“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I believed him with every fiber of my being. If I had time, I wanted to ask if the carnival brought up feelings of nostalgia like it did for me. Was he also thinking about that picnic table?
I walked away from the tank, ready to return to my committee duties. I stopped at the line of kids and reached into my pocket. Pulling out tickets, I shared them with the line of dunkers.
“Sink him as many times as possible!” The kids of Firefly cheered.
The more I thought about my announcement, the more I felt it in my soul. This was the right decision. At every turn, I could see why Mimi called Firefly home.
My home.
Harvey: We have a hotdog emergency!
Sheryl: I’m running to the store.
Walter: Has anybody seen Tina’s stuffed bear?
Gladys: Beary is at the lost and found.
Laurel: We’re out of glue at the face painting station.
Harvey: Glue?
Laurel: For false eyelashes, of course.
Sheryl: I have some in the shop.
Jon: I’m on it.
I closed my eyes, savoring the pulse of sunlight against my face. I had taken off my shoes, rubbing my aching feet. When I had walked into Twice-Told Tales, I thought a carnival committee had been unnecessary. As I sat on a park bench, rubbing my feet, I realized they were the unsung heroes of Firefly. Working like ninjas, they put out fires, ensuring the residents hadn’t noticed the hiccups. In the case of Simon’s burger stand, I meant that literally.
“We did it,” I whispered. The more I thought about thewe,the more I smiled. The carnival was in full swing. Every person in Firefly had come out, ready to partake in the festivities. With the number of people milling about the green, I realized there were plenty of faces I didn’t recognize, at least not yet. Gladys claimed once word spread, we even had visitors from Merryville. I guess that meant I’d have to attend Flannel Fest next year.
Gladys: Committee to the stage.
The high school band had been performing all day. They took a break as people worked their way to the end of the green, ready for speeches and a long list of names to share for appreciation. Originally, it was going to be Gladyshosting the show, but, of course, Mabel had stolen the opportunity. I’m sure I’d hear about it later.
I slid my sneakers on and headed toward the stage. There were so many families in attendance it warmed my heart. I found Jason in the crowd, holding hands with Simon and their son. Not far from them, Chris had his head resting on Bobby’s shoulder. I had been terrified coming to Firefly, that I’d be an outsider, always looking from the outside in. My fears washed away as I watched the townspeople simply existing. I felt nothing but sheer joy.
“Are we having a good time?” Mabel’s voice rumbled across the green. The town cheered in response. “Firefly. My ego barely felt that. I ask you again, are you having a good time?” The roar grew. “Yass! That’s more like it.”
I reached the stage, and Laurel beckoned me to come up with them. It was nothing more than a few risers filled with chairs for the band. What it lacked in grandeur, it made up for with spirit. The committee stood behind Mabel, and I quickly took my place next to Harvey and Walter.
“While I’m sure you’d love another performance from me, I want to introduce the hardworking queens and kings who made this event happen. Darlings, I welcome to the stage Firefly’s Summer Carnival Committee.”
Mabel clapped, and the crowd followed. I couldn’t help but chuckle, looking at the audience. There were plenty of people wearing their Sunday best. Sprinkled in were a slew of drag queens, looking as if they were ready to head to the club. I’d have to be sure to compliment them on their carnival-chic attire.
“Gladys… girl… you want to share some words?” Mabel handed the mic over to our committee chair. Before she could speak, Mabel rushed to the end of the stage. I couldn’t figure out what she was up to.
She raised a crown in the air. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true pageant without somebody being crowned queen for a day. Mabel took her duties seriously. In stiletto heels, she returned to Gladys’s side, bending down to one knee. She held the crown out, bestowing the honor upon Gladys.
The confusion on Gladys’s face meant we’d need to take her to a drag show when this was over. I rushed over to Mabel, took the crown, and bestowed it on Gladys’s head. The queens in the audience whooped and hollered, ready to celebrate their new matriarch.
“This is certainly a new experience,” Gladys said into the microphone. “Why aren’t you all cheering for the first queen of Firefly?” I had a feeling she’d be insufferable after this. Every committee meeting would start with her royal decrees. However, the audience ate it up. Seeing Firefly accept the proceedings continued, reaffirming my decision to call this home. They might be scared of change, but they proved their willingness to accept people.
“We want to thank our annual carnival. We hope you’re having a great time. There are still plenty of activities going on for the rest of the day. I’ve been told there is going to be a runway show?” Mabel had demanded it. “You might have heard that the baseball team is off at the championship. Last I heard, they were up by two runs.” Firefly roared with approval. “With them gone, we had to getcreative. I want to say a very special thank you to our volunteers. Without them, we would have had to cancel.”
I cracked up as Walter and Harvey whooped and hollered their appreciation. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they had a crush on Mabel.
“But enough of that. I want to introduce our newest member.” Laurel gave me a shove forward. “Hazel Olsen’s grandson has returned to Firefly. You might have noticed him making Firefly alivelierplace. Jon Olsen, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.” The crowd applauded, but Gladys signaled for them to stop. “He has some exciting news he wants to share with everybody.”
