Disney after Dark

A moment later he felt fine. He leaned away from her. “Whoa,” he said. “That was some kind of strange.”

A smallgroup of kids that had gathered moved on.

Fi

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked.

“Felt like I blew a fuse,” he told her. “Thanks for the coaching. Where’d you learn that?”

“So much of that stuff is in our minds,” was all she said. She giggled. “I thought you’d fainted.”

He said, “You turned…just before…like you heard something. What was with that?”

“I—” She looked away. She didn’t offer an answer.

Now it dawned on him what had just happened.

“‘ It isn’t safe, ’” he mumbled.

Amanda’s brow knit in grave concern. The second bell rang.

Fi

11

Crazy Glaze was crowded with mothers and their children busily painting blank pottery at brightly lit tables. There were several co

Fi

“I’m looking for Do

“You mean Terry,” she said, a smile overcoming her. “Do

“Who should I say is calling? Wait a minute!” she interrupted herself. “Don’t I know you?” she asked Fi

Yes, ma am.

She nodded, proud of herself. “That’s it exactly. I was over there nearly every day you all were shooting. But you, girl. I’d remember you, and I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Amanda. A friend of Fi

“Well, I’m pleased to meet you both. I’m Terry’s Aunt Bess. I run this place. Own it too!” As she gri

“Jelly?” Amanda said.

“It’s a long story. It started with jelly donuts, and got out of control from there. Don’t ask me!”

“Is Terry around?” Fi

“Terry’s out back. But he’s taking it easy today. Not feeling exactly top-notch. I’m not sure this is the best day for a visit.”

“He didn’t happen to feel faint, did he?” Fi

The woman’s face hardened. She crossed her arms tightly and looked down at Fi

“I think I need to see him, Ms.…Jelly.” Fi

“School nurse said there’s a bug going around,” she said.

“And maybe that’s all it is,” Fi

“What is it you’re not telling me, son?” Jelly asked.

“I really need to see him,” Fi

When she nodded, her double chin turned into a triple. “Okay. Just not too long. Hear?”

* * *

“You!” Maybeck said to Fi

Fi

Maybeck said “Hey” to her. He looked at Fi

“Are we okay to talk here?” Fi

Maybeck looked around, closed a door that led into the front of the shop and said, “We’re good.”

“How’s your sleep these past couple nights?”

“What’s with that?” Maybeck asked.

“Had any vivid dreams?”

Maybeck looked searchingly from Fi

Fi

Fi

“I’m not saying I have or haven’t,” Maybeck said.

“Did you make these?” Amanda pointed to a series of beautifully painted water pitchers on a shelf amid dozens of other bowls and mugs. The image on the pitchers was the Cinderella Castle.

“Tourists like them.”

“But you painted them,” she said.

“Yeah. I sell them on the side.” He lowered his voice and said to Fi

from Disney…being a DHL It’s made a big difference for us—my aunt and me—and I can’t risk their asking for that money back.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“How do you know it won’t?”

Fi

“Do you have Internet access?” Amanda asked.

Fi

“Sure,” Maybeck answered.

Fi

“Not me.” Maybeck looked briefly afraid.

Fi

Maybeck looked completely serious. There was not a laughing bone in his body. “I can’t mess things up for my aunt.”

“We can’t stop this,” Fi

Maybeck met eyes with him, a mean look, both angry and afraid. He’d heard those words before.

“No way…” he said darkly.

“Way,” said Fi

Maybeck said, “Yeah, well…then I guess we gotta do this.”

12

Fi

She served meat loaf, with green beans and bacon, salad, and cornbread, only to discover that Amanda was a vegetarian.

Fi

Fi

“Is that right?” he asked.

Mr. Whitman challenged their guest. “I don’t see why you have to go online to talk. Why can’t you just talk if you want to talk?”

“We don’t own a computer,” Amanda answered. “Or a TV.”

Mr. Whitman looked up from his plate, possibly for the first time. “Well, good for you,” he said.

“Nothing wrong with that. Fi

“Donald!” Fi

“I’m just making conversation,” Mr. Whitman complained.

“Hey, Dad,” Fi

the one that turned out in the ocean and came back ashore?” Gary.

“Yeah, Gary. Is it true it lost a lot of its power after it went over us?”

“Over half its wind speed. Yes. Downgraded to a tropical storm. But that’s pretty typical when storms pass over land. Why?”

“Oh, nothing. Never mind,” Fi

He glanced at Amanda. She nodded toward her watch.

“We’re go

On their way up the stairs Fi

“They all wear them that way, dear,” Mrs. Whitman said. “She’s adorable.” She’d lowered her voice to a whisper, but Fi

“Nothing wrong with him having a new friend. He can’t spend all his time with Dillard.”