Catch Me When I Fall by Bonnie Graves

Author:Bonnie Graves [Graves, Bonnie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Regal House Publishing
Published: 2018-08-29T20:14:32+00:00

Chapter Nine

Under the Big Top

You know I’m not a boy?” Emma asked, horrified.

“Since the minute I laid eyes on you.”

“But you let me work.”

“I don’t have nothin’ against girls. Hell, you’re as good a worker as any boy, nearly as strong, smarter, and . . .” Boss Man smiled. “A mite better looking, I’d add. You remind me of a girl I once knew.”

Emma felt herself blushing.

“Enjoy the circus, missy. But better run along, if you want to get a good seat.”

She didn’t know what to say or hardly even what to do. All she knew was that her face felt flushed, as warm as if she’d been standing in front of a crackling fire, and inside her, near her heart, she felt full of the strangest feelings, feelings so new they didn’t seem to belong to her. And then she heard Nan’s voice.

“Will! Yoo-hoo! Over here!”

Startled, she looked across the circus lot at Nan who stood under the tree where they’d had lunch, waving frantically. What was Nan doing here again? And why did she look so desperate?

Then, remembering her manners, she turned back to Boss Man. “Thank you for the ticket, thank you very much!”

Boss Man tipped his hat and off Emma flew toward Nan.

“Is something wrong?” Emma asked, taking deep breaths. “Why are you back?”

“Clarence and Teddy. They said your mother was looking for you!”

“Oh, my gosh! I’ve got to get inside the Big Top before Mother finds me!”

“You got a ticket?”

Emma held out the precious yellow ticket with the black letters. Admit One. Hackenstack’s Most Spectacular Show on Earth.

Nan grinned. “Oh, Emma!”

“Wish me luck,” Emma said, running toward the Midway. Soon she would see him, Filippo the Flying Wonder! The man who very possibly was her very own father.

But first she had to get inside the Big Top before Mother found her.



The Midway swarmed with people. A long line had formed at the ticket wagon and a longer line snaked toward the Big Top entrance.

Emma pulled Granddad’s fedora low on her forehead, keeping her eyes glued to the ground as she weaved her way through the crowd, dodging kids carrying balloons, toy monkeys on a stick, and cotton candy. She didn’t want to see anyone she knew. Even in overalls and a fedora someone might recognize her. The thought of Mother finding her before she was safe inside the Big Top made her stomach knot up.

“Step right up, Ladies and Gentlemen,” a sideshow barker called. “Get your tickets to cast your eyes upon exotic, never-seen-before wonders that will thrill and amaze. And what you see on the banners outside, you’ll witness in living reality on the inside. Step right up!”

Emma glanced up at the banner showing Fat Lady Tina and wondered how Tina felt about people gawking at her in her satin rompers, her ample flesh exposed for all the world to see. Tina seemed like a nice person, someone who you could have fun joking around with. She certainly knew how to laugh!

“Hot dogs! Popcorn! Cotton candy!” concessionaires shouted.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.