Her posture was straight, and she spoke clearly.Her hair was smooth, and she wore a Park Art T-shirt.It was tucked in, and the sleeves were rolled up in sharp creases.She looked classy and cultured.A perfect imitation of Lexie.
The triplet switch was on.
Maxie’s adrenaline surged.Roxie glided towards the stage with her shoulders pulled back and her chin lifted high.The crowd paid little attention now that “Maxie” had responded to the emcee, except for those people who were seated next to a “Maxie” still in the crowd.
People actually started to point, and she fought not to sink in her chair.If she couldn’t stand the attention here, how was she ever going to get up on that stage?She felt Dan’s confusion as he sat next to her, and she did her best to keep her expression serene and composed.
She assessed Roxie, trying to take pointers, because her sister wasgood.There was only poise, no flounce.Roxie was all about the flounce, but the way she’d committed to her role was impressive.If Maxie hadn’t known better, even she might have been confused.At last, her sister stood next to the emcee with her hands clenched behind her back and a pleasant smile on her face.
People in the crowd started to grumble.Dan finally turned outright to stare.It made Maxie feel like a deer caught in the headlights.
“Okay, Maxie,” the emcee said.“What kind of a trick are you going to show us today?”
Lexie hesitantly rose from her seat across the way.“But I’m Maxie Miller,” she called, her voice barely lifting above the noise.
As one, the crowd turned and gasped.
A thrill went through Maxie.It was working.
She peeked back at Zac, and he was grinning.Beside him, Cam looked poleaxed.
Oh yeah, this was going to be good.
She watched Lexie closely, almost a bit fearful.Roxie had gotten so into her part, and she’d captured Lexie’s essence down to a T.How would Lexie play her?Could she trick people into thinking she was the town florist they saw every day?
More so, Maxie wondered how other people saw her.Was this going to be complimentary?Or just painful?
Murmurs started throughout the crowd as Lexie made her way to the aisle.She apologized to everyone she bothered and smiled shyly at people who caught her eye.Maxie inhaled and exhaled in a slow, determined rhythm.Even she couldn’t tell if her sister’s introversion was real or not.Lexie hid behind her hair as she hurried up the steps.She wore the same T-shirt as Roxie.They’d grabbed them at the last moment from a vendor, but wearing it, she looked like more of an all-American girl.She folded her hands nervously.
Okay, that was weird.Maxie often felt like she was looking into a mirror when she watched her sisters, but this time it was as if she was seeing herself.
She was so enthralled, she forgot her nervousness.
It all slammed back into her when Dan poked her in the shoulder.
“Maxie?”he said, his tone baffled.
Oh crap.It was down to her.
“Well, this is befuddling.”The emcee gestured to the crowd.“Does anyone know how she’s doing this?”
He gave his best Bob Barker smile and winked at the two matching women onstage.“Will the real Maxie Miller please come on down?”he joked.
He didn’t realize there was another waiting in the wings.
Now.It was time.
Only Maxie was frozen.
There was no way she could do this.It was too big.She couldn’t even stand up, much less pull off her act.The only sister left to play was Roxie.Lexie had refused to participate if she’d had to pretend to be her, so that left the task to Maxie.
And it was monumental.
She couldn’t do it.It took too much moxie, and she was a timid sort.She couldn’t imagine having Roxie’s confidence or flare.She didn’t even know how to flounce.
Dan poked her in the shoulder again.What, did he think she wasn’t real?
Come on,she begged herself.She wanted to do this.She only had one shot for it to work.Her grandfather had been the original magician in the family, and her grandmother had carried on the tradition.It was time for her to pick up the torch, at least this one time.It was a way she could show her love for her family, the only one she’d truly known.She’d be so disappointed if she let nerves or shyness waste this opportunity.Move!
