Are we there yet?” Caitlin moans as she clip-clops next to us along the Tucson Trot route. We hold our tongues rather than mention that she is the one who chose to try her lace-up clogs today of all days.
Only Sadie let out a brief “What were you thinking!” under her breath, but the sound of wood dragging on pavement muffled the rhetorical question.
“How are you doing, Rachel?” I ask Angelica’s new little sister. As in Big Brother, Big Sister program. We are all scared for this impressionable fourteen-year-old, who already seems in awe of Angelica’s life force. Yes, we want to yell “Run, Rachel, run as fast as you can,” but we are afraid she will think we just mean to the finish line. Just as I’m wondering if I have time to adopt Rachel should Angelica decide to break up with her, Caitlin says she will sister-share with me.
“Being outside feels pretty good. I thought it would suck because I prefer to shop.” Rachel looks about her at the mountainous skyline and the surrounding flora with mild appreciation that, while it is not the grandeur of the mall, it does not “suck.”
We all nod at the family resemblance.
“We are getting close. I see some folks walking the finishing circle,” Sadie says optimistically. We are all dragging, though it is only five miles.
“Next year, let’s run it,” I say for shock value. Caitlin pegs me with one of her heavy feet.
“Hey, Pinocchio. If I have splinters, I’m lighting a match and tossing it in your general direction.”
“Oh, my gosh. I don’t believe it. Look who is here!” Caitlin is excited about a celebrity sighting. A small golf cart is careening around the corner and edging just a short distance from the paved walkway and toward the end of the trail. I see only a glimpse of blond hair and a long stretch of tan legs. Whoever this is, she is cheating her way to the finish line.
“It’s Wendy Skies.” Caitlin claps her hands. Even Angelica does not buy into this version of celebrity.
“Oh, please. Big deal. She’ll be a hostess at LuLu’s within two years. The woman has no sense of fashion—”
“Or kindness,” I add.
“Or fairness, apparently,” Sadie commentates as we watch Wendy rush over to the trail in front of us just in time for a photo op in the finishers’ circle. It turns out this woman who is too good to visit her elderly father is just good enough to serve as this year’s breast cancer awareness event emcee.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Way to taint this fund-raiser,” I say, pouting.
Sadie nudges me. At first I think it is her cue to be nicer, but then I see what she sees. Standing at the finish line are Carson and Beau. I cannot help but smile.
Instead of looking at Wendy smiling for the cameras, wiping her brow, and stretching out, I focus on how good it feels to be walking toward something. Someone.
Beau looks at me with pride, but there is something else in his eyes. And though I consider he could be overheating from this extremely warm October day, his red face causes my stomach to go funny. I kick up my pace.
“Congratulations,” the two handsome men say in unison. They are holding pink roses for each of us, including Rachel.
“Ahhh. That’s so sweet,” I say and give Beau a hug—an act I never thought would feel normal. But today it does. I look into his red-rimmed eyes. “Did you eat Thai food again?”
He clears his throat. “No. I need to speak with you, Mari.” Suddenly he realizes a big change in my appearance. “Your hair. It’s…fun.”
“I don’t do serious all that well, so just spit it out,” I say while my mind comes up with lots of possibilities for his behavior. He has to move to the East Coast. He is tired of the long-distance relationship. He found out we are brother and sister…
“Tess passed away this morning. I decided to go check on her before I came here. The doctor said the surgery went really well, but her heart gave out.” He is crying because he adored Tess, and because he knows what this will mean to me. Beau watches my face for a response and grabs my hand in support.
I don’t cry. Thoughts of Tess’ goodbye replay in my mind, and I hold a very unexpected peace within.
“Mari, are you okay?” Sadie is standing beside me. By now they have all caught on to the news.
“We did it, everybody! We walked, we ran, we strolled, we rolled for breast cancer! Let’s give ourselves a pat on the back. We can be proud of this fine effort. Today we are not just people of the Tucson community, we are friends…no! We are family. And that’s what makes all the difference,” Wendy Skies’ voice spews from speakers resting on a bench right beside us.
Now I cry.
And I don’t stop until I get home.