"Coin" Teaser

Chapter One ('See a penny' section) Noel watched a plastic bag inflate and roll down the sidewalk, occasionally skipping, as though playing an invisible game of hopscotch with the wind. Errant snowflakes played hide-and-seek with the thin grey light and flirting bursts of late evening sunbeams. Noel’s eyes began watering, so much so, she almost missed the penny laying on a forgotten patch of snow. “What are you doing?” Noel looked up from her crouched position at her friend, Marcia. “I’m picking up this penny.” “Its not on heads.” “So?” Noel brushed slush off of it, “Haven’t you ever seen Grease? ‘See a penny, pick it up, all the day, you’ll have good luck?’” “Um, no. You know I don’t do musicals girl.” Noel shrugged, “Just a saying.” “Come on, let’s get you inside. You’ve been sick enough.” Noel stashed the penny in her pocket as they continued down the sidewalk. The weather, the penny, they both reminded her of “The Little Match-Girl.” Noel had read and re-read the short fairy tale until the pages of the book it was in fell out. Still she kept them until her nanny took them from her and pressed them into a memory book. “Nooo -EL!” Noel’s head snapped up. Marcia was looking at her, one hand on her cocked hip. “Have you heard anything I’ve said?” “I’m sorry Marcia, I’m still not a 100 percent. I just . . .” “Got lost in your thoughts, like you always do. And don’t give me that look. I invented that look,” Marcia looked over Noel’s shoulder, “Uh oh, don’t look now.”