feature for our noon news program."
"I think Stephen would like that very much," said Paul, who considered the loss of a barn insignificant compared to the publicity its loss could generate for the Amazing Andrassys.
* * *
"Stephen, you talk to them. I don't want to." Julie flicked a switch in her eyes and the light went out of them; Stephen recognized this particular expression as one she adopted when she was being obstinate.
"Juliana, you were the one who saved the children. You should be part of the feature they're doing."
"It's not about surviving the tornado. You know very well that the TV station is going to concentrate on the story of the Amazing Andrassys' return to the high wire."
"You belong in such a story."
"No, Stephen," Julie said. "Leave me out of it."
"Ah, Juliana," Stephen sighed in exasperation. He hurried off to tell the TV crew that Julie would not participate in the film, and Julie watched him walk away.
It was a peculiar feeling, this being left out of something that everyone else was so enthusiastic about. But, she thought grimly, she would have to get used to it, because that was the way things had to be.
* * *
The Andrassys gave thanks for the sparing of their family members' lives at a big dinner the next night. Nonna cooked a huge pot of her famous goulash, and Julie baked a birthday cake. It was also Nonna's seventy-seventh birthday celebration.
"Make a wish, make a wish," Tonia cried, none the worse for her experience with the tornado.
"I want nothing more," Nonna said, smiling broadly. "My wish that my family could be together again has already come true."
"Wish that the Amazing Andrassys will make a successful comeback," Eva suggested.
"Yes, that is good," Nonna said. "But Mickey must blow out the candles for me."
Mickey blew out every candle, and the Andrassys cheered.
"When will the Amazing Andrassys perform for the first time in public?" Sam asked.
"It will be in September at the Superdome," Stephen said. "I am in the process of getting a contract with a promoter now."
"The Superdome!" Julie exclaimed in dismay.
A hush fell over the group. It was clear that they were all thinking about the past tragedy. Julie felt sick to her stomach, but she knew why Stephen had arranged for them to perform at the same place where the tragedy had occurred. It had to do with pride. The Andrassys needed to prove to the world that they would not be vanquished.
Finally Gabrielle spoke. "In September! So soon! Will we be ready?" She uttered the words with a clear determination; the past tragedy wouldn't be allowed to jinx future success.
Stephen's eyes took on a steely look. "We will be ready."
"Yes," Albert agreed. "We must."
Stephen went on talking, bringing their discussion back to normal. "Of course, I would feel better if we had not lost the barn in the tornado. With the barn we were assured of a place to practice even if the weather is bad. There are often afternoon thunderstorms here in the summer, Paul tells me. But if we cannot practice so late in the afternoon, we will have to start practicing earlier in the morning. It is the best time anyway."
"It's okay if I practice with them, isn't it, Mom?" Sam asked anxiously.
Claire and Paul exchanged a meaningful look.
"It will be all right on the low wire, I guess," Claire said. "As long as Stephen is there to supervise."
Julie stood up abruptly from the table. The return to the Superdome, the determination to go on as if nothing bad had ever happened–it was too much. She gathered several plates and carried them into the kitchen, unwilling to go back into the dining room. On top of everything, she hated to see Sam caught up in this Andrassy madness to get back on the high wire.
"Julie?" It was Claire.
"I'm all right. Don't mind me." The words came out clipped and short. For the lack of anything better to do, she grabbed the coffeepot, carried it into the dining room and moved around the table, pouring everyone more coffee.
"Gee,
"I think Stephen would like that very much," said Paul, who considered the loss of a barn insignificant compared to the publicity its loss could generate for the Amazing Andrassys.
* * *
"Stephen, you talk to them. I don't want to." Julie flicked a switch in her eyes and the light went out of them; Stephen recognized this particular expression as one she adopted when she was being obstinate.
"Juliana, you were the one who saved the children. You should be part of the feature they're doing."
"It's not about surviving the tornado. You know very well that the TV station is going to concentrate on the story of the Amazing Andrassys' return to the high wire."
"You belong in such a story."
"No, Stephen," Julie said. "Leave me out of it."
"Ah, Juliana," Stephen sighed in exasperation. He hurried off to tell the TV crew that Julie would not participate in the film, and Julie watched him walk away.
It was a peculiar feeling, this being left out of something that everyone else was so enthusiastic about. But, she thought grimly, she would have to get used to it, because that was the way things had to be.
* * *
The Andrassys gave thanks for the sparing of their family members' lives at a big dinner the next night. Nonna cooked a huge pot of her famous goulash, and Julie baked a birthday cake. It was also Nonna's seventy-seventh birthday celebration.
"Make a wish, make a wish," Tonia cried, none the worse for her experience with the tornado.
"I want nothing more," Nonna said, smiling broadly. "My wish that my family could be together again has already come true."
"Wish that the Amazing Andrassys will make a successful comeback," Eva suggested.
"Yes, that is good," Nonna said. "But Mickey must blow out the candles for me."
Mickey blew out every candle, and the Andrassys cheered.
"When will the Amazing Andrassys perform for the first time in public?" Sam asked.
"It will be in September at the Superdome," Stephen said. "I am in the process of getting a contract with a promoter now."
"The Superdome!" Julie exclaimed in dismay.
A hush fell over the group. It was clear that they were all thinking about the past tragedy. Julie felt sick to her stomach, but she knew why Stephen had arranged for them to perform at the same place where the tragedy had occurred. It had to do with pride. The Andrassys needed to prove to the world that they would not be vanquished.
Finally Gabrielle spoke. "In September! So soon! Will we be ready?" She uttered the words with a clear determination; the past tragedy wouldn't be allowed to jinx future success.
Stephen's eyes took on a steely look. "We will be ready."
"Yes," Albert agreed. "We must."
Stephen went on talking, bringing their discussion back to normal. "Of course, I would feel better if we had not lost the barn in the tornado. With the barn we were assured of a place to practice even if the weather is bad. There are often afternoon thunderstorms here in the summer, Paul tells me. But if we cannot practice so late in the afternoon, we will have to start practicing earlier in the morning. It is the best time anyway."
"It's okay if I practice with them, isn't it, Mom?" Sam asked anxiously.
Claire and Paul exchanged a meaningful look.
"It will be all right on the low wire, I guess," Claire said. "As long as Stephen is there to supervise."
Julie stood up abruptly from the table. The return to the Superdome, the determination to go on as if nothing bad had ever happened–it was too much. She gathered several plates and carried them into the kitchen, unwilling to go back into the dining room. On top of everything, she hated to see Sam caught up in this Andrassy madness to get back on the high wire.
"Julie?" It was Claire.
"I'm all right. Don't mind me." The words came out clipped and short. For the lack of anything better to do, she grabbed the coffeepot, carried it into the dining room and moved around the table, pouring everyone more coffee.
"Gee,
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