She dropped her hands to the table with a thump. “What?”
I sat forward in my chair and gave her a big, confident grin. “You’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself. Isn't that what the old Bec did?”
“I know,” she grumbled.
“I have a solution,” I said. When she gave me an expectant look, I continued. “What could be more adventurous than riding on the back of a motorcycle? It’s as close as you'll get to feeling like you’re flying without wings.”
I could tell she was close to agreeing to go so I tossed in a last temptation. “I could give you a lesson on riding.”
She gave her study materials and computer one last look, then shut the laptop with a decisive click. “Yes! We're doing this. Lunch is my treat.”
I reached a foot out and tapped Marduk’s leg. He opened his eyes and pulled out an earbud. “What?”
“We’re taking Bec for a ride,” I told him.
He jumped up, excitement on his face. “Yes!”
Bec chuckled at his enthusiasm. “Let me go change,” she said. She was wearing lounging shorts and flip-flops.
“Jeans and boots,” I instructed. “Hiking boots are fine.”
“I’ve got a pair,” she said, standing and heading up the stairs. Marduk and I faced each other.
“Who gets to ride with her first?” he asked.
I held up my hands. “Rock, paper, scissors?”
It took three times before there was a clear winner. Marduk got her first, then me. I didn’t mind. I’d already won by being the brother who convinced her to take a break.
“I’m going to take Hugo out before we go,” Marduk said.
“I’ll get the jacket and helmet we bought for her,” I said. “I put them in the guest room so they wouldn’t get dirty by spending all day and night strapped to the back of your bike.”
Today was going to be a good day. I could feel it.
Bec
When Danzig said riding a motorcycle was as close to flying as you could get without wings, he’d been right!
The scenery whizzed by as we hit the on-ramp to the freeway heading north. I was safely tucked behind Marduk, my arms around his waist and my body shielded by his bulk. Despite the speed and the risk, I felt nothing but excitement.
I’d always wanted to ride a motorcycle, but never acted on the impulse because it wastoo dangerous. Now that I was enjoyingthis intense sense of speed and freedom, I wished I’d tried this sooner.
The wind was strong and when I peeked my head out from behind Marduk’s broad back, I felt it pushing at me. I was thankful for the full-face helmet the guys had let me borrow, especially when a big fat bug smacked into the clear face plate over my eyes.
Eww!
I giggled. The sound activated the communicator linking all our helmets together.
“Having fun?” Danzig asked.
“I have bug guts slowly sliding off my helmet,” I answered.
Marduk chuckled. “I’ll clean it off at the next stop.”
Three more bugs hit my helmet, and I tucked my head back behind Marduk.
“Bug guts everywhere!” I exclaimed with a laugh.
