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“C’mon, man, you can do it,” someone called from the crowd.
Yeah, maybe if everyone wasn’t standing around watching him like a hawk. I bet Will wished he’d dressed as a ghost too. This time the ring touched the little stick poking up from the lily pad and, although it landed on the pad, it didn’t capture the stick as per the rules.
“One turn left, folks. Can he do it?”
“Focus, Will, focus. Think as though your life depended on hitting the target,” I urged. “Pretend that lily pad is something you really want and without it your life is not worth living. You can do it!” Okay, so it was just a game, but the unblinking eyes and silence of the still crowd had created suspense to rival Hitchcock.
Will took a deep breath and I could almost hear his heart beating through his plastic muscle-clad chest. He extended his arm out and back twice, lining up his target and then tossed the ring towards the bed of unsuspecting lily pads.
“We have a hit!” The attendant raised his fist in the air and the crowd cheered as the ring hula-hooped around the stick a few times before coming to a standstill.
I jumped up and down like a teenage groupie at a concert, clapping with more enthusiasm than was warranted. “You did it! Well done.” I surprised myself by kissing Will on the cheek and his chest seemed to rise with pride.
He performed a subtle bow to thank the crowd and accepted a large coffee-brown coloured teddy bear wearing a cute tartan jacket and bow tie. Normally I’d never be one to call tartan cute – now that was a fabric that should just not exist at all – but tonight wasn’t exactly normal, so tonight, it was cute.
Will handed me the teddy bear and I rubbed its silky soft fur on my cheeks as he took a photo. A few more people asked to pose with Superman, then we strolled around the fair, Will with his googly eyes and me in my glitter wig, only realising after a few minutes that our hands were entwined. It just felt so natural.
“Ooh, a fortune telling machine. Should we see what it has to say?” Will pointed to what looked like a large arcade game, with two big hypnotic eyes painted on the front and a screen with swirling psychedelic colours.
I went to tell him I’d already had a psychic reading today, but bit my lip. “Sure, I’m game, if you are?”
“Of course, I have nothing to fear, the future can only be bright with you by my side.” He gave my shoulders a squeeze. Although leaning towards melodrama, his affection for me was quite endearing.
I eyed him curiously. “Will, what did you think of when you hit the target on the lily pad?”
“You, of course. I imagined you were on the lily pad needing to be rescued and it worked. It’s the same in life, I think. You have a goal, you focus on it and take a step forward with confidence, trusting in a good outcome.”
“True,” I replied, a tingle of warmth spreading inside. “Okay, you first, Superman.”
Will scanned his e-pad on the machine and it sparkled into action, the swirls on the screen spinning faster and faster and faster, until faint letters appeared, all jumbled up at first, then forming a sentence: Your life will soon undergo a big transition. Ride the waves and keep moving forward.
A card ejected from the machine and Will glanced at the fortune written on it. “Hmm… wonder what that’s about?”
I shrugged. “Let’s see what it says for me.”
Again, the swirls spun fast and the words became visible: Tomorrow is a brand new day, anything is possible.
“That’s not much of a prediction,” Will commented. “Not very specific.”
Before I could reply, the machine made a jingling noise and the swirls spun again. Then something else appeared on the screen: Congratulations! You have been selected to receive a Bonus Fortune! More swirly spinning, then: Your heart holds the answer to all your questions.
“How about that? It must have known it was your birthday or something,” Will said. “Still, not overly specific.”
“Actually, I think it’s quite appropriate. It’s telling me I can create my own future, if I listen to my heart.” I plucked the two cards from the slot and held them to my chest.
“I think you’re right.” Will nodded. “Who knows, tomorrow if Mr Turrow accepts our proposal then this could be the big transition and this will mean that anything is possible for the future of our business.”
“Could be,” I replied, although I took these predictions as more personal in nature. “Ooh, ooh – let’s get a show bag!” I tugged on Will’s hand like a hyped-up child and led him to the show bag stand which appeared to be closing up for the night. “Can we grab a couple of bags before you close?” I asked the attendant whose eyes were half closed, his bottom lip hanging low like an overstretched hammock.
He plucked two bags from under the table without a word, as though too tired to speak. I scanned my e-pad, chose credit payment and he handed over the goods. Will and I wandered off, plucking surprise treasures from our bags. I unwrapped a lollipop and let the sticky sweetness glide along my tongue.
Will smiled. “You wouldn’t think you’re fifty,” he said. “You’ve still got it, Kel.”
“Got what?”
“You know, it.”
“Oh, you mean, sex appeal?”
