Page 7 of July Skies
“I don’t have time for your sass today.” An exasperated Karen was one who got things done, though. She was desperately needed at the parade starting point, too. “Nobody is allowed to get into trouble today. Especially you. You’re old enough to know better.”
Karen abandoned her oldest at the car. By the time she reached the parade, she heard him calling, “Guess I’ll watch the parade from here!”
Fine! Stay out of trouble!Karen was forced to think that while smiling at that year’s grand marshal. Mr. Albert Dundee, retired fireman and former councilman, rolled up to her in his souped-up electric wheelchair. American flags waved from the handlebars, and red, blue, and white Christmas lights twinkled. His Parkinson’s hadn’t quite reached the point where he couldn’t shake the mayor’s hand, but he did ask for help with getting his bald eagle trucker hat back on his head.
After Karen ensured everything was going to plan, her role was simple. Hop in the classic Corvette convertible and wave to the people. Or throw candy at them. She liked doing both.
“I want extra candy,”her son texted her the moment she settled onto the back of the car. Tom gave her a thumbs up before lowering his shades and grinning like the luckiest bastard in town. No wonder he thought that way. Nobody else got to drive a classic Corvette that day!“Especially if you’re using that bag of Dum Dums I saw in the kitchen cupboard. You know they’re best when half-shattered from Paradise Valley pavement!”
What had she done to raise a boy like him? Ugh.
“You’ll get what you get. Better not see you elbowing the kids to get suckers.”She pocketed her phone after that, exchanging it with her compact that ensured her makeup was perfect and her hair in place.
“Good morning, Mayor!”
She had to double-take at that. Either the person greeting her was one of the town’s loveliest citizens…
Or it was Dahlia Granger, camera crew in tow.
One of them tried to blend into the Fourth of July festivities. If one could call a bald eagle wearing a leather vest and patriotic bandana asblending in.Yet the man with a camera nonchalantly mounted on his shoulder didn’t seem to think everyone was looking at him weird. Not even his own crew, who were in their usual jeans, capris, and T-shirts.
Dahlia had picked one that fit her exceptionally well that day. Not that Karen was looking.
“Good morning.” Karen didn’t get up from her perch. “Be sure to get my good side when I drive by.” She tapped her left cheek. “This one.”
“For once I’d like to see someone whose good side was theirrightside.” Dahlia chuckled. “Don’t worry, Mayor. We’re basically filming the parade for stock footage. Get some audience reactions. When we do our close-up on you, it will be from the left side.”
“You do that! I shall meet up with you after the festivities to take you on a small tour to some of our most trusted townspeople.” She slowly waved her hand as if she were approaching a crowd of adoring fans. “How’s my queenly wave, hm? Been practicing all week.”
“We’re about to head out!” Tom called from the front seat. That only meant Dahlia didn’thaveto respond with anything but an amused shake of her head.
The Corvette lurched forward. Karen corrected her position and secured her homemade banner that saidMAYORacross her chest.This is part of my reelection campaign right here.Looking the regal mayor in her periwinkle dress suit always brought in the campaign donations. She wasn’t running for reelection for another two years!
She knew she wasn’t a highlight of the parade, though. That always went to the 4H kids, the square dancers on their flatbed trailer, the vintage John Deeres from nearby farms, and the contingent of Shriners who came down from Portland to raise money in their costumes and funny little pedal cars. For every child crying at their presence, there was another trying to rip a fez off their heads.
The firefighters either blasted the sirens on their trucks or made the rounds for donations. It was probably the only time Karen came up close and personal to the men and women in their full firefighting regalia – and therewasn’tsomething on fire.
“Spare some change, Mayor?” Krys Madison came awfully close to the Corvette crawling at five miles per hour. “You know how strapped for cash we are half the time. Looking over our budget every year, and all.”
Karen maintained her politically plastic smile as she pulled out her wallet and dropped a five dollar bill into the hat. It would look good in front of so many people. This was a woman who already wrote a nice check to the fire hall every year, and often went to bat for them come budget minding time.It’s easy getting people to donate to the firehouse, though. Ask me what it’s like having them donate to the rolling library or the humane society.Only one of those things she dealt with on a professional level. For some reason, people were more likely to donate to animals than getting kids to read.
“Thanks.” Krys tipped her firefighter’s hat and ran back to the audience she had missed.
Karen couldn’t see everyone in the audience. Not with the sun blaring overhead and everyone in nigh unrecognizable gear for Fourth of July. Halfway through the route, however, she saw Dahlia and her team filming the goings-on around them. When the Corvette passed the camera lens, Karen made sure to give it a big grin and a hearty wave. Only then did she see Xander standing behind the camera crew, finger up his nose and exaggerated expression on the verge of making Karen lose her cool.
You’d never guess he’s twenty-freakin’-years-old.Karen had to look away before she glared at her son – and right into the camera. The last thing Karen saw from that side of the street was Dahlia’s cool expression.
Don’t think about them right now. Concentrate on your adoring audience.When she saw a group of little kids standing outside of the hardware store, she tossed them two handfuls of candy. Kids in star-spangled dresses and character costumes ran out into the street carrying plastic bags already full of candy. Fourth of July was only third to Halloween and Easter when it came to kids raking in sweets.
Since Main Street wasn’t exactly the longest in town, the parade only lasted about forty-five minutes, even at five miles per hour. They backtracked down Washington Street to complete the loop to city hall, where Karen hopped out of the car and was greeted by Dahlia.
And only Dahlia.
“What a quaint little event.” She offered the mayor a bottle of water, which was graciously accepted.I mean, the seal isn’t broken… not that I expect her to poison me, I suppose…“Exactly what I expected from a quaint little town.”
Karen had no idea how to take that. “Give me a few minutes to readjust, and I should be ready for the tour.”
“Take your time. I need to wait for Wayne and the camera, anyway. He’s catching the tail-end of the parade for me.”
