The Memory of Us: A Novel by Camille Di Maio Read Free Book Online

far before hearing our names.
    “Julianne! Lucille!”
    Turning, we saw Lotte and Blythe waving us down. I hadn’t seen much of them since leaving upper school, which, in Lotte’s case, was a welcome interlude. Blythe was a jewel, though, and it was one of the world’s great mysteries that they were friends.
    “Everything looks aces, Julianne,” said Lotte between breaths. “Really, you did a first-class job. Of course, I visited a carnival in Manchester once, where they had fire-eaters and unicyclists. And there was that fund-raiser for the university where they actually built an ice rink. In the summer, no less! But don’t you worry. I’m sure you did the best you could.”
    Lucille grabbed my hand and squeezed it, lest I say anything I might regret.
    “Where are you going first? May we join you?” Blythe chimed in, but Lotte charged on with the real reason that she had come over.
    “Now, I have some news that’ll really blow your wig!” She grabbed my arms, and I felt her nails press against my skin.
    “What news?”
    “John Parker proposed to Maude and she accepted !” Her hands flew in the air as she anticipated a response that would confirm her as queen of the tittle-tattle.
    Although this was indeed news, I knew Lotte far too well to take the bait. I simply turned to Lucille, and she shook her head.
    “Are you sure?” I asked Lotte.
    “Of course, I’m sure,” she said. “I just heard it from Maude’s sister herself . We all saw it coming, but it’s so exciting now that it’s finally happened!” Lotte could have powered the strung lights with her enthusiasm. “Of course, how Maude could be content being a minister’s wife, I don’t know, but there are some things that defy all common sense. And it’s not as if he even has a position yet—he’s still a student , for mercy’s sake. Still, one can’t help but be bolstered by love in the air.” She twirled her finger toward the sky.
    Appearing to grudgingly accept the validity of Lotte’s bulletin, Lucille added, “Well, if that’s so, that means that Maude can’t be in the auction now. You can’t be in the auction if you are engaged or married. Couldn’t they have waited until after the festival?”
    “Oh, I asked her sister that very thing. I know how much she had been looking forward to the auction. But, she is ever so much more looking forward to showing off her ring, especially with so many people in one place!”
    Something told me that it was Lotte who was ever so much more excited. Maude was not one to relish attention, a quality as foreign to Lotte as kangaroos and courtesy. In fact, I was sure that Maude was quite relieved to be out of the auction spotlight. Still, I was going to chide John for taking away such a valuable commodity at the last instant and call upon his honor to make up for it with a hefty donation.
    Despite Blythe’s request to join us, Lotte grabbed her companion by the sleeve and rushed off to break the news to her next unsuspecting target.
    Romance flourished for more than John and Maude.
    Boys of all descriptions were traveling in packs, whistling at the girls and making ardent attempts to pair off with some of them. I wasn’t interested, since I was still smarting from the ridiculous infatuation that had swindled me out of my perfect summer. But for Lucille’s sake, and that of the event, I finally acquiesced and let one boy buy a glass pendant for me. His friend won a stuffed puppy for Lucille. Bolstered by these cracks in our resolve, we had offers from others to win bigger prizes, but we declined and stole around to the food booths, where we split an undercooked Welsh cake with blackberry jam.
    At five o’clock we made our way to the check-in at the lodge.
    We were a few minutes late, and about forty girls had already gathered. Only sixteen were in the auction, but everyone liked to participate in the revelry. Some were reminiscing about their past auction years, and the rest, like Lucille,