once dared to dream.
By Deborah C Langley
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