Part 28 (2/2)
”You think I'm suffering under any illusions that I'm perfect?”
”See? That's what I'm talking about. Most people would say, 'You think I think I'm perfect?' But oh, no. Taylor Turner can't abide having two 'thinks' in the same sentence so she comes out with, 'You think I'm suffering any illusions that I'm perfect?' Who talks like that? Little Miss Perfect, that's who. Or is that whom?”
Toe-to-toe, nose-to-nose, eye-to-eye, phasers locked on target and set to stun, the Turner siblings ”you blink first” stare-down commenced.
”Uh, if you could save the squabbling sister act for another time, I could use some ice on my dose,” Dixie said.
Several more seconds pa.s.sed before our gazes slid to Dixie. Her Rudolph nose was beginning to swell.
”Is it just me or is she starting to resemble Barbara Streisand?” I asked Taylor.
She squinted at Dixie.
”I was thinking Sarah Jessica Parker,” Taylor said.
”She needs ice. Stat.” I held a hand out. ”Truce while we set up a triage?” I said.
Taylor hesitated and then took my hand.
”Temporary truce,” she qualified.
We helped Dixie to her feet. Frankie next.
I brushed sand off Frankie and hazarded a look at the opposition. Keelie was on her feet. Other than a bad case of 'sand head,' she looked no worse for the wear. She approached the net. I did the same.
”About that spike-” I started to apologize.
”We win. You lose,” Keelie announced.
I frowned. ”Hold on. We won control of the serve. So, technically you haven't won yet,” I pointed out.
”You're conceding then,” she said.
”Team Trekkie hasn't conceded anything.”
”Team? What team?”
”Huh?” I turned. Only Kenny Grey seemed to have hung around. He sat in the middle of the court playing in the sand.
”Would you believe they transported back to The Enterprise?” I said. ”Something about troubles with Tribbles.”
The hint of a smile lifted one corner of her mouth. I figured now was as good a time as any to minimize the fallout from my blurt fest earlier.
”Uh, Keelie, about that video-”
”You mean the video where you betray your sister's confidence and reveal her super secret crush on the super s.e.xy Trooper Dawkins to the entire world?”
I grimaced. ”That's the one.”
”Sorry. All rights reserved.”
”You have a sister, right?” I began.
”I'm an only child, Einstein. Jeesh. Don't reporters research anymore?”
Okay. Rewind and try again.
”If you had a sister, wouldn't you want to have a good relations.h.i.+p with her? Wouldn't you want to correct past...mistakes that might have led to bad feelings between you? Wouldn't you do just about anything to repair the damage you caused?”
Okay. I was a little ”out there.” Truth was, I did feel bad about divulging something my sister told me in confidence.
”How touching,” Keelie said. ”You know. I'm not totally without sympathy here. Maybe we can come to some arrangement that benefits both of us.”
”Like what?”
”Like how about you quit TribRide. Right here. Right now. Walk away. Pack up and go home, and I'll consider hitting the delete b.u.t.ton on your sister's true confession.”
”You want me to quit?” I asked, feeling suddenly queasy. ”And what do you get?”
”Bragging rights, of course,” Keelie said. ”And the chance to kick back and enjoy the ride.”
”From the luxury of your custom motor coach, I presume,” I said.
”Of course, you silly goose.”
In other words, she'd be the Belle of the Bike Ball, and I'd be relegated to the pages of Loser's Lore. And my raise? It would be sucked out an air lock like so much s.p.a.ce debris.
If I even had a job waiting if I bailed.
”Come on, Tressa. Think about your sister. Think about Taylor. Think how grateful she'll be for your sacrifice.”
I did think about it. I thought long and hard. Quitting-giving up-didn't come easy for me. I'd never been a quitter, wasn't comfortable being the kind of person to wave the white flag or throw in the towel. To admit defeat.
But I loved my sister. I wanted her to be happy. I wanted us to have a close and lasting relations.h.i.+p based on mutual trust and respect.
And yes. I wanted world peace, too. But I'd settle for making peace with my little sister first.
I felt a crack in my resolve appear-like the teeny-tiny one snaking its way across my car winds.h.i.+eld back home. Exhaustion ate away at my willpower. The only grit I had left was in the sand between my toes.
”Come on, Tressa,” Keelie cajoled. ”Quit TribRide now and the video is yours.”
Going. Going- ”Not interested.”
I turned. Taylor stood behind my right shoulder.
”Excuse me?” Keelie said.
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