Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Embarrassment Town (Chapter 5)

"Thanks for the jacket," Madeline said to the groomsman she was with earlier. "But everyone knows what kind of underwear I wear now so I might as well walk around like that."
"Just be thankful," said the groomsman before walking away.
Madeline tied the sleeves of his blue jacket into a knot so it wouldn't slip off her waist. When she turned around, Cherise was there in her face.  
"You're like a ghost," said Madeline.
"I know," said Cherise, crossing her arms. "Are you okay?"
"No." Madeline glanced down. "I have bad luck."
Cherise chuckled. "What?"
"It's not funny."
"You have bad luck?"
"Yeah, ever since I spilled that salt shaker at Cool Beans, my life has been a mess. I tried everything to get rid of my bad luck but nothing has worked. I never thought I would say this but I don't know what to do."
"Hmm, okay. Here." Cherise bent over and pulled up her cream puff of a dress.
"Ew, Auntie!" Madeline blocked her face. "I don't want that!"
"It's not what you think, you dum-dum." Cherise dug into her strappy white high-heeled shoe and pulled out a tiny plant. "I want you to have this."
Madeline took a better look at it. "A four-leaf clover?"
"Yep."
"Why do you have this?"
"When I was around your age, I walked under a ladder and bad things started to rain down on me."
"Ladders do cause problems."
"One day, I found a four-leaf clover in a field of three-leaf clovers. I kept it and good things began to occur. I take it with me wherever I go. Now I want you to have it."
"Oh, Auntie, I don't know if I can accept this."
"It's fine, Madeline. I had my years of good luck. Now I need to live life my way now. You're young; you're supposed to be having fun. If you're gonna have fun, you need good luck. So here." Cherise handed her niece the clover.
"Oh, thank you, Auntie. But what about your marriage?"
"Hey, I'm already married. One day is better than none." Cherise laughed, causing Madeline to laugh.
Suddenly, the women heard a man screaming. They brought their attention to the high stand and saw Simon rolling down the ladder. He landed on his abdomen before holding his own sides. Madeline's groomsman rushed towards him and knelt down.
"Simon, are you okay?" he asked concerned.
"No!" Simon yelled in his old man voice. "My pelvis! I think I broke my pelvis!"
Cherise slowly turned her head and looked at her niece. "Hey, Madeline," she said with an awkward smile through scarlet lips. "Do you think I can have that clover back for a second?"
Madeline began walking away. "I'm sorry," she said. "No givesies backsies."

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