Once (Gypsy Fairy Tale)

by Burnett, Dana Michelle

  It all came back to me as I yawned and stretched. I remembered the butterflies, swimming naked in the moonlight, and another kiss.

  Why did Kieran have to be so perfectly amazing?

  I forced myself out of bed and into the shower. Standing under the stream, I closed my eyes. My mind immediately went back to last night and the feeling of Kieran’s hand in mine, his lips on my mouth...

  Thanks to my fantasies, I didn’t realize how long I was in the shower until the water began to run cold. I got out of the shower and got dressed, combing my wet hair back into a quick ponytail.

  I ran out the door, eating my breakfast as I hurried next door to the feed store. Shoving the last of the burnt toast in my mouth, I unlocked the door and went inside.

  Flipping on the lights, I went to the counter and put down my empty coffee cup and keys. Still yawning, I went on to the back room and unlocked that door and switched on those lights as well.

  I continued my morning routine going back to the front and changing the sign to read OPEN. I then went back to the counter and began making a fresh pot of coffee.

  Just another day...like any other...except...

  “We should talk.”

  I gasped and spun around, startled and expecting anything.

  There, just a few feet away and dressed all in black, stood Kieran’s father.

  I breathed a sigh of relief, “What is it with the men in your family getting such a kick out of scaring me?”

  “I do apologize,” he said with a slight bow. “But you do know who I am then?”

  “Yes,” I said as I switched on the coffee pot. “You’re Kieran's father.”

  “Niall.”

  Doesn't anyone in that family have a normal name?

  I shifted from one foot to the other and bit my lip nervously. It just seemed like he had this quiet energy that seemed to take over the entire room, it should have been comforting, but it made me self-conscious.

  “What can I do for you?” I asked, twisting my hands.

  He raised his eyebrows at my fidgeting, but was kind enough not to mention it.

  “It seems that you and Kieran have been spending a lot of time together,” he said in that soft polite tone and enchanting accent.

  Instantly, I blushed and dropped my eyes. “Yes.”

  He sighed and shook his head, “This is becoming problematic.”

  I looked up at him confused, “How so?”

  “I don’t want to go into that now,” he said as the back door slammed. “Could you come out tonight after the show?”

  There was something about his somber tone the made me uneasy.

  “I guess,” I mumbled.

  He smiled softly and bowed again, “Very good. I'll see you then.”

  I nodded and he left just as Alec came from the back room.

  “What did he want?” Alec asked.

  “Nothing,” I mumbled as a few customers came walking in.

  He picked up the broom and began sweeping, “I know I’m not supposed to talk to you about them, but I’ll be glad when they’re gone.”

  “When who’s gone?” One of the older customers asked.

  Alec twisted his mouth and shook his head, “The carnival people.”

  I rolled my eyes and walked away. I was in no mood to deal with Alec and his small town way of thinking.

  The old man seemed oblivious to the fact that I was trying to escape the conversation.

  “I'll be glad too,” he said as he followed me to the counter. “I hear that they’re supposed to be moving on by the end of the week.”

  What?

  I no longer felt my legs. I knew that I was walking because I could see the counter getting closer, but I couldn’t feel the floor under my feet.

  “Yeah,” the man said as if I was still talking to him. “They should start tearing stuff down and packing up any day now.”

  The man that came in with the old farmer agreed, “Yeah, they’ll be moving on, but I wonder what about all the mess they’ll leave at the fairgrounds.”

  I could feel my skin getting clammy and there was a dizzy sick feeling in my stomach. I had to reach out and grab the edge of the counter to steady myself.

  What was wrong with me? I always knew the Kieran would leave with the carnival, so why did I feel like my chest was being squeezed tight?

  Because... It’s different now... Everything is different now...

  Alec came up beside me as more customers came in and began placing orders.

  “You okay?” He asked.

  Knowing he would be the last person that would ever understand, I nodded. “I’m fine.”

  I tried to wait on the growing line of customers, but my face had gone numb and I couldn’t seem to make my lips form words. I motioned for Alec and then slipped through the back to the tiny bathroom.

  I locked the door and hugged myself, sliding down the wall next to the 1950’s style sink. I could feel a scream lodged in the nowhere land between my chest and throat.

  I won’t cry... I won’t cry...

  It seemed to take forever before I stopped feeling like I was coming apart from some crack deep inside my chest, but at last I was able to grab hold of the sink and pull myself up.

  I looked in the mirror and wiped the tears away was shaking hands. I told myself again that I wasn’t going to cry, especially not over a boy that I didn’t really care about. He was fun... That was all...My life would be better once he was gone...

  Even as I wipe the tears away, I knew that it was a lie.

  Chapter 14

  I went back to the fairgrounds that night after the sun went down. There wasn’t much of a crowd in and around the booths as the main performance was going on in the big top.

  Taking my time, I walked up and down the rows of booths and games. The vendors called out to me, but I waved them off or ignored them altogether.

  What am I doing here? I really don’t want to hear anything that man has to say... What is he going to do? Tell me the obvious... That Kieran is a traveller... And it’s time for the travellers to move on...

  I wandered to the far side of the fairgrounds, opposite of the big top, where the travellers’ campsites dotted the large pasture. I moved along slowly, from camper to camper, taking in the tiny details like the potted flowers near the door and concrete statues of Mary Magdalene outside most of the trailers.

  The doors to most of the campers were open wide, showing women and young girls working on each other’s hair while younger children ate at the other side of the table. Bits and pieces of their conversation drifted out to me, making me think that all of them, even the young children eating their dinner, were preparing for a party of some sort.

  Eventually, one of the women noticed me staring into their home. After all that I’d heard about these people, I didn’t know what to expect. I blushed and took a few faltering steps back, not sure if I would stay or run if she came after me.

  The woman stood behind the young girl seated on a step stool some sort. She seemed to be working at curling the young girl’s hair to match her own mass of curls when she noticed me.

  “Pay her no mind,” she said as the others turned to see what she was staring at. “Just eat your dinner and finish getting ready.”

  I backed away, taking my escape while I could, and walked away from the campsites and back to the carnival. I kept looking back, expecting to see one of the women following me, but no one was ever there.

  I went back to the main tent. There was no one at the entrance. The opening flapped back and forth in the slight breeze, allowing the cheers and applause from inside to drift out.

  Slipping inside, I kept my back against the canvas. No one seemed to notice me there in the back as I crept along behind the bleachers until I could see the center of the tent.

  Kieran stood in the center of the ring, filling the spotlight as he made cards appear one after another with a wave of his hand.

  Look at him... Does he even realize how amazing he is?<
br />
  Seeing him there, so handsome and so close, made an ache spread through my chest like my insides were beings squeezed tight and pulled apart at the same time.

  Oh Kieran...

  As if I spoke his name, Kieran turned and looked directly at me.

  My heart was pounding in my chest, making the blood rush in my ears. What was I doing here? What good could possibly come from this?

  Kieran seemed to remember where he was and went back to performing, but his smile was strained and he was obviously shaken. No doubt he was wondering, as I was, just what I was doing here.

  I shrank back as Kieran’s assistant noticed our exchange. Lightning fast, she motioned to someone. I turned and saw Niall standing on the opposite side of the tent; he bowed slightly to acknowledge me.

  As Niall stepped into the center of the ring to bring the show to a close, I slipped back outside and around the back side of the tent. I leaned against a few bales of hay and tried to talk myself and just going back home.

  There is nothing he is going to tell me that I don’t already know...

  I heard a soft crunching sound and turned to look out into the darkness. There, on long lines attached to stakes in the ground, were the two draft horses from the parade. I walked toward them; both of them lifted their heads and perked their ears forward.

  Reaching out, I stroked their velvety noses. They both moved closer, lowering their heads and pulling up grass to eat.

  “I see you met some friends of mine.”

  I turned and there was Kieran, looking so good that it hurt. How was I ever going to let him go? What guy would ever be able to replace him?

  I lowered my eyes, afraid he might be able to see my thoughts then.

  “I’m shocked no one steals them,” I mumbled.

  Kieran stepped up beside me, stroking the muscular necks of the horses. “No one even thinks to steal from us.”

  A chill came over me when I heard the underlining threat in his voice. Was it possible I didn’t know him at all? Could everyone be right about him and his fellow travelers?

  “Besides,” he said as he smoothed the horses’ manes. “Smoky and Caesar wouldn’t want to go with anyone else.”

  I could hear the caring tone when he spoke about the horses, but I couldn’t shake my apprehension.

  “Are you okay?” He asked.

  “Sure,” I said as I crossed my arms and stepped slightly away from him.

  He continued petting the horses, “I was surprised to see you here tonight.”

  “Your father asked me to come. He said we needed to talk.”

  Kieran flinched as if I had slapped him, “About what?”

  “He said that things with you and I had become problematic.”

  Kieran looked down and brought his hands into fists, but said nothing. He didn’t even turn when his assistant and the beautiful fire eater came around the side of the tent dressed in sparkling skimpy dresses.

  “Hello,” they said as they looked back and forth between us.

  I mumbled a quick hello, but Kieran still didn’t turn around.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friend?” The red haired beauty asked Kieran.

  “No,” Kieran said and finally turned to them. “Just go away.”

  The black haired girl waved her hand at him and turned to me, “I’m Megan, Kieran’s sister, and you must be Harmony.”

  “We’ve heard a lot about you,” the pretty fire eater said with a smile. “I’m Alana.”

  “Are you his sister too?

  “No, I’m their cousin.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I said while nervously eyeing Kieran.

  Megan stepped in front of me to block my view, “Are you going to the party?”

  “Party?”

  Megan nodded, “Yes, one of the Clowns is throwing his daughter a birthday party.”

  “I wasn’t invited.”

  Both girls laughed as if my answer was somehow amusing.

  “Travellers don’t bother with invitations,” Alana said with a smile. “If you’re anywhere near the party, you’re invited.”

  Both of them seem to be trying so hard to be nice, I hated to disappoint them.

  “I’m supposed to be meeting Niall,” I confessed, wishing I didn’t have to.

  The smiles faded from their faces. They both looked from me to Kieran and then back again.

  “Oh,” Megan said in a whisper, reaching out and placing a hand on Kieran shoulder.

  What was that about?

  Alana shook her head and waved her hands as if she was wiping something away, “All the more reason you should come to the party.”

  She reached out and touched Kieran’s hands, “Come on, what could it hurt now?”

  Now?

  Megan nodded and left his side to come back over to me.

  “You can’t go like that,” Megan said as she looked me up and down frowning at my jeans and tee shirt. “Come on, we'll fix you up.”

  Suddenly I was more afraid of them than I was Kieran’s father. Just what were they planning on doing to me?

  “What about Niall?” I asked as Alana and Megan pulled me along, leaving Kieran behind.

  “Don’t worry,” Alana said, casting a glance at Megan. “He’ll find you.”

  * * * *

  It was strange, growing up I was always more of a tomboy. I never did the traditional slumber party thing and now, here I was, surrounded by women.

  I sat at the kitchen table of a Traveller’s camper; I had no idea which one. A few of the women were behind me curling and styling my hair while Megan and Alana worked at painting my face with cosmetics of every variety.

  “Kieran won’t believe his eyes,” Alana said as she applied eye shadow to my lids with some sort of brush.

  Megan swept blush across my cheek bones, “Maybe it will cheer him up.”

  I pushed their hands away, “You all are leaving, aren’t you? That’s what Niall wants to talk to me about.”

  The room went silent. Megan and Alana exchanged glances.

  “Yes,” Megan said with a sigh. “That’s why you should come to the party. It will be something special... Something both of you can remember.”

  I could tell that they were doing their best to placate me, but I had an overwhelming feeling that there was something they weren’t telling me.

  “Niall said Kieran and I were making things problematic,” I complained. I watched their faces, hoping for some clue as to what he might have meant.

  Alana looked up at the other women and they left without saying a word. She waited until they were well away from the camper before she went back to gluing rhinestones in the corner of my eyes.

  “We’re different,” she said. “And that complicates things.”

  Megan touched my shoulder and gave me a sad, sympathetic smile.

  “Kieran does care about you,” she said. “I can tell. I’ve never seen him like this before... And that complicates things even more.”

  Alana nodded while preparing another glittering stone, “Niall is just trying to protect him and he’ll explain everything.”

  They avoided the rest of my questions by giving my clothes what they called a “gypsy makeover”. With scissors and another handful of rhinestones, my tee shirt became a bejeweled halter top and my denim shorts were made even shorter and covered in glitter.

  “I feel ridiculous,” I argued as they pulled me along back to the main tent.

  “Don’t be silly,” Megan said as she led me through the tent entrance. “You look like any other traveller girl here.”

  “I’m not a traveller.”

  Alana laughed, “Tonight you are.”

  “Just have fun,” Megan said as she pulled me along. “That’s all you have to do.”

  “But I didn’t bring a present or anything,” I argued.”

  Megan shook her head, “Doesn’t matter. This birthday party isn’t about presents. It’s about letting all of us know that she’s fourteen now a
nd ready for suitors and proposals.”

  “You can’t be serious!”

  Alana smiled, “It’s a traveller thing, don’t worry about it.”

  The main tent was transformed for the party with paper streamers and glittering lights. Everywhere people were eating and laughing while single girls dance suggestively in their sparkling dresses.

  By far, the most beautiful had to be the teenaged girl in a sparkling pink miniskirt and bustier. Everything about her sparkled and the young men crowded around her, trying to get her attention. She just had to be the birthday girl and from the looks of it, she would have a proposal before the night was through.

  Before I could blink, Megan and Alana squealed in delight and abandoned me. They joined the other dancers, swinging their hips and shaking their shoulders.

  I stood there awkward and alone until I felt a tap of my shoulder. I turned and there was Kieran smiling down at me.

  “May I have this dance?”

  “I don’t know how to dance like that,” I confessed trying not to focus on how naked I felt or the disturbing way his mood changed so quickly.

  Just then the music changed to a slow, romantic tune. I looked up at him skeptically.

  “Magic,” he said with a wink and took me into his arms.

  As we danced, Kieran held my hand against his chest. I could feel the steady beat of his heart against my hand.

  I looked up at him, “You’re leaving soon, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. Megan and Alana were right. We shouldn’t dwell on it. Let’s just enjoy the night and take the memories with us.”

  I could feel my chest tightening again. I rested my forehead against his shoulder and focused on remembering how to breathe. That wasn’t what I wanted him to say.

  “Harmony,” he said as he placed his thumb under my chin and lifted my head. “I’m sorry.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  He slid his hand up my back, pulling me closer.

  “I could really see a forever with you,” he whispered into my hair.

  I couldn’t look up at him. What could I say after something like that?

  Yes... Yes...

  There was a tap on my shoulder. I didn’t want to look. I closed my eyes and gripped Kieran shoulder tighter.