Page 72 of Fast Forward

“Nice to meet you Kelli, I’m Elaine.”

I stopped dead in my tracks, hoping my jaw hadn’t physically dropped to the sandy ground below.

“Are you okay?” Elaine asked and I looked deep into her eyes, flickers of recognition speeding along the memory highway in my brain.

“Um… yes. Sure. It’s, ah, just that I knew someone called Elaine once.”

“Oh, well I hope the name doesn’t bring back any bad memories for you. Don’t you hate it when you meet someone who has the same name as the kid who pulled your hair in science class at school, or the bully who tipped your lunch box over in the playground? Even though they have nothing to do with them, you still feel uncomfortable.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about, the Elaine I knew was very nice. In fact, you remind me a lot of her.”

Even though our only light was the campfire, the moon and a distant streetlight, Elaine’s flushed face was clearly visible. “Aw, geez. You hardly know me, but thanks!”

I flashed a smile and led her towards the fire, introducing her to Kasey, Max and Selena. She asked Max why he looked so familiar and he simply shrugged and said they’d probably passed each other in the street or something, even though I knew very well it was because she’d most likely glimpsed his gorgeous physique in a giant ad on the back of a bus. She’d find out soon enough.

As we ate and talked, I looked up at the sky, the same sky I’d looked at while on the Ferris wheel with Will and thanked the universe for this synchronistic turn of events. Elaine was now in my life and we could get to know each other properly, from the beginning. I would make damn sure that she followed her dreams of opening a cake business, or a restaurant and that she wouldn’t sacrifice her own identity for the sake of her marriage. All I could do was try, but the rest would be up to her.

After we finished off the dinner, Selena got to her feet. “Oh, I forgot. I brought something for you.” She scurried off to her car parked nearby and returned holding a lantern with a candle inside. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, c’mon everyone! Happy birthday, dear Kelli,” everyone joined in, “Happy birthday to you! Hip hip, hooray! Hip hip, hooray!”

I blew my breath towards the candle, twice actually, because the first one didn’t work, as I had to get the right angle to blow inside the lantern and finally the flame was replaced with a sinewy trail of smoke floating up to the sky. “Thank you, Selena.”

“I didn’t know it was your birthday, happy birthday!” Elaine said.

“Hey, you didn’t make a wish,” Max protested.

“Didn’t need to,” I replied with a smile.

“Well I wish that you’d all get up to shake your thang,” Selena proclaimed, pulling me to my feet, then putting her iPhone on full volume, a dance track blaring from the tiny device.

We wiggled and swayed in time to the music, and Max, Kasey and Elaine joined in. As a techno track took over, an urge inside me took over and my arms bent at right angles, moving stiffly up and down, while my body jerked here, there and everywhere.

“You’re doing the robot dance?” Kasey asked, laughing.

“Yep. I’ve been practising. What do you think?” I mustered up the sensation of the SlimFX Magic Suit stuck like cling wrap around my body and put it to good use.

“Two can play at that game.” Max summoned his inner robot and gave me a run for my money and the others tried to outdo us, but Max was a clear winner. I hoped he’d keep this memory with him to help him through the tough times ahead.

Worried I might get spasms from tensing my muscles for so long, I relaxed back into normal dancing. Selena wiggled up next to me and whispered in my ear.

“So, I guess you’re not going on your weekend away with Grant tomorrow night after all.”

I shook my head. “Nope. I have more important plans, actually.”

Chapter 20

Reunion

“The end of separation is meeting again.” – Turkish proverb

I stepped into my red shimmery dress and fed my arms under the straps, smiling at the rewarding buzz of the zipper as it slid up my back with ease. I’d wanted to wear this to my birthday dinner last night, but since it became a casual fun fest on the beach instead of a flashy soiree at a gourmet restaurant, it hadn’t exactly been appropriate. It was very appropriate tonight however, for the occasion of my high school reunion.

I slid my feet into matching red shoes and put the earrings on that Selena gave me. One last push of the bobby pins secured my chignon and I pressed my lips together in front of the mirror, then grabbed my evening bag and headed for the car.

I arrived at the venue and clicked my heels up the steps, entering through an open door into the foyer. A voluptuous woman I didn’t recognise was handing out name tags. “I know you, you’re Kelli Crawford, right?”

Crap. I had no idea who she was. I’d only been out of high school eight years, surely that wasn’t long enough to forget a face? Unless she was someone my teenage snobbish self had ignored. I cringed at the memory of who I used to be. “Yes, hi, how’ve you been?”

She must have sensed my confusion because she quickly revealed her identity. “Don’t worry, you’ve no need to recognise me, I didn’t go to the school. I married Cody Baxter, did you know him?”

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