“I think she recognized me when we walked over to her tent. They used to bring entertainers like her up to the orphanage to entertain the children. Maybe she remembered me from there.”
“But when people adopt, don’t they usually keep the baby’s first name, at least?” Allyson asked.
“Julia wasn’t adopted,” Margaret said, seeming to remind Julia that no one had wanted her.
“No, that’s true,” Julia said. “The people at the orphanage don’t usually change a baby’s name if it has one to start with.”
Elizabeth brightened. “Ah, then that’s probably what the gypsy was referring to. She remembered you from the orphanage and she just presumed that your parents had died or abandoned you and you had a name on a birth certificate somewhere that was different from the name the orphanage gave you. She might have surmised that you were just a foundling.”
Margaret chuckled. “The old woman just made up the whole thing, if you want my opinion.”
“I never was told whether Julia Carson was my real name or not,” Julia said. “They never told me how I came to be an orphan. They just kept me until I was eighteen, then kicked me out.” She tried to laugh but the laugh did not come. She didn’t feel much like laughing. “They won’t tell the orphans much about themselves, especially the older ones like myself. They don’t want them to go out scouring the bushes in hopes of finding their parents. We all like to think we were not abandoned, just lost somewhere...that we were never consciously given up by our mothers and fathers. Nobody likes to think of themselves as having been an unwanted child.”
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as each of them struggled with their guilt and uneasiness. Even Margaret held her tongue.
The silence was broken when the gypsy came into the tent followed by a rather large woman dressed in white. Elizabeth had made it seem that the gypsy was worried and concerned about Julia. One look at the old gypsy’s face told Julia that the woman felt neither worry nor concern for her. Her eyes were narrowed in anger and her mouth was drawn tight against her teeth. Her expression could only be defined as one of open hostility.
“Get her out of here,” the gypsy ordered, pointing a menacing finger at Julia. “You must take her away. Take her out of my sight!”
“Now, now,” the nurse said. “Let’s not get ourselves all excited.” She ignored the fuming gypsy and came over to Julia. She felt her forehead, brushing back several loose strands of hair that had fallen forward. “I understand you fainted, dear.”
Julia nodded. “Yes.” She rubbed her temples again. “I don’t know why exactly. I’d been on the roller coaster with Allyson and I suppose the ride made me dizzy.” She glanced at Allyson who smiled at her. “And it was so warm and dark inside this tent.”
The nurse laid her fingers to Julia’s pulse. “Are you feeling all right now?”
“Oh, yes. I’m feeling much better.”
“Get her out of here,” the gypsy demanded.”She is trouble.”
Julia shot her a frightened look. “Trouble? Why do you say that?”
“You are trouble. I see terrible things.” The old woman put her hands over her eyes. “I do not want to remember. You are evil. Go away. Take her out of my sight!”
The nurse glanced from the gypsy to Julia. She smiled reassuringly. “I suppose if you are feeling well enough, we could walk you over to my first-aid station. You could rest there if you wish. Your presence here seems to be upsetting Madam Esperelda.”
“I’ll just go along back to my hotel,” Julia said. “I don’t need to rest. I’ll be all right.”
The nurse helped Julia to her feet. Julia still felt a bit faint and not too steady, but she forced herself to stand tall and straight. Leaning slightly on the nurse’s arm, she walked out of the tent with Elizabeth, Allyson, and Margaret following silently. As Julia passed the old gypsy woman she turned and looked at her. The old crone’s face was black and somber. She recoiled from Julia’s gaze. The gypsy raised her shawl up to hide her face from Julia’s eyes. “Go away,” she said in a frightened voice.
“Please,” Julia implored. “You are making terrible accusations of me. You must tell me what you mean. What did the crystal ball tell you?”
“Go. Leave me. Go.”
Julia felt miserable standing there, knowing she was frightening the old woman. The others had heard everything. Their faces were registering exactly what they thought. Every one of them would carry away this new stigma that had been so unjustly put on her.
She sighed, admitting her feelings of inferiority to herself. Now Elizabeth and Allyson and Margaret had still another reason to exclude her from their friendships. She had been singled out as being an evil person, a troublemaker. Elizabeth, of course, would say it was merely the ravings of a silly old gypsy woman, but deep down she’d hang on to those ravings and would let them color their relationship. Allyson would treat her more indifferently than before. She would smile and say she understood, but she’d retain that cool indifference she always had. And Margaret...well, Margaret would openly display her dislike for Julia.
Julia’s heart was sinking. The vacation she’d put so much faith in had turned into a disaster. It would be useless to keep up appearances now. She’d tell them she was going home tomorrow. She knew she could never stay. She knew that to them she represented a hovering, black, damp cloud. She’d only make their vacation miserable. Yes, she’d go home tomorrow, she decided.
Once outside in the clear night air, the smell of the sea and the feeling of the cold, salty breeze helped revive her somewhat. The old gypsy’s words continued to press on her, but now that she was away from the tent the words seemed less ominous. She stopped and turned back to look toward the tent. The nurse patted her hand. “Come along, dear. The first-aid station is just over here.”
“Excuse me,” Julia said, easing herself from the nurse’s support. “I really am feeling quite all right. I do appreciate your concern, but I don’t think I need trouble you any longer. I’m fine now, really I am.”
The nurse cocked her head and looked skeptical. Just then a man came hurrying toward them. “Nurse,” he called, “a little boy just fell off the carousel. You’d better come quick.”
The nurse’s skepticism about leaving Julia vanished immediately. “I’ll get my bag, Hank,” she said as she started away. Then she stopped and turned back. “You’re sure you’re all right, honey?” she asked Julia.
“Yes, fine. You’d better hurry. The boy might be seriously hurt. Don’t worry about me.”
The nurse gave a quick nod and hurried off.
“Well,” Margaret breathed. “I suppose we’ll have to see the evil one here back to the hotel before she gets into any more trouble.”
Julia forced herself to be pleasant. “No, please,” she protested. “Please don’t bother about me. I don’t want to spoil your fun. You three go along. I can find my way back.”
“Oh, no, Julie,” Elizabeth said. “We’ll come with you.”
“Why?” Margaret asked. “Julia said she could navigate under her own steam.
