At twilight, the bugs once more sat out to watch the sunset, and Penelope was getting ready for her performance.
"T'e lass is gettin' ready for 'er performance," Dragonfly said.
"Indeed," Mr. Grasshopper said. "I heard the Romani are known for their great acts including singing, dancing, and fortune telling."
"I gotta see that Hocus Pocus!" Centipede said as he stood at the stem.
"You'll like it," James said. "Penelope has been a performer since she was very young."
"It's time! And now it's time for the mysterious gypsy girl to make her debut, dance la Penelope! Dance!"
Penelope appeared from a cloud of purple smoke and she was tapping her tambourine against her hip and she slowly turned around. Her emerald eyes were gleaming in the sunset and began her dance and song.
Hey soldier boy,
I see how you stare
Hey butcher man
I see you admire.
Come gather 'round
Hey Jacques and Pierre!
Come see me dance
To the rhythm of the tambourine!
The bugs were admired by the gypsy girl's voice and how she dances. She taps her tambourine at each beat. She then tossed it to Dragonfly, and caught it as she danced. Penelope grasped her skirt to pull up slightly and show her ankles as she flipped her skirt.
Flash of an ankle
Flip of a skirt
Feel them excite
And flame and inspire
Come see me dance hey what can it hurt?
It's just a dance,
To the rhythm of the tambourine!
Penelope dance along the peach with her skirt and petticoats twirling around, she moved her arms exotically and moved her hips. She imagined the stem as a bonfire. She pulled out two red sashes from her silver pouch and spun them around her as she danced the bugs started cheering and clapping at each beat.
Then the music paced faster as Penelope spun faster and faster. As she slowly twirled gracefully in slow motion, she could hear voice singing about who is she and how she dances like a devil from Hell or an angel.
"This girl, who is she?" Dragonfly sang.
"This girl, who is she?" Mr. Grasshopper sang.
"This girl, who is she?" Centipede sang.
"She dances like the Devil himself," Mr. Grasshopper sang.
"She dances like an angel," Dragonfly sang.
"An angel," Centipede sang.
"But with such fire," Dragonfly sang.
"Such fire," Mr. Grasshopper sang.
"Who is she?" all three sang.
Penelope broke out into dance, as confidence was beaming through her soul. She grinned as she did more twirls and spins, her feet were making perfect balance. Penelope continued to sing as she did a front split without pain, making the bugs impressed with her flexibility. She then got up to finish her dance
Men on Paris,
Before we get old!
Come feel the heat.
Come taste the desire.
Feel them within you
Crimson and gold!
Gold like the coins!
You will toss into my tambourine!
When I dance to the rhythm of the tambourine!
Dragonfly tossed over the tambourine to the girl, and she caught it. Penelope tapped her tambourine against her hips, she jumped down and threw her arms up in the air. The bugs around her clapped their hands in amazement of her performance.
After the applause, Penelope bowed and started her next act.
"Merci! Thank you! And now, Jaelle will perform her special trick and she knows everything. Jaelle, come here girl."
The goat walked towards her mistress as Penelope knelt down on her knees and handed out her tambourine.
"Jaelle, tell us what month it is of this year?"
The goat lifted her hoof and tapped the tambourine as Penelope counted.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, if it's six. Then it's June," Penelope turned to James and the bugs. "Is that right?"
"Aye, it is," Dragonfly said impressed with Jaelle's special trick. The bugs were impressed to with the goat.
"The kid's right," Centipede said.
"Impressive," Mr. Grasshopper said.
"Any volunteers to ask Jaelle a question?"
"How 'bout me?" Centipede asked.
"Come right on up Centipede," Penelope said. Centipede got in front of Jaelle.
"Kid, how many days ta go we when we get to New York?"
Jaelle lifted her hoof and tapped the tambourine.
"One," Centipede counted. "One day huh?"
Jaelle nodded.
"Wow! Your kid's amazing!"
Dragonfly stepped forward and knelt in front of the goat.
"Jaelle, what time is it?"
Jaelle lifted her hoof again and tapped the tambourine.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven." Then a pause, but the goat lifted her hoof. "One, two, three, four, five. So it is seven-thirty."
The bugs clapped for the goat.
"And now, for the final act," Penelope announced. "James, will you stand forward please?"
James came up and stood next to Penelope.
"With this red cloth," Penelope said as she pulled out the red cloth from her pouch and held it out. "I will use it to make him disappear. Ready James?"
"Ready," he said.
Penelope threw the cloth over James and covered him and she threw another red cloth over Jaelle.
"Now let's see if James or Jaelle disappeared?" Penelope threw off the red cloth and James was gone.
The bugs gasped.
"He's gone!" Dragonfly cried.
"Woah!" Centipede cried.
"And now Jaelle," Penelope pulled off the cloth and Jaelle was gone too.
"Jaelle's gone!" Mrs. Ladybug cried.
"Is James gone?" Glowworm asked.
"Jaelle is gone," Mr. Grasshopper yelled in the megaphone.
"Now they will reappear," Penelope threw the cloths over when James and Jaelle disappeared and once they were pulled off. Both James and Jaelle reappeared and smiled.
The bugs gasped, smiled, and applauded at Penelope's performance as she bowed.
"And that concludes my performance!" The bugs cheered for Penelope and admired her performance.
Centipede walked up to the gypsy girl, he picked her up by the waist and swung her around in the air.
"Penny!" Centipede said. "That was the best performance ever!"
"Very impressive," Mr. Grasshopper said. "You should go for the arts and theater Penelope."
"You think so?"
"Definitely!" Dragonfly said. "You would shine in the stars! Even in 'ollywood!"
"Maybe that's what I'll do," Penelope said smiling. The sun set below the horizon and it was now dark.
"I think it's time for bed," Mrs. Ladybug said. "You dearies need to get some sleep."
"Good night Centipede," Penelope quickly gave Centipede a kiss on the cheek causing him to blush.
"Nighty-night honey-bun," Centipede ruffled her hair and he ruffled James' hair. "Night Jimmy."
The others bugs filled with their meals were already asleep, the only ones that were still awake were James, Penelope, Jaelle and Miss Spider. Miss Spider was making the web and the children were sitting on two leaves watching Miss Spider weaving it. James and Penelope were both ready for bed, the gypsy girl took off her sandals to relieve her bare feet. She took off her dagger and placed it in her pouch. The boy had his jacket off and his shirt was un-tucked. Jaelle was curled up on her leaf scratching her fur.
Penelope was busy braiding her hair, and she noticed that Miss Spider was very familiar.
"You keep to yourself don't you?" James asked Miss Spider.
"You have your own personal bubble?" Penelope asked.
"I preferred to be alone," Miss Spider said gently.
"We were alone for a long time once." James replied.
"I never realized how emotional it is being alone," Penelope said.
"I think it's much nicer to have friends, don't you?" James asked.
"I would not know," Miss Spider replied with honesty in her voice.
"They'd be your friends too, the others I mean. If you'd just let them," Penelope replied.
"No, it is in their nature to have fear of me," Miss Spider said. "This I cannot change."
"You're very kind to me and Penelope," James said gently, Jaelle bleated. "Especially Jaelle."
Those words warmed Penelope to the core. Miss Spider was kinder to them as if she were their mother.
"That is true," Penelope agreed as she stroked Jaelle.
"Maybe this is because you two and Jaelle were kind to me first," as the Aarachnid laid James down and tied her thread around his waist, wrapping his little frame to keep him warm. The children finally put the puzzle pieces together.
"You were the spider in our window!" James exclaimed, his eyes were both wide and so were Penelope's.
"Mm-hmm." Miss Spider said smoothly as she nodded to them.
"I'm happy we get to see you again," Penelope said. "I knew it was you all along!"
Jaelle bleated happily.
"You were our first friend!" James said and then his face darkened. "I mean, since Penelope, Jaelle, and I went to live with my aunts. They hated us!"
"Ssshhh!" Miss Spider shushed James and laid a tender finger on the boy's lips.
"Do not think of them now," she said gently, still smiling and continued her weaving.
Penelope knew James would not get his aunts out of his head. The beatings and the tortures they went through were like scars.
"This is terrible," Penelope said as tears were welling up in her eyes.
"But what if they find us?" James asked nervously. "What if we don't make it to New York? We'll die if we have to go back to way we were. They can't make us…"
"No one can make you do anything James and Penelope…" Miss Spider clutched their hands and finished, "If you do not let them…" She covered James with his coat. "You are a brave boy…" she placed her hands gently on his face and kissed him on the forehead.
"And you are a brave girl…" Miss Spider kissed Penelope's forehead, the gypsy girl smiled and as she was laid gently back down. She then stroked Jaelle and hugged the goat.
"Now to sleep," Miss Spider said as she crawled back into her pipe. "You two have had a tired making day." She blew out the candle and gave the children one more look and she laid herself down and drifted off to sleep.
James watched the moonbeam shined on his face, he yawned, and drifted off to sleep.
Penelope watched the moon and saw two stars shining bright.
"I know you're looking down on me from Heaven Mama and Papa. I shall keep James and Jaelle under my arm and see that they are safe and happy."
Penelope made a prayer that they will reach New York City tomorrow and she felt exhaustion in her body. She curled up and fell into a deep peaceful sleep for the first time in forever.
