Friends and Lovers Trilogy 02 - Charmed Read Free Page B

impressionable children’s lives was worth the occasional cancellation, bounced check, or obnoxious client.
    She stashed the payment in the side pocket of her patchwork prop bag, dug out a handful of business cards, and passed them to Mrs. McGuire. If she was lucky, she’d book three to four future engagements based on this evening’s performance.
    What she wouldn’t give to be able to support herself solely on
Lulu’s Loonytales.
Unfortunately, since she refused any sort of financial support from Terry, she now had to supplement her freelance business with the part-time job at the Carnevale. In addition to the steady income, she needed the health benefits. Thank goodness she’d inherited her grandfather’s talent for circus skills. She’d watched, learned, and practiced at an early age, and therefore, she was proficient at juggling balls, torches, and clubs.
    The Carnevale had been thrilled to welcome her into their strolling entertainer program. She’d been there nine
looong
months. It wasn’t the job that she resented, but the revealing costumes the specialty performers were required to wear. It was one thing if you were a cast member of Venetian Vogue, the featured variety show in the casino’s showroom. There was a big difference between appearing on the main stage, where that imaginary fourth wall separated you from the audience, and performing your act in public areas, where patrons assumed they had unlimited heckling privileges. Day after day she endured catty comments from petty women and the stares of rude men. The worst were the sexual innuendos pertaining to her juggling. If she had a nickel for every time a man had said, “I’ve got a couple of balls you can handle,” she’d be a flipping millionaire!
    She blamed Anthony Rivelli. The former casino vice president had set a precedent embracing the not-so-original motto “sex sells.” Even though the Casino Control Commission had demanded Anthony’s resignation due to a personal scandal, the casino had retained his policies. The current powers-that-be didn’t care that juggling required mobility. They didn’t care that her boobs almost popped out of her sequined corset at least once daily. They cared that the Carnevale was the highest ranking casino in Atlantic City, largely due to its aggressive, T&A entertainment campaign.
    Some days she felt like cheap eye candy instead of a talented performer. Thank goodness she only had to sell out three days a week.
    A burst of girlish giggles reclaimed her attention, reminding her that this was not one of those days. Today she was in her element. In her glory. Today was devoted to young minds and pure hearts yet untainted by the cynical world. Focused and energized, she smiled at Mrs. McGuire. “I should probably get in there.”
    “You go on,” the woman said. “I’ll slip into the kitchen and let the other mothers know you’re about to start. The loonytale takes an hour, right?”
    Lulu nodded.
    “We’ll have cake after. I hope you’ll stay.”
    “I wouldn’t miss it.” She usually stayed an additional half an hour anyway, free of charge for casual hang time with the kids. More than a gig, this was her contribution to mankind.
    Adrenaline pumping, armed with her imagination and a bag full of magic, she hustled into the balloon and streamer filled room. Coming face-to-face with twenty-one expectant, sugar-crazed munchkins would have intimidated a normal grown-up. Lulu beamed. “I’d like you to meet a friend of mine,” she said, looking up and to her left. “Dexter the Dragon.”
    An hour and forty-five minutes later, she said her good-byes.
    Or tried to anyway.
    Of the six boys who’d started out wary, three now wiggled their wizard sticks at their parents, hoping to turn them into frogs. The other three stood on the lawn, waving farewell to Dexter the Dragon, Princess Charming’s invisible sidekick.
    She had a devil of a time shaking the girls. They wanted her and Dexter to spend the