When the song ended, Gloria strutted toward Rosa and Pauline, out of breath and glistening.
“Who were you dancing with?” Rosa asked.
“Oh, just a fellow in need of a partner.”
“You’re both terrific.”
“Ah, thanks, Rosa. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find a restroom.”
“I saw some on our way in.” Rosa pointed to the portable lavatory stalls they’d passed near the carnival tents, but Gloria wrinkled her nose.
“I’ll just walk down to the Surfside Lobster Bar. Mom knows the manager. They’ll let me use their facilities.” She pointed beyond the pier and down to a seaside restaurant, which was lit by a neon sign.
Neon lighting was another big change in the town since Rosa had last been in California. As far as the eye could see, bright pink, orange, and yellow lights dotted different beachfront establishments all down the shoreline. It was especially spectacular after dark.
“It looks like quite a walk,” Rosa said. “Would you like me to come with you?” She glanced at her purring kitten.
Gloria was already moving away from the bench and waved a casual hand. “I’ll be back in a jiffy. They probably don’t want too many non-eating patrons barging in anyway.”
Moments later, still laughing and breathing hard from dancing, Marjorie and Nancy made their way to Rosa. She didn’t notice where their dance partners had disappeared to, but Joyce and the tall man continued to spin around the dance floor together.
“Come on! We’re going on the wonder wheel,” Marjorie said.
Rosa didn’t know what a “wonder wheel” was, but Pauline stood, lifting Diego off her lap. Rosa accepted the kitten into her arms. “I should stay until Gloria gets back,” she said. It wouldn’t do for them to get parted in this crowd.
“I caught her on her way out,” Marjorie said. “She’s going to meet us at the ride platform later.”
“And what about Joyce?”
“She and her husband, Don, said they’re leaving after this dance.”
Joyce had a husband? That was why she hadn’t felt embarrassed at not being asked to dance earlier. “Is he that tall fellow?”
Marjorie chuckled. “Don Welks is nearly seven feet tall! Joyce looks like a child next to him.”
Rosa tucked Diego back into her satchel and followed them. It wasn’t until Marjorie tugged her toward the end of the dock, not the rides, that she understood.
“Oh! The Ferris wheel?” As she hurried to keep up, Rosa took another peek into her handbag. Even through all the commotion, or perhaps because of it, Diego had fallen asleep again. She hadn’t thought she’d be braving any rides tonight with Diego with her, but she’d always wanted to ride a Ferris wheel, and from the looks of things, her kitten would sleep right through it.
With the band and dance going strong, there was almost no lineup for the Ferris wheel.
“Where did Eddie go?” Rosa asked Nancy after noticing he was missing.
“He went home. He has an early shift tomorrow.” Nancy went on ahead and paired up with Pauline on the platform for the next Ferris wheel car. For a moment, Rosa felt a little hurt that Nancy hadn’t linked arms with her, but time had changed many things, and her friendship with Nancy was one of them.
Marjorie pulled Rosa onto the Ferris wheel with her. The rocking car felt much more unsteady than Rosa had expected it to, and she swallowed to moisten her parched throat as the carnie operating the ride pulled a rope across their laps to hold them in.
“I’ve never been on an amusement park ride,” Rosa admitted.
Marjorie shot her a look of surprise. “Never in your life? They don’t have fairs in London?”
“Not quite like this.”
The chair jerked forward, and Rosa held in a gasp. Diego stared up from his spot in the satchel and mewed.
“We’ll be all right,” Rosa said. A second later, though, their car lifted off, and her stomach dropped out from underneath her. “Oh.”
Marjorie laughed. “Don’t worry. There’s nothing to it. Once it gets going, it’s a lot of fun. But you must relax and enjoy the view. Take a few deep breaths.”
As a London police officer, Rosa experienced plenty of uncomfortable and dangerous situations. But something about going up, with barely a strap to hold her in, played on her fears.
Once their car reached a steady pace, it jerked less, and she focused on the view. Moments later, as the pier and most of Santa Bonita came into view, her gasp was that of awe. The businesses lining the beach looked like colorful toys on the sand, and the sun sparkling above her seemed close. The whole town felt so much grander than it had before.
As Rosa’s carriage reached the top for the second time, she found she was able to watch the roller coaster as it traveled quickly on its course. Impulsively she looked for Victor Boyd, and spotted his dark head at his position at the control platform. Coming up from behind was the unmistakable figure of Joyce’s husband, Don, in his bowling shirt, his long legs making fast strides. He towered over Victor, but even from her position above the crowds she could see that the conversation that ensued was unpleasant. Don Welks pointed a long finger in Victor’s face, and Victor, who was shorter but beefier, slapped it away. Don Welks stepped back, then pivoted, before marching away.
“Did you see that?” Rosa said as their carriage began its descent.
“See what?” Marjorie asked.
“Victor Boyd and Don Welks were having words.”
Marjorie strained her head. “Shoot. I missed it. Was Joyce there?”
“No,” Rosa answered, wondering where Don Welks had left his wife. Perhaps in their car, but what had made him so determined to speak to Victor Boyd before leaving?
The ride slowed, pausing carriage by carriage to let the riders off. When they regrouped with the others, Marjorie called out, “Next stop: tilt-a-whirl!”
Rosa didn’t know what a “tilt-a-whirl” was, but she was pretty confident it would not be a cat-appropriate ride,
