Best Practice

by Carsen Taite

  “Fine. Let’s do it.”

  Grace didn’t bother trying to contain her grin. This was going to be an epic day.

  * * *

  Perry grinned at Grace who was staring up into the sky. “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing, if you have a death wish.”

  They were standing in front of the entrance to the Eye, the giant, fully enclosed Ferris wheel on the River Thames. “I know it’s not a fancy museum or a palace, but I have a thing for Ferris wheels and this is like the Super Bowl of Ferris wheels.”

  “There’s something really off about that analogy and I’ll figure it out when I’m not feeling like I’m going to throw up.”

  Perry laughed. “We haven’t even been up in the air yet. All thirty-plus stories of air.” She tugged on Grace’s arm. “Come on. The website says you can see everything from up there. It’s like a bonus round of sightseeing.” She assumed a pleading expression. “Besides, you promised.”

  Grace sighed. “I did. And I keep my promises even if it means dying in the process.”

  Perry let her hand slip down and grasp Grace’s, enjoying the feel of their fingers entwined for a moment before she remembered her crush was in the past and Grace was only here to escort her back to Austin. She gave her a quick squeeze and let go. “I won’t let you die. That’s my promise.”

  “Well, I hope not because I have something very special planned for my half of the day.”

  Before boarding, they paused for a quick selfie with a perky blond ride operator who chatted Perry up about where she was from and what she did for a living, and then insisted on holding the camera in order to get the best angle. As they were boarding, Perry examined her phone and found Grace was almost completely cut out of the picture. “Well, that sucks.”

  Grace leaned in to look. “I’m not surprised.”

  “What?”

  “She was totally flirting with you. If we’d spent more time with her, she might’ve pushed me off the platform.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  “Look how gallant you are,” Grace said. “But I’m pretty sure it would be more like over mine.”

  Perry frowned and shook her head. The idea of the ride operator flirting with her in front of Grace made her uncomfortable and she didn’t know why. “I’m sorry.”

  Grace laughed. “Don’t be silly. She’s cute.”

  “Not my type.”

  Grace arched an eyebrow. “Really? What is your type?”

  Okay, so it was getting really warm in the car. Perry fanned herself and looked around for a convenient distraction. She pressed against the glass. “There’s Parliament,” she said, pointing in the distance. “And there’s Big Ben.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Perry looked back over her shoulder at Grace who was standing in the middle of the car, strategically far from any of the windows. “Hey, you,” she called out. “You’re missing all the fun.”

  “I’m good.”

  “Seriously, Grace.” Perry held out her hand. “I got you.” She watched as Grace walked toward her. She’d never known Grace to be afraid of anything, so this whole display was a bit of a wonder, and she puffed up a little at the idea she had assumed the role as the stronger one, in this situation anyway. When Grace reached her side, she slipped a hand around her waist. “If you tumble out, I’m going with you.”

  Grace frowned. “I don’t find that particularly reassuring.”

  “Then how about we both stay safe? You can start by relaxing and enjoying the sights.” She pointed in the distance. “Look, there’s the Shard.”

  “You’re a regular tour guide. I thought you’d never been to London before.”

  “I haven’t.” Perry hesitated, not entirely sure she wanted to say more, and if she were with anyone but Grace, she would have made up some reason why she was obsessed with all the sights. “Mom and Dad honeymooned in Europe, and London was my mom’s favorite place on the trip. You remember she had those salt and pepper shakers that looked like the royal guard? Purchased right here in jolly old England.”

  “I remember,” Grace said. “They didn’t go with the rest of the decor at your house at all. I figured they had some sentimental value.”

  Perry nodded. “They always talked about coming back to visit one day, but they never seemed to find the time to make the trip.”

  She glanced off at a spot in the distance, willing herself not to cry as she swallowed the lump in her throat. It had been a little over fifteen years since her parents died. They’d been taking a helicopter tour of New York City, and the combination of a mechanical failure and an intoxicated pilot sent the craft plummeting from the sky without warning, killing everyone on board. The subsequent lawsuit and settlement had set Perry and her siblings up for life, but she’d give back every cent for another day with her folks. She felt Grace squeeze her hand and she looked up to find her staring with a gentle gaze.

  “I’m so sorry you lost them. They were the best.”

  “They were, weren’t they?”

  “Yep,” Grace said. “And the least I can do is lean in and enjoy the sights on their behalf. Would your mom have liked this contraption?”

  Perry smiled as she remembered her mother’s enthusiasm for rides of any kind, from slow-moving Ferris wheels to rocketing roller coasters. “Hell yes. Plus, she loved riding on top of the double-decker buses, but this would be exponentially better.” She swept her arm in a broad gesture in front of the glass. “You have to admit, it is pretty cool to be able to see the entire city out in front of you.”

  “It is pretty cool. Enjoy it while you can. My portion of the day will provide a completely different perspective.”

  “Is that so?” Perry asked, curious about what Grace had in store. “Care to drop a hint?”

  “Sure. It involves wheels, but much smaller ones than this contraption.”

  Perry pointed at the window where their car was approaching ground level. “Looks like you’re about to be free from the contraption.” A moment later, Perry held Grace’s arm as they exited the ride into a kitschy gift store. To her surprise, Grace was like a kid in a candy shop picking through all of the selections.

  “Are you looking for something specific?”

  Grace looked up from a stuffed bear holding a Union Jack. “Whatever will vault me to the spot of aunt of the year. My niece just turned eight. To be honest, I have absolutely no clue what an eight-year-old girl would like.”

  Perry pulled a snapback hat emblazoned with the word London off a rack and examined it. “Depends on the girl, I guess. If she’s kind of girly, like Campbell, then maybe that brush and mirror set, but if she’s a tomboy, then a pocketknife or a wallet.” She put on the cap. “Or this fine headgear.”

  Grace laughed. “You aren’t seriously going to buy that are you?”

  Perry posed with her arms crossed. “What’s the matter? You don’t like it?”

  “If you want to tell the world you’re a tourist, be my guest.” Grace grinned and grabbed the same hat in a different color. “Maybe I’ll join you.” She assumed the same pose. “How do I look?”

  Silly hat aside, breathtaking was the first word that came to mind, but Perry caught herself before she spoke. “Selfie worthy. Pic?” She held her breath as Grace slipped an arm around her waist and they posed for the camera. After she’d snapped the photo, they both stared at the screen and Perry was pleased to see not a single one of Grace’s attributes had been cut out. They looked good together, and a stranger looking at the photo might think they were a couple.

  She shook away the thought. There was a time when she’d dreamed of being in Grace’s arms, but those were the fantasies of youth. Fantasies were for children. The affection Grace was showing her now was exactly the same as when she used to rub her on the head and tell her she was a good kid, no matter how it looked in a photo.

  * * *

  Grace pointed at the row of bicycles and grinned at Perry. “See? Wheels, but the kind that stay on
the ground.”

  Perry’s eyes narrowed. “What is happening right now?”

  Grace took a moment to take in the scene. They were in an alley of sorts next to a pub. The alley was lined with a dozen retro-style bicycles, complete with sweet little baskets, and, standing in front of the bikes was a tall, thin, older gentlemen wearing a tweed driver’s cap and checked pants and a vest explaining the rules of the road. She turned back to Perry and motioned between them. “You, me, gin, markets, all the sights. We’re going on a bicycle tour.”

  A slow smile spread across Perry’s face and she looked as eager as she had when they’d boarded the Eye. “Heck yeah, we are. What a great idea.”

  “Not too stodgy?”

  “Well, aside from the Oliver Twist looking guy standing over there, not stodgy at all. Do we get to pick which bike we want?”

  Grace watched as Perry surveyed the bicycles, proud she’d picked an activity they would both enjoy, and glad the tour had a couple of last-minute openings. After the great time they’d had at Camden Market, she knew they’d have fun on this tour. Plus, there would be gin.

  An hour later, they’d seen the Tate Museum, the oldest church in London, the Shard, and they’d narrowly avoided getting smacked by a bus that cut between the two of them and the rest of the cyclists on the tour.

  “And you thought the Eye was dangerous,” Perry shouted from behind Grace.

  “You want to take the lead?” Grace slowed down, acutely conscious of the fact Perry was behind her and she figured she was chomping at the bit to go faster. She waved her arm. “Go on, lead the way.”

  Perry pulled ahead, her legs pumping and her face wearing a broad smile. “This was the best idea ever,” she called out as she whizzed by. “When do we get to the next market?”

  Before she could answer, Perry shouted, “Where’s the rest of the group?”

  Grace looked around but didn’t see any of the other cyclists or their tour guide. “Pull up over there for a second,” she said, motioning to a line of hedges. She followed Perry up on the sidewalk, certain the group couldn’t be far away. She was just starting to slow down when a couple walking down the sidewalk abruptly turned to face her. The woman shook her fist in the air. “Get off the sidewalk. You’re breaking the law!”

  The shout took her by surprise and Grace nearly fell off her bike. She felt an arm reach out to steady her and looked up to see Perry standing next to her.

  “I’ve got you.”

  Time suspended and the noise of the city fell away. For a second, they were simply two women, far away from home, connected by love of adventure and the comfortable ease of having known each other most of their lives. But for the shouting locals and the stomach lurching heights of the Eye, Grace would consider this a perfect date. Oh, and if Perry weren’t her best friend’s little sister. But she was, so Grace slowly backed out of Perry’s embrace and swiftly changed the subject. “Did that really just happen?”

  Perry raised her fist in the air. “You mean the part where you were breaking the law!” she said, over-exaggerating the war cry of the angry local. “Yep. Grace Maldonado, chief rule follower and barrister of great renown, was just accused of violating the laws of a foreign land.”

  They both doubled over in laughter. When the gales of laughter finally faded, Grace asked, “What do you mean, chief rule follower?”

  Perry furrowed her brow. “Come on, admit it. You’re like the high priestess of regulations.”

  “Am not.”

  “Are too. Why do you think Campbell and Abby made you the managing partner of the firm?”

  A bunch of reasons popped in her head, but they all supported Perry’s general proposition that she was the most responsible one, so she didn’t bother listing them. “Okay then, I’m going to take that as a compliment. Rules are good. They keep order in the universe.”

  “Sure, but people find ways to bend them all the time in the name of whatever order they prefer. People of privilege anyway. I’ve been working in areas of the world where privilege doesn’t exist and rules don’t matter unless you’re white and privileged. And rich. Rich really helps.”

  Grace started to point out that the only one in this conversation who was white was Perry and they were both privileged by virtue of where they’d grown up and their families, but instead she bit her tongue and let Perry ruminate for a moment to see if she came to the same conclusion.

  “I’m sorry. That came out wrong,” Perry said. “There’s so much injustice in the world that it swallows me up sometimes.”

  “I get it,” Grace said. “I really do. But if you dwell on it, you’re going to be consumed.” She pointed at Perry’s bike. “Now get back on that thing because today the rule follower is throwing all caution to the wind. I’m going to drink gin and eat fun foods and maneuver this bike around the streets of London like a pro. Are you with me?”

  Perry answered by straddling her bike and ringing the bell. “I am absolutely with you.” She pointed at the road ahead. “If you can catch up with me.”

  And just like that, an idea popped into Grace’s head. “If you’re up for a challenge, I’ve got one for you.”

  “Bring it.”

  The eagerness in Perry’s voice told Grace she had her hooked. She pointed at a spot in the distance. “I’ll race you to that corner up there. If I win, you’ll stay in Austin.”

  Perry cocked her head to the side. “For how long?”

  “A week,” Grace said, figuring she wouldn’t go for anything longer, but a week should give Campbell enough time to make her case to convince Perry to stay.

  “What happens when I win?”

  “Hell freezes over,” Grace said, fixing her face into a perfect deadpan. “If indeed such a cataclysmic event happens, then when we land in Austin, I will personally book your flight to wherever you want and use my contacts to speed up the issuance of your new permanent passport.”

  Perry narrowed her eyes, like she was considering the proposal, and then without warning, she pushed away from the hedge and sped off. Grace watched her go, wanting to take a moment to savor the moment, but then she pumped the pedals hard because she had to win this race.

  Chapter Six

  Grace stirred at the sound of the meal cart trundling through the aisle and she slowly stretched. She hadn’t planned to sleep on the plane, it was a daytime flight after all, but once she’d reclined the seat, all bets were off. She glanced at the time and saw that they were about an hour from landing in Austin. She looked back and saw Perry, a row back and across the aisle, headphones in, watching something on her iPad with rapt attention. When the flight attendant stopped at her seat, Grace begged off the snack, asking for coffee instead. When he passed on by, she grabbed her bag and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. On the way back, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

  “Hello again.”

  She turned to see Danika, the tall blonde she’d met on the flight to London. The flirty one. “Hello yourself.”

  “I’ve been waiting all this time to buy you a Manhattan, but I didn’t want to wake you.”

  Suddenly self-conscious at the idea of Danika watching her sleep, Grace fumbled for words. “Crazy, right? I don’t know why I’m so sleepy today, but once the roar of the engines started, I sacked right out. Are you headed home?”

  Danika nodded and motioned to the snack area and they both stepped in. “I am. I assume you are too. Did you accomplish everything you intended on your trip?”

  Why did her words seem to carry so much extra meaning? Grace started to answer when the purpose for her trip piped up behind her.

  “Hey, Grace, are you finally awake?” Perry called out as she approached. “Guess the bike ride wore you out, huh?” Perry looked from Danika back to her with a curious expression, and then stuck out her hand. “Hi, I’m Perry Clark.”

  Danika shot Grace a quick arch of her eyebrows and shook Perry’s hand. “Danika Larsen.”

  Grace watched the exchange and scrambled
to explain. “Perry is my law partner’s sister. I was helping her out with a travel document issue, and now we’re both headed back to Austin.”

  Grace spotted a frown shadow Perry’s face. She looked back at Danika and saw a slow smile spread across her face, full of portent.

  “That’s fantastic news.” Danika leaned in closer. “If you still have my card, give me a call sometime. I’d love to buy you that Manhattan when we’re on level ground.”

  As she edged away, Grace turned back to Perry. “I can’t believe I slept the entire flight.”

  “I can’t believe you’re angling for a hookup while we’re in the middle of the Atlantic.”

  “Very funny.”

  “I’m being serious. That woman was undressing you with her eyes.”

  “‘Undressing me with her eyes?’ Who talks like that? And for your information, we’re not over the Atlantic anymore, we’re over dry land and almost back in Austin.”

  “Just looking out for you. You shouldn’t be talking to strangers.”

  “She’s not a stranger. We’ve met before.” Grace didn’t add that the first meeting had been on the flight to London. Perry’s patronizing tone was already annoying without her knowing the full story. “I promise you I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

  “Sure, whatever.” Perry stuck her hands in her pockets and shifted in place.