Page 25 of Wish I Were Here
They’re mine, too. Or they will be, just as soon as I prove I’m real.
Out on the lawn, I find Luca juggling.
Or—well—he’s trying to anyway. To be honest, he’s not very good, but he’s laughing as he tosses the clubs in the air and doesn’t seem to mind that most of them land on the grass instead of back in his hands. For a moment, I hover out of sight behind a tree and watch him move with that dancer’s grace.How would his lean muscles look wrapped around an aerial silk?
I shove that ridiculous thought away. This missing identity situation is clearly messing with my head, because not only am I spending way too much time thinking about my doorman, but now I’m thinking about my doormandoing circus tricks.
Circus tricks.
Dad, who is of course the owner of the clubs that Luca is dropping, picks them up from the grass and hands them back, making ago aheadmotion like Luca should keep trying. He does, tossing two from each hand at the same time. They sail into the air, and as gravity takes over and the clubs come careening back down, Luca seems to realize he’ll never be able to catch all four at once. He ducks out of the wayand wraps an arm over his head to protect himself. Despite myself, a smile tugs at my lips.
I head across the grass and stop to stand in front of him. “Try throwing them one at a time, and a little bit higher in the air next time.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell him,” Dad says, picking the clubs up again.
Luca’s gaze swings to mine. “Hey. You’re back early. How did it go?”
Before I can answer, Dad holds out the clubs in my direction. “Here, Kitty Cat. Why don’t you show him how it’s done?”
Luca’s eyes go wide. “Kitty Cat?Show me how it’s done?” He looks at Dad and back at me. “You two know each other?”
“We sure do.” Dad cocks his head at Luca. “How doyouknow Cat?”
Because it completely doesn’t surprise me that these two gravitated together, I might as well make introductions. “Luca, meet my dad, Andrew. And, Dad, this is my—uh—friend Luca. He works in my building.”
A grin spreads across Luca’s face. “You’re Catherine’sdad?”
“Sure am.” Dad tucks his clubs under his arm and holds out a hand to Luca. “Any friend of Cat’s is a friend of mine. Call me Andy.”
“Andy.” Luca’s eyes shine like he could not be more delighted. “It’ssonice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Dad gives Luca’s hand a vigorous shake.
“Andy was teaching me how to juggle while I waited for you,” Luca needlessly explains. “I hadno ideahe was yourdad.” Luca blinks, and something else seems to register. “Wait. Can you do this?” He waves at the clubs. “Can you juggle?”
“Of course she can,” Dad says before I can stop him. “Cat can juggle rings, clubs, she used to be a whiz with fire. But it’s been a while, hasn’t it, Kitty Cat? Do you still remember that partner routine we used to do? Want to give it a go?”
“Wow,” Luca says, and then he repeats it. If his eyeballs bug out any farther, they will pop from his head, and Dad will probably juggle them. “I would pay money to see you juggle fire. Seriously, how much money do you want? I’ll pay it.”
I shake my head. “You could never afford it.”
“Oh, come on,” Dad says, dumping the clubs into my arms before I can stop him. “At least show your friend a few tricks.” He holds up a finger and turns to jog across the lawn to rescue a wayward juggling club.
“Come on.” Luca nudges me. “Show me your tricks.”
I set the clubs on the ground and press my hands to my temples. “It’s not happening.”
“Kitty Cat, why didn’t you tell me your dad is a circus performer?” Luca’s voice has a hint of awe, like he’s ten and just found out Dad is an astronaut or Superman.
“When would it have come up,Elbow? When you were spilling coffee on my work clothes or when a police officer was threatening to haul me off to the clink?” I sigh. “I guess I was too busy trying to save my job to tell you about my more colorful family members.”
Luca’s grin fades. “Hey. I guess it didn’t go so well with your boss?”
“No, it didn’t.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.”
Dad jogs back with the club and stops in front of us. “What’s this about saving your job, Cat?” His forehead wrinkles.
