Reader in the Park

by Rachel Maldonado

  Nikki giggled. “I'm sure the dream version of me was quite flattered.”

  “Actually, I didn't tell her. I mean, I didn't tell you.”

  Nikki changed the subject. “What would you like to do now? I'm thinking we should get out of the sun. We're both starting to turn red.”

  “There's an aquarium theme park down the way from our hotel, so if you like we can walk back down that way to drop off all of our things. Maybe we can shower and change clothes and head out that way.”

  “Sure. I'd like that.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The Ocean Life Aquarium and Theme Park was bustling with people. There were people all over the park doing all different types of things such as: eating turkey legs, corn dogs, hamburgers and funnel cakes; laughing at silly animal performances with otters, seals, dogs, cats, ferrets and sea lions; walking in all directions trying to get from one section of the park to another; talking as they waited in line to get on certain rides like the Sand Dollar Spin, The Tilt-A-Whirl, the Ferris Ship-Wheel; or riding on roller coasters such as the Cyclone, the Shark Attack, or the Tidal Wave. There were also many people playing carnival-type games such as The Ring Toss, Dart Balloon games, or the Coin Toss. The best part of the park for Anna was the aquarium. It had interactive sections where you could touch sea urchins or small crabs or feed the stingrays. Her favorite part was always watching the dolphins perform their daily show of jumping through hoops and making certain signals with their fins. They'd even been taught to splash water at the crowd, so most of the people in the first row would be splashed with water at certain times during the show.

  It was all so much for Nikki to take in. She wasn't sure where to even go first.

  “Maybe we should get a map,” she suggested.

  Anna approached a customer help desk where there were many maps in a plastic holder. She grabbed two of them, then walked back to where Nikki was, but she wasn't there. She looked around in all directions, then finally spotted her in a long line waiting to purchase a turkey leg. Nikki was waving at her trying to get her attention, so when Anna finally saw her she immediately walked over to her.

  “Sandwich wasn't enough, huh? I feel like I could eat, too. Do you mind getting two turkey legs?”

  Nikki shook her head. “No, you have to stand in the back of the line like everyone else. You're cutting.”

  A few people turned around to see what was happening.

  Anna felt embarrassed. “I'm not cutting,” she told them. “My girlfriend's just being silly.”

  The people in line turned back around to face forward.

  “Your girlfriend? I think I like the sound of that,” said Nikki grinning.

  “Why'd you say I was cutting? That's so embarrassing. What if people really start to think so? I don't want to have to speak to some type of park authority or anything.”

  Nikki grinned. “Relax. Nothing's going to happen. I was just kidding around. I'll order two, so you don't have to wait in line.”

  “Okay,” said Anna, hugging Nikki. “Thank you.” She was about to walk away to sit down at a nearby table, when she suddenly turned to face Nikki again. “I like the sound of it, too,” she said hugging her once more and kissing her softly on the lips. Nikki was caught off guard, but pleasantly surprised.

  Anna then walked over to the table to wait.

  When Nikki finally walked over to the table with two turkey legs, Anna was ready with paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils and a bottle of barbecue sauce.

  “Where'd all that come from?” asked Anna puzzled.

  “There's another stand over there from a restaurant called Zerts that sells smoked sausage, chicken, and brisket. This is their own original sauce. They make it and bottle it right here in town. Isn't that wild? I thought I'd buy us a bottle to put on our turkey legs.”

  Anna handed Nikki her turkey leg and she immediately unwrapped it from the foil it was wrapped in and placed it on a paper plate. She slathered it in barbecue sauce, then began to it it with a knife and fork.

  Meanwhile, Anna chewed on hers like a barbarian; directly from the bone by taking bites.

  “You're not scared you're going to get full of sauce or anything like that?” inquired Nikki.

  Anna shook her head. “No, this is how you're supposed to eat a turkey leg. It comes with its own handle.” She held it up to demonstrate how she was holding her turkey leg by the thinner part of the leg, then took another bite.

  “It's funny how we're different sometimes, but so cute at the same time,” remarked Nikki still eating with a knife and fork.

  “I'm wondering now if maybe we shouldn't have eaten. I was hoping to get on some amusement rides.” Anna motioned over to the Cyclone and the blue steel coaster, the Tidal Wave.

  “How about we watch some animal shows instead or go to the interactive portions of the aquariums?”

  “Okay, but at dusk we have to leave.” Anna glanced down at her watch. “That gives us at least a few hours.”

  “What? Why do we have to leave?” Nikki looked over at the line to purchase water and fountain drinks. It looked like it was a mile long. She didn't want to have to stand in it and waste time.

  “I have something else planned. I've already booked it. It was one of the surprises I had to make a phone call for this morning while you were in the bath.”

  The first stop they made was at the Animal Capers Live Pet Show. They were seated in the front row as they watched the animals try to solve a mystery of who was stealing all of the milk bones. Sherlock Chiweenie was on the case; a small reddish-brown dachshund chihuahua mix wearing a Sherlock Holmes hat and coat. The audience laughed and made ooh's and ah's at just how cute she was when she first ran out. In other parts of the show, she was in a motorized remote-controlled vehicle. It was a black Jeep; the small ones you'd probably find at a store for a toddler. Nikki's eyes would light up every single time Sherlock Chiweenie made her way to another part of the stage to investigate because she was probably one of the smartest and most well-trained dogs she'd ever seen. She would jump out of her small Jeep, then walk around to inspect the scene when a milk bone went missing. She'd stand, she'd sniff the milk bones that were left seeking some type of clues, then she'd get down on her haunches and follow what she thought to be a trail of where the suspect had gone. Anna loved the way that Nikki was so delighted. She must've spent more time watching Nikki than actually watching the animal show. It helped that they played music to go along with what was happening from suspenseful spooky sounds, to songs from the radio like “Who Let the Dogs Out” in a part where Sherlock Chiweenie was led straight to a dog park. She was nearly able to track down the scent of who was stealing the milk bones. She had eliminated the ferrets as suspects as well as the cats that were climbing all over the stage from entry to another. They were coaxed, of course, by other trainers behind the scenes. A trainer or two was often visible behind a wooden prop of a tree or shrub, but it didn't take away from the performance whatsoever. She'd even managed to go on the trail of Stripe the Skunk and not get sprayed. The entire audience thought she was surely doomed!

  Anna was disappointed at that moment because Nikki had left the auditorium in search of the bathroom and a drink of water and hadn't yet returned. She didn't get to see the part where everyone thought the skunk was going to spray Sherlock Chiweenie. Where is she? she thought. She's missing it.

  When Sherlock Chiweenie finally followed the scent of the suspect to the dog park and found that the gate was busted and all the dogs ran out to the song of “Who Let the Dog's Out,” nearly trampling Sherlock Chiweenie, there was one dog remaining after a Labrador, a Dalmation, a Rottweiler, a Doberman, and a Poodle ran clear across the stage. One dog was sitting on a bench in the park. It was a tiny miniature Chihuahua! And it was sitting beside Nikki! They had pulled her from the audience when she went to the bathroom, and the Chihuahua was supposed to be hers!

  Sherlock Chiweenie ran up to the Chihuahua and caught her red handed chewing on
some milk bones. Everyone laughed, too, because Sherlock Chiweenie raised one paw and outstretched her body pointing with her nose toward the Chihuahua who raised her tiny paw in the air displaying a red padding on the underside of her foot. The narrator, who was the trainer, was walking around with a microphone telling the story, so he shouted “I think Tinkerbell has been caught red handed!” Everyone clapped as Sherlock Chiweenie sat beside her trainer happily wagging her tail and howling. It was a deep sounding howl of a hound dog which had quite the bellowing roughness of a large breed of dog. It only made the show that much cuter for such a big sound to come out of such a small animal.

  At the end of the show, the trainer named all the animals and thanked Nikki for her participation as the role of the Chihuahua owner at the dog park. She smiled and took a bow, then rushed off stage toward Anna giving her a large warm embrace. “I'm so glad I didn't have a speaking role!” she said excitedly.

  “I thought you were missing the show!” said Anna. “I was starting to think we were going to have to stay in to see the next one.”

  “No, I was at the water fountain and was approached by one of the people from the show. She asked me if I wanted to participate and said all I'd have to do was sit beside a Chihuahua at the end of the show and look surprised.”

  Anna erupted with laughter. “You did look surprised!”

  “Where do you want to go now?”

  Anna looked over the times on the map, then looked at her watch.“There's supposed to be a dolphin show starting in fifteen minutes.”

  “Where is it?”

  “According to the map, it's on the other side of the park.”

  “We can make it. Let's run. You lead the way!”

  With that, Anna sprinted toward the next part of the theme park where the carnival games were with Nikki running as fast as she could trying to keep up. Anna nearly bumped into a man with a small cart that was selling fruit bars and cups of lemon ice. “Sorry, sir!” she shouted, nearly knocking him over.

  “I'm sorry, too!” shouted Nikki only mere seconds behind her. The man cringed once more expecting to be run down.

  Anna stopped for a brief moment at the Coin Toss when she saw a cup with an image depicted of a cartoon Chihuahua that looked much like the one that was in the animal and pet show that Nikki was in except this one looked sleepy and was holding a cup of steaming hot coffee. It displayed the writing, 'Don't talk to me unless I've had my morning coffee.' She took out a few quarters from her pocket and attempted to throw them in the cup, but missed entirely. She was in too much of a hurry and not focused enough to make any of the coins into the cup. Had she made at least one coin inside, she would've won it for Nikki. “Sorry, hon,” she said to Nikki as she watched.

  “Let's go. I want to see the dolphins!” said Nikki. “We'll try to win it again on the way back out!”

  The two women continued on their quest to get to the Dolphin Cove.

  By the time the two women reached their destination the show was about to start. There was only about five minutes remaining, so Nikki rushed into the stadium seating to find a place to sit, while Anna stopped briefly at a stand where they were selling dolphin items. Everything either was a dolphin or had a depiction of a dolphin on it. She purchased a stuffed animal, two dolphin shaped hats, a dolphin refillable soda cup, and a dolphin balloon, then she walked down to where Nikki was seated wearing her dolphin hat and sipping on some diet lime soda.

  “What's all this?” asked Nikki, taking the dolphin hat, balloon, and stuffed animal as Anna handed them to her.

  “I thought we could both use a little pick me up.”

  Nikki was a bit embarrassed. “A balloon? We're up towards the front. We're going to block people's view of the dolphins.”

  Anna turned around and looked at the people in the row behind her. Noting that they didn't seem at all bothered, she turned back around. “Nah, it's fine. If it makes you feel better, I'll hold it on my side, since I'm sitting closest to the aisle.”

  Nikki handed the balloon back over to Anna, then put on her dolphin hat. “I feel silly,” she said just as the dolphin trainer came out and the crowd started cheering.

  “What's that?!” asked Anna through the noise.

  “I said I feel silly!” she shouted just as the clapping and cheering started to quiet down. A few of the people laughed when the trainer looked over at her direction and said, “Let's try to keep it down, so the dolphins can hear our commands and don't get startled now, okay, everyone.” She did say everyone, but mostly was looking over at Nikki while she said it.

  “I didn't mean to say that so loud,” whispered Nikki to Anna.

  Anna smiled and took Nikki's hand in hers after having placed her dolphin cup on the ground.

  The dolphin show was incredible! They were swimming back and forth at lightning speeds, then they'd jump high into the air upon the commands of the three female trainers that were in wet suits. The crowd's excitement filled the air as they cheered, shouted, and applauded.

  The two women, who normally spent so much time lost in a sea of schedules, deadlines, and stress, finally felt as if they could let their hair down. They held hands as they walked out of the dolphin show together and smiled at one another in their goofy hats.

  “What do you want to do now?” questioned Anna as she sipped on the last of her beverage from her dolphin cup.

  “How about we go back to the carnival section to try to win that Chihuahua cup?” said Nikki.

  Anna laughed. “You really wanted that cup, didn't you? I knew it. I could see it in your eyes.”

  “You could?”

  Anna nodded. “Yes. You looked so excited when you saw me trying to win it, and then you looked so disappointed when you saw I didn't make any coins in.”

  “I guess I was. But it's not too late. If it's still there maybe we can still try to win it.”

  Anna agreed and they walked arm in arm back to the carnival grounds.

  As they entered the section, Nikki noticed the sign at the entryway that she hadn't noticed as they had run by earlier. The sign was directly about the entryway and fully decorated with neon lights. She imagined that it was probably a wondrous sight to see during the evening, but knew she wouldn't be able to see it tonight since Anna had planned to leave. The sign had a giant clown and the words read, “Carnival, Clowns, & Fun Town.”

  “Don't you think that sign is wild?” asked Nikki as she studied the sign carefully.

  Anna grinned. “It looks old fashioned. You see the pattern of the lights? It looks like when it's lit, the clown probably moves his hand towards his mouth and it gives the appearance that he's eating the hot dog that's he's holding.”

  Nikki laughed. “Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. But it's a shame we won't be here when they turn the sign on for the night.”

  “We can always come back. The park is open three-sixty-five rain or shine.”

  Nikki grinned as she looked around the carnival section with wonder. “I'm going to hold you to that. I bet this place is beautiful at night.”

  “I'm sure it is. But it's not as beautiful as you are.”

  Nikki smirked, but shook her head. “No, I'm going to disagree.”

  “Why's that?” asked Anna as she took a snapshot of the clown sign.

  “Because I think that you're the one that's beautiful.”

  Anna placed her arm down placing her phone in her front pocket, then walked over to Nikki and kissed her tenderly. “Come on,” she said. “Let's go in here.”

  “House of Mirrors?” laughed Nikki.

  “Sure. What better place is there?”

  Nikki laughed. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because,” began Anna. “it has got to be the most beautiful place in the whole entire park.”

  “How do you figure?” questioned Nikki curiously.

  “Where else would you be able to see so many images of your eyes, your smile, your tender lips?”

  Nikki's eyes began to water.
“I think that's the sweetest, most beautiful thing anyone's ever said to me.”

  “Come on,” said Anna again, rushing toward the entrance. “I get a two minute head start. If you can catch me, I'll be yours forever.”

  Anna rushed in as Nikki stood outside watching the second hand on her watch. “Two minutes seems like much too long of a time!” she shouted. But Anna was long gone, lost in a world of mirrors and doors. She had patiently waited sixty-two seconds before rushing into the House of Mirrors.

  Nikki couldn't recall ever having entered a House of Mirrors before. She searched her mind trying to remember running through the carnival grounds when she was a child. She had played numerous carnival games, won many stuffed animal prizes, filled her face with all sorts of treats like cotton candy, hot dogs, corn dogs, funnel cakes, and nachos covered with melted cheese. She remembered that she and her friends had been on almost all of the amusement rides such as the Ferris Wheel, the Zipper, the Himalaya, and the Tilt-A-Whirl. They'd even managed to spend rolls and rolls of quarters at the arcade, but never once had they ever entered the House of Mirrors. It was what she was thinking about when she saw Anna run face first into a clear door only a few feet across from her.

  “Ow!” shouted Anna, rubbing her nose. The band-aid was twisted out of place, so she had to try to fix it and put it back into place. When she couldn't put it back onto her nose, she removed it completely and placed it in her pocket as to not litter on the floor. She looked up to see that Nikki was watching her, grinning. “You didn't see that, did you?”

  Nikki laughed. “Didn't see what?”

  “Never mind,” said Anna trying to get through to the end of the maze. She hoped that Nikki didn't see her smack right into the door. She thought instead that Nikki had just so happened to walk in on her rubbing her nose and nothing more. She dismissed the idea, then continued on her way.