Page 107
Madison is uncharacteristically quiet, but Chase rarely leaves a moment of silence for anyone else to get a word in. He’s very excited about the children’s baseball tournament on Sunday.
After an hour, we call it a night. I give Blake a goodbye kiss on the cheek, watching Chase from the corner of my eye to see how he takes it. He frowns and looks away.
But he cheerfully high-fives Blake.
“I’m working tomorrow,” Blake says as he waves goodbye. “But I’ll see you on Sunday at the game.”
“I’m going to take a walk,” Madison says when Blake leaves. “I’ll meet you at the apartment.”
That leaves me finally alone with Chase.
“Did you have fun at the carnival?” I ask.
“It was great.” But of course, in the manner of all children, he misses the point of why I’m asking and goes on to tell me all about the different rides he went on.
He talks all the way home, which is only a five-minute walk, and keeps going the whole time that we get ready for bed.
Madison comes home about an hour later, looking even more sour than she did before.
“Is everything alright?” I ask, when we lie down in the bed.
“It will be now,” she answers cryptically.
I take out my phone and find a text message from Blake.
I think today went well.
Chase had a lot of fun, I reply.
Stop by the bar if you get any free time tomorrow. Otherwise, I’ll see you on Sunday. Goodnight, Ames.
Goodnight, Blake.
Saturday is a busy day. Scarlett offers to take Chase and Penny to the festival so that I can work. I have to check on the stage crew and musicians and make sure everyone knows where they have to be and when. Then I have a large tourist group that is coming by bus expecting lunch at one of the festival food booths. I have to meet up with them and get them settled. And finally, I promised Georgina that I would walk around with her so she can experience the festival like a local. She feels safer with me there, she says.
I go to the stage and call up every artist due to play that day to make sure they’re all on top of it. I join Chase and Scarlett in front of the stage to watch Penny play in the children’s orchestra for thirty minutes, and then I’m off again to meet up with the tourist bus.
After lunch, I pick up Chase from the carnival, and we meet Nina in front of the hotel. We walk around the festival one more time, but Chase starts to complain that his legs are tired.
I ask if he wants to sit and eat a piece of cherry pie, one of the festival’s staple dishes.
“I want cheesecake from the Grove Grind Cafe.”
I look at Nina.
“You don’t have to ask me twice. That was the best cheesecake I’ve eaten in my life.”
The cafe is packed, but we manage to find a small table outside when an old couple stands up.
“Amelia!” Sophia runs toward me. “I’m so excited. Are you excited?”
I laugh, get up and jump up and down with her. It’s hard not to. “I’m excited.”
“Can Kelly come with me to meet Georgina after the show? You haven’t forgotten, right?”
“I haven’t forgotten. And Kelly can come.”
She squeals and runs inside.
