Jane Rizzoli
Scattered throughout were tents of various sizes, offering all kinds of games to play and prizes to win, and lots of musical bands, dancers and street artists.
The piazza had face painting, cottan candy, music and fun activities to keep everyone entertained.
Holding hands, we meandered between the tents, occasionally stopping to watch someone play.
"Look, Casey." I was pointing at the prizes, noticing the green turtle that reminded me of a lot of Bass, Maura's tortoise.
"Want me to get you one?"
I tilted my head. "It's tempting, but I think I'll pass."
"Okay, but I want to get you something."
"Casey, it's really hard to order you around when you're so willing to do things for me anyway."
Another smile. I thought my heart would be immune to its effects by now, that my legs would be better prepared to keep me standing.
"I would do anything for you. Just to make you laugh, see you smile."
We stared at each other, oblivious to the crowd moving around us. He leaned closer, eyes piercing on my exposed shoulders.
"Hear you moan."
A small gasp escaped me, unconsciously tightening my grip on his hand. Though it was the only part of us that touched, there was a definite spark of energy dancing between our bodies.
The sight of a small girl, titian curls bouncing wildly on her shoulder while palming some quarters in her hand, caught my eye as I watched her pause in front of a booth that had bottles lined up behind the counter and gained the carnie's attention. The man grinned and swaggered toward her, crouching so he was level with her eyes. "Well, doll, you itching to test your aim? Got three balls and a tower of bottles waiting to be knocked down for ya." He thumbed at the game over his shoulder and the small girl shifted to look at the bottles again.
She studied the prizes on the wall, gaze drifting over the flimsy plastic toys, girly dolls, and silly boy themed toys. A large, stuffed turtle caught her eyes and she looked it over, admiring the brightly colored shell and size. She nodded firmly and the man laughed, clapping her on the shoulder and leading her to the counter. He pulled a stool up for her and she stepped up, laying two quarters on the counter. He swiped his hand over them and they disappeared, replaced by three wooden balls.
She hefted one experimentally and tossed it in the air a few times under the carnie's sharp eyes, then drew her arm back (nearly tumbling off the stool in the process) and let the ball fly. It sailed over the bottles and thudded against the back wall, then disappeared behind the table. "That's too bad, kid. Throw another. Really put your arm into it." She picked up another ball, threw it with all her might, and watched it sail through the air. The bottles toppled with a clatter and scattered across the table, and she crowed in victory. The man smiled ruefully and bent to pick them up while she celebrated.
"Alright kid, pick your prize. Anything on the wall's yours." She gave a cursory glance to the toys again but pointed imperiously at the stuffed turtle that had first caught her eye. The carnie handed the toy to her and she inspected the purple and yellow swirling designs on its shell and its green fins and head. She smiled winsomely at the man and hopped off the stool, disappearing again into the crowd.
I continued to watch as she wandered off. She rubbed her fist against her eye tiredly and stubbornly blinked back the tears in her eyes while hefting the turtle higher on her shoulder. She was jostled by legs and stumbled against the side of a building. Her eyes screwed shut and she sniffled, wiping her nose. Another person bumped into her and she fell back against the side of the building. "Mommy..." Her lip trembled as she shut her eyes against the overwhelming scene.
