Sundancer by Shelley Peterson

necessity of reacting, as a car was coming far too fast up the drive.
    Let the games begin, thought Bird. Shes scooted down the stairs and out the back door, around the house and up the big oak over-looking the front door. She settled in just as the red sedan came toa jerky stop in front of the house.
    Eva was the first to emerge. She was dressed from head to toe in her favourite colour: pink. Her bleached-blonde hair was swept up in curls, caught in a pink polka-dot bandana. Her pale-pink skirt was short and pleated like a schoolgirl’s, showing off her lean, well-tanned legs. Her bright-pink T-shirt was stretched tightly across a chest that looked larger than Bird remembered. Pink ankle socks under pink high-heeled pumps and matching lipstick completed the outfit.
    On the front porch, Stuart’s jaw literally dropped while Hannah simply stared.
    Bird felt ill.
    â€œI’m sooo mad!” pouted Eva as she tottered up the walk. “Randy insisted he knew the way. He wouldn’t listen to me and we kept getting lost!”
    A grim-faced man opened the driver’s door and stepped out of the car. Bird examined him carefully from her perch. He smoothed his skin-tight designer jeans with his hands, and brushed imaginary lint from his body-hugging powder-blue sport shirt. His round face sported a thick dark moustache, and he had a great head of curly brown hair. Bird wondered if it was dyed. His highly polished shoes gleamed in the sunlight. Arrogant but insecure, thought Bird. Time will tell.
    Next out was Julia. Nine years old now, she’d grown since Bird had last seen her. Bird’s heart lurched as she took in her sister’s outfit. Julia was dressed exactly like her mother, but in miniature. It was all wrong. She was pretty, but she looked wan and tired, and more than a little nervous. Don’t worry, sister. I’ll find you later, when no one else is around, thought Bird.
    Bird watched as Eva gave Hannah a huge hug. “It’s sooo good to see you!” She looked over Hannah’s shoulder at Paul and Stuart. “You must introduce me to your handsome friends.”
    Where did the Southern accent come from? Bird wondered.
    â€œOf course,” said Hannah politely. “Eva, I’d like you to meet my vet, Paul Daniels. And this is Stuart Gilmore, the principal of Forks of the Credit School. Gentlemen, I’d like to introduce you to Eva Simms, my sister.”
    â€œYour much younger sister,” Eva drawled, then giggled. Paul shot Hannah an amused look.
    Stuart, for his part, was smitten. “It’s nice to see you again,” he said.
    Eva batted her eyelashes at him, forming an appealing, questioning look on her face. “When did we have the pleasure of meeting? I never forget a handsome man, and I absolutely never forget a gorgeous one!”
    Stuart flushed as pink as Eva’s shirt. “It was five years ago at the Theatre Orangeville fundraiser. You modelled a red flamenco skirt.”
    â€œOh, yes! At the Tijuana Tribute! What fun!” Eva danced in a circle flashing her white teeth, pretending to throw her skirts around. “Ai ai ai ai!”
    Was this really her mother? Bird felt sick with embarrassment. Why did Eva always have to flirt, always have to be the center of attention. Nothing had changed.
    Randy joined the group with his beige topcoat over his arm, carrying luggage. He was shadowed closely by Julia.
    â€œI’d like you all to meet Randy Band,” said Eva. “And my precious little daughter, Julia.” She pointed out each person. “Correct me if I get mixed up. Hannah, of course, Paul, and … Stuart? Am I right?”
    â€œPerfect!” gushed Stuart. Eva smiled at him coyly.
    Bird was momentarily distracted by a red squirrel. He was angry about his space being invaded.
    â€œChee chee chee chee!”
    Quiet, Red. I’m only here for a minute, until they go into the house .
    This is my tree!
    It’s