The Fruity Four

Chapter 4

Robin straddled the bike she'd propped against the Wheelers' front porch.

"Where am I supposed to sit?" Nancy asked, adjusting the empty tote bag on her shoulder.

Robin gestured to two beams sticking out of either side of the front wheel. "Stand on those and lean back against the handlebars."

Nancy looked mortified but obeyed reluctantly. "Have you ever done this before?" She questioned once in position.

"Steve and I do this all the time! You're in very capable hands."

"Why do I have a feeling that's not true?"

Robin pushed off from the ground and peddled into the street before Nancy could chicken out. Nancy let out a shriek and swayed, nearly sending both of them flying onto the blacktop. Robin started slowly, looping through Nancy's quiet neighborhood until she got used to the sensation. Robin was just tall enough to peak over Nancy's shoulder, though she often found her eyes wandering across her back. She was close enough to smell her sweet perfume and citrus shampoo.

After a few more minutes of practice, Robin crossed through town towards the library. As much as Robin hated her small town, she had to admit sometimes it had its perks. The sun was just starting to set, casting a golden glow on the picturesque main street. It was a warm evening, so vintage shops and restaurants were bustling with happy customers. Laughter and live music filled the air. The only better view was watching Nancy's face as she took it all in. They rode in a content silence until the library came into view.

Nancy audibly gasped. "It's amazing."

Robin had never paid much attention to the public library. But looking at it through Nancy's eyes, a massive brick structure with detailed white trimming and thick pillars, she understood the appeal.

Nancy rushed up the front steps while Robin locked her bike out front. When Robin reached the landing she found Nancy gazing up at the massive portico in awe. This was the happiest Robin had ever seen her, and it ignited a spark in Robin's chest she didn't know how to put out.

Robin heaved open the front doors and gestured. "Ladies first."

Nancy giggled and made her way inside. The library was even more impressive on this end. Rows and rows of novels sat neatly on high shelves. The wood looked ready to collapse at any moment, but Nancy still perused every aisle, trailing her frail hands along untouched spines. Robin got a chill imagining those fingers running down her own back. After finding a few biographies and history books on Amelia Earhart, the pair ventured to the second level of the building and set up camp at a table that overlooked the bottom floor. They worked in a content silence for a few hours, Robin often stealing glances at Nancy as she flipped through pages, brow furrowed in concentration. They were making good progress, Nancy doing most of the research while Robin translated everything into Spanish.

Needing a break, Robin asked curiously, "What made you pick Amelia Earhart?"

Nancy closed the book she was reading and considered Robin's question thoughtfully. "She's always been my role model. I learned about her in third grade and have been obsessed ever since." She blushed. "Honestly, I've already read half of these biographies at some point. I just didn't want you to think I was a geek."

Robin broke down in laughter until she had to be shushed by a girl reading a few tables away. "First off, that's badass, not nerdy. And secondly, why do you care what I think?"

She shrugged and avoided the question. "I'm glad you agree. I think I resonate with her a lot because I also want to make advances in a male dominated field. Even though she technically wasn't the first woman to fly around the world, she still left a huge impact on women's rights. And having the courage to attempt that on your own knowing how many people are gunning for your failure is just- inspiring. Even if it didn't end in her favor. I like to think that by doing a project on her we're showing that her sacrifice wasn't in vain."