Summer Magic (13 page)

They slowed their pace, then stopped at a crosswalk and waited for the street light to change.
 
A dozen or so teenagers dressed in oversized T-shirts and neon-colored shorts laughed and shouted as they paused beside them.

"I thought you and Ralph were separated most of the time," Michael said.
 
The light flashed WALK and they stepped off the curb.

"We were.
 
Ralph and I were always apart.
 
But that didn't stop him from keeping tabs on me, especially after we became teenagers.
 
All those years we lived in different foster homes, even the times we were hundreds of miles apart, he must've phoned at least three times a week."

"I suppose your traveling with Jessell and Stern is driving your brother crazy," Michael commented, smiling wryly.

"Yes...and no.
 
He's got his own family now, a terrific wife and two beautiful children, a boy and a girl."
 
She blinked hard, forcing back her envy.
 
She and Charles had talked about having children too...but now her dreams of a family would never be.
 
The band launched into another tune, this time a rendition of an old Willie Nelson classic, "On the Road Again."

"Aha!" Michael exclaimed with a chuckle, his mood now lighter.
 
"They're playing our song, Lisa!"
 
He draped an arm across her shoulder and winked.

"I don't think Willie had the circus in mind when he recorded that piece," she teased him back.

"Nope, I suppose not."
 
He shrugged.
 
"But what the heck?
 
Country western bands, carnivals and circuses...I suppose all traveling entertainers have something in common. Want to dance again?"

"Actually, I'd rather get something to drink.
 
All this dancing's made me thirsty."

"Good idea!"
 
He nodded toward a string of fast-food concessions.
 
"Let's head over to the beer garden and see what's on tap."

Minutes later, they purchased two bottles of micro brewed beer and lingered awhile, listening to the music that blared from three blocks away through the sound system.
 
Rita had been right, Lisa decided.
 
Cloudburst was probably one of the best bands in the entire state of Texas.

Off in the distance sprays of multicolored fireworks glittered against a cobalt blue sky.
 
Everywhere about them, people laughed and shouted.
 
The carnival ambience was captivating.

Refreshed, they turned back to the street dance. Michael caught Lisa's arm and asked, "How about it? Ready to dance some more?"

"Oh yes!"

He took her hand in his, leading her to the sectioned off area next to the band.

As they swayed to the music, he hummed softly in her ear.
 
She felt his breath fanning her cheek, the warmth of his strong, muscular body so dangerously close.

Her pulse rate quickened.

"Hey, Michael!"
 
A familiar voice shattered the mood. They stopped dancing and turned around.

 
Claudette gave a quick wave as she elbowed her way closer.
 
Rita trailed from behind.

"Where've you've been?" Michael called.
 
"Do you realize, Claudette, you're almost an hour and three-quarter's late?"

"What's the big deal, Michael?"

"What's the big deal?" he echoed, raising a brow.
 
The rhythm of the band faded into his clipped response.
 
"It's not like you, that's the big deal.
 
I mean, terrible things happen to people every day.
 
And if you remember correctly, you're usually the one getting after me about being late."

She tossed him an offended look.
 
"Don't forget, it was you who pointed out in the first place that Rita and I didn't need an escort service."

"All right."
 
Michael held up both hands in a gesture of reconciliation.
 
"So I did.
 
Sorry.
 
I...I didn't mean to overrea--"

Rita interrupted him.
 
"Michael, I'm absolutely dying to dance, and it's obvious Danny can't oblige me now.
 
Come on. Just one time."

"Yeah, Michael!" Claudette quickly agreed.
 
"Since this is Rita's favorite band, it'd be a crying shame if she didn't get to dance."

An artery in Michael's neck throbbed.
 
"Sorry, ladies. I'm going to dance with Lisa."

"Michael, how rude," Claudette admonished.
 
"The least you can do is try to make Rita feel welcome.
 
So far, you've barely given her the time of day!"

Lisa's gaze flicked from Claudette to Michael.
 
Without warning an idea popped into her mind.
 
She’d better act now--this was the chance she'd been waiting for!
 
What a perfect opportunity to confront Claudette while Michael was safely out of earshot.

"It's all right, Michael," Lisa said.
 
"Go ahead.
 
I'll sit...er, stand...this one out."

"Sure you don't mind?" he asked.

"Uh...no."

Lisa's heart turned over as she watched Michael take Rita by the arm, lead her through the crowd and onto the street.

she silently pleaded.
 
She forced her attention back to Claudette.
 
The invisible shield of tension separating them was growing more uncomfortable by the moment.

She inhaled a steadying breath.
 
"Thanks for your
elegant
hand-me-downs," she said, angling Claudette a long, hard look.
 
"You're a fine one to talk about giving people a proper welcome."

"Oh, come on, Lisa.
 
Lighten up.
 
Where's your sense of humor?"

"You call that funny?"

"Why not?
 
Besides, you can consider that your initiation into Jessell and Stern--one I might add, you failed miserably.
 
Just like you've failed miserably everything else you attempted so far."

"You're wrong, Claudette.
 
I've failed no one. Especially you."

Smiling sardonically, Claudette narrowed her eyes. "Once a townie, always a townie.
 
Right, Lisa?"

Lisa choked back her anger.
 
Claudette's insinuation stung like a slap across the face.
 
"Listen, Claudette.
 
I don't care what you call me, but there's something I want you to know.
 
You can relax, as far as Michael's concerned.
 
I'm not some love-starved groupie.
 
I don't intend to lure him away from--."

She broke off abruptly.
 
Something in her peripheral vision had caught her attention.
 
She turned and realized it was the flutter of a white tissue--Rita's white tissue.
 
Though she and Michael were still dancing, Rita was dabbing at the corners of her eyes.
 
Michael appeared to be trying to comfort her.

Rita sent Michael a tremulous smile, then nodded slowly in response to whatever he'd just said.
 
He smiled back and squeezed her arm.

Lisa struggled against a new stab of jealousy.
 
What was happening?
 
Could Rita be making up a sob story to win Michael's affection?

Quickly pushing her suspicions aside, she turned her attention back to Claudette.
 
"As I was saying..."
 
She hesitated, looking around.
 
"Claudette?
 
Did you hear me? Are you still there?"

Michael's twin was nowhere in sight.

*****

Michael swerved off the highway and parked the truck alongside a deserted stretch of beach.
 
"Let's walk some more," he murmured, staring off into the darkness.
 
"I'm not ready to go home yet."

"All right."

The entire way there, he'd been unusually quiet.
 
Back at the Strand, only seconds after he and Rita had finished dancing, Claudette had cornered them.
 
For several minutes--an eternity to Lisa--they'd stood well away from the crowds talking among themselves, their expressions serious.

"Is something wrong, Michael?" she asked quietly as they strode down the beach.
 
His hand was warm, wrapped around hers. "I mean, why was Rita crying back at the dance?
 
And why the long talk with Claudette and Rita afterwards?"

"It's nothing," he replied, tight-lipped.
 
He stopped, faced her squarely, then added,
 
"Rita's just a little homesick, that's all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Lisa had to wonder about that.
 
After all, if Rita had traveled with a previous circus, then she should certainly be accustomed to being away from home.
 
No, there must be more. But whatever it was, Michael obviously wasn't ready to confide in her.

"Look, Lisa."
 
He brushed his thumb over her palm.
 
In the distance, a fog horn blared.
 
"I...I don't want anything to spoil the rest of our day together.
 
Let's not talk about it anymore."

She hesitated, her voice reluctant.
 
"Well...all right, I guess."
 
Maybe it was wrong, expecting him to share everything, she reasoned.
 
After all, she'd only known Michael for a short time, just barely a month.

He smiled down at her, though the hint of a frown marred
 
his features.
 
The late- night breeze carried the scent of
 
creosote and salt water.
 
The breeze picked up, teased her
 
hair, and tossed a strand across her eye.
 
Gently he brushed
 
it back off her forehead, allowing his hand to remain there. As they started out again, a full moon inched higher, casting its white wash over the long span of beach.
 
The moonlight illuminated sea foam, gossamer, wispy, skittering across the sand where the sea met the shore.

They paused to slip out of their shoes.
 
The sand, cool and pliant beneath their bare feet, cushioned their footfall as they walked on and on.

At times they chased each other, laughing, teasing, then flinging themselves into each other’s arms.
 
Other times, they strolled in quiet contemplation, hand in hand, pausing to stare into each other's eyes, neither speaking.

And when he finally turned and pulled her close, kissing her with tenderness and passion, she knew there was no turning back.
 
Although Michael could never be hers, the truth loomed painfully clear.

She'd entrusted him with her heart.

*****

From Texas, the circus pushed father east, trundling through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, then Georgia.
 
All the while, Lisa held onto the memory of that extraordinary day in Galveston with Michael.
 
During the times she felt most down-hearted, which were often, the memories sustained her, spurred her on.
 
Oh, for that precious hour or two at the end of each day when they could finally meet again to tend to the horses.

Yet while her heart was spinning wild, wondrous dreams about Michael, her head continued to issue loud warnings. Oh, yes, she may have fallen in love with him, but her love wasn't cast in stone.
 
Had she already forgotten about her troubled past with Charles?
 
And now her ever uncertain future with Jessell and Stern?