Chapter 3

The rules were about to be explained when Frost and Frankie came bolting through the field, followed by Crowe and Martinez.

"What the hell is going on?!" Jane yelled.

Crowe and Martinez were soaking wet, yelling, while running after Frost and Frankie. The crowd of surrounding spectators were laughing at the sight. It looked like an episode from the Three Stooges.

Jane caught a glance of Korsak, clutching a burger and a beer and decided to investigate. The games were delayed ten minutes because of the fiasco, so she had time.

"Korsak! I know you know."

Wiping any residue from his mouth, Korsak responded, "Frost and Frankie rigged the dunk tank. Martinez and Crowe never had a chance!"

Both broke out in laughter. Angela and Ron crept up beside them and overheard.

"I guess we now know what that secret 'stuff' they had to do." Ron said.

Overcome with a case of the giggles, Angela swatted Ron on his arm.

"We came to cheer you and Maura on. I don't think the boys are gonna make it, so you have a chance."

"Gee, ma, thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Well, it was supposed to be Frost and Frankie and you know Crowe and Martinez win every time...this year will be different. Evens the playing field. Look, all the other competitors are happy!"

"Was that Frankie and Frost's intention?"

"I don't think so, baby, but you gotta make do with what you got."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying...don't knock a gift horse in da mouth."

"What does that even mean?!"

"I don't know honey, but go getcha partner and win this thing!"

Angela kissed Jane on the cheek and wished her luck.

Dressed in her BPD tee shirt, gray shorts and Nike gym shoes, Jane was ready. All she kept thinking about was Tom Hanks chanting, "We're gonna win, we're gonna win," from the movie A League of Their Own.

Maura witnessed the bright smile on Jane's face and saw the glow of a gladiator.

"Jane, is everything alright?"

"Perfect Maur. Frost and Frankie are more than likely gonna get disqualified for un sportsmen like behavior for sabotaging the dunk tank on Crowe and Martinez. We can win this!"

"Jane, Maura, did you hear Martinez sprained his ankle, chasing after Frankie and Frost." Alex informed them as she was preparing for the race with her wife.

The doctor in Maura kicked in adding, "Oh, that's unfortunate, he should be alright, but he'll need to stay off his feet..."

"YES!" Jane interjected while fist pumping the air, then saw Maura's concerned expression and decided to change her tune, "Oh...no...too bad."

"Jane, I don't think you mean it."

"Maur, he's a big boy, he'll be fine. Now let's get into the proper mindset!"

The competitors began to line up at the starting line again.

Cavanaugh explained the rules: First race is the potato sack, one teammate will jump in the sack to reach their other teammate who will be waiting for them at the next race, which will be the three-legged race. Teams must tie one of their legs together to the other teammate, to form three legs. Then they will serpentine together between these strategically placed caution cones, to which they will untie their legs and finish the race with the wheelbarrow run. This is when one teammate becomes the wheelbarrow, by only using their hands and arms as feet, while their legs will be carried by their teammate who will be guiding them to the finish line. Now we want a clean race! No tripping is allowed, unless YOU trip on your own. Taunting, yelling and having a good time is a must! Racers ready! Go!

The crowd burst with cheers and laughter! Screams of teammates' names were shouted out with clapping and whistling, encouraging the athletes and the crowd.

Jane jumped in the sack first showing Maura how it's done. Her competition was Bo and Bert, followed by a baby-faced officer whom she didn't know and Wells, a six-foot muscle man from Martinez's drug unit, along with Alex, among others.

"GOOO JANIE!" Angela shouted.

Jane made it to Maura putting their position fourth. She quickly removed the sack, sweat glistening over her body, handing the sack to an awestruck Maura.

"MAURA! MAURA...MOVE WOMAN! You got this!"

Jane broke Maura from her daze and was brought back in the game.

"Yeah...I've got this!" With a smile of assurance, Maura jumped in the sack.

Jane swatted Maura's butt for added reinforcement. Maura took an opportunity to look back at her teammate and caught Jane's returned smile, which fueled Maura to pass Lauren and Ernie, who gained some momentum, but not enough.

Maura set her sights on officer Jackson, who was the baby-faced officer's teammate.

"SHIT MAURA...YOU"RE DOING IT! GO! GO! GO!" Jane screamed while jogging to the next starting point for the three-legged race, along with the others.

Maura made good timing and connected with Jane, who immediately tied their legs together once Maura made it out of the sack.

Jane's right leg was tied to Maura's left seeing that their dominant strengths were opposite of each other. This proved to be an effective method of gameplay, gaining them second place status so far.

Jane's right arm wrapped around Maura's shoulder, as Maura's left arm wrapped Jane's waist. With such precision the girls were able to maneuver about the cones. With grace and determination, the pair moved as one, with the elegance of a fashion model strutting down the runway.

Both laughing as they encouraged the other to run, jump, hop, run, jump, hop!

"GO GIRLS! JANIE...MAURA...JANIE...MAURA!" They could hear Angela and Ron clear as a bell.

It was nice being this close together. The thought transpired between the pair, unknowingly. Keeping their position of second, they made it to the next heat.

Untying their legs in a wild frenzy, Maura decided to be the wheelbarrow, while Jane would hold Maura's legs and guide her while pushing her forward.

They got off to a somewhat rocky start, trying to gather their footing and balance. It didn't help that they were laughing so hard realizing how much fun they were having.

Winning didn't matter to Jane anymore. Just being in the moment with Maura was...joyous.