Fast Forward

by Juliet Madison

  “Okay, here goes.” Will gently threw the ring towards a lily pad, but it rebounded off the edge and landed with a slight plop in the water. Will clicked his fingers in disappointment. “Damn!”

  “Four more turns, anything can happen, folks. Let’s see if he can live up to his costume and be a Super Winner, huh?”

  Geez. Even more pressure. Poor Will. Another toss. Another fail. Third time lucky? Nope. Plop.

  “C’mon man, you can do it,” someone called from the crowd.

  Yeah, maybe if everyone wasn’t standing around watching him like a hawk. I bet Will wished he’d dressed as a ghost too. This time the ring touched the little stick poking up from the lily pad and, although it landed on the pad, it didn’t capture the stick as per the rules.

  “One turn left, folks. Can he do it?”

  “Focus Will, focus. Think as though your life depended on hitting the target,” I urged. “Pretend that lily pad is something you really want and without it your life is not worth living. You can do it!” Okay so it was just a game, but the unblinking eyes and silence of the still crowd had created suspense to rival Hitchcock.

  Will took a deep breath and I could almost hear his heart beating through his plastic muscle-clad chest. He extended his arm out and back twice, lining up his target and then tossed the ring towards the bed of unsuspecting lily pads.

  “We have a hit!” The attendant raised his fist in the air and the crowd cheered as the ring hula-hooped around the stick a few times before coming to a standstill.

  I jumped up and down like a teenage groupie at a concert, clapping with more enthusiasm than was warranted. “You did it! Well done.” I surprised myself by kissing Will on the cheek and his chest seemed to rise with pride.

  He performed a subtle bow to thank the crowd and accepted a large coffee-brown coloured teddy bear wearing a cute tartan jacket and bow-tie. Normally I’d never be one to call tartan cute—now that was a fabric that should just not exist at all—but tonight wasn’t exactly normal, so tonight, it was cute.

  Will handed me the teddy bear and I rubbed its silky soft fur on my cheeks as he took a photo. A few more people asked to pose with Superman, then we strolled around the fair, Will with his googly eyes and me in my glitter wig, only realising after a few minutes that our hands were entwined. It just felt so natural.

  “Ooh, a fortune telling machine. Should we see what it has to say?” Will pointed to what looked like a large arcade game, with two big hypnotic eyes painted on the front and a screen with swirling psychedelic colours.

  I went to tell him I’d already had a psychic reading today, but bit my lip. “Sure, I’m game, if you are?”

  “Of course, I have nothing to fear, the future can only be bright with you by my side.” He gave my shoulders a squeeze. Although leaning towards melodrama, his affection for me was quite endearing.

  I eyed him curiously. “Will, what did you think of when you hit the target on the lily pad?”

  “You, of course. I imagined you were on the lily pad needing to be rescued and it worked. It’s the same in life I think. You have a goal, you focus on it and take a step forward with confidence, trusting in a good outcome.”

  “True,” I replied, a tingle of warmth spreading inside. “Okay, you first, Superman.”

  Will scanned his e-pad on the machine and it sparkled into action, the swirls on the screen spinning faster and faster and faster, until faint letters appeared, all jumbled up at first, then forming a sentence: Your life will soon undergo a big transition. Ride the waves and keep moving forward.

  A card ejected from the machine and Will glanced at the fortune written on it. “Hmm … wonder what that’s about?”

  I shrugged. “Let’s see what it says for me.”

  Again, the swirls spun fast and the words became visible: Tomorrow is a brand new day, anything is possible.

  “That’s not much of a prediction,” Will commented. “Not very specific.”

  Before I could reply, the machine made a jingling noise and the swirls spun again. Then something else appeared on the screen: Congratulations! You have been selected to receive a Bonus Fortune! More swirly spinning, then: Your heart holds the answer to all your questions.

  “How about that? It must have known it was your birthday or something,” Will said. “Still, not overly specific.”

  “Actually, I think it’s quite appropriate. It’s telling me I can create my own future, if I listen to my heart.” I plucked the two cards from the slot and held them to my chest.

  “I think you’re right.” Will nodded. “Who knows, tomorrow if Mr Turrow accepts our proposal then this could be the big transition and this will mean that anything is possible for the future of our business.”

  “Could be,” I replied, although I took these predictions as more personal in nature. “Ooh, ooh—let’s get a show bag!” I tugged on Will’s hand like a hyped-up child and led him to the show bag stand which appeared to be closing up for the night. “Can we grab a couple of bags before you close?” I asked the attendant whose eyes were half closed, his bottom lip hanging low like an overstretched hammock.

  He plucked two bags from under the table without a word, as though too tired to speak. I scanned my e-pad, chose credit payment and he handed over the goods. Will and I wandered off, plucking surprise treasures from our bags. I unwrapped a lollipop and let the sticky sweetness glide along my tongue.

  Will smiled. “You wouldn’t think you’re fifty,” he said. “You’ve still got it, Kel.”

  “Got what?”

  “You know, it.”

  “Oh, you mean, sex appeal?”

  “No, your inner child.” He looked at me, then laughed. “Of course I mean sex appeal!” He flung a show bag encumbered arm around my waist as we walked.

  “If anything, I think you’ve gotten better with age,” I told him.

  “Really?” His eyes widened. “Hang on, does that mean you never thought the pudgy, pimply me at school was attractive?” He winked.

  What could I say? I had never thought of him as attractive–ever. Until … now. “It’s what’s inside that counts, remember?” I said.

  “Of course, all those bones, organs and lengths of intestines are really irresistible.” He rubbed his stomach in circular motions and I gave him a friendly slap.

  “I think someone’s been drinking too much champagne,” I said, knowing too well the four I’d had—or was it five—hadn’t done me any favours.

  “I only had two!” he defended. “But being here at the fair with you, wearing this costume, it does dredge up my own inner child. What about you? Are you feeling like your twenty-five-year-old self, wearing that dress?”

  Far from it. “Um, let’s just say I’m feeling more … me, right now, than I have for a while.”

  “We bring out the best in each other, I tell ya. What did I say at the party? We’re like a lock and key, you and I.” Will slid his tongue along his own lollipop.

  “So which one am I, the lock or the key?”

  Will’s eyes searched the sky. “I think you’d be the key. A lock’s more idle, more like a possibility. A key, well, that turns the lock and brings the possibilities into reality. Like you’ve done.”

  “I have?”

  “Yep. Without you, I’d be a lock that hasn’t been opened, still waiting for the right key.”

  The warm tingle I’d felt earlier returned. “You’re good with words, Will. Although, I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. Of course you’d be happy and successful without me.”

  “Successful maybe, but completely happy? I don’t know … content, perhaps.” He kissed my cheek, leaving a slight sticky sensation behind. “But I don’t have to even think about the other possibility, because you’re with me and I’m very happy.”

  I smiled. “Hey, do you want to go on the Ferris wheel?” I pointed to the large circle encroaching on the clear night sky.

  “Sure, like old times.” He smiled.

  “Sorry,
closing up for the night,” the man said when we approached.

  “C’mon, one last ride?” I pleaded.

  The man looked at his e-pad and scrunched his weary face.

  “It’s my wife’s birthday, you know,” Will said. “The big Five-O.”

  “Is it? Well, happy birthday. My wife turned fifty two weeks ago.” He looked at his e-pad again, not that the time would have magically changed or anything. “Alright then, in you get. But only because it’s your birthday.” He ushered us into a carriage and pulled the protective bar in front of us. “I can only give you one cycle though, okay? Up and back down again, that’s all.”

  “That’s fine, thank you,” I said.

  The wheel began its slow ascent towards the sky, music playing softly in the background as Will and I gazed at the city skyline. “So beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah, hard to believe we’re just tiny specks in this massive universe.” Somehow, the universe had picked me to launch forward and see the future. Shocked and traumatised at first, a ripple of gratitude now rolled through me. “Will, I’m sorry if I ever teased you in school.”

  One corner of his mouth rose up. “Why are you bringing this up?”

  “Dunno. Just didn’t know if I ever said sorry, that’s all.”

  “Come here.” He pulled me close to his bulky chest. “You only went along with what your friends were doing. I know you didn’t mean it and besides, marrying me was the best damn apology I could have ever received.”

  “I’m glad you don’t hold any resentment towards me.”

  “Would I have married you if I did?”

  “Guess not.”

  “Well there you go.” He tucked a few strands of multi-coloured tinsel behind my ear and allowed his finger to graze my cheek, his thumb resting on my lower lip. “I love you, Kelli.”

  He tilted his head and leaned in close. In stark contrast to earlier that morning, I leaned towards him. His breath warmed my face as his lips neared mine and, as my lips parted slightly, a sudden clunk jolted our carriage.

  “What’s happening?” I peered over the edge.

  “I don’t know.” Will peered over the other side.

  Stuck. At the top of the Ferris wheel, wobbling in mid-air. Why did these things always happen to me?

  “Hellooo?” I yelled down to the man in charge, hoping he hadn’t gone home for the night and left us here to dangle till morning.

  A tiny figure of a man was holding something. “Everything’s alright,” he spoke through the loudspeaker. “Just a little glitch, happened earlier this evening too. Nothing to be alarmed about.”

  “A little glitch? What if we can’t get down?” I asked Will, my hands flying to my cheeks. “What if we have to climb down ourselves, or get an emergency helicopter to airlift us to safety? Oh God!” I imagined having to climb up a rope towards a hovering helicopter, handicapped by my inability to raise my arms above my head and then my tinsel wig getting caught in the propellers, chopping it to glittery smithereens.

  “Don’t worry, I’m sure the wheel will get moving in no time,” Will assured. “If not,” he puffed out his chest, “I can summon my inner man of steel and fly us down.”

  I looked at my husband’s smiling face and relaxed back in the seat. I was probably overreacting and Will always seemed able to resolve a dire situation–costume or no costume.

  “Let’s make the most of waiting,” he said and I thought he was going to lean in and continue where we left off but instead, he opened the show bag and rummaged inside for more treasures. “Oh cool, a whistle.” He blew on the plastic toy and a whiny high-pitched whistle sang through the sky. “Oops, didn’t know it’d be that loud!”

  “At least we can whistle like mad if they forget about us all the way up here.” I giggled.

  Will continued searching through his bag. “Oh, remember these?” He pulled out a long stick of wrapped candy. “Super Stretchy Surprise. Did you get one in your bag?”

  Will’s inner child took over his inner man of steel and it was very cute. “Yeah, a blueberry one. What flavour did you get?” I said, holding mine up.

  “Lemon. Wanna trade?”

  I nodded and we swapped our candy sticks, ripping them open and taking a bite, only with Super Stretchy Surprise’s one bite goes a long way. I gripped the end of the stick in my teeth and managed to pull the stretchy candy all the way out to arms-length, before it snapped and sprung back to my mouth in a delicious curl of sugar.

  “Mine stretched further,” Will said.

  “Yeah right, mine stretched further.”

  “Did not.”

  “Did too.”

  We collapsed in laughter at the bizarre nature of our situation as the carriage clunked and moved again.

  “I’m bringing you back down now,” the man called through the loudspeaker.

  “Oh,” Will complained. “Just when I was starting to enjoy myself.”

  Ten minutes later we slid into the back seat of a taxi, Will having to pre-scan his e-pad in order to be accepted into the vehicle and a protective screen separated us from the driver. To speak to him, we had to press an intercom button. Will gave him our address in Bellbird Drive and the taxi merged with the traffic.

  “I wonder how Diora’s going? Should I call Jason?” I asked.

  “I’m sure she’s doing fine. They’ll call if they need us.”

  “You’re right.” Leaning my head against the back of the seat, I stared out the window at the blur of buildings and lights rushing past. Warm skin brushed against my hand as Will covered my hand with his. His fingers delved between mine, his fingertips curling underneath to touch my palms. I curled mine to match and our hands lay on top of my right thigh sending pulses of heat up my arm. I glanced down at his strong manly hand, strangely mesmerised by the veins bulging beneath his skin. As his thumb stroked the back of my hand, the pulses of heat became tidal waves of passion and if it wasn’t for the taxi driver in the front seat, I think I would have kissed him then and there. My heart beat quickened and a subtle tingling bubbled up inside as my eyes turned to meet his and an ‘I know what you’re thinking’ smile played on his lips.

  The slow melody of a saxophone accompanied by velvety crooning oozed from the front of the taxi. The driver pressing a button which sent the volume up a notch and the rhythm swayed in and out, back and forth, in time with the movement of our chests with each breath. Will’s hand unfurled and pushed gently down on mine, his thumb now stroking my thigh causing the tingling bubbles inside me to pop like fireworks.

  “Here we are,” said the driver, his gruff tone piercing the anticipation in the back seat. He instructed Will to scan his e-pad again, which removed his hand from my thigh, leaving behind a remnant of warmth which gradually cooled.

  We thanked the driver and my heels clicked as we walked the steps to the front door which Will unlocked with his e-pad. Apart from a soft light in the kitchen, darkness greeted us as we entered, but not so dark as to miss the two figures sprawled on the couch in the living room. Bungy Ben was cosily squashed into the corner of the armrest where one arm lay, the other arm cradling the back of the couch. Ryan lay on his back, his head resting on Ben’s shoulder and his chest rose slowly up and down as his mouth hung lazily open.

  “I think those two have finally revealed their feelings for each other,” Will whispered as we tiptoed into the kitchen and Will placed his googly sunglasses on the bench while I placed the teddy bear and glitter wig onto a chair.

  Smiling proudly at my son’s courage, my smile widened on seeing the two cling-wrapped plates containing slices of cake adorned with edible silver baubles on the kitchen bench. On top was a post-it note: Hope you had a memorable birthday, Mum. Enjoy the cake! ~ Ryan.

  Will picked up one of two small forks that had been left on the bench and peeled the cling wrap from one of the plates. “Can you fit in a bite or two?” he asked.

  “Sure, I can make room for a bit more sugar. Just one bite though, I think I’ll s
ave the rest till tomorrow.” I couldn’t believe my appetite was still strong after the horde of food I’d eaten today, but my appetite for something unrelated to food was even stronger.

  Will dug the fork into the pointy edge of the triangular slice, lifting away a morsel and bringing it to my mouth. Vanilla cream frosting and velvety sponge kissed my tastebuds, the fork cooling my lips as it slid out of my mouth.

  “Oh wow, this is divine,” I sighed. I picked up the other fork and cut away a piece for Will, delivering it to his eager mouth and letting his lips wrap around the fork.

  “I see what you mean,” he said. “Delicious.”

  “Maybe I could fit in a tiny bit more.” I pinched my thumb and forefinger together in the air and let the corner of my mouth rise upwards. “I could even just eat the icing alone, it’s heavenly.”

  Instead of digging the fork back in the cake, Will swiped his finger against the top of the cake, frosting clinging to his skin. My lips parted as he brought his finger to my mouth and I enveloped it eagerly, pulling the vanilla cream off his fingertip and leaving behind a glossy trail. Licking my lips, I followed his lead again, swiping a lick of frosting from the cake and delivering it to Will’s warm, hungry mouth. He grasped my hand as he devoured the cream and tilted his head towards the bedroom.

  He switched off the kitchen light as we walked past and kicked the bedroom door closed behind us as he pulled me close to his body and ran his finger across my cheek as he’d done on the Ferris wheel. Our breathing quickened in sync with each other and he leaned his mouth towards my ear.

  “Don’t go anywhere,” he whispered. “I’m just going to get out of this costume and have the quickest shower in the history of mankind. Be right back.” He teased me with an expectant smile and let his hands trail down each of my arms before he trailed off to the ensuite.

  Tingles shot along my nerves and I glanced around the room, spying a large red candle on the dresser. I scurried over and picked up the lighter lying next to it, pointing the flame towards the wick. A yellow glow sprung from the candle and the flame flickered, casting a pinky-red arc across the wall. I kicked off my shoes and fluffed the pillows on the bed, before laying down and assuming the sexiest position I could muster, considering the disadvantage brought on by my underwear, which hopefully Will had some bright idea about how to remove, or else our romantic encounter would turn into a wrestling match.