with Juliana Andrassy. He must remain a man of solitude.
Now and in the following months he must concentrate on the wire, on himself in relation to it, and on combining the talents of all the other Andrassys into one integrated act.
* * *
The cousins, minus Stephen and plus Nonna, were relaxing on the front porch after their first full day of practice.
"Ooh," Gabrielle said, closing her eyes. "I had no idea my shoulders were so tense."
"That's from all the texting you do with your friends," Michael said, winking at the others. "It's hard on a person."
Gabrielle poked him with her foot. "Somehow I have to keep in touch with my past life," she said. "Plus everyone's fabulously interested in my new one."
Julie, standing behind Gabrielle, ignored the byplay and massaged her cousin's tight muscles slowly.
"I'm next," Albert said. "Julie, you look like you know what you're doing."
"I've had lots of experience. I provide shoulder massages for my gymnastics students all the time."
"How did things go down in the meadow today?" Nonna asked. "I am expecting a report."
Claire's son, Sam, piped up. "You should see the way Stephen leaps onto the wire!"
"The man's a genius," Albert said. He was perched on the porch railing, drinking a glass of lemonade.
"I could learn just from watching him," contributed Eva.
Michael chuckled. "But watch him we're not allowed to do. We must work, work until we think we can't go on, and then work some more."
"Does that disturb you?" Eva asked.
"No. He's right." Albert took another chug of lemonade.
"Who is right?" Stephen asked. He appeared from the direction of the meadow, striding out of the darkness like a man with a mission.
"Oh, Stephen, you startled me," said Eva, who had almost jumped from her chair at his words. "We were just saying that you're right to make us work so hard."
The lamplight shining through the nearby window highlighted Stephen's biceps as he bounded up the porch stairs. Julie spared a moment to wonder if Stephen had ever been as passionate about a woman as he was about walking the wire. Then she decided she didn't really want to know.
Whenever Stephen arrived in a group, he immediately appropriated center stage. This time was no exception. "I have been checking the king poles. Albert will go up on them in the morning."
"In the morning!" Gabrielle sounded startled.
"Yes," Stephen said, unperturbed. "Albert has not forgotten any of what he learned so many years ago. Have you, Albert?"
"No," Albert admitted. "I tried for a long time to deny that part of me. Still, it comes back. Like riding a bicycle. You know, they say you never forget how."
"That is true," Stephen said. He watched Julie as she left Gabrielle and moved to stand behind Albert. Albert's shoulder muscles were taut; Julie massaged gently in her expert way.
Eva sighed. "It felt good on the wire today, Stephen," she said, tilting her head back and staring at the starry sky. "Like a homecoming of sorts."
"I'm glad you feel that way." Stephen leaned against the side of the house. The night was alive with the distant strain of crickets, and a full moon floated above the trees. He watched Julie as she kneaded Albert's shoulders. She was intent on her task, her upper lip tucked beneath her bottom one.
"Anyone want more lemonade?" Gabrielle asked, standing up.
Michael handed her his glass. "I thought you'd never offer."
"I thought you would ."
Julie smiled at the easy camaraderie but sobered when she realized that she wasn't part of it. From now on, there would be jokes that she couldn't share with the others, experiences that bound them and not her.
She'd have to get used to it. She had her own life.
"I would like some lemonade too," Stephen said.
"I think I'll turn in," said Eva, who always required more sleep than anyone else.
"Me, too," said Albert, following her inside.
Gabrielle returned with two glasses of lemonade, then decided to join Claire, Nonna and Paul in front of the television set
Now and in the following months he must concentrate on the wire, on himself in relation to it, and on combining the talents of all the other Andrassys into one integrated act.
* * *
The cousins, minus Stephen and plus Nonna, were relaxing on the front porch after their first full day of practice.
"Ooh," Gabrielle said, closing her eyes. "I had no idea my shoulders were so tense."
"That's from all the texting you do with your friends," Michael said, winking at the others. "It's hard on a person."
Gabrielle poked him with her foot. "Somehow I have to keep in touch with my past life," she said. "Plus everyone's fabulously interested in my new one."
Julie, standing behind Gabrielle, ignored the byplay and massaged her cousin's tight muscles slowly.
"I'm next," Albert said. "Julie, you look like you know what you're doing."
"I've had lots of experience. I provide shoulder massages for my gymnastics students all the time."
"How did things go down in the meadow today?" Nonna asked. "I am expecting a report."
Claire's son, Sam, piped up. "You should see the way Stephen leaps onto the wire!"
"The man's a genius," Albert said. He was perched on the porch railing, drinking a glass of lemonade.
"I could learn just from watching him," contributed Eva.
Michael chuckled. "But watch him we're not allowed to do. We must work, work until we think we can't go on, and then work some more."
"Does that disturb you?" Eva asked.
"No. He's right." Albert took another chug of lemonade.
"Who is right?" Stephen asked. He appeared from the direction of the meadow, striding out of the darkness like a man with a mission.
"Oh, Stephen, you startled me," said Eva, who had almost jumped from her chair at his words. "We were just saying that you're right to make us work so hard."
The lamplight shining through the nearby window highlighted Stephen's biceps as he bounded up the porch stairs. Julie spared a moment to wonder if Stephen had ever been as passionate about a woman as he was about walking the wire. Then she decided she didn't really want to know.
Whenever Stephen arrived in a group, he immediately appropriated center stage. This time was no exception. "I have been checking the king poles. Albert will go up on them in the morning."
"In the morning!" Gabrielle sounded startled.
"Yes," Stephen said, unperturbed. "Albert has not forgotten any of what he learned so many years ago. Have you, Albert?"
"No," Albert admitted. "I tried for a long time to deny that part of me. Still, it comes back. Like riding a bicycle. You know, they say you never forget how."
"That is true," Stephen said. He watched Julie as she left Gabrielle and moved to stand behind Albert. Albert's shoulder muscles were taut; Julie massaged gently in her expert way.
Eva sighed. "It felt good on the wire today, Stephen," she said, tilting her head back and staring at the starry sky. "Like a homecoming of sorts."
"I'm glad you feel that way." Stephen leaned against the side of the house. The night was alive with the distant strain of crickets, and a full moon floated above the trees. He watched Julie as she kneaded Albert's shoulders. She was intent on her task, her upper lip tucked beneath her bottom one.
"Anyone want more lemonade?" Gabrielle asked, standing up.
Michael handed her his glass. "I thought you'd never offer."
"I thought you would ."
Julie smiled at the easy camaraderie but sobered when she realized that she wasn't part of it. From now on, there would be jokes that she couldn't share with the others, experiences that bound them and not her.
She'd have to get used to it. She had her own life.
"I would like some lemonade too," Stephen said.
"I think I'll turn in," said Eva, who always required more sleep than anyone else.
"Me, too," said Albert, following her inside.
Gabrielle returned with two glasses of lemonade, then decided to join Claire, Nonna and Paul in front of the television set
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