Linny scooped up the Chihuahua and headed for the door. Behind her, Jaye walked as if approaching a rabid crocodile.

Sharon's voice slowly became audible and clear. "Just send her out, Linny. I don't want to get blood in your house. Hello? I know you're in there, Jaye. Open the door."

With the dog in hand, Linny pulled the door open to a completely disheveled Sharon. Her blouse was spotted with oddly colored liquid, and it had come untucked. More than a touch of lace drooped below the hem of her skirt. One run in her hose looked like a ladder to her kneecap. Her lipstick was slightly smeared, and her hair looked beyond the help of professionals.

"Give her to me. Now."

"No, no, no. My house, my guests, my rules."

"What kind of shit has she been stirring up, Linny? Other than larceny," Sharon said before attempting a lunge at her sister.

Linny slapped Sharon's hand down and then pushed the tall blonde back down the steps. She stepped out, bare feet on the brick steps and took a deep breath.

"Linny, I…" Sharon started.

"Quiet. You're ruining the stillness of the neighborhood."

In a much softer voice, Sharon said, "She stole my organizer, Linny."

"Stealing implies she had no intention of returning your organizer. She has every intention of returning it. Right, Jaye?"

Jaye nodded. "Yes, I do. I didn't think it would make you this mad, though."

Before Sharon could respond, Linny said, "See? Remorse. She made it quite clear she felt taking the organizer was the only thing she could do in order to protect her sister."

"Protect me? From what?"

"From me. She saw me coming on to the bartender at The Barrel last night, and then she saw us being chummy. What else was she to think about me, what with you being involved with someone."

Sharon stepped close to Linny. "You were coming on to Eric last night?"

Linny smiled and looked down. "Well, you know how I get around pretty people."

Looking over the short blonde, Sharon met Jaye's eyes. "Why didn't you say so last night?"

Jaye chewed on her lower lip and shrugged. "Never really came up, and I…well, it's been a pretty shitty week. Didn't see any point in tinkling in your corn flakes if you two were together."

For a moment, Sharon looked up at the sky, her expression neutral. Jaye felt a cringe coming on as she waited for an explosion or anything to rip the tension.

"Tootie," screamed Linny.

Jaye looked around in panic before following Linny's gaze. The little Chihuahua bolted down the sloping lawn, looking like a rolling ball with flailing strings attached. The dog angled itself in a direct path towards the road.

Linny leaped off the doorstep and onto the lawn where her feet had no traction on the wet grass. Her legs went up, her head went back, and she landed with a whump that made both Sharon and Jaye wince.

"Get the dog, Jaye. Go," shouted Sharon as she stepped down carefully in her heels to tend to Linny.

Eyes on the quickly moving ball of flesh making a bid for freedom, Jaye sprinted down the lawn. The dog had hit the curb, rolled off and was attempting to get to its feet. Jaye closed the distance. Unfortunately, the Chihuahua, with a speed previously unhinted at, took flight just as Jaye reached for it. She followed, snatching up the animal and hugging it close.

Her jacket pocket squirmed, and the orange lion's head popped out. "Stand your ground," it practically shouted before disappearing again.

Before Jaye could even grunt "Huh?" Sharon screamed, "Truck."

Jaye looked up to find herself in the middle of the street with a large pickup truck rushing towards her.

"Stand your ground," came the muffled command of the lion. Not that Jaye had any time to do more than cringe against the impending impact. She heard the squeal of the tires as the truck's brakes slammed home. In her arms, the dog whined and farted.

There was a thud, and then the truck sped away without a hint of stopping.