cares about her. But I don't know if she'll believe me.”
*****
Keely felt like the only girl in the world who was in love. All of the clichés she'd read were true. She felt like she was floating on air. She felt ten feet tall and beautiful. The carnival was the best she'd ever attended. Sitting next to Tripp in the Ferris wheel car, high above the park, she felt like the queen of the world. Riding the roller coaster, she screamed hysterically, but her hysteria went away when he put his arms around her.
She couldn't have been in love with Mark. She'd never felt this good before. She was so giddy, she felt like someone released a helium balloon inside her. Dust from the long dry spell rose under their feet, seeping into her sandals as they walked through the park, and she didn't mind.
Carnival barkers shouted at Tripp to win her a stuffed animal, and when he passed them by, they broke the night air with catcalls. Mark would have won the bear, gone broke trying, or decked the guys for shouting. They didn't faze Tripp, who ignored them until she admired a super-sized monkey holding a banana, and with three quick balls, won it for her. Afterward, he told her the story of Rosita Banana and his introduction to HAH. Tripp had had his share of troubles and overcome them admirably. He was sweet and fun, and the past was past, and nothing good could come of telling him about her and Mark.
*****
Tripp had never had so much fun as he did the week of the festival. So what if Keely had dated Mark? She was Tripp Andrews' girl now. Aunt Ev was enjoying herself and the kids at the hospital loved the festival stories and souvenirs he carried back to them. Regret over keeping his transplant donor's identity secret, and fear Keely would make it a major deal if she found it out, nagged at the back of his mind. And he fretted over Rosa's condition whenever he had a moment alone. But he'd waited a long time for fun and love to come along, and he was making the most of it.
July 4 th , the final day of the festival, dawned hot and clear. Joey was sitting on the Jefferson's steps by nine-o’clock, waiting for Tripp to warm up with him. At nine-thirty, they were both sweating and had to wash before walking downtown to view the parade. The Medics were scheduled to play the first game afterward, and Joey was psyched for a win.
Tripp wore a white polo shirt with red stripes and blue stars that his mother sent, and Keely smiled from one gold star earring to the other when she saw him. She looked cute in a red skort, white tee shirt, and navy blue sandals. Her auburn hair was pulled into a high ponytail tied with a navy ribbon. “Morning, Mrs. Sam,” he said, chuckling.
Joey frowned when they explained the joke. “She'd be Aunt Sam, not Mrs.,” he said, and grinned proudly when they conceded he was right.
Keely looked fresh as a summer daisy, but after they'd walked a block, perspiration dotted her nose like freckles. “Today's going to turn into a scorcher.”
“All the better for a hot time in the old town,” Tripp joked, and she rolled her eyes, laughing.
Joey, spotting his manager, ran to join him and the team to walk in the parade. Tripp and Keely found two seats in a row of bleachers set up along the sidewalks and squeezed in. Now that Joey had run off, Tripp felt free to hold Keely's hand, and she smiled up at him. “I love you,” he said softly.
“I love you too,” she whispered.
Sirens wailed through the still air, alerting the crowd that the parade was inching their way. Keely pulled a pair of sunglasses out of her skort pocket to perch on her nose. “Look, there's Will,” she said, pointing toward the next set of bleachers. “I've never seen that girl he's with before.”
A blast of brass and boom of percussion drew Tripp's attention, and wishing he'd worn a ball cap, he shaded his eyes with his hand. The high school marching band was followed by half a dozen police cars, crawling down the street
*****
Keely felt like the only girl in the world who was in love. All of the clichés she'd read were true. She felt like she was floating on air. She felt ten feet tall and beautiful. The carnival was the best she'd ever attended. Sitting next to Tripp in the Ferris wheel car, high above the park, she felt like the queen of the world. Riding the roller coaster, she screamed hysterically, but her hysteria went away when he put his arms around her.
She couldn't have been in love with Mark. She'd never felt this good before. She was so giddy, she felt like someone released a helium balloon inside her. Dust from the long dry spell rose under their feet, seeping into her sandals as they walked through the park, and she didn't mind.
Carnival barkers shouted at Tripp to win her a stuffed animal, and when he passed them by, they broke the night air with catcalls. Mark would have won the bear, gone broke trying, or decked the guys for shouting. They didn't faze Tripp, who ignored them until she admired a super-sized monkey holding a banana, and with three quick balls, won it for her. Afterward, he told her the story of Rosita Banana and his introduction to HAH. Tripp had had his share of troubles and overcome them admirably. He was sweet and fun, and the past was past, and nothing good could come of telling him about her and Mark.
*****
Tripp had never had so much fun as he did the week of the festival. So what if Keely had dated Mark? She was Tripp Andrews' girl now. Aunt Ev was enjoying herself and the kids at the hospital loved the festival stories and souvenirs he carried back to them. Regret over keeping his transplant donor's identity secret, and fear Keely would make it a major deal if she found it out, nagged at the back of his mind. And he fretted over Rosa's condition whenever he had a moment alone. But he'd waited a long time for fun and love to come along, and he was making the most of it.
July 4 th , the final day of the festival, dawned hot and clear. Joey was sitting on the Jefferson's steps by nine-o’clock, waiting for Tripp to warm up with him. At nine-thirty, they were both sweating and had to wash before walking downtown to view the parade. The Medics were scheduled to play the first game afterward, and Joey was psyched for a win.
Tripp wore a white polo shirt with red stripes and blue stars that his mother sent, and Keely smiled from one gold star earring to the other when she saw him. She looked cute in a red skort, white tee shirt, and navy blue sandals. Her auburn hair was pulled into a high ponytail tied with a navy ribbon. “Morning, Mrs. Sam,” he said, chuckling.
Joey frowned when they explained the joke. “She'd be Aunt Sam, not Mrs.,” he said, and grinned proudly when they conceded he was right.
Keely looked fresh as a summer daisy, but after they'd walked a block, perspiration dotted her nose like freckles. “Today's going to turn into a scorcher.”
“All the better for a hot time in the old town,” Tripp joked, and she rolled her eyes, laughing.
Joey, spotting his manager, ran to join him and the team to walk in the parade. Tripp and Keely found two seats in a row of bleachers set up along the sidewalks and squeezed in. Now that Joey had run off, Tripp felt free to hold Keely's hand, and she smiled up at him. “I love you,” he said softly.
“I love you too,” she whispered.
Sirens wailed through the still air, alerting the crowd that the parade was inching their way. Keely pulled a pair of sunglasses out of her skort pocket to perch on her nose. “Look, there's Will,” she said, pointing toward the next set of bleachers. “I've never seen that girl he's with before.”
A blast of brass and boom of percussion drew Tripp's attention, and wishing he'd worn a ball cap, he shaded his eyes with his hand. The high school marching band was followed by half a dozen police cars, crawling down the street
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