A Tale of Two Carnies

44 - Someday...

The end of the semester finally arrived for Shelly. She would be free for the summer until classes started up again in the fall. I had given her a key to my trailer. While I worked, she would often surprise me when I got home by waiting for me in bed, eager for the two of us to engage in a little afternoon delight.

I scheduled a week of vacation for mid-July and contacted Mr. Green to inform him of my intention to return the Beast to him. He was the legal owner, the old van still registered in his name. I thanked him for allowing me to borrow it for such a long time. I no longer needed it since I used some of my inheritance money from Cozbi to buy a new pick-up truck. For the first time in my life, I owned a new, dependable, vehicle.

Shelly and I drove the Beast to Sarasota, Florida, winter headquarters of the carnival. Although the carnival had disbanded, Greenie still made his home there. The normally two-day drive took us three. I drove slow and easy, babying the Beast so it wouldn't fall apart along the way. Our plan was to spend the rest of the week relaxing before flying home.

Mr. Green still worked in the entertainment business as an event planner for a local convention hall and seemed to be doing well.

Our trip also included another purpose. Cozbi's mom and dad were laid to rest in a Sarasota cemetery. Mr. Green agreed to drive us to the site after I told him what I wanted to do. He used his local connections to obtain permission for us to dig a shallow hole at the foot of the gravesite. I lowered the urn with Cozbi's ashes into the hole and covered it. When the deed was done, the three of us stood for a while in silence.

"Cozbi is back with her family now," I said. "She's home."

Shelly squeezed my hand. I turned to her and said, "Thus ends my commitment to my friend, to protect her, and to look after her. I'm free of her now, Shelly. I'm finally and completely free."

Mr. Green drove us back to our beachfront hotel where Shelly and I said our goodbyes to him. It made me sad knowing we'd probably never see each other again.

As we watched the man drive away, Shelly wiped her brow. "The next time we come to a tropical location, let's do it in winter when it's not so damn hot."

"We can change into our bathing suits and take a dip in the Gulf to cool off."

"You're forgetting I'm a pale redhead. I'll fry in a bathing suit under this sun. Trust me, Jace, you wouldn't like it. I'd be miserable and wouldn't be able to let you touch me."

For sure, I wouldn't like that. "Okay then, the beach is a terrible idea."

Except it ruined what I needed to do. I was sure about my feelings for Shelly and wanted her to be a permanent part of my life, but for that to happen, I needed to clear away one last obstacle, a huge one. I had planned to take care of it while we lounged beneath beach umbrellas.

Now I had to improvise.

Taking Shelly by the hand, I led her into the hotel. A variety of boutiques lined the inside of the lobby. We strolled along window shopping. We passed a café, but neither of us were hungry enough to want to stop. Beside the café stood a shop selling expensive designer purses. Shelly showed no interest. I figured she wouldn't. She was too practical and not a girly girl. We walked by a shop selling sports memorabilia and another peddling sickly sweet-smelling perfumes. That one, we ran away from, ugh.

Next in line was a jeweler. We stood in front of the display window eyeing the rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.

I looked at her. "You don't wear much jewelry."

She touched her earlobes. "Mom and dad bought me these diamond stud earrings when I turned sixteen. I own a jeweled tennis bracelet and a necklace of fake pearls but hardly ever wear those."