Between the Pipes

Chapter 12

Sarah pulled into the parking lot at Bibbington Bowling Lanes on Friday night and parked beside Kelly's car. She shivered in the cold as she hurried into the warmth of the bowling alley.

Bibb's, as everyone affectionately called it, had been around forever. It was a popular spot for families during the day, and growing up, it was rare not to have at least one Bibb's Bowling Birthday Bash. Teenagers and adults kept the place hopping at night, and the combination of friendly atmosphere, delicious food, and cheap brew made it a popular spot.

Tonight was "moon glow" night. Black lighting created a wild fluorescence. White clothing became bright purple, and all the signs flashed in a stream of neon yellow, eye-popping green, and where-are-my-sunglasses pink.

Sarah stepped up to the counter and scanned the room. Pins crashed, and a group of teenagers cheered and high-fived. A group of seniors with matching bowling shirts laughed and mingled.

Sarah spotted Jordyn and Kelly in lane five. She exchanged her boots for bowling shoes and went to join them.

"Hi, Sarah." Jordyn greeted her with a warm smile.

"Hi guys. Have you been here long?"

Kelly hugged her. "Nope, just arrived. Haven't seen Danni yet, though."

Sarah sat down beside Jordyn, slipped on the bowling shoes, and started tying the laces. "So, who wants to be on my team tonight?" she asked, knowing she was the worst bowler among them.

"I'm game to save a few dollars," Jordyn said, laughing. The winners paid for dessert after the game.

Sarah gave a thumbs-up. "Perfect. Oh, here's Danni now."

They smiled as Danni strode over with bowling shoes in her hand.

"Hi Danni. How was your holiday?" Kelly asked.

"Awesome. The wedding went well, and it was really nice to have a few days off."

"Great. And are you ready to win at bowling, partner?"

"Sure am. Let's get started!" Danni raised her hand for a high-five from Kelly.

"Any chance we could use those gutter covers?" Sarah asked.

"No handicaps. And I think you have to be under the age of seven to use them," Kelly said wryly.

"Too bad. That would really help my game."

They took turns bowling and laughed at Kelly's "strike dance." Every time she scored a strike, she raised her arms and wiggled her hips. They saw it a lot. And when Jordyn and Sarah each scored their lone strikes, they mimicked the dance and came back to the bench to hip-bump.

When they finished playing, they returned their bowling shoes and wandered over to the attached café. It was tucked behind the bowling lanes and separated by soundproof glass. It meant they could watch the activity in the bowling lanes without hearing the rhythmic crash of pins. The café had half a dozen tables, each with a cheerful gingham tablecloth and a small white vase of artificial daisies.

Bibb's was a family business, and one of their sons, who'd trained as a pastry chef, had recently returned to Clarington. As a result, the café had become known for its decadent desserts. Tonight, they offered their signature turtle pie, fresh fruit tarts, homemade ice cream, and a wide selection of herbal teas and specialty coffees.

"You should start a tab, Danni," Sarah teased her.

"The drawback of being the best bowler in the crowd. Have you noticed they don't even ask who won anymore? They just bring me the bill. Maybe I need to bowl with a better crowd."