Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better

Rikki's Game

So I woke up on the couch with my older brother and his girlfriend setting off the fire alarm. We spent a good twenty minutes trying to kill her. Either way, it's about eleven o'clock and everyone is awake. I'm standing in the kitchen with Ana, Ashley, and Robyn when my twin and my husband walk in.

"Siblings, niece, broad I knocked up." CC greets all of us and I roll my eyes.

"Younger brother, younger sister's husband." Ana mocks and they smile. My sister turns to me. "Does Ma know you're peachy?"

"No." I say.

"Bianca."

"What? You didn't tell mom you were knocked up with Robyn until you went into labour at State championships." I remind her and she sighs. "You're just lucky you didn't gain any weight."

"Well ladies and Rockett, I'm gonna go for a run." My twin says.

"Bullshit you are. I've know you literally all my life and you don't run, you can't." I say and he rolls his eyes.

"I think I'll go with you." Rockett says and I look at him.

Before I could say anything they turn on their heels and walk towards the front door. Once I hear it close Ashley laughs.

"They say you're a bad liar, Bee." She says. "They just said they were going running in leather pants."

We all do our own thing for a while. I'm sitting in the living room watching cartoons with Robyn when Ashley comes running down the stairs.

"Bee, this was taped to you're door." She says and hands me and envelope.

"Okay, this isn't weird at all." I say as I open it.

Bianca,
Bear with me, I know you're pissed off at me and you have a right to be but I want to make it right. Okay, take Ashley with you and go to the first place we went to in New York together.
I love you.
Rikki

"What the hell?" I ask and look to Ashley (who was reading all of this over my shoulder).

"What's the first place you and Rikki went to here?" She asks.

"The hospital. We went to from the airport to the hospital." I say and she smiles.

"Let's go." Ashley says and grabs my wrist pulling me up.

We drive over to the hospital and walk into the the first floor. There's a desk in the middle of the emergency room. There's a small pump woman sitting behind the desk taping on the computer.

Okay Rockett, I'm at the hospital now what?

"Now what?" I ask Ashley and she shrugs.

"I guess we just ask the woman behind the desk if she's seen Rikki?" She says and I nod.

"Yeah, okay." I say. "Come on."

We walk over to the desk and the woman looks at us over her glasses.

"Can I help you?" She asks.

"Yeah was there a tall blond guy here earlier?" I ask. "Looks like a girl."

"I guess you're that pretty little blonde he was talking about." The lady says and she looks through some papers. "He's a stubborn one, he refused to leave until I took the letter for you. You must be Bianca."

"Yes ma'am, that's me." I say and she hands me a envelope.

"I don't know what he did, honey. But he's sorry." She says and I open up the letter.

Bee,
Thank you for playing along. So your twin told me that you worked at a record store in Brooklyn when you were in high school like you did when you first moved to LA. Well, do you remember your favourite song when you moved to LA?
Rikki

"What does it say?" Ashley wonders.

"He wants us to go to the record store." I say and she nods.

"Lead the way." She says.

We drive over to the record store I worked at in high school and walk into the store. It's weird like nothing has changed in the years that I haven't worked here. It still smells like coffee and old newspaper.

"So we're here, now what?" Ashley wonders.

"We have to find a Simple Minds album." I say and she gives me a looks.

"Which one?" She wonders.

"Don't you (Forget About Me)." I explain. "The one from 1985."

We spend about ten minutes looking for it before Ashley pulls the record out of section. There's an envelope taped to the sleeve with y name written on it. I pull the envelope off the sleeve and open it.

Baby Girl,
I knew you were smart and get this. Remember our first date? I made you watch The Breakfast Club because you made the mistake of telling me this was your favourite song. I guess it turned into this whole big Ingrid because we spent almost every night after that watching movies. But with how many concussions CC says you've had I'm not sure if watching tv is a good thing for you. Next go to where you got your concussions.
Rikki

"Where to know?" She asks.

"My high school." I say.

We get to the back pitch and I smile. Too many good memories here, we had a damn good rugby team when I was in high school. I walk down to the home team's zone and that's when I see the bag tied to the goal post. It's one of those little baby shower bags with pink and blue tissue paper sticking out of it. There's an envelope taped to the outside of the bag.

Bee,
You'll have to thank Ana for the wrapping job but please open the bag.---

I open the bag and pull out a baby pair of black Chuck Taylor's.

---I want to have kids with you, Bee. I'm going to keep trying to convince you of it too. Go your favourite childhood place.
I love you.
Rikki

"The arena." I say and Ashley looks to me.

"Next stop?" She asks and I nod.

When we get to the arena and I run into Coach Shepherd. He smiles at me.

"Your boy was over here. He says he was a fucking idiot and need to make it up to you." Shep explains. "Told him he had balls of titanium alloy to piss you off. Either way, he told me to give you this."

Shep hands me a bag like the other with pink and blue tissue paper sticking out of it. I pull the envelope off it and read it.

Bianca Eleanor,
I love you, I love you, I love you. Open the bag, baby.--

The bag is filled with Yankees baby clothes.

--Tell Ashley to go meet CC at the Empire State Building. As for you, Bee meet me at the home of your favourite team.
Rikki

"The asshole wants me to break into Yankee Stadium." I mutter and Ashley laughs.