Many of the crew waved back.
“And this is Dirk, who is joining us from Fantasy as our management intern.” She turned to Dirk, who clenched both hands above his head like he was being cheered by fans, except he wasn’t.
She turned to face the audience again. “I don’t want you to feel like I’m a stranger, so here’s a little about me,” she said. “I’m new to Florida but not new to theme parks. I started working at an amusement park in my hometown when I was just 19. I worked my way up, became a manager, and I helped manage the place until it closed down last year. I’m thrilled to be at Destiny Park and I can’t wait to get to know all of you. I don’t want to keep you long,” she added, “but if you have any questions I can answer, I’ll be happy to do so.”
Several hands shot up.
“Yes, young lady in the Gold Rush costume?” Vanessa pointed to a woman in the fifth row.
“Have you heard anything about a raise?”
“Well, I just got here, so I haven’t heard anything yet, but I’ll check on it.”
A man wearing a Victorian vest and dress shirt with striped slacks raised his hand.
“Yes?” said Vanessa.
“Are you aware of the overtime issue?”
Sounds like there are several ongoing issues here. “Not yet, but I will catch up on that as soon as possible.”
They forgot to raise their hands and called out one after another.
“Is someone going to do something about the unsafe costume pieces?”
“Why are our hours getting cut back again?”
The dark-haired man Vanessa noticed earlier raised his hand.
She called on him. “Yes?”
He swept his hair back with one hand as he stood up, his height lending an air of grace to his figure.
The crowd quieted.
A faint smile played around his lips before he spoke. “Which attraction are you training on first?”
Yet another question for which she didn’t have an immediate answer. Vanessa stalled for time. “I’m sorry, what was your name?”
“Thomas.”
“Thomas, I’m not sure I know what you’re referring to.” She glanced at Charlotte in an attempt to pick up some sort of cue.
Charlotte didn’t notice.
“New managers have to get trained on all their attractions. Which one are you doing first?” His voice, low yet resonant, easily carried across the theater.
Determined not to be at a loss for at least one question, she picked one of the three attractions at random. “American Dream,” she said. Seems appropriate.
He smiled. “I look forward to it,” he said, inclining his head in an almost courtly fashion.
Thomas
Thomas sat down. Does she realize what she’s gotten into yet? If not, she soon will. I almost feel sorry for her. He observed her as she wrapped up the meeting. She had a centeredness about her that created its own gravity.
When the meeting concluded, Thomas leapt out of his seat and hurried to the front of the theater. “Charlotte! Do you have the new training roster for me yet?”
“I will as soon as I get with Vanessa.” Charlotte turned to Vanessa. “Vanessa, Thomas is the trainer for the Legacy area. He teaches new crew members how to run the attractions in our area.”
Vanessa addressed Thomas. “So that’s why you asked me that question instead of quizzing me on the issue of the day.”
Dirk interrupted. “They’re like children demanding dessert, aren’t they?”
Thomas, who up to that moment had been on the receiving end of Vanessa’s attention, slowly turned his head to Dirk. “Dirk. I hadn’t heard you were coming to Legacy. What happened in Fantasy? Did they finally learn everything you had to impart?” You idiot.
Dirk replied as if Thomas were serious. “Oh, yes, Mr. Destiny”—he dropped the name with relish—“felt it was time for a lateral move.”
“Really,” Thomas replied flatly.
Charlotte, after watching the exchange like a cat at a tennis match, turned to Vanessa. “You ready?”
“I sure am. Nice to meet you, Thomas.”
“Likewise.”
Thomas leaned against the stage and watched them walk away.
After the theater emptied, he headed underground to change out of his costume. Street clothes were more comfortable than the George Washington getup he wore when he worked American Dream, but he had to admit that the colonists exhibited a certain sense of style that was missing in modern t-shirts and jeans. He tossed the costume into a large laundry bin on his way out of the locker room.
One of the perks of working at Destiny Park was the ability to visit the park after your shift. Thomas followed the underground corridor to the nearest stairwell and took the stairs two at a time to the park above, emerging in the Fantasy area. The sun blazed like it would be summer forever, but a cool breeze hinted at the season to come.
Thomas entered the Fantasy bazaar. The scent of melted caramel beckoned him to a concession stand, where he purchased a waxed paper bag of caramel corn. Holding the warm bag safely in one hand, he slid through the bustling crowd like a ghost to emerge on the other side of the bazaar. He took a seat on a bench facing a small stage topped with a wooden awning, then contentedly popped a piece of sweet caramel corn into his mouth.
A stirring musical theme poured from the speakers. Two dancers, one man and one woman, circled each other, striking poses that highlighted their differences, swirling together then apart, tracing an invisible spiral that compelled them to meet in the center of the stage. They struck a final pose face to face, a secret smile on his lips and a sparkle in her eyes, as if there were no audience to observe them. After holding the pose, they recovered and bowed before walking gracefully offstage.
He always enjoyed watching these dancers. To see them, and to indulge in his favorite snack, had become a weekly pastime. For some reason, today’s performance left him with a slight ache in his chest. There were other acts to follow, but Thomas had seen what he had come to see. He folded up his empty bag, dropped it into one of the ubiquitous trash cans, and disappeared into the crowd.
Chapter 3
Vanessa
The calico gown wasn’t a problem, but no matter how many times she attempted to stuff her hair into the puffy white cap, messy tendrils popped out along the edges.
“I feel ridiculous,” Vanessa said, rotating slowly in front of a large mirror in the underground costume department.