The zebra galloped in a circle, Charlotte bouncing on top of its bare back. Keeping one hand on the long bridle, she pulled herself up onto her black stocking feet. Toes dug into the zebra's back as it continued to circle. She took a deep breath and held out her free arm.
"Keep going, Belle. Good, girl," Charlotte spoke aloud to the zebra. They went around a few more times before the girl tugged every so slightly on the bridle. The zebra totted to a stop.
Light applause came from behind, "You get bigger and better every time I see you."
"Gustave!" Charlotte jumped off the zebra, her stocking feet becoming covered in dirt and she ran to the other side of the track. She climbed the fence easy in her red leotard and knee length tulle skirt. She threw her arms around her brother.
He picked her up and spun her around, "Umph! You're getting too big for this."
"Nonsense. Just because I am almost 14…you are a grown man now," She held onto her brother's arms. "Are you here to get your show ready for the summer?"
The young man's face sank, "I am only here to visit."
"But Gustave! You didn't do your show last year either!"
"I have a job now. And other priorities and engagements."
Charlotte pulled away from her brother, "The show has always been a priority. What could possibly more important?"
At that moment a young woman with an effortless pompadour, pink linen puff sleeve blouse and tan linen skirt meeting at a waifish waist walked up to them. She smiled as she linked her arm with Gustave. "You look so brave and graceful on that zebra, Charlotte. I would have been too scared to do that at your age.
Charlotte arched the eyebrow on the good side of her face, "Rose Jones? My how you've changed?"
"Not Jones for long," Rose giggled as she held out her left hand for Charlotte to see.
"I told you not to tell her, she's always been horrible at keeping secrets," Gustave sighed as he pulled Rose into an embrace.
"You mean you haven't told your parents yet?"
"I haven't had a chance."
"You could have called them. Father and Mother have known since…"
"I work with your father everyday."
"Well since you are his fiancée now, tell him he has to do his show this year," Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her recently developed chest. "Phantasma isn't the same without it."
The young man stepped away from his fiancée and back over to his sister. He took her hands into his, "Please don't be angry with me, Charlotte. I came by this weekend to visit and have fun. You have to understand, things are different now that I'm grown and moved away. Don't make it difficult, let's just have fun. Okay?"
She pulled away and narrowed her eyes but they were still full of tears, "You made it difficult by moving away to college! And then not coming back! And now you don't work Phantasma anymore!" Charlotte ran back to her zebra kicking up puffs of dirt.
Rose spread her hand across Gustave's chest, "Leave her. Nothing you will do or say right now will help. As her big brother you were her first love and you just broke her heart. I know, Edgar did it to me when he went to Europe."
"If that is the case, let's take a stroll on the boardwalk so I can formulate how to announce our news to my mother."
