Rebecca, Lloyd and Madeline piled into Madeline's car and headed down Interstate 95 to the outdoor bazaar. After a long day of
rehearsal, they were anxious to find some costumes for their routines.
Rebecca sang along with the radio as she drove, while Lloyd and Madeline
sat back in their seats enjoying the rush of air from open windows.
Between the blasting music and the unrelenting wind, Madeline barely
heard the familiar jingle of her pager. She pulled it off her belt buckle, and
looked at the screen.
"Hmmm, I don't recognize that number," she said aloud, although no
one heard her. Rebecca, catching her in the rearview mirror, yelled above
the music.
"Who's paging you?"
"I don't know! I don't recognize the number!"
"Maybe it's the jerk from last weekend, calling to apologize!" she
suggested.
"I doubt that very much," Madeline retorted skeptically. But on the
inside her heart inexplicably skipped a beat at the possibility. Even after
everything he'd done, she still felt a strange affinity for him.
They arrived at the Swap Shop and pulled into the parking lot near
the drive-in movie screens. Although it was nearly five o'clock, the place
was still packed with bargain-hunters and vendors. Young children ran
around the fairgrounds squealing while their parents searched for the best
buys under the outdoor tents. As the threesome scanned endless rows of
tables brimming with everything from signature perfumes to designer
sunglasses, Madeline felt overwhelmed. The early summer heat was
beginning to wear on her as she dutifully sorted through dresses with
Rebecca.
"Hey what do you think of this little black one for my opening
number?" Rebecca asked, holding up a sequined mini-dress with a
plunging neckline. "You don't think it's too sexy, do you?" She pressed
the garment against her shapely body to get a rough idea of its
dimensions.
"No, I don't think so," Madeline replied, noting Rebecca's ample
figure with a twinge of jealousy. "You'll look stunning in that."
"Yeah, well I'll let you know how much of a stunner it is the morning
after," she laughingly replied. "With all of this rehearsing, Lloyd and I
haven't had much time or energy for each other."
"That should solve the problem!" Madeline remarked brightly,
wishing she had a husband at home to dress up for. Thoughts of Ken and
what might have been flashed through her mind, until another musical
page interrupted her musings.
"Ugh! Sometimes I just hate this stupid thing!" Madeline groaned,
pulling the unit from her purse. The same unfamiliar phone number
appeared again on the screen. She frowned, and then tossed the pager
back into her bag.
"Aren't you even a little curious to see who it is?" Rebecca asked.
"Someone is obviously hell-bent on getting in touch with you."
"Perhaps just a wrong number?" Madeline queried, noticing the
skepticism on her friend's face.
"C'mon, aren't you just a tiny bit curious to see if it is Mark?"
"No!" Madeline protested, unconvincingly.
"I don't believe you. He's all you've talked about for the past week
despite his lousy hit and run. Look at it this way, maybe the jerk is calling
to sincerely apologize and this could be your last big opportunity to let
him have it…or give him another chance."
"What?!! I am still so ticked off about last weekend! Why on earth
would I give him another chance to hurt me?"
She bristled as thoughts of Ken's engagement flooded her mind and
tortured her heart; Mark's canceling on her at the last minute had
reopened a wound that was barely beginning to heal.
"Beats me," Rebecca shrugged. "But I don't think your cheeks are
flushed because you are excited to be hanging out with me at the flea
market!"
"Oh, all right! I'll go find a phone and call!"
"Atta girl!" Rebecca cheered, turning her attention back to the black
dress.