When it was time for the parade, I left the shop and settled into a corner of the square, nabbing a spot right next to the street. As one of Kingsbrook’s most esteemed citizens, Thomas was going to be in the parade, and I wanted him to see me. As people all around me sipped lemonade, ate popcorn, and chatted, I began to grow restless.

Finally, there was the distant sound of the marching band. It appeared down at the end of the street. The parade was led by a drum major in full uniform, carrying a baton. He was followed in perfect step by the band playing ‘Stars and Stripes, Forever’. Next there were the floats, pulled by teams of horses, from the different social societies of Kingsbrook: the Order of the Elks Lodge, Sons of Union Veterans, Women of Main, and the fire brigade.

Then came the most illustrious residents of Kingsbrook, riding in open-topped carriages and dressed in their finest. There was the Mayor, his wife, and of course, his daughter, the gossip Patricia. She saw me and waved, as if I was part of the peasantry. I waved back, while touching the necklace with my other hand, hoping that she remembered Thomas’s instructions she heard while eavesdropping—that I should buy something pretty for myself. To my satisfaction, she stopped waving and glared at me for a moment before the carriage carried her away.

Some of the other residents I recognized from my birthday party, such as Mr. Abernathy, who owns the bank, or Mr. Patterson, who owns the grocer’s.

At last, I was rewarded.

There he was, resplendent in his coat tails and top hat with those blue eyes, mustache, and beard. Even though he was sitting, he still seemed to tower above his wife and daughter. As they drew nearer, my heart swelled. I couldn’t wait for him to see me. They came even with my spot. I waved and smiled. He saw me. He looked right at me … and nothing. He took no notice of me. He recognized me, surely, but showed no pleasure in it. I was just a face in the crowd. Someone to ignore.

The parade filled the square and stopped. The Mayor got out of his carriage and mounted the steps to the gazebo. He gave some remarks, thanking everyone for their hard work, and declared it the best Fourth of July Celebration Kingsbrook had ever seen. Someone nearby mumbled that he gave the same speech every year. All the while, I couldn’t take my eyes off Thomas. He didn’t so much as glance at me. After his speech, the Mayor got back in his carriage. The band started up, and the parade marched out of the square.