It was Friday, July 1. I powered up my laptop to work while the house was quiet. I promised Rebecca I’d maintain the Sew Beautiful website until she could find someone else. Sure, there were companies that would do it for her, but none as cheap as I was. Plus, after helping at the shop, I knew the business pretty well. The site looked good; I changed the main page to feature three fall projects and updated a broken link in the resource section. I e-mailed Rebecca a summary of my work and asked if anyone reported problems. Since online sales were far surpassing those at the store, I knew it was important to keep things easy to find and updated for her customers.
Once I finished work, I e-mailed Kim, attaching the picture of the lighthouse. She hadn’t replied to my first one yet, but I wasn’t surprised. She told me the internet connection was terrible at her uncle’s ranch.
It was time to tackle the stack of boxes the movers left in the corner of my room. I could arrange the room to my liking. Not that I minded my grandmother’s decorating, but it was always nice to be surrounded by your own things. Opening a box, I got started unpacking and decorating.
“Meara?” Mom popped her head in my room. “Did you want some lunch? It’s just you and me, kiddo.”
“Where are Grandma Mary and Grandpa Jamie?”
“At a barbecue.”
“You didn’t want to go?”
Mom made a face. “Head hurts.”
Now that she said it, I noticed her pale face and bruised eyelids.
“I can get lunch,” I said.
“Are you sure?” When I nodded, she gave me a small, tired smile. “Then I’m going to go and lay down again. Try to kick this thing once and for all.”
“Do you want me to bring you something?”
“No thanks, hon. I’ll eat later.” She turned to leave, and then looked back. “By the way, your room looks nice.”
“Thanks.” I looked around, pleased with my progress. It was starting to feel like my room. It was a decent place to break, so I went to the kitchen and searched the fridge and cabinets. It was my first time in the kitchen without Grandma Mary there. I took advantage. The kitchen was well stocked, but I didn’t feel like cooking. I settled on a turkey sandwich, chips, and a Diet Coke. I was rinsing off my plate when the doorbell rang. Who was here?
I ran to get the door. If Mom fell back asleep, I didn’t want whoever it was to wake her. Opening the door, I found Katie and Evan. What was I wearing? Oh yeah, jean shorts and a tank top. Did I put on makeup this morning? Yep. Relax.
Evan looked as hot as I remembered. He wore cargo shorts and a polo shirt. He smelled good, too. It reminded me of fresh air and herbs. He leaned against the doorframe, keys in hand.
“Um, hi,” I said. “What’s up?”
“Mind if we come in?” Katie asked as she proceeded to walk around me. She looked around the room. “Did the movers come?”
“Yeah,” I said, wondering why they were here. “Yesterday.”
“Thought so. There’s more furniture now. Looks nice.”
“Um…thanks.” I watched as Katie tried out the leather recliner from our old house. She leaned back in the chair and smiled at me.
“Katie,” Evan drawled from the doorway, clearly amused at his sister. “Maybe you’d like to tell Meara why we’re here…”
My face flared with heat. Would I ever be able to control that?
“Grandma Mary called this morning,” Katie said from the chair. “Asked what we were doing. She said you were home unpacking and might need a break.”
“I’m pretty much finished. What’s up?”
“We’re heading into Halifax for the festivities.” Katie stood and smoothed the hem of her sundress. “Do you want to come with us?”
“Sorry for just dropping in,” Evan added. “I thought Katie called first.”
“Whatever, Evan.” Katie rolled her eyes at him before she winked at me. “You might want to grab a jacket or something. It’ll probably cool off a bit later tonight.”
“Um,” I mumbled. “I’m not sure…I don’t know if I should leave my mom alone…”
Katie peered across the empty living room. “Where is she?”
“Sleeping. The migraine’s bothering her.”
“Still?” Katie asked.
I nodded. “Sometimes they last a few days.”
“It’s okay if you don’t want to go,” Evan said.
The problem was that I really wanted to go. Should I leave Mom alone? What if she got worse? On the other hand, Grandma Mary did tell Katie and Evan to come over and get me.
“No, I’ll go.” I would leave a note for Mom in the kitchen. She could call my cell phone if she needed me. She might even be awake. “Be right back.”
“We’ll wait for you in the car,” Evan said as I went to grab a coat. I was going to have to keep a close eye on my grandmother. She seemed to like to meddle. She could have given me some notice. I would have spent more time getting ready and less time unpacking. On the other hand, I was going to hang out with Evan. Right, Evan. Definitely called for more makeup. I stopped by the bathroom and added a bit of shadow and lip gloss, tossing the tube of gloss in my purse. On my way back down the hall, I checked on Mom.
“Mom?” I whispered. She didn’t respond. Her back was to me, but she appeared to be asleep. I jotted a quick note in the kitchen and left it in the middle of the table.
“What took you so long?” Katie teased as I climbed in the backseat.
Before I could answer, Evan spoke. “What are you talking about, Katie? She was ready way sooner then you ever are.”
Katie stuck out her tongue. Evan ignored her.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Evan addressed me through the rearview mirror as he started out of the driveway, “but we’re meeting up with some other kids.”
“It’s kind of a tradition,” Katie added. “Just some friends from school.”
“No problem,” I said, although I wondered how many others would be there. I didn’t do well with crowds.
The drive to Halifax took about twenty minutes. Along the way, Katie peppered me with questions. I wanted to hear more about Evan, but in the end, all I could do was answer Katie. Where did I grow up? What was it like back home? What were my friends like? What did we do for fun? She went on and on.
“Katie,” Evan said after about the fifteenth question. “Give the girl a break!”
Katie pouted. “What else are we going to talk about?” She crossed her arms and turned to stare out the window.
When the silence ensued, Evan glanced in the mirror at me. “Thank you,” I mouthed when I caught his eye.
“Welcome,” he mouthed back.
We circled the parking lot a few times to find a spot. Beyond the building, which looked like a police station, I could see a Ferris wheel and a few other carnival rides. When I opened the car door, I smelled cotton candy and French fries. From the sound of things, at least two bands were playing. Rock n’ roll and country battled for volume, but they mingled pretty well together.
Katie hooked her arm through mine and pulled me along. “We’re meeting everyone by the midway.” Evan trailed behind us.
Katie started waving as soon as she spotted her friends. A few waved back, so I knew where we were headed. There were four girls and three guys. It was a pretty big group, but I’d manage. Katie gave my arm a quick squeeze before letting go.
“Hi everyone,” she said. “This is my new friend, Meara. She just moved here.”
A couple of kids muttered “hi” and a few waved. Katie introduced each of them, not that I would remember their names. The two girls standing closest to Katie—Val and Jen—seemed nice enough. From the way the three of them talked, I guessed they were best friends.
“So, where should we start?” Jen asked.
The general consensus was food first, so we hit the concessions. Evan walked next me and leaned toward my ear. “Sorry about my sister in the car,” he apologized. “She can be a little overpowering.”
>
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m sure I’ll get used to it.”
He laughed. “Really? When you learn the secret, let me know. I’ve been trying to figure her out for seventeen years.”
I thought maybe he would walk up next to his friends, who were leading the way, but he stayed at my side. One of the two other girls, I couldn’t remember her name, but she was a tall, skinny redhead, tried to get Evan’s attention. She asked him about hockey, and if he was playing in the fall.
“You play hockey?” I asked him. I realized I knew very little about him yet.
“He was the captain of the team last year,” the girl said as she smiled up at him and batted her eyelashes. Try a little harder, I couldn’t help thinking.
“I play,” he said. “I’m not sure if I’ll play in the fall or not.”
“You have too!” Flirty girl actually stomped her foot. I bit my lip to keep from laughing. She was too much. Evan caught my eye, and I knew he was thinking the same thing.
“How about pizza, guys?” Katie called back. Based on the murmurs of consent, we walked toward a pizza vendor.
“I want fries first,” Evan said. “How about you, Meara? Do you like fries?”
“Of course. Who doesn’t?” I was waiting for the redhead to gush about her love of fries, but she had already lost interest in Evan, flirting with one of his friends instead.
“You go ahead,” Evan said to Katie. “Meara and I will meet up with you all.”
Katie raised her eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. The group walked off, leaving us alone. He took my hand and pulled me in the opposite direction from their friends. “I saw fries back this way.”
There was a long line, but we got in it anyway. Next to the booth was a lemonade stand. One of those that advertised it was made with real lemons and fresh squeezed. That was always the first stop for Mom and me at the State Fair. Although, over time, the fresh squeezed gave way to freshly tapped. The last time we went, we joked that the only squeezed part was the lemon garnish that they added at the end to make it seem authentic. I hoped Mom was feeling better. I should have left her a sandwich or something.
“Are you okay?” Evan asked. I realized that I must have been frowning.
I smiled at him. “Sure. Why?”
“You just looked upset.” He studied my face, and I wanted to squirm.
“Do you want lemonade?” I changed the subject. I didn’t want to talk about Mom.
“Okay.”
“I’ll get it while you wait for the fries,” I said.
Evan reached for his wallet.
“I got it,” I said.
He shook his head. “Let me pay.”
“Thanks.” My cheeks burned as I took his money. Was this a date? I wasn’t used to guys paying for me either. On the other hand, I might not have been able to use my money. I only had American bills. I needed to get it converted to Canadian money.
The lemonade line was much shorter. When I returned with a cup in each hand, Evan had five more people in front of him. “Do you want to find us a place to sit?” he asked, motioning to the area behind the vendor’s trailer. I could see tables and chairs under a large tent.
“Good idea.”
The seating area was crowded and, at first, I didn’t think I would find an open table, but an older couple looked like they were cleaning up empty plates.
“Is this table available?” I asked them.
The woman smiled sweetly at me. “Yes, dear. It’s all yours.”
I thanked them and set the lemonades down. Before I sat, I turned my chair to watch for Evan, so I could stand and wave if he didn’t see me. There was no need; he spotted me right away.
“I didn’t think I’d ever get through that line,” he said as he sat down. I looked at the plate he set on the table.
“What’s that?”
“Fries.” He gave me a strange look. “You did want fries, right?”
“What’s on top?” The fries were covered with globs of cheese and some kind of brown sauce. I’d never seen anything like it.
“It’s Poutine,” he said, as if that explained everything.
“The ‘poo’ I get. Looks like the diapers I changed babysitting.”
He laughed and nudged the plate at me. “Try it.”
“How do you eat these things?” I didn’t see how I could pick up a fry without getting covered in messy goo.
“With a fork.” He handed me one. I could tell he was trying not to laugh.
“Thank you.” I delicately stabbed a fry with cheese. They were both covered in the sauce. With reluctance, I tasted it. Salty, cheesy, and crispy. “Not bad.”
“Not bad?” He took a huge bite. “These are great.”
I ate another one. It wasn’t as good as the sour cream and chive fries back home. How could anything compete with sour cream and chives? The lemonade tasted fresh squeezed. It wasn’t the watered-down version most fairs sold.
“What do you think of Canada so far?” Evan asked between mouthfuls.
I had just popped a fry in my mouth, so I chewed thoughtfully before answering. “It’s better than I thought, but I miss my friends.”
“I bet. Senior year in a new school. That’s gotta suck.”
I tried to think of something else to talk about. “Where are you going in the fall?” I asked. I hoped it was somewhere close.
“University of King’s College, do you know it?” When I shook my head, he added. “It’s in Halifax. They have a great Marine Biology program.”
“That’s what you want to do?”
“Since I was a kid,” he said. “I love the ocean. How about you?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I have a year to decide, right?” I tried to make a joke out of it, but it came out sounding dumb. Evan didn’t seem to think anything of it.
“You’ll figure it out,” he said.
“Hi Evan.” I looked up to see a girl standing by our table with her arms crossed. Great. Another fan. Only this one could give Barbie some competition. Her long, brown hair was a mass of stylish curls, but her dark eyes blazed. She did not look happy to see Evan with me.
“Jessica.” Evan nodded at her, but didn’t move from his chair.
“Who’s this?” Jessica jerked her head in my direction.
“I’m Meara,” I said, emphasizing the I’m. Who talked in front of someone like they weren’t even there?
“Nice to meet you,” she said, although her expression clearly told me she did not find anything nice about it. “Evan, can I talk to you privately?”
“Not now,” Evan said. “Meara and I are going on the Ferris wheel.”
Evan stood and offered me his hand. As I took it, he squeezed mine. Jessica didn’t see it, but I got the message—play along. I nodded and smiled. “Oh, yeah. I love Ferris wheels.”
In reality, my stomach flipped as I said it. I hated Ferris wheels.
Evan led me away from Jessica, who looked ready to scream. She apparently doesn’t get turned down much.
“Old girlfriend?” I guessed.
“Sorry,” Evan said. He dropped my hand once we were out of Jessica’s sight, and I fought the urge to grab his back. “We don’t have to go on the Ferris wheel if you don’t want to.”
“Good.”
He laughed. “Don’t like the Ferris wheel?”
“I hate heights,” I admitted. “But, I like the Tilt-A-Whirl.”
“Me, too.”
The Tilt-A-Whirl turned out to be the perfect ride. Thanks to gravity, I spent the entire time pressed against Evan’s side, both of us laughing. He took my hand to help me down and didn’t let go.
“Want to try some games?” he asked.
“Sure.”
We played three games, and neither of us won. The next game was one where you threw darts to pop balloons. Evan was good at it. It took him two tries, but he won a pink teddy bear and gave it to me.
I hugged it to my chest. It was silly, but I liked it anyw
ay. “Thanks.”
We shared cotton candy and rode the Tilt-A-Whirl again. “Should we find Katie and your friends?” I asked. I felt bad, like I was keeping him from them.
He pointed to the Ferris wheel. “I spotted them already. They’re in line.”
“Oh.” I was not going on the Ferris wheel, but Katie saw us and motioned to come over. We joined them.
“Want to ride with us?” she asked.
Evan answered for me. “Meara doesn’t like Ferris wheels.”
Katie scowled at him, but then her face brightened. “That’s okay. You ride in my place. I saw a fortune teller. C’mon, Meara. Let’s get our fortunes read.”
It was better than the Ferris wheel, though maybe not much. “We’ll meet you back here,” I told Evan as Katie pulled me away.
“Your friends don’t want to come?” I asked her.
“Nah,” she said. “They teased me and said it’s a bunch of hooey.”
I agreed with her friends, but I didn’t say anything. I could play along. She led us to a small, purple tent. A hand-painted sandwich board sat near the entrance: Madam Tresola—Palm Reading, Tarot Cards, and Psychic Energies…Fortunes Foretold!
Katie stopped outside the entrance and linked her arm through mine. “Let’s go in together.”
“Gurlz,” a heavily accented voice called to us from the dark tent. When my eyes adjusted, an ancient woman of skin and bones stood before us. Her magnified eyes peered at us behind thick glasses. I’d never seen so many folds and wrinkles in a face. A scarlet scarf covered her head, with a few white ringlets of hair escaping near her bejeweled ears. Bracelets jangled on both wrists, and richly toned scarves of sapphire, emerald, and ruby draped every surface in the tent, including Madam Tresola herself. For someone so tiny, she was an imposing figure. I fought the urge to flee.
“Pleeze, seet.” She gestured to the chairs across from her. We sat, and she nodded her approval. She reached across the table to Katie.
“Do you want my hand?” Katie asked.
“Pay first,” Madam Tresola ordered. Although her voice was low and gritty, it held power. Katie obeyed and handed her some bills.
“I paid for you, too,” she told me. “My treat.”
“Thanks.”
“Now, hand,” Madam Tresola barked. Katie held out her hand, palm up. Madam Tresola gripped it between both of hers, turning it over and back, then tracing the lines in Katie’s palm.
“You are strong gurl. You get vhat you vant. You marry handsome man. Raise strong cheeldren. Is good.” She patted Katie’s hand. “You have good life.”
“That’s it?” Katie asked.
“Vhat you vant? Eez good fortune!” Madam Tresola huffed out a breath, and then gestured impatiently for my hand. I held it out, and she wrapped it in her own. Her hands were surprisingly firm and warm. My hand tingled in her grip. I wondered if Katie felt the same thing. If so, she didn’t say anything. My entire hand pulsed as a strange energy flowed up my arm and across my chest. My ears filled with a loud pounding, and I tasted salt.
“Very unusual,” Madam Tresola murmured. “I not seen palm like yours een long time.” She traced the line that ran from the side of my hand down past my wrist. “You vill live long life, but not easy von.”
That didn’t sound promising.
“There is beeg change in your future…sadness.”
“My mom? Will she be okay?”
Madam Tresola’s eyes softened with sympathy. “I not see fortunes of others. Only you. Understand?”
I nodded. She angled my hand back and forth. Her face solemn. “I see joy, too. You are greatly loved.”
She touched a mark near my ring finger. It looked like a star. “Your destiny.” She looked at me expectantly. I waited for her to say more, but she released my hand. The absence of her touch was like a slap of cold.
“It vas a pleasure to meet you.” She stood and bowed to us. Katie, who was clearly bored and not impressed by Madam’s performance, now sported a French braid.
“Thanks,” she said as she left the tent.
I stood for a moment and looked at Madam Tresola. Was it my imagination, or did she seem like she wanted to tell me something else?
“Good luck, Meara.”
“Thanks? Uh…goodbye, Madam Tresola.”
Katie pounced on me as soon as I stepped out of the tent. “Wow, is she a crackpot or what?” I shrugged, so she continued. “I bet she tells everyone that mumbo jumbo.”
“I dunno—could be.” I thought about the feeling of energy that flowed from her. “What did you feel when she held your hand?”
“Wrinkles and bones. She’s so old.”
“Anything else?”
“No. Why?”
“Nothing.”
We found Evan and the rest of the group hanging out in the middle of the midway. It was getting late, so we said goodbye. Evan and Katie dropped me off at home, and I thanked them for taking me. It wasn’t until much later that I realized I never gave Madam Tresola my name.