The Brightest Light by Melissa Storm

Author:Melissa Storm
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Partridge & Pear Press

Twenty-Five

When Scarlett told Shane and Lauren her intentions to run the Tozier Track race, they both lavished her with encouragement.

“Of course, you should do it! Why hadn’t we thought about that?” Lauren asked her husband.

“We’ll come with you and make sure everything goes off without a hitch,” Shane offered. “Then you can go out with Liz after, and I’ll get the dogs home. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect,” Scarlett said, giving them each hugs. “How did I get so lucky to have you two in my life?”

“Stop with the sentimental mush,” Lauren scolded. “We’re all about the other kind of mushing in this family. Now hike, girly! We’ve got some training to do.”

Lauren drilled her friend extra hard in the coming days, and Scarlett was grateful for the challenge. If nothing else, she’d know that she had given this dream her absolute all. After that, well, it would be up to God, to fate, to whatever larger plan was laid out among the stars.

The day before she was set to run her first official race, Scarlett went out for a practice run with Shane in the basket. Although he wasn’t her usual coach, he wanted to have the chance to observe her technique and offer any pointers Lauren might not have made yet. After all, he was the one who had the most experience of the three by far.

Plus, this race was even more peculiar than normal—it was going to be done on wheeled sleds. Scarlett laughed when she saw Shane next to the four-wheeled bike/sled monstrosity. “Let me guess, it’s just like learning to ride a bike?”

“Hardly. Welcome to chariot racing,” Shane joked as he gestured to the half painted collection of metal tubes. “Careful, this thing is practically an antique.”

Scarlett didn’t know whether to laugh or scream at the sight of the thing. “Please tell me this is like the regular sleds.”

Shane shook his head. “‘Afraid not. You’re going to have more traction, a greater risk of flipping and, make no mistake, you’re going to get dirty. Still, it’s a hoot!”

She laughed at his comical expression. “A hoot? What are you, fifty? Wait a minute… Did you say greater risk of flipping?” She rubbed her shoulder reflexively, remembering a past injury from this very thing—a flipped sled.

“Don’t worry. I brought helmets.” He held up two bright pink bike helmets. “Sorry we don’t have anything in your colors yet, but we hadn’t even considered this race until you brought it up.”

“My colors?” she asked as Shane slapped the helmet on top of her head and climbed into the chair at the front of the so-called chariot.

“You don’t think that I was running my team with pink jacketed dogs before Lauren, do you? It’s just a little something to give you an identity and give you pride in your racing. Now, let’s see if this thing still holds together.”

Scarlett smiled as she let off the brakes and yelled to the team. “Hike!”

The difference in this ride became immediately apparent. There were no shock absorbers in the rig, so they felt every bump full-on.

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