Part 3
Sara hadn't said she wanted to join Sofia and Ben on their trip to Chicago, so Greg was still begging her to agree. The first step to her approval was a new meeting with the other three. This time it was afternoon and they met in Ben's shop instead of in the bar.
"Which bike do you want, Sara?" Ben asked.
"Which bike would you give me?" She asked back. She doubted she could choose any bike and take it with her.
"I had my newest toy in mind. If Sofia looks after the shop I'll show it to you."
"Bartender, saleswoman, what else do you want me to be?"
"We'll see about that later, Honey." He blinked at her. "Thanks." He took some keys and Sara followed him out of the store to a garage. He opened the door. Four motorbikes were inside, one was totally dismantled, yet the others looked alright.
"The one on the left." He handed Sara a key. "Get it out, take a ride."
"Here?"
"Yeah. Stay on the premises, I won't let you drive on the road without a helmet and security clothes."
"I didn't intend to do so." Sara walked to the bike. A BMW, blue. Not her first choice, but a bike was a bike if you got it for free. She got on the bike, kicked it down, turned the key and started to drive out of the garage. For a second she had to find her balance after all these months without a motorbike but it was like riding an ordinary bike; you always got into it very fast.
Slowly she made a circle in front of the garage. The BMW was good to drive, if it had been broken before it seemed fixed to Sara. After the second circle she felt the urge of taking the bike out for a longer ride. Driving around in circles was not satisfying. She stopped next to Ben.
"Either I've to stop now or I need some clothes and a helmet and take it out for a real ride. This circle stuff reminds me of little children on ponies."
"Not happy in the backyard?"
"No!"
"Alright." Ben laughed and vanished in his garage. A few seconds later he came out with a helmet and a kidney belt.
"Thanks." Sara got the belt around her waist, put on the helmet and when she was ready to start her bike again, Ben was next to her on his Harley, also dressed in a kidney belt and a helmet.
"Let's have a little trip."
"Sofia won't like that."
"She has to live with that. She can't expect me to stay here when I've the chance to take you for a ride. I'll make it up to her with another driving lesson later. Come on Sara, out of town to the little coffee shop, the first one on Boulder highway and back."
"Eat my dust!" She started her bike, had it on one tire for a yard and left the premises. Time to rock'n' roll!
"So, what do you say?" Ben parked next to Sara. They were back at the shop, parked in front of it.
"Smooth ride, a lot of power, it doesn't look like it's that powerful but I felt the horses when I accumulated a bit."
"A bit? I guess, you violated a few traffic…"
"Don't sound like a cop."
"Somebody called me?" Sofia came out of the shop, Greg behind her.
"You took off without me!" Greg looked unhappily at Sara.
"Yeah, I needed to prove that I'm able to ride a bike. I think Ben is happy now."
"I know that you can handle my bike, yes."
"You took off while you were working and left me alone with the shop!" Sofia got her index finger deep in Ben's chest. "Do you think that's okay?"
"Like Sara said, I had to make sure she can handle a bike. Can't do that when she's on Boulder Highway and I'm in the shop. I had to be with her in case something happens."
"That's a cheap excuse."
"Okay, try this one: you wanted me to find out if I can imagine to take them with us on our trip. This was the last test for them, now I made up my mind."
"What's your decision?"
"I think it would be fun." Ben smiled.
"Good. We don't have to ask Greg, he begs Sara the whole day to agree, so it's up to the brunette to say whether we will spend our holidays together. Do you feel the pressure, Sara?"
"I can handle pressure." Sara got off her bike and handed helmet and kidney belt to Ben.
"Would you mind to give us an answer?"
"Are you in a hurry, Sofia?"
"No, but Greg is. He's dying and doesn't dare to ask you. Stop torturing him; tell him if his dream will come true or if he has to wait until he has his own license."
Sara looked at Greg who had the saddest puppy eyes ever.
"Alright, if we get two weeks off we'll all go to Chicago."
"I love you!" Greg hugged Sara and gave her a big, fat kiss on the cheek. "You're the best, the greatest, the perfect woman!"
"Slow it down, Greg." Sara pushed him away.
"Yeah, the most wonderful woman in the world is my girlfriend, can't let anybody else take this title." Ben pulled Sofia in his arms. "Even when she wears heels – again." He got on his toes and kissed Sofia's cheek.
"Let's say, Sara is the most beautiful brunette and I'm the most beautiful blonde."
Sara raised an eyebrow. She made the decision not to mention that Sofia was obviously not talking about natural hair color, as it was visible toda that she wasn't a natural blonde.
"Sounds like a good compromise. Are you happy to the take the same bike for the trip, Sara?"
"Sure."
"And having Greg behind you, holding on to you?" Sofia grinned.
"He doesn't hold on, he'll fall. I don't plan to go on a granny trip and you better forget that you're a cop as soon as you're on the bike."
"I like that woman!" Ben said and gave Sara high five.
"Maybe I've to rethink about this trip." Sofia furrowed her brows. She didn't want to be pulled over by a cop and have to explain that to Brass. What could she say? Sorry, my boyfriend is a rocker and he and Sara didn't want me to look at the speed limits, so we made over a hundred-twenty on the highway. You have to understand that, they wanted to feel free.
"You won't rethink about anything, Honey. We'll have a great trip."
"I dare you..."
"And I love you."
"We'll go on a bike trip. On Route 66. I need to go shopping! I need my biker outfit and a tent and a sleeping bag and…"
"Think that the space is limited." Ben stopped Greg's enthusiasm.
"I know but I need some things."
"And especially fresh clothes and deodorant. I won't take you with me when you stink." Sara grinned.
"See. I'll get a big bag for the bike, one side for you, one for me. We can put the tent and the sleeping bags on top."
"Do you plan to share a tent with Sara?" Sofia wondered what Sara would say to the plans her colleague had made.
"That would save some space…?" He looked at Sara.
"I'll share a tent with you. Yes. But we can also stay in motels, a little more comfortable."
"We should talk about the things we want to take with us so that we don't take things twice we only need one time. And I can borrow you some storage bags for the bike, Greg. I've some bigger bags here, they should be enough to get your and Sara's stuff in; at least clothes for three days plus some other stuff. If we do our laundry every second day, we'll have more space for other things. And if we all four share a washing machine, we'll have enough stuff after two days."
"Sofia, I really like that your boyfriend wants to change his clothes every day and doesn't plan on wearing the same leather pants and jacket for a week." Sara chuckled. Of course they would have an outdoor trip and would get dirty, but she had no understanding for people who wore the same clothes for a week. That was disgusting.
"Sofia would kick me out of the tent if I didn't take my daily shower and changed my clothes. And I can't blame her for that. The idea of having the same clothes on for a week might appeal to a young man. In my age you think of the effect that it has on women. Sofia isn't a stupid biker babe who doesn't care how her man looks and smells."
"It's good that you realized that, Ben." Sofia smirked.
"I do and that's why my friends call me a sissy."
"I'm sure only the stinky singles, the ones who don't get closer to a woman than ten yards and that only if the wind is right say something like this." Sofia got her arms around Ben's neck and kissed him. If he had been one of these guys they were talking about she had never become his girlfriend. She didn't like this kind of man. Ben was perfect like he was.
"Spring rolls and a fresh orange juice for you." Greg put Sara's lunch in front of her.
"Thanks. What's that for?"
"For agreeing on the trip." They had asked for two weeks off and got them. For Greg a dream came true and he wanted to make sure nothing would come between him and his dream. That meant he had to keep Sara happy.
"Greg, you don't have to do that."
"What?"
"Buying lunch for me, bringing me coffee or whatever you've on your mind. I agreed because I think we'll have a lot of fun and I wanted to have a trip like this. It's not like I'll do something I completely hate only to make you happy. I look forward to spend time with you, I always enjoy the time with you. So relax, I won't change my mind."
"You could get me to do everything for you."
"I know. If I do that I'd be a very bad friend, don't you think?"
"Well…I'd still like you."
She sighed. He was too cute. And he was her best friend which was the main reason why she agreed. They had talked about to go on holidays together a few times, now was the time to really do it.
"I go with you to Chicago because I want it."
"With me, Sofia and Ben."
"Yes."
"He is a cool guy."
"Yes, he has a nice sense of humor."
"Will you be alright with Sofia?"
"Yes. We're over the rough start, I like her. No need to worry about anything, Greg. Just relax and think of what you want to take with you." She held some fries in front of his mouth.
"Thanks. I eat right out of your hands."
"Yeah, can you use fork and knife properly?" She cocked her head.
"If I really concentrate, yes." He grinned.
"Good. Let's have dinner tonight. We're both in the lab for a few more hours, let's meet after work, have a bite together. What do you think?"
"Sounds good to me. Restaurant or do you want me to cook something for you?"
"I don't want to risk my life."
"Hey, don't complain before you have tried my meal. Seven o'clock, my place?"
"Alright, I'll be there."
