With the curfew still in effect and no shows taking place, everyone could feel the tension that was mounting around the camp. No one felt like they could really relax, especially the show's owner. She had avoided Greta as much as possible, although everyone was aware of the way she would observe her daughter when she thought no one was watching her. Most of the time, though, she seemed to be attempting to pretend that Greta wasn't even there.
For her part, Greta was settling into life as part of the company. She fitted in well and was always willing to do what was asked of her with no complaints. Gradually she was becoming more and more comfortable around her new family and no longer felt the sense of indebtedness that she had done when she first arrived.
With no performances, no one had brought up the subject of what she would do in the show. While the others practised their routines, Greta eagerly watched rehearsals. Her childlike enthusiasm for everything she saw thrilled the troupe and gave them renewed determination to refine their acts.
"Whose trailer is that?" Greta asked Paul one afternoon a week or so after her arrival, nodding towards a caravan attached to a car that had appeared in the midst of the camp.
He followed her pointing finger and then shrugged. "What does it say on the side?"
"I do not know."
"Can you read?" Paul asked her bluntly.
The young woman looked at her feet, blushing. "No. Not really…"
He clapped a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. "Then you'll learn. We'll teach you to read and to write. I'm assuming you can't write if you can't read?"
"No…"
"Alright." He shrugged, clearly not bothered by the discovery. "Let's go and find out who the newcomers are."
They found Eve in the big tent and she told them all about Dell Toledo and Desiree. Greta raised her eyebrows in astonishment, but Paul merely shrugged and said that he hoped their presence would help bring in the crowds. Seeing Elsa, Desiree, Suzi and Ma Petite entering the tent, Paul muttered something about needing to fix a table and darted outside.
Eve nodded her head towards chairs behind the ones that the others had taken and sat down. Greta joined her and they watched as Dot and Bette took to the stage. With a glance at Desiree who had settled herself at the piano, Bette began to sing. Wincing, Greta raised her fingers to block the sound entering her ears, thinking that she had not heard something quite so terrible in a long time.
"Nein!" Elsa called out, stopping the woman singing. "Stop! Halt! You make my teeth ache. You are flat."
"I'm sorry, I'm a little nervous." Bette apologised quickly.
"A little tone deaf." The woman at the piano corrected.
"Come on… we try again." Elsa offered. "Come on." The singing was no better second time around and Greta was sure that even Dot was wincing. "Ah! Mein Gott im Himmel! Please, no more. I thought you said you could sing. We're going to have to find something else for you to do."
"Like what?"
"Juggling… it doesn't matter."
"What? What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Desiree demanded indignantly. "They're our headliners."
"Hardly that. They are my warm-up act." Elsa said bluntly. "It doesn't matter that they're good; they have two heads."
Greta looked at her mother, frowning slightly. She had learnt quickly that Elsa was the star of the show and wouldn't tolerate anyone encroaching on her spotlight, but she couldn't believe that the woman could be quite so callous. Then she shook her head, wondering at herself. Of course she could believe that; everyone put themselves above anyone else. It was the Elsa Mars show; it practically even said it over the stage.
"Please, Miss Elsa… we don't wanna just stand here and be stared at… it's embarrassing." Bette pleaded.
Desiree stepped forward. "Me and Dell, we saw this act down in Mexico… this señorita could shoot ping-pong balls right outta her…" She broke off, but did an action and made a sound to go with her anecdote so no one was left in any doubt where the girl could shoot ping-pong balls from.
Greta looked sideways at Eve. "Surely that is not true?" The woman simply shrugged in response.
"What? At least I'm trying to come up with something."
"What about Dot?" Jimmy asked. He had crept into the tent while Bette had been singing and taken a seat in the front row.
"Dot doesn't have any talent."
"That's true." Dot agreed with her sister. "I don't even know that song."
"So sing something else." Jimmy told her. "Whatever you want. Sing it to me. Come on. Pretend like nobody's here… just me. Come on… give it a try."
There was a pause and then Dot began to sing. She was good and everyone in the tent seemed to hold their breath until she finished. Sneaking a glance towards her mother, Greta wasn't the slightest bit surprised to see a look of intense irritation fighting to cover Elsa's face.
"Huh!" Dell laughed, walking into the tent and removing his hat. "Not bad. That'll go over real nice tomorrow."
"What? Has the curfew been lifted already?" Elsa asked.
"Hell no, but we're not going to let that stop us." He told her. "Three o'clock matinee, every day until the curfew is lifted."
"Matinee?"
"That's right. Folks can come see the show and be home in time for Uncle Miltie."
Elsa shook her head, scowling at the strong man. "Nein. Nein, no matinees… No, people don't come to see freaks in the heat of the day! They come in the evening when the darkness moves in and speaks of mystery… the unknown… when logic loosens its vice grip and the imagination comes out to play. Night allows the stars to shine and we come alive." She smiled and shook her head again. "No… daytime is for kiddie shows… clowns and kewpie dolls. Maybe that's what you're used to… but you're in a real freak show now. My freak show!"
"Dell, listen to the lady." His wife advised. "She's your boss now."
He took several steps forward, closer to Elsa. "No lady is the boss of me."
"Why don't we go outside and calm down, huh?" Jimmy suggested, putting his hand on Dell's shoulder.
Dell threw him off violently, causing Bette to gasp and Eve to sit up straighter in her seat. "The hell with this… I'm gonna go into town… post some bills. There will be paying asses in these seats tomorrow. Curtain goes up at three."
As the sound of his footsteps faded, Elsa growled softly. "That man is going to be a problem."
The rehearsal continued for a short while longer, with Desiree and Dot attempting to decide on a song for the woman to sing. Eve and Greta watched from their seats at the back, while Ma Petite and Suzi continued doing Elsa's nails. When they had finished, the woman stood and turned to leave the tent.
Her eyes met her daughter's for the first time in days and she scrutinised her carefully. "I have not forgotten about you." She said at last. "We will find you something to do in the show… this is not a charity, you know."
As she strode past, Eve patted the other woman lightly on the leg and smiled. "Don't worry about her… she's just pissed at Dell."
"I am not worried." Greta assured her as they, too, left the tent.
"Come on." Paul nudged her in the shoulder as he rushed past and nodded towards where a group were gathering. "Jimmy suggested we go to the dinner in town and get something to eat. Part of his 'getting to know us' idea. You in?"
"It sounds good." Eve agreed, wrapping an arm firmly around Greta's shoulders. "We'll come."
The blonde nodded and allowed herself to be pulled forward to join the group who were making their way along the dust track into Jupiter. It wasn't a particularly long walk and it was made pleasant by the company. The group told stories and jokes and laughed together. Each of them was looking forward to their meal at the diner in the town.
About half way into town, Pepper sidled up beside Greta and slipped her hand into the young woman's. Greta smiled down at her and started to swing their conjoined hands, making the pinhead laugh happily and continue the game all the way into town. Jimmy looked back at the blonde and grinned, catching Eve and Paul's eyes and alerting them to what was happening behind them. With three sets of eyes on her, Greta glanced up and realised she had an audience. Shrugging at them, she dropped her gaze to Pepper once more, chuckling at the wide smile that greeted her.
They arrived outside the diner and Jimmy gathered them together, giving them a brief pep talk and reminder to be on their best behaviour. The trip was about getting the townsfolk to realise they were just like them and not to be feared. How much of it went in, Greta wasn't sure, but she could feel the excitement radiating off the group.
"Excuse me, Miss?" Jimmy announced their arrival to the waitress behind the counter with her back to them.
"You're back." She turned, a bright smile on her face at the expectation of seeing his handsome face again. The smile dropped as her eyes fell on the others and his hands, free of his gloves.
"Yes, Ma'am and I brought some friends this time."
"What do you want?" The other waitress asked, her tone and expression suspicious.
Greta frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but Jimmy beat her to it. It was, on balance, perhaps a good thing, because the young man was much politer than the girl had been planning to be.
"This is a diner, ain't it? We're hungry… we wanna be served."
Having no reason to dispute it or turn them away for the legitimate request, the staff simply watched in silence as they took their seats at the counter. The manager appeared from somewhere and watched them, worriedly. It was laughable, Greta thought as she looked around the diner, that everyone seemed to be on guard.
Finding herself seated between Eve and Salty, Greta spared the menu in front of her a cursory glance. She already knew what she wanted; something that she'd often stared longingly at through a diner window when she'd been penniless and begging on the streets for food.
"Remember everyone; manners matter." Jimmy reminded them. "Use your forks, napkins on the lap… OK?"
Eve leant over Greta to help Salty, who was struggling to unfold his napkin. The blonde froze slightly as the woman's face stayed inches from hers while she helped the pinhead, her eyes flickering over Eve's features. She jumped a little when Eve moved, smiling warmly at her as she straightened up and placed her own napkin delicately on her lap. Greta blushed and looked down at her hands.
"Excuse me? Excuse me." The troupe turned as one to look at the woman in the corner who had spoken. "Is there anyplace else you can eat? You're upsetting my daughter."
"Maybe your daughter should–" Greta started irritably, her blood boiling. Eve placed a hand on her leg and shook her head, making the blonde bite her tongue.
"Well I'm sure she'd love the show if she saw it." Jimmy said with a smile. "Tell the ticket lady Jimmy sent you." He winked and then turned to attract the attention of the waitress. "We're ready to order now."
"What d'you want?"
"Salisbury steak should hit the spot." Eve said politely, sending the waitress a warm smile.
"Pancakes, please," Greta said quickly, as though afraid she would be passed over, "with maple syrup and chocolate sauce."
The waitress nodded and made a note of their orders, before glancing up to take the next.
"I'll have the iceberg wedge; I'm watching my figure." Suzi informed her with a grin. The young woman didn't crack a smile, instead scribbled on the notepad and looked up again.
Paul glanced behind him at a plate that had been left behind, virtually untouched, by a customer when they had entered. He stood and leant over Toulouse to pick it up and set it in front of him. "That looks pretty good, I think I'll just have that."
"Paul…" Jimmy attempted to alert him to the social faux pas, but the older man was oblivious. "Err… what are you having, Pepper?"
"Meatloaf!" She exclaimed excitedly, bouncing in her seat and waving her cutlery around. "Meatloaf! Meatloaf!"
"Yeah!" Salty agreed, just as excitedly.
"She'll have the meatloaf." Jimmy told the waitress firmly. "And I'll have… what am I going to have?"
As he perused the menu carefully, attempting to make up his mind, the waitress looked over to where Paul had started to eat from the plate in front of him. "Umm… excuse me? That's not yours."
A loud crash from the doorway behind them made everyone jump and turn to see what had caused it. Dell was standing, looking around at the scene, with an incredibly irritated expression on his face. As they watched, he tilted his head slightly and looked at each of them in turn, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Let me guess, this was your bright idea?" He demanded, jabbing a finger in Jimmy's direction. "You eat at the camp."
"We're not bothering anybody."
"But that's not his food…" The waitress jumped in quickly, pointing at Paul. "I'm gonna have to bus this plate."
Paul slapped her hands away as she attempted to take the plate, causing the manager to jump forward. "Don't you touch this girl! She's just doing her job."
"Apologise to the girl." Dell demanded in a low growl, grabbing the other man roughly after slapping the back of his head.
"Hey!" Jimmy hit him on the arm. "What's the problem here? She was gonna throw it out anyway."
There was an uneasy silence as the strong man glared at the boy who had challenged him so publically. He advanced on Jimmy, picking up the plate in front of Paul and moving to stand beside the younger man. Without warning he tipped the plate onto the counter and it fell with a crash and the metallic clatter of cutlery.
"Like this?"
"I have the right to refuse service." The manager told them. "You people have to leave."
At once they all started to protest, assuring him that there would be no more trouble. It was difficult to prove that they could be trusted to keep that promise, however, with Salty and Pepper complaining loudly and banging their cutlery on the counter. Greta slipped off her stool and attempted to gently pull the knife and fork out of Pepper's grip, while Eve rubbed Salty's back soothingly.
Dell grabbed Jimmy roughly by the lapels of his shirt and yanked him off his stool. "See what you did? If you give these folks a free show who's gonna wanna buy tickets? Come on you stupid freaks… let's go."
"Hey!" Jimmy glared at him. "Stop calling us freaks. We're people… just like everybody in this joint."
There was another long, tense silence. Then Dell grabbed Jimmy and dragged him from the diner. Everyone rushed to the window to watch as the strong man proceeded to punch and pummel Jimmy, finally succeeding in causing him to drop heavily to the ground, unable to get up.
He turned, realising that he had an audience. Dell's defiant gaze met the indignant, afraid and disbelieving expressions of the members of Elsa's troupe who had remained inside the diner. Then he turned and stalked away, leaving Jimmy writhing on the ground, coughing and clutching his ribs.
As soon as he was gone, they rushed outside to help their friend. As Eve and Paul hoisted Jimmy to his feet and half-supported, half-carried the young man along the street, the others trailed along behind, dragging their feet dejectedly. Greta tried to reassure and comfort the two pinheads, but they were both beside themselves with fear and upset.
"Nein…" The woman muttered to herself as they paused for a car to pass before they crossed the street. "Nein… das ist falsch."
Dropping Salty and Pepper's hands, she turned and strode back in the direction they had come. Pushing open the diner door angrily, she folded her arms across her chest and fixed everyone inside the building with a scathing look.
"Did you forget something?" The blonde waitress asked, looking her up and down.
"Those people do not deserve to be treated like that." Greta ignored her question and informed her bluntly. "I am not a 'freak' as you call them. I do not have a deformity or any special talents or abilities. Nothing in my life has caused me to look different. I was not born with anything unusual about me. I am lucky enough to be 'normal'." She stressed the last word, allowing it to twist her features as though it were particularly foul tasting.
"I–"
"We do not get to decide when we're born… or who or where. We have no say in whether we have blonde hair or brown hair, whether we are tall or short. Having blonde hair and blue eyes, something I had no control over, saved my life when I was a child. And yet you judge those people for things they cannot control? What gives you that right?"
"I don't–"
"No!" Greta shook her head. "We are dealt a hand in life and we play with the cards we are given. You think they received a… what? An unlucky hand? And yet the only people to help me, protect me, care for me, give me a home and a family are those 'freaks'. You think that you are better than them, but I think you are wrong. They deserve to be treated with the same amount of respect as anyone else and you should be ashamed of yourselves."
Not waiting for any form of response, Greta turned and made to push through the door, leaving everyone staring after her. It was only when she did so that she realised that the door was already open and her friends had returned in search of her.
"Let us go." She said firmly, not meeting anyone's eyes. She didn't want to see the smiles of pride or eyes shining with gratitude. "Come on."
No one mentioned the blonde's rant as they returned to the camp. Neither did they mention Jimmy's vicious beating from Dell. As soon as they arrived home, they separated and went about their daily tasks as though nothing unusual had happened. Greta attempted to tend to Jimmy's cuts and bruises, but he gently refused, assuring her that he had had worse and was fine.
By three o'clock, the troupe was ready for their debut matinee performance. A single look at Elsa's face was enough to explain how the show owner felt about the situation. She snapped at anyone who went near her, so most of the performers stayed clear. Greta, who had been helping out at the box office and confectionary stands, severely regretted going to ask her mother if she wanted her to do anything else, when she had her head bitten off before she had even opened her mouth.