My Kind of Woman

21. Night Of Discovery

New year's eve came, and my dad and I were planning on going to the annual firework display our town always held. It was out nearer to the lake, and most of our neighbours went. I hadn't got in contact with Jackie to ask her if she was going because I wanted my dad to be happy it was a night with just us alone. Most of the time we spent together we ended up talking about my mother, but surprisingly, the last few days had been free of any talk of her, and I was thankful for it. I didn't want to accidentally trip the wire that set him off blabbering about her. I'd hoped she'd spent Christmas alone.

The entire gathering was very middle-of-nowhere. Everyone knew everyone, it was hi's and hello's from six feet away, and lots of bobble hats and parkas and blue snow boots. There wasn't much fashion choice in our little town, so after a while, everyone started to look the same. Even my dad and me. We got ready and ended up almost matching. Both in beanies and black coats, and worn boots. Over the break, a little patch of hair had grown over his lip like froth. I hated it, but it made him look a little more relaxed. It made him look very fatherly.

Though only down the road, my dad decided to drive us to the gathering. There would be nowhere to park, I knew that. In a little plastic bag, we bought two packs of cheap sparklers, just in case the entire display wasn't enough.

After going around the block in circles for a few minutes, I said, "you'll have to do some looking."

"I am. I will."

"Nowhere is gonna free up."

He stopped the car. "Okay, well, get out and wait for me, I'll only be five minutes."

I stepped out into the street and watched him drive back around the same corner. I thought I might have annoyed him. Not wanting to wait out by the road, I started to move into the venue, gloveless hands plunged in my parka pockets. Most of the younger girls from my school had come in their friendship groups, rather than hanging with family. Some of them recognised me, as a senior, and said hi politely. It was all mud under foot, the snow had been stamped out and probably wouldn't fall again.

I could see the line up front where they were final checking the pyrotechnics, but just from over the shoulders of spectators, I saw the entire front barrier was covered by bodies in coats. I didn't see the point in being so close, all you had to do was look up. I weaved through, heading for the rear, and found the crowd opened out more there.

Through the parting, on their own patch of lawn, was the Reed family, looking as out of place in Twin as ever. Jackie and Mio were in fur-collared coats and Mr. Reed was in a smoothed grey pea coat. They looked as if they'd stepped out of a perfect family photograph, right off the card. They were so neat it was unnatural. Mr. Reed was chattering away to Jackie, rubbing her shoulder endearingly in the cold. She looked much shorter stood against him than against me. I think there was a lot of interest in the Reed's in our town. They had a modest blanket of wealth, an expensive car and appearances that reminded you everyone was so same-old in Twin. Mio and Jackie were the only Asian women in town, in the middle of nowhere. I'd always been the face of envy in middle school with my tanned skin, but once Jackie arrived, people started to realise the kind of beauty that lay beyond small, American towns.

Mio saw me first, her gaze flitted from the back of the crowd to me. Seeing her made my mouth tingle as if her lips were still pressed roughly against them, as if our breasts were still flushed and my knee was up under her nightgown. It had only been two nights, but I had missed her in fitful sleep. It made me ache. I knew she'd be awkward though, I knew it by the way she looked away from me so quickly.

I felt my dad's rough hand on the back of my neck.

"Isn't that Jackie's family?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said.