Web of Dreams (Casteel 5)

and pulling me along. We stopped at the baseball

game. The object was to knock three milk bottles off a

basket. You had two chances for a quarter. Luke took

the balls into his hand and wound up to throw. Then

he stopped.

"Touch it for good luck," he said handing me

the ball. "I don't usually bring good luck," I said. "You will to me," he insisted. He made me feel

good about myself. I held the ball for a moment and

then he wound up again and threw it. He hit the

bottles squarely in the middle and the three burst away

from each other and off the basket.

"A WINNER!" the man behind the counter

announced, and then he reached back and took a

pudgy, little black teddy bear from the shelf and

handed it to Luke.

"For you," he said handing it to me. "It's not as

beautiful as your doll, but it's a lucky one."

"It's very beautiful and very cuddly," I said

pressing it to my cheek. "I love it. Thank you, Luke." He smiled and led me off. He bought a footlong hot dog and had it covered with all the fixings.

We started eating the hot dog. We had fun eating at it

from both sides. Our noses bumped when we reached

the middle and we laughed and laughed.

"I've got to- feed the elephants," he said. "And

then we can go in and see the clown show and

acrobats, all the circus acts, okay?"

"Sure." I followed him back to the work area.

He found a wooden case for me to sit on and watch as

he worked. He took off his shirt and seized the

pitchfork. The sun glistened off his smooth, muscular

back. He had wide shoulders that tightened and