Island of Lost Girls - Jennifer McMahon [69]
Rhonda was joined on stage by the entire cast, and, arms around each other, they took their final bow.
THE PROCESSION THROUGHthe woods to Rhondas house was noisy and chaotic. The pirates and lost boys were sword fighting. Tock was snapping imaginary crocodile jaws at everyone. Laura Lee was telling a story about Sandy Duncan.
The two picnic tables in Rhondas yard were covered in dishes everyone had brought. There were four different pasta salads, a frightening-looking Jell-O mold, a cake shaped like a pirate ship complete with mast and sails, shish kebabs, burgers, and hotdogs, chips and dip, a tray of Swedish meatballs being kept warm by a can of Sterno, pigs in a blanket, coolers full of beer and soda, and two bowls of punch with fruit floating in it.
Daniel was sword fighting with Peter and Lizzy. Peter, still in character, looked very serious and fought hard against his father, like he was out for blood with his wooden sword.
Tinker Bell was riding high on her fathers shoulders. Ill make you a copy of the video, her dad promised Justine, who smiled, said, That would be lovely, and heaped more Swedish meatballs on his plate.
As the evening progressed, the punch flowed freely. Daniel and Clem had dragged the stereo from the living room, then cranked up Van Morrison. People started dancing. Clem danced with Rhonda. Daniel and Laura Lee swung each other drunkenly through the crowd. Justine stood by the food table, tapping her foot in time with the music. Aggie danced by herself, going in circles around a tiki torch, eyes closed, arms stretched out toward the sky. At one point, when Rhonda passed in front of her on her way to get more cake, Aggie said, Rhonda, you were marvelous! Its such a sad ending, though, dont you think?
Rhonda shrugged.
I mean, Peter and Wendy dont get to be together. She grows old. He doesnt. He gets to live out eternity in Neverland with that little fairy. And Wendy has nothing.
But it was what she wanted, Rhonda said, her voice sounding squeaky and defensive. To go home, I mean.
Aggie looked up over Rhondas shoulders.
Peter was calling to Rhonda from across the table and Rhonda excused herself from Aggie, forgetting all about the cake shed meant to get.
Peter passed out cups of rum punch to Rhonda, Tock, and Lizzy, urging them to drink up. Clem went and spoke to Aggie, who laughed, closed her eyes, and kept dancing, spilling punch but seeming not to notice or care. When Clem returned to the food table, Justine snapped at him, words Rhonda couldnt hear, and he hung his head like a beaten dog. Justine turned and marched into the house, slamming the door. Clem, who rarely drank, poured himself a cup of punch and downed it in two gulps. Aggie opened her eyes again and beckoned him over with seductive waves of her fingers. Clem stood his ground and poured himself another cup of punch.
Dance with me, Aggie called.
He shook his head.
Suit yourself, she said, and began to dance alone, her arms circling slowly at first, then fast like a windmill. She came forward and bumped against the picnic table, losing her balance. She put down her arm to steady herself, and her hand went right into the tray of Swedish meatballs.
Shit! she screamed, waving her burned hand wildly through the air. The meatballs had fallen off their metal stand and knocked over the Sterno. The paper tablecloth caught fire. A pile of napkins and paper plates went up in flames.
Aggie laughed. Someone call 911, she cackled. Around her, people began batting at the fire with paper plates and dumping cups of punch on it. There was much staggering and laughter as pineapple and maraschino cherries flew through the air, landing on the flaming table like little meteorites. Clem dashed to get the hose at the side of the house, but it was in tangles and wouldnt reach the table. He began the slow process of unknotting it, cursing the whole time, yelling, Stay back!
In the midst of the chaos, Rhonda watched Peter and Tock slip away into