Gifted: Finders Keepers by Marilyn Kaye Page B
Authors: Marilyn Kaye
shopping, she decided.
The day improved considerably when she decided to indulge in expensive treats that she could enjoy while she was in Margaret’s body. She went to an expensive salon and got a few more blonde streaks added to brighten Margaret’s hair. She treated herself to lunch at a chic café, and then went to her mother’s favourite day spa for a facial, a massage and a manicure. From there she went to the cosmetic counter at a major department store and had a complete makeover.
Then it was happy hour – at least according to those single-girl TV shows she watched. Changing into the slinky dress, she put the stilettos back on and went to a bar she’d read about in a magazine. The article said it was the hippest place in town.
She liked the look of the bar – all black and silver and glass. It was elegant and stylish. The customers looked nice too, well-dressed and good-looking. There were little pedestal tables with high stools alongside them, and behind the bar, a very handsome man was mixing drinks.
Amanda went to the bar and sat on a stool. The bartender smiled at her and asked, ‘What can I get you?’
She hadn’t even considered what she’d drink. She’d look like an idiot if she ordered a Coke or orange juice or something like that in this kind of place. They might not even have drinks like that here.
Back home, her parents sometimes had a glass of wine with dinner, and her father had let her taste his wine a couple of times. She’d never really liked the taste – sort of like grape juice, but sour. Maybe now that she was in an adult’s body she might like it.
‘I’d like a glass of wine, please,’ she said.
‘Sure, what kind? A white wine? We’ve got a fruity Chardonnay, and a nice crisp Chablis. Or a Pinot Grigio, if you like that. It’s very dry.’
Amanda just stared at him blankly.
‘Would you prefer a red?’ he asked. ‘We have an excellent Merlot, and a hearty Burgundy.’
This was way too complicated. Amanda thought frantically. What did her father order in restaurants, before the meal?
‘Um, I changed my mind. I’d like a Martini, please. Very dry.’
‘Coming up,’ the bartender said.
Amanda looked around. A man sitting alone at one of the high tables caught her eye. To her surprise, he grinned and winked at her. It made her distinctly uncomfortable. He was old – at least thirty. What was he doing, winking at a fourteen-year-old?
He doesn’t know you’re fourteen years old , she reminded herself. Quickly, she looked away. The bartender set a frosted glass with a long stem in front of her.
‘One very dry Martini,’ he announced. ‘I threw in two olives. No extra charge.’ Then he winked at her. All this winking was giving her the creeps. And she hated olives. When the bartender wasn’t looking, she fished them out with her fingers. Then she held the drink to her lips and took a tentative sip.
It was disgusting . How did adults drink these things? It was all she could do not to gag.
Suddenly, she realized that the man who had winked at her earlier had come to the bar. There were several empty places, but he took the stool right next to her.
‘Hi,’ he said. ‘Good to see you again.’
Oh no! It was somebody who knew Margaret. She should never have gone to a bar so near Margaret’s apartment.
‘Um, nice to see you too,’ she murmured.
His eyebrows went up and he seemed pleased. ‘Yeah? The way you blew me off last time, I didn’t think you’d be so happy to see me.’
He whistled to the bartender and indicated Amanda’s Martini. ‘I’ll have one of these,’ he said. ‘And put them both on my tab.’
Amanda’s brow furrowed. ‘You don’t have to pay for my drink. I’ve got my own money.’
‘My treat,’ the man said. ‘Now, let’s get to know each other.’
Amanda fumbled in Margaret’s bag, and took out what she hoped would be a large enough banknote.
‘No, thank you,’ she said quickly, putting it on the bar. ‘I
The day improved considerably when she decided to indulge in expensive treats that she could enjoy while she was in Margaret’s body. She went to an expensive salon and got a few more blonde streaks added to brighten Margaret’s hair. She treated herself to lunch at a chic café, and then went to her mother’s favourite day spa for a facial, a massage and a manicure. From there she went to the cosmetic counter at a major department store and had a complete makeover.
Then it was happy hour – at least according to those single-girl TV shows she watched. Changing into the slinky dress, she put the stilettos back on and went to a bar she’d read about in a magazine. The article said it was the hippest place in town.
She liked the look of the bar – all black and silver and glass. It was elegant and stylish. The customers looked nice too, well-dressed and good-looking. There were little pedestal tables with high stools alongside them, and behind the bar, a very handsome man was mixing drinks.
Amanda went to the bar and sat on a stool. The bartender smiled at her and asked, ‘What can I get you?’
She hadn’t even considered what she’d drink. She’d look like an idiot if she ordered a Coke or orange juice or something like that in this kind of place. They might not even have drinks like that here.
Back home, her parents sometimes had a glass of wine with dinner, and her father had let her taste his wine a couple of times. She’d never really liked the taste – sort of like grape juice, but sour. Maybe now that she was in an adult’s body she might like it.
‘I’d like a glass of wine, please,’ she said.
‘Sure, what kind? A white wine? We’ve got a fruity Chardonnay, and a nice crisp Chablis. Or a Pinot Grigio, if you like that. It’s very dry.’
Amanda just stared at him blankly.
‘Would you prefer a red?’ he asked. ‘We have an excellent Merlot, and a hearty Burgundy.’
This was way too complicated. Amanda thought frantically. What did her father order in restaurants, before the meal?
‘Um, I changed my mind. I’d like a Martini, please. Very dry.’
‘Coming up,’ the bartender said.
Amanda looked around. A man sitting alone at one of the high tables caught her eye. To her surprise, he grinned and winked at her. It made her distinctly uncomfortable. He was old – at least thirty. What was he doing, winking at a fourteen-year-old?
He doesn’t know you’re fourteen years old , she reminded herself. Quickly, she looked away. The bartender set a frosted glass with a long stem in front of her.
‘One very dry Martini,’ he announced. ‘I threw in two olives. No extra charge.’ Then he winked at her. All this winking was giving her the creeps. And she hated olives. When the bartender wasn’t looking, she fished them out with her fingers. Then she held the drink to her lips and took a tentative sip.
It was disgusting . How did adults drink these things? It was all she could do not to gag.
Suddenly, she realized that the man who had winked at her earlier had come to the bar. There were several empty places, but he took the stool right next to her.
‘Hi,’ he said. ‘Good to see you again.’
Oh no! It was somebody who knew Margaret. She should never have gone to a bar so near Margaret’s apartment.
‘Um, nice to see you too,’ she murmured.
His eyebrows went up and he seemed pleased. ‘Yeah? The way you blew me off last time, I didn’t think you’d be so happy to see me.’
He whistled to the bartender and indicated Amanda’s Martini. ‘I’ll have one of these,’ he said. ‘And put them both on my tab.’
Amanda’s brow furrowed. ‘You don’t have to pay for my drink. I’ve got my own money.’
‘My treat,’ the man said. ‘Now, let’s get to know each other.’
Amanda fumbled in Margaret’s bag, and took out what she hoped would be a large enough banknote.
‘No, thank you,’ she said quickly, putting it on the bar. ‘I