Free So Over My Head by Jenny B Jones

to me?”
    He shakes his head. “Nah.”
    “Maybe you wouldn’t get lonely if you’d clean up your messes in the trailer. If I didn’t have to follow you around like I was your mother instead of your wife, then I’d have more time to spend with you. Eh?”
    “But back to Alfredo and Betty—”
    “Ladies and gentlemen!” Red Fritz announces the second half, and Serena and her husband run toward the center of the ring, still arguing over housekeeping.
    I glance at Ruthie. “That was strange.”
    “Nah. Men are slobs. Nothing weird about that. She shouldn’t have to put up with socks and tightie-whities on the floor.”
    “I meant what Serena said about Alfredo not acting as if he liked Betty.”
    “Not everyone is as kind and sensitive as my Budge.”
    I think of my stepbrother, who just this morning burped the entire Star Wars theme song at the breakfast table. “Yeah, he’s just a dream of perfection.”
    “Did you ever get the flashlight you lost in Alfredo’s trailer?”
    I inwardly cringe. “No. Someone’s always in there.” But I’ve got to get it. Soon.
    “Yeah, well, don’t cut me out of that. I have a few ideas on how to get inside.” Ruthie’s eyes glisten. “It involves rope, WD-40, and some mace.”
    “You forgot one thing in that list.”
    “What?”
    “A warrant for our arrest.”
    Fifteen minutes later, I’m working the crowd and passing out a few balloons as Cherry and two others take to the trapeze. Just looking up there makes my stomach flop.
    Feeling prickles of awareness, I look across the arena and find Luke watching me from the control booth. And Stewart Fritz. The two are talking, but both have their eyes trained my direction. It’s not every day a girl gets the attention of two boys. But in this case, one makes me so mad I want to throw him in the middle of one of Jake’s wrestling matches. And the other . . . makes me want to douse myself in hand sanitizer.
    Red Fritz announces his niece and the trapeze act, and a hush falls over the crowd as they watch them fly through the air.
    In his usual garb of top hat and tuxedo jacket, Red walks off the floor and over to the control booth, his large stomach leading the way. He pulls his son aside and whispers near his ear. Luke keeps his eyes on the trapeze, adjusting the lighting and sound controls, but I know that boy. And I know he’s doing everything he can to listen in to the father and son’s conversation.
    Red walks away, exiting out the main entrance. I’m passing out my last balloon when I see Stewart leave the same way.
    “Hey, I want my balloon in the shape of a dog.”
    I pull my eyes from the door and down to the kid below me. “Sorry. That’s all I have.”
    “I want a dog!” He yells.
    I yank his balloon back, give it a few twists and hand it to him again. “There you go.” I have to follow Stewart and his dad. Something could be up.
    “No!” The kid shrieks. “That looks like a four-leaf clover!”
    “Well, then give it to your mom.” I pat the little brat on the head. “She obviously needs the luck.”
    I maneuver my way back down the bleachers. Easier said than done in a wig that keeps drooping in my eyes and shoes that could knock out an entire row.
    The carnival rides flash their rainbow of lights as I step outside. Screams pierce the night, as one of the roller coasters swings every-one upside down.
    “Two tries for a dollar!” A guy calls out from the basketball toss.
    Following a distance behind Stewart, I pass a row of food trailers, and inhale the smell of hamburgers.
    He hangs a left, disappearing for a moment from view. I keep a nonchalant look about me, as if I’m just taking in the sights and sounds of the carnival. Like it’s every day I walk about the carnival grounds in full clown makeup.
    When I hear Red Fritz’s voice, I stop. The two guys stand talking by the Ferris wheel.
    “What do you want?” Red asks. “I gotta close out the show.”
    I take a step back and hide