Illusion by Darlene Gardner

Author:Darlene Gardner [Gardner, Darlene]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
Publisher: Darlene Gardner
Published: 2013-05-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

When I report for work the next afternoon, it’s all over the carnival that Adair and Hunter are taking a break.

“It was totally his idea,” Maia tells me.

She’s the reason the news has spread. Maia’s working at the arcade tonight, but the two venues are close enough that she can dash back and forth when she’s on break. The gossip is so juicy that she seems to have forgotten she was angry with me.

“He’s tired of her shit,” Maia is whispering, but the carnival hasn’t gotten cranked up yet so I can hear her fine.

I’m using sanitizing wipes on the Kiddie Land motorcycle ride, my first assignment of the day. I pause and give Maia my full attention. I had the pretty strong impression she only talked to Hunter on an as-needed basis. “Hunter told you this?”

“Adair did.”

“Adair used those words? That Hunter was tired of her shit?”

“She should have. She texted him that she was at her dad’s cabin. When he didn’t come out to be with her, she let him have it. I guess usually he takes it. This time he didn’t.”

“I’m surprised she told you that.”

Maia adjusts the yellow chrysanthemum in her hair. “Why’s that?”

“She’s usually pretty secretive.”

Maia shrugs. “I guess she needed somebody to talk to.”

So she picked the biggest gossip in Midway Beach?

“Did Adair seem... different to you?” I ask.

“Hell, yeah. I’ve never seen her so mad in my life.”

Not counting this morning in my kitchen, I’d never heard her raise her voice.

“But then, she’s never been dumped before,” Maia adds.

“I thought you said Hunter and Adair were taking a break.”

“Taking a break is what guys say when they don’t want their girlfriend to go ballistic because they’re dumping her.” Maia wrinkles her nose. “Why are you so interested in Adair anyway? Are you still hung up on Hunter?”

Like I’m going to admit that to the Mouth of Midway Beach.

“Of course not.” Time to switch subjects. “How long is your break, anyway? Don’t you need to be getting back?”

She pulls out her cell phone and checks the time. “Shit! I’m outta here.”

She takes off running in the direction of the arcade, weaving her way through the sparse crowd. At this time of the late afternoon, people are still enjoying the sun and the sand and the ocean. Business won’t pick up until after dinner time.

I wipe down another miniature motorcycle, spending extra time on the rubber horn. When I straighten, I glimpse a flash of turquoise through the Fun Slide and the Dragon Wagon.

The same shade as my mother’s suit.

“Son of a bitch.” I jog toward the entrance to Kiddie Land and spot the woman in turquoise walking briskly away from the carnival. This time I’m not imagining things. Even from behind, I can tell it’s my mother.

If she truly believes I might be schizophrenic, why is she keeping tabs on me? Could it be that I was right in the first place? That she thinks her enemies might now be mine? Of course, Mom never had any enemies.

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