All Friends On Board (The Suite Life On Deck)⚓

22. Ala-ka-scram!

Caleb and I sat at one of the tables on the Sky Deck playing Uno. Across from us, London was moon bathing, a nighttime version of sunbathing. Armando, the magician who arrived on the ship as a performer, approached her. She was at once charmed by him after he performed a couple of tricks. 

Uncle Marion arrived and Armando borrowed his pocket hanky for a trick. Knowing my uncle and his attachment to pocket hankies, he treated them especially the special kinds as if they were his babies. 

"He sure loves those pocket hankies," Caleb pointed out.

"Yep, he does," I nodded, "Should see him at Hanky-Con, the pocket-hanky version of Comic-Con!"

⚓

The following evening, London invited us to watch Armando's magic show with her. After having met the magician, she was blown away by him. Uncle Marion joined us as he was stoked for the first show.

"Does she realize that the tricks he performed are an illusion?" Caleb whispered to me as he too noted that London was convinced that it was all a real thing.

"She'll soon know the truth," I nodded.

"Oh, I got it," London told all of us after one of the waitresses gave her the receipt for our drinks and placed a hand on her ear, "Hey, my ear's out of money. Moseby, check this one." She showed her other ear towards him.

"London, I really don't--," my uncle tried to explain.

"Check it!"

"Oh, okay."

Uncle Marion reluctantly examined her other ear for a wad of cash. Thankfully, the music started which was time for the magic show to begin. All of us applauded as Armando arrived on the platform.

"Thank you. Thank you," he smiled, "Welcome to the show. I am the amazing Armando."

He pulled up a hooped curtain. When it dropped, Armando was nowhere in sight. London gasped as she was once again blown away by the illusion. 

"Wow, short show," she remarked.

"It's not over yet," Armando spoke up out of nowhere.

"Who said that?" Uncle Marion wondered.

A hand tapped his shoulder. My uncle screamed like a girl and turned to find Armando standing near our table. The stage magician pulled out a rose and gave it to London and everyone in the lounge room applauded.

"Isn't he adorable," London turned to me, "He makes my heart skip a beat."

"He made mine stop altogether," Uncle Marion remarked as he held his hand on his chest.

"Thank you," Armando beamed and pulled up the hooped curtain, "And now please welcome the lovely and talented Karina."

The hooped curtain yanked upward and a woman in a magenta dress made an appearance. When everyone applauded once again, I assumed she was Armando's assistant who helped him in creating the illusions for the show.

"Good thing I wasn't taking a shower," Karina joked making everyone laugh.

"Who is that girl?" London asked suspiciously thinking Karina was her rival for Armando's affections.

"I'm just guessing here, but I think that's his assistant, the lovely and talented Karina," Uncle Marion replied and mimicked Armando's introduction.

"Well, I don't like her. He's got his hands all over her."

"The assistant plays an important part in some magic shows, London," I informed her as Karina got into a foldable box, "Her job is to help him create the tricks."