horrified, as Rudy walked back up the aisle with a muttering Ben Rowe in tow. The old man seemed to be trying to pull away from the magician, but Rudy wasnât letting him get away.
âTrust me,â he said as he led Ben to a spot next to Annie. âMy assistant and I will take good care of you.â
Ben didnât even give Annie a second glance, but she found her heart racing as she stood beside him. Did he recognize her? Did he remember what had happened in his room on Tuesday? If he did, he gave no indication of it. He just stood there, awkwardly looking at his feet and mumbling something under his breath.
Rudy picked something off the prop table and walked over to Ben. He was holding a piece of newspaper in his hands. He showed it to the crowd and then rolled it into a funnel shape.
âIâm going to ask this handsome gentleman to hold this for me,â he said, handing the newspaper to Ben. âAnd then Iâm going to ask my assistant to perform the magic.â
Annie looked at Rudy, her eyes wide. She was going to perform the trick? But she didnât know anything about magic. Not that kind, at least. What was Rudy thinking?
âDonât worry,â he whispered to her as he took her hand and led her to the table. âThis one is foolproof. All you have to do is pour the milk into the newspaper funnel. The jug has a fake bottom to it. Just hold down the button underneath the handle and the milk will be sucked into the bottom. Not a drop will actually go into the paper.â
He handed Annie the pitcher of milk. It was very heavy, and she held it with both hands as she walked back to where Ben Rowe was standing with the newspaper funnel in his hands.
âWatch as my assistant makes this milk disappear into thin air,â Rudy exclaimed as Annie lifted the pitcher to show everyone that it was full. He turned and winked at her, reassuring her that she could do it.
Annie leaned the pitcher toward the opening of the funnel. She watched as the milk flowed toward the lip of the pitcher. She was so nervous about spilling any that she could hardly think. As the milk slipped over the lip of the jug and began to fall into the funnel, she let out a sigh of relief. She hadnât spilled it.
Then, too late, she realized that sheâd completely forgotten about the button. Sheâd been so anxious about spilling the milk, it had slipped her mind. Now she fumbled for the button. But even as her finger found it and pressed, she watched, helpless, as the milk filled up the bottom of the funnel. The paper bulged wetly for a moment. Then it burst, and milk poured all down the front of Ben Rowe and splashed onto his shoes.
Annie pulled the pitcher back as the old man stared at his sopping wet clothes in confusion, the tattered remains of the funnel clutched in his hands. Annie couldnât move. She felt Rudy come and take the pitcher from her, and she only came to her senses when she heard him say, âIt looks like my lovely assistant forgot to say the magic word.â
Ben Rowe looked up at Annie, his eyes blazing. She knew then that he did recognize her, and she wanted to die. Before he could say anything, she turned and ran from the room. She saw some of the old people turn to stare at her as she went, but she couldnât stop.
Once she was in the hallway she leaned against the wall and forced herself not to cry. She could hear Rudy through the doorway, somehow smoothing over the disaster sheâd caused. She knew she should go back in and help him finish the show, but she couldnât. She couldnât face everyone, especially not Ben Rowe. It was too much.
Instead, she waited until the show was over. Her trick had apparently been the last one planned, so she only had to wait while Rudy said good-bye to the crowd and they clapped one final time. Then people started coming out again. Annie ducked behind a corner and waited as they filed out. She didnât want them to
âTrust me,â he said as he led Ben to a spot next to Annie. âMy assistant and I will take good care of you.â
Ben didnât even give Annie a second glance, but she found her heart racing as she stood beside him. Did he recognize her? Did he remember what had happened in his room on Tuesday? If he did, he gave no indication of it. He just stood there, awkwardly looking at his feet and mumbling something under his breath.
Rudy picked something off the prop table and walked over to Ben. He was holding a piece of newspaper in his hands. He showed it to the crowd and then rolled it into a funnel shape.
âIâm going to ask this handsome gentleman to hold this for me,â he said, handing the newspaper to Ben. âAnd then Iâm going to ask my assistant to perform the magic.â
Annie looked at Rudy, her eyes wide. She was going to perform the trick? But she didnât know anything about magic. Not that kind, at least. What was Rudy thinking?
âDonât worry,â he whispered to her as he took her hand and led her to the table. âThis one is foolproof. All you have to do is pour the milk into the newspaper funnel. The jug has a fake bottom to it. Just hold down the button underneath the handle and the milk will be sucked into the bottom. Not a drop will actually go into the paper.â
He handed Annie the pitcher of milk. It was very heavy, and she held it with both hands as she walked back to where Ben Rowe was standing with the newspaper funnel in his hands.
âWatch as my assistant makes this milk disappear into thin air,â Rudy exclaimed as Annie lifted the pitcher to show everyone that it was full. He turned and winked at her, reassuring her that she could do it.
Annie leaned the pitcher toward the opening of the funnel. She watched as the milk flowed toward the lip of the pitcher. She was so nervous about spilling any that she could hardly think. As the milk slipped over the lip of the jug and began to fall into the funnel, she let out a sigh of relief. She hadnât spilled it.
Then, too late, she realized that sheâd completely forgotten about the button. Sheâd been so anxious about spilling the milk, it had slipped her mind. Now she fumbled for the button. But even as her finger found it and pressed, she watched, helpless, as the milk filled up the bottom of the funnel. The paper bulged wetly for a moment. Then it burst, and milk poured all down the front of Ben Rowe and splashed onto his shoes.
Annie pulled the pitcher back as the old man stared at his sopping wet clothes in confusion, the tattered remains of the funnel clutched in his hands. Annie couldnât move. She felt Rudy come and take the pitcher from her, and she only came to her senses when she heard him say, âIt looks like my lovely assistant forgot to say the magic word.â
Ben Rowe looked up at Annie, his eyes blazing. She knew then that he did recognize her, and she wanted to die. Before he could say anything, she turned and ran from the room. She saw some of the old people turn to stare at her as she went, but she couldnât stop.
Once she was in the hallway she leaned against the wall and forced herself not to cry. She could hear Rudy through the doorway, somehow smoothing over the disaster sheâd caused. She knew she should go back in and help him finish the show, but she couldnât. She couldnât face everyone, especially not Ben Rowe. It was too much.
Instead, she waited until the show was over. Her trick had apparently been the last one planned, so she only had to wait while Rudy said good-bye to the crowd and they clapped one final time. Then people started coming out again. Annie ducked behind a corner and waited as they filed out. She didnât want them to
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