By The Mole

We'd been driving in silence for perhaps half an hour when I noticed that Zabbie, the cute-looking superwoman sat beside me, was looking rather troubled. But after seeing what she'd done to a supposedly indestructible briefcase I wasn't going to ask questions. But then she started to cry…

She was really upset. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. She frightened the hell out of me, but watching her cry like that made me feel… I don't know how I felt, but it was uncomfortable. I pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"What's the matter?" I asked gently.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?" I hadn't expected this. "W… what for?"

"Scaring you," she sniffed. "I didn't know what to do… When you saw me… I'm sorry… I wouldn't have hurt you really…I wouldn't hurt anyone…"

This was completely unexpected and I didn't know what to say. Then she turned toward me and I looked at her tear-stained face. My heart ripped itself in two. To see this beautiful young woman in such anguish tore me apart.

"That's okay," I tried to reassure her. "No harm done." I tried my best to smile.

"I don't like scaring people really," Zabbie continued sobbing. "You don't know what its like…"

And she was right. I hadn't a clue what was happening, but some inner feeling told me that so long as she kept crying my heart was going to stay tied in knots.

"Its okay," I tried to reassure her. "Look, the circus is only a few more minutes up the road. Let's get you there and then we can try to sort all this out."

"You mean you still want me?" the beautiful blonde stopped sobbing and looked at me quizzically.

"Of course!" I assured her. "Where else am I gonna find a replacement for Mark?"

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Thankyou," she sniffed, but much more controlled now. "You're very kind." And she flashed me a smile so bright that my heart instantly untwisted, but then melted on the spot.

I pulled away again and we soon arrived at the circus. I wasn't sure what I was going to say to any of the others so I drove straight up to my own caravan and shepherded Zabbie inside.

"Please don't tell anyone about… you know…" Zabbie sounded so frightened my heart churned up once again.

"Of course not," I re-assured her, not quite sure what it was she didn't want me to talk about - but I wasn't about to tell anyone she'd lifted my car and destroyed an armoured briefcase. I'd be locked up…

"Only if people know how… you know… strong I am, they treat me… different," she continued. "I don't want to be different. I'm not any different to anyone else… I have feelings, too." She began to cry uncontrollably again.

"Hey…" I walked up to her and risked putting my arm around her, comfortingly. "Of course you have. I won't say a word. I promise."

"Thankyou," she smiled at me again and I looked straight into the face of an angel. "You're very kind… but I already said that." We both laughed.

"I suppose you don't want that strongwoman job then?" I was actually disappointed. From having been trying to get rid of her an hour or two ago, it now suddenly pained me that she might leave.

"Well I could just pretend not to be so strong as I really am?" Zabbie suggested, brightening slightly. "If you still want me?"

"Are you kidding?" I was so happy I was almost in tears myself. "I'm counting on you to save my circus!"

"Oh thankyou!" Zabbie cried, jumping out of her seat and snatching me up into the air. She swirled me around like a plaything before hugging me so tightly I suspected my ribs were about to break.

"Zab… bie…" I managed to mouth into her ear, having had all the breath squeezed out of me. "Plee…"

"Oh!" she cried. "I'm so sorry. Oh, God! Please… I didn't mean…"

"No… no… problem…" I puffed when I could speak again.

"I'm really sorry," Zabbie looked at me concerned. "I'm not used to hugging guys, and I don't always remember how soft you are."

I wasn't sure how to take that. I'm almost six feet tall and no lightweight. I'd never thought of myself as "soft."

"I'm sorry," Zabbie obviously saw the hurt on my face. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Don't worry," I assured her. "I've seen you pick up cars, remember. I think I know what you mean and its okay… really. Now, do you want to come and meet the gang?"

"Of course," she smiled. "Oh! Do you know I still don't know your name?"

I told her. "Of course people round here usually call me Mole."

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Mole," Zabbie thrust out her hand, a big smile on her face.

Nervously I put my own hand in hers, thinking of what that hand had done to a steel briefcase before my very eyes. But looking into her deep blue eyes I trusted her implicitly.

"And I'm very pleased to meet you, Zabreneva," we shook hands. She had a strong grip, but the concern I had over crushed fingers remained unfounded.

"Please call me Zabbie," she withdrew her hand and began drying her eyes.

"Okay, Zabbie it is then," I made my way toward the caravan door. "But to the circus-going public you're now 'Lady Zabreneva - Strongest Woman In The World!'" And they wouldn't know how strong, I thought to myself. Not by half…

I led Zabbie outside and took her to meet all the folk that work for me at the circus. We walked around several other caravans and brightly-coloured tents where we met acrobats, clowns, animal trainers, Kelly-Ann the sword-swallower, Marvo the magician and his assistant Helen. There are also carpenters, joiners, mechanics, welders and many other tradesmen that keep the circus on the road.

But finally we encountered my current strongman, Mark, who was due to return to his native Canada at the end of the month. This was going to be difficult… I'd chosen to tell Mark first about Zabbie's new job, and he'd never believe me…

"Hey, Mole," Mark greeted me as he dropped a 250lb dumbbell onto the ground before him. It rolled over slightly toward where another one lay. "Wooo… who's this lovely young thing?"

"Er… Mark… This is Zabbie," I began, envying his confidence around women. I always feel so awkward. "Zabbie is… Zabbie is our new strongwoman…"

Mark took it as I knew he would. He burst out laughing. "Good one, Mole."

After several attempts at explaining, he still remained unconvinced, and of the opinion that this was some big practical joke. Well Zabbie just doesn't look like a strongwoman. She's very trim, good figure, and no great muscles to speak of…

"Anyway, Mole," Mark scooped up a towel. "I'm just finishing off. Perhaps your new strongwoman would help me put my weights away?" He laughed as he turned toward a nearby tree stump to pick up an alum key, used to release the weights from the bar. "If they're not… too… heav…"

Mark's voice trailed away and the smile was wiped from his face when he turned back to see Zabbie carrying a 250lb weight in each hand.

"Do you want me to put them in the back of your truck?" Zabbie smiled sweetly, casually raising her right arm, and the weight, to indicate Mark's 4x4.

Mark just nodded silently as Zabbie skipped over to the truck and carefully deposited the huge dumbbells in the back.

After having seen Zabbie lift up the front of my car, seeing her move these two huge dumbbells shouldn't have come as a shock - but the apparent ease with which she held them in her arms did!

But my surprise was nothing compared to that on Mark's face. It was all I could do not to laugh! He just stared at Zabbie like a goldfish, mouth wide open…

"Maybe its as well I'm giving up this game," Mark sighed. "I must be getting old…"

We all laughed.