Redemption

Chapter 3 Him Again

By Friday night, my muscles were sore, painful and were impossible to move without letting out a groan. And the Winter Carnival was tonight . . .

“Ice pack?” Mum trilled from the kitchen after a heated discussion with my dad. “Audrey?”

“Yes please!” I called back and lay sprawled across the top of one of the couches.

I hated Aimee for the hard out training she put me through; how on earth was I supposed to hit the ball even once if my muscles were be aching by then?

“All right; we’re running out seeing as they’re not freezing fast enough from your last injuries,” she teased. “What are you wearing to the Carnival? It’s winter so it’s gonna be cold . . .”

“A thick jacket, warm jeans, shoes, you know,” I told her with a wry smile. Mum never seemed to stop making sure I ‘dressed properly’.

“Good,” she said in approval. “Now, go get ready. The Carnival starts soon – and didn’t you say you promised to help Aimee with one of her stalls?”

“Ugh yes!” I groaned. “All right, I’m going, I’m going.”

Stupid Aimee and her extracurricular commitments.

The crazy lights illuminating the Ferris wheel had started to hurt my eyes, especially because Aimee’s stall was right by the fried food stalls and the wheel itself.

“Count up the money; we’re closing up!” Aimee called with a grin and winked at me. “Some good stuff there, Audrey!”

I shrugged, collecting the money box and started rifling through the paper notes and numerous coins. I counted them quickly, doing the maths in my head and beamed at Aimee while she started packing away all the water balloons and buckets of water. “Almost three hundred dollars! I can’t believe what a hit we had!”

The whole back flap of the tent was drenched while the wooden targets that had been previously put up for kids to aim at were officially able to be called driftwood. On the other hand, the large plastic hula-hoops seemed practically untouched. Nobody managed to get the final prize until one of the cricket players from our school came and claimed the big plush toy at the last minute.

“Yep,” she said with a grin. “You’ve done too much for me – well I’ve made you do too much. I’ll finish up and you go have fun with the remaining hour and a half.”

I sighed with relief and gave her a grateful look. “Thanks, Aimes.”

“No problem,” she replied with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry for turning your hands into prunes.”

“It’s fine; they’ve dried off,” I reassured her and jumped over the counter. “Call me if you have any trouble.”

“All right!” she replied and continued taking down the sopping wet wooden targets.

I grinned, immediately making a beeline for the candyfloss and fried food. Grabbing some fries and two bags of candyfloss, I started eating away and smiled at the delicious sugary and salty taste mixed together.

Sitting down by the nearest bench, I watched little kids race around, jumping at the gaming stalls, stuffing their face away at the candyfloss and crunch on the food. I smiled at them. Oh they must be having a blast at the Carnival and there would be some blue fireworks for the coming of winter.

“So we meet again.”

I looked up, my mouth filled with candyfloss and I had to keep my lips clamped on the soft sugary treat to prevent the food from falling from my mouth. “Mmm!”