Barefoot Girls (65 page)

“Witches, I’m gonna getcha!” Hannah whispered, clenching her teeth.

Then she was flying up before crashing into the cool water of the bay, splashing plumes of water rising up all around her, the sudden temperature drop knocking the oxygen out of her lungs. Through the surface she dove down with a purpose, reaching for the bottom, when a slick tickling hand reached for her with web-like fingers. A shock shooting through her, her eyes opened and she gasped out the last of the air in her lungs, bubbles rising before her face.

There, floating in the water. Bright green seaweed, long drifting strands of it. It was always seaweed. And even if there were witches and other scary things, she wouldn’t run anymore; she would fight them. She dove down again, grateful to be wearing lacy nude-toned boy-shorts instead of a thong as the maneuver she was about to attempt, one of Keeley’s, would have given more of a show than she wanted to give in the case of a thong.

Reaching bottom, she pushed at it, hard, and rose to the surface with her legs straight up, her toes pointed. As she broke through, there was a brief silence followed by a smattering of applause that grew as they realized she was really doing the whole annual routine. Taking a mouthful of water and then spitting it out through her teeth, she lay on her back and fluttered her hands in the water, smiling.

Then, beside her, someone dove in. Hannah looked up and saw that it was Daniel, grinning at her, his clothes ruined, too. Then there was another splash, and then another, until single splashes of each diving guest became a churn of the entire party.

Hannah realized she was crying and laughing at the same time. It had all been in her mind, this exclusion, this idea of being an outsider.

“Hey, bride!” Daniel said. “Will you be mine?”

Gasping and blinking among the splashing waves, she swam to embrace him. Their arms wrapped around each other, their faces so close, she looked into his eyes and saw the truth. He was really hers. He wasn’t going anywhere. She replied, “I will.”

Later the official ceremony was held on the beach, everyone still dripping and shaking their hair out and finding pieces of seaweed in awkward places. After the ceremony there was dancing and Mean Greens and Hannah’s two mothers making tearful toasts. But it was then that Hannah pledged herself to Daniel, and he to her, among the splashing crowd in the waters at the tip of Captain’s Island.

Acknowledgements

My eternal gratitude to my wonderful Beta Readers: Elise Gallivan, Tanya Hale, Yvette Hochberg, Rita Morgan and Tanya Wells. Your help was invaluable and made an enormous impact on the final version of
Barefoot Girls.
You are all goddesses; I worship the ground you walk on!

A huge thank you to my wonderful husband, Ash, who stood by me through my moments of doubt and cheered me on - who always believes in me, even when I don't believe in myself.

Barefoot
Girls
by Tara McTiernan

READING GROUP QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1. There were several intriguing settings in the novel: Manhattan and Park Avenue society, the wealthy enclaves of Greenwich and Westport, Connecticut, and remote rustic Captain’s Island (a fictionalized composite of several small islands on Long Island, New York). Which one did you find most fascinating and why?
   
2. Hannah is lost in the world at the beginning of the novel, slowly finding her way and growing more confident, even demanding, as the novel progresses. Did you relate to her? What about her reminded you of yourself as a young person?
   
3. The four Barefoot Girls are a rare group of life-long friends. Have you ever wanted friends like that? Do you already have them? Did you feel that the book genuinely touched on what it’s like to be part of a gang of girls? What parts were most vivid to you?
   
4. One of the themes of the novel is the unique relationship between mothers and daughters. Did you feel that the book adequately described the challenges of being a mother? What about the experience of being a daughter?
   
5. Some of the Barefooters were raised in happy homes (Zooey and Amy and, to a lesser degree, Pam) and some were abused as children (Keeley). How well did you think the story addressed childhood abuse? What about Hannah’s frequent abandonment by Keeley as a child? Did you feel that the book adequately addressed the fallout of childhood abuse and/or neglect?
   
6. Rose is one of the dominant antagonists in the story. Did you think that she was realistic? Did she remind you of someone from your youth? How did you react to her mental breakdown and final acts of violence?
   
7. Keeley unconsciously suppressed the memories of her painful childhood and even some of her early years raising Hannah. What do you think the author is saying about suppression of memories and the consequences of "putting the past behind us" without examining it?
   
8. Amy and Pam are both strong characters who bicker frequently yet remain friends. What do you think holds their friendship together? What friendships have you had that are similarly fraught?
   
9. Daniel is a player who has finally been caught by cupid's arrow and faces the inner challenge of not being able to escape the love he feels for Hannah as well as the outer challenges of Hannah's ambivalence and his former wing-man Brian's efforts to break up his engagement. Do you believe that a playboy can reform and be in a committed marriage? What future do you see for the couple?
   
10. In Keeley and Zo's final confrontation about Hannah's upbringing, Zo said," We do the best we can in this crazy world, we make our stupid mistakes, but if we have love and we show it to each other, nothing can be that wrong that it can’t be fixed.” How is the concept of love's healing power important in the novel?
    

Barefoot Girls
Playlist

Sing-Along Songs from Captain's Island

"Under the Boardwalk" - The Drifters

"Crystal Blue Persuasion" - Tommy James and the Shondells

"Running on Empty" - Jackson Browne

"It's Only Fear" - Alexi Murdoch

"American Pie" - Don McLean

"Here I am (Come and Take Me)" - Al Green

"It's Only a Paper Moon" - Nat King Cole

"The Way I am" - Ingrid Michaelson

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" - Bobby McFerrin

"Margaritaville" - Jimmy Buffett

"Sweet Caroline" - Neil Diamond

"Blue Bayou" - Linda Ronstandt

About the Author

Tara McTiernan grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and spent most of her childhood summers on an island in the Great South Bay on Long Island, New York - both of which are the settings for her novel and short stories. Her stories have been published in many literary magazines including Eureka Literary Magazine and Ultimate Writer. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, Ash. Visit the author's blog at
http://taramctiernanfiction.blogspot.com/
. 

Also by Tara McTiernan:

Girl-Shaped Shadows - A Short Story

Eleven-year old Isobel and her guardian and aunt, Marmalee, do everything they can to avoid the sunlight – fearful of skin cancer and suntans – yet they find themselves unavoidably drawn to the beach near their home in Connecticut one sunny June day by the very people they abhor most: the Normals. The lure? The gorgeous Mrs. Johnson, her aunt’s new love-interest. The problem? Isobel’s nemesis and object of obsession: Mrs. Johnson’s daughter Chloe.

Things take a surprising turn on this brilliant burning day by the sea when Chloe abandons her best friend, Hilary, for Isobel, her new best friend. Are things what they seem? Could Isobel’s wildest fantasy be coming true? Or is some darker truth about to be revealed?

Purchase Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Shaped-Shadows-Short-Story-ebook/

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