The Tearful Farewell
The next day at Winston Prep, Alan met Jasmine at the entrance to the school.
"Jasmine, Darling," Alan said. "Mr. has made an offer that you most simply cannot refuse! Anne, James, and I had already taken him up on it."
"What sort of offer, Ali?" Jasmine asked, she was curious.
"Mr. Zambini & my cousin, Candace would simply like it if you would join their little circus troupe just like Anne, James, and I did, Jasmine." Alan explained.
"What are the acts that are left?" Jasmine asked Alan.
"Annie & I are Mr. Zambini's horseback riding acrobat team and James is his new human cannonball, all he needs is a new hypnotist, will you do it?" Alan asked Jasmine.
"Oh, Ali," Jasmine exclaimed. "I would love to be Mr. Zambini's new hypnotist!"
"Groovy!" Alan exclaimed.
That evening after Alan, Anne, James, and Jasmine had passed their auditions in the big top tent, there was a whole lot of sobbing & carrying on from Flip, Nancy, Mimi, and Scooter.
"What is all this about?" Anne asked her four younger siblings.
"We don't want you to go, Anne," Scooter sobbed bitterly. "we will miss you and Alan way too much!"
"And we were going to celebrate Pop & Mom's anniversary in New Orleans this summer because we'll have school in the fall!" Nancy sobbed.
"Don't worry yourselves," Alan said to his four younger brothers & sisters. "we'll be back in time for Rosa & Pop's first wedding anniversary."
"You will?" Scooter asked Alan & Anne.
"Hai," Anne said in Japanese, her voice slowing due to weariness. "mochiron watashitachiha narimasu."
"What?" Flip, Nancy, Mimi, and Scooter asked in unison.
"Anne is getting tired," Alan said to the four youngest children. "she said, 'Yes, of course we will'."
"Oh!" Nancy, Mimi, Scooter, and Flip all said in unison.
"It is about time all of you went to your trailers for some well deserved rest," Mr. Zambini said to Alan, Anne, James, and Jasmine firmly. "we do have to leave for St. Louis in the morning."
"Yes, Mr. Zambini." Alan, Anne, James, and Jasmine all said, going with Mr. Zambini.
It had been such a wonderful sweet sixteen for Alan & Anne who got to fulfill their circus dream.