Read Online Swim to Me by Betsy Carter - Free Book Online Page B

on kittens, too,” she said in a strangely provocative manner.
    â€œUh, thanks,” said Delores.
    â€œSo listen: me, Sheila, and Helen are hitchhiking into Port Richey tonight. There’s this place, Hot Chick. You cannot believe how incredible their fried chicken is. We were thinking that maybe you’d want to come with us. What do you say?”
    Molly, who was standing next to Delores, placed her hand over the scar on her neck, as if by hiding it, she might be chosen this time. She shot her a look that said,
If you go with them and leave me behind, I will put a knife through my heart.
So Delores told Blonde Sheila that she was expecting a phone call from her parents, who were on the road.
    â€œYou don’t want to be hanging out with them,” said Molly later. “Bad news, bad reputations. You know what I mean.” So whilethe others went off to Hot Chick that night, she and Molly stayed behind with Adrienne and her best friend, sad Sharlene from Homestead. They listened to a Bee Gees album, and another one by Chicago. Sharlene had long, thick blonde hair that she seemed to haul around. Since she never looked up, except when Adrienne spoke, the hair served as a shroud. She allowed as how, sometimes underwater, her hair would drape her face and she would get momentarily disoriented. “Why don’t you try wearing a headband?” asked Delores. Sharlene and Adrienne exchanged startled looks. “That’s a great idea,” said Adrienne. Sharlene nodded. It was only eight thirty. Molly suggested that maybe they go watch some TV. Adrienne smiled and said, “I have a better idea. Let’s twirl.” Sharlene jumped up to retrieve the baton that Adrienne had given her. Adrienne ran to get hers. Delores whispered to Molly, “How much longer do we have to do this?”
    When Delores landed the lead role of one of two sirens in “Song of the Sea,” Scary Sheila rationalized it to the other two: “She’s new meat. Thelma likes new meat.” Still, the three of them decided to invite her to one of their “try-on” sessions. That’s when they’d try on each other’s clothes then borrow something from the others in order to make it look as if they had bigger wardrobes. Molly said it was because they wanted to wear all of Delores’s fancy clothes that they’d invited her. Delores didn’t care; she was pleased to be asked. But out of loyalty to Molly, she laughed and said: “I’m way bigger than you guys. Nothing will fit.” By now, she and Molly were definitely best friends. In the dormitory, their beds were side by side. They even tried to work the same shifts.

Five
    Most days, the mermaids performed two shows. Although they were twenty minutes each, it took them at least another twenty minutes to warm up and then another twenty to recover from the physical exhaustion of their performances. On the days they weren’t performing, they would practice in the morning and serve as ushers in the afternoon shows. At lunch, they would man the refreshment stands, flipping hamburgers and cooking hot dogs. Every now and again they’d get to work in the gift shop, but that was a rare treat. Aside from the amphitheater, the gift shop was the only air-conditioned building at Weeki Wachee; because of their seniority, Scary Sheila, Blonde Sheila, or Helen worked there most days. On Sunday mornings, Thelma demanded that they all go to church nearby in Spring Hill. Blonde Sheila thought the preacher was cute, so she went happily, wearing her shortest baby-doll dress and strappiest sandals. Scary Sheila hated the services, rolling her eyes through most of the sermon. Helen loved the singing part and would join in, singing louder than anyone in the choir. The rest of them went as dutifully as they flipped hamburgers and cleaned the tank.
    In her spare time, Delores would write postcards to Westie with pictures on them that she