Let Me Forget (Now or Never)

Chapter Five

RECAP

I closed my eyes, preparing my voice to sound cheerful, "Enough about me, let's talk about you. What brings you to my dad's cramped up store?" I asked with a laugh.

It was a while before he answered, "Oh, I needed a job to pay my way through college."

"I'm guessing your parents put that responsibility on you right?"

"You could say that."

"What do you mean?"

I heard him sigh, "I'm emancipated. I live away from my parents, and I'm paying my own way through college." He said, with a slight edge that suggests there was more to it than just that.

Chapter Five

"The wrenches on that shelf," she guessed, pointing to the shelf she was talking about.

                "No."

                "How about the nails?"

                "Nope."

                "Fine! I give up!" Grinning, he pointed to the poster above her head. Craning her neck, she complained, "That's not fair! I can't even see that!"

                Shrugging, he told her, "If you were over here you could."

                "But I'm not over there!"

                "That's your problem." Tommy teased her.

                Aida huffed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, a bad habit of hers. "My turn." Her eyes wandered around the store, looking for something that he would never guess. Grinning triumphantly, she said, "I spy with my little eye . . . something yellow!"

                Without taking his eyes off her, he said, "The pencil on the counter."

                Her mouth dropped open in shock and she could only nod her head. "H-h-h" Clearing her throat, she continued again, trying to be more articulate. "How did you do that?" She tried to keep her voice flat, but the shock and awe had seeped through way too noticeably.

                Grinning, he told her, "A magician never reveals his secrets."

                "You're not a magician," she muttered under her breath.

                His face turned completely serious in a matter of seconds. "What did you say?"

                Shrinking down a little under his stare, she offered weakly, "You're a magician?"

                "Don't lie. What did you say?"

                Sighing in defeat, she said, "You're not a magician."

                "I do believe I am."

                Jutting her chin out defiantly, with false confidence, she challenged, "Prove it."

                "Fine. Watch and learn. I'm going to make that drill move."

                Aida was skeptical but she focused on the drill that was sitting on a table, on display. Waiting, she saw nothing happening. Turning toward Tommy, she saw that he was concentrating on the area where the drill was and just as she was opening her mouth to speak, he held up one finger and said, "Shh."