Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

I was ready to perform the simple straight pin and quarter trick. I had already placed the straight pin in my hand, hidden between my first two fingers. I showed him his quarter again and he turned it over and studied it a moment before handing it back. "Just an ordinary quarter?" I asked,

"So?"

I placed the coin over the straight pin and after I pretended to run my other hand magically over the coin. I then raised the coin to a standing position, raising the straight pin along with it. It looked perfectly balanced on its edge. It was simply leaning against the straight pin. Keeping the pressure on the pin balanced the coin and made it seem as if it stood in midair.

Echo clapped her hands in delight. I told her to wave her hand over the quarter the way I did. She did so hesitantly and, when I released the pressure on the pin, the coin began a slow falling back onto my fingers. I then handed the quarter back to Tyler.

"Thanks for use of your magical coin. Mr. Monahan." Destiny said, nodding her head. He looked from me to her and laughed.

"You're terrific."

"It's all very basic stuff," I said. "My uncle was something to watch. People would swear he performed miracles. He really was on television, too. you know."

"I bet." He looked around the motor home and then at Destiny. He turned to Echo and signed. "See. I told you it would be fun. April is a very good magician, isn't she?"

She nodded and smiled at me.

"I guess now we can tell Mrs. Westington everything." Tyler said. "She'll understand and she won't be upset, especially after she hears from Echo about the doll and your magic show."

"Yes, you're right," I said. He was clever to have us do all this first. I was angry, at myself for suspecting him of any other motives.

He looked at Destiny. "Are you going to sell her, too, when the attorney says it's all right to do so?"

"Oh, no, I can't do that." I replied quickly.

"It might be hard explaining that doll to everyone when you cart her about in your car," he said. "Especially when they see how realistically created she is."

"I don't care. I can't give her away or sell her to anyone," I said, surprised myself at how much panic was in my voice when I said it.

"It's just a doll. April."

"I know, but it was my uncle Palaver's most cherished possession. It has meaning no one else can appreciate."

He thought a moment and nodded. "Okay. Let's see if Mrs. Westington will let you bring her into the house."

"It's not that important yet," I said. "When I have to sell off the motor home. I'll think about her. As silly as it might sound to you," I added, looking at Destiny, "this is the only home she has ever known."

He looked at me with a slight smile on his face and then he nodded. I was sure my reactions amused him.

Afterward, we walked back to the house to continue our lessons.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Westington asked. When we entered, it woke her.

"We'll let Echo tell you," Tyler said, and told her to do so.

She began excitedly. Most of it Mrs. Westington didn't understand or follow, but she did get the main idea.

"You put on a show for them?" she asked inc. "Using thatdoll?"

"As best I could." I said.

"When I heard April's story. I thought it would be the best way to explain that doll to Echo," Tyler added. "She saw it in action and understood its real purpose."

"Hmm," Mrs. Westington said. "Well. I guess it all worked out for the best then. You can bring it into the house whenever you want." she told me.

I thanked her and we all returned to our work until it was Tyler's time to go home. Echo was always very disappointed when the clock struck that hour. To get her off her sadness, he gave her one more thing to do, asking her to have it ready for him when next he returned and making it sound like it was very important to him. That was enough to get her started immediately. He could ask her to dig a ditch all night and she would do it for him. I thought. He kept talking to me about my own assignments and preparation for the high school equivalency exam. so I walked out with him.

"I'm glad this is turning out better than I had expected," he said. There was almost nothing else he could have said that would have made me feel as good. "I only hope I can be here long enough to help you."