The Harem on the Hill (Part XVIII) (Patreon)

"Tabitha?  Tabitha Reynolds?"   

The statuesque redhead stops short of her cherry-red Cherokee and turns to face the voice.  "Yes?"      

"Oh, my God!  I thought it was you."  Tina, dressed in a black unitard with a white towel draped over her shoulder, rushes up to her.  "Laura Gavin...Boothe Elementary?"  

"Oh...Yes!"  Tabitha smiles down at the bob-haired brunette.  "How are you?"   

"I'm good.  It's nice to see you.  Jesus, you look great!"  

She does look great.  Well-packed into a green unitard of her own, the effects of her nascent gain are largely obscured by a sweatshirt tied around her waist.   

"That's so nice of you to say."  Tabitha brushes away a lock of auburn hair pulled loose from her scrunchie.  "You look great, too."

"Oh, you don't have to pander to me," Tina sighs.  "I've put on a good twenty-five pounds."  Without a sweatshirt to similarly hide her hips, the bulge of her lower abdomen is obvious.

"Really?  Well, you must've been a twig, because it isn't noticeable.  Are you a member here?"

"Just joined.  I figured I'd better do something."  Tina pats her belly.  "Video games weren't keeping me skinny." 

"You're a gamer?  What do you play?"   

"Oh, Fortnite mostly, though I love the Halo games."   

"Me too!"   

"YOU'RE DOING GREAT.  THE COAST IS CLEAR."  

You watch the conversation from your Explorer backed into a parking space one row down and three cars over.  It's the demarcation line.  Any closer and the security cameras affixed to the gym will pick you up. 

"That's so cool!" Tina exclaims.  You can't help but think she's responding to your words in her earbud.  

"Us gaming gals have to stick together," Tabitha replies, unaware of the voice in Tina's head.  "What's your tag?"

"Excuse me?" 

"Your gaming name."  

In the rearview mirror, you spy a man and woman leaving the gym and heading your direction.

"I'll write it on one of my cards," Tina says, gesturing your way.   "My car's right over there."

"STALL," you command.  "INTERLOPERS." 

"Gosh, what am I thinking?" Tina blurts.  "This is the 21st century.  Do you have your phone?"

"No, I left it at home."

"Me too," Tina smirks.

The couple from the gym pops the trunk of a copper Buick two cars down.   "SHIT."     

"Just tell me, I'll remember," Tabitha says, a hint of irritation showing through her flight attendant smile.

"It's got lots of numbers and symbols.  Besides, I want to give you my phone number, too.  Just in case you ever need a workout buddy."

Rather than leaving, the couple chatters away as the man holds the trunk hatch aloft.  They can't see Tina or Tabitha from their position but you're right in their periphery.  

"WE HAVE TO ABORT," you say.  "JUST MAKE SOMETHING UP AND LEAVE."

"I'm sure I have a pen in my car."  Tabitha inches towards her vehicle.  It's clear she's ready to be done with her erstwhile "classmate."    

"Cool."  Tina follows Tabitha and you lose sight of them behind an Escalade.

"THIS GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT DON'T GIVE HER YOUR REAL--"

Suddenly, it sounds like the microphone in Tina's bracelet is bouncing down a mountain.  You lean across the passenger's seat, but still can't see beyond the behemoth parked beside them.   

"TINA?"

Before you can bring up the camera on your phone, there's a loud THUD, as if the bouncing bracelet hit bottom. 

"TINA!"

Several seconds of excruciating silence is finally broken by Tina's voice on the other end: "It's done.  Should I follow you, or do you want to follow me?"

You wrench the steering wheel in your hands.  "FOLLOW ME.  TIGHT."

                                                                            ****

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry, no choices this week.  I'd rather not shoehorn them into the action when inappropriate...and it might be another week until I can write to the point I envision the next juncture.  Rather than make you wait, let's keep the story rolling!  Hope you enjoy!