Lucky Coincidence // Stuart Twombly

XIX

The taxi came to a halt and Nick and Lara stepped out. A frown made its way onto her face as she realised where they had ended up. A retirement home. The place swarmed of elderly people and Lara had trouble connecting the dots in her head. Why would Billy be here?

But there he was, standing in the middle of a group of elders. "Billy!" Nick called and the tall man turned around. 

Confusion was one emotion that showed up on his face, the other was a slight hint of anger and irritation. "Nick? Lara? What are you doing here?" he asked. 

"I can ask you the same thing," Lara told him, walking over to where he stood. Her heels clicked on the surface of the driveway. She stood across from Billy with her arms folded. 

Another man joined them. He was about Billy and Nick's age and he had his arms wrapped around two elderly women who both looked very charmed. "Billy!" he exclaimed. "Ethel and Doris here told me that they're up for a little group play." He hintingly raised his eyebrows at Billy and Lara couldn't help but feel completely grossed out. "Can I count you in?" He not so subtly nodded and basically commanded Billy to say yes. 

"What the shit?" Nick asked the question Lara was asking herself over and over. 

"I'm sorry, Randy. This is my old partner, Nick, and my old boss, Lara," Billy introduced them. "This is my new partner, Randy." 

Randy had a toothpick in the corner of his mouth that moved every time he spoke. "Welcome to the jungle, I say," he told Nick. "What do you say? Can I count you in?" he then asked Billy, sending him a wink. 

"Can I get a second?" Billy asked Randy, completely ignoring his question. 

"No problem," Randy said.

"What are you guys doing?" Billy asked Nick and Lara.

"What are we doing? What the hell are you doing?" Lara asked him. 

"I'm a salesman, Lara, this is what I do best," he stated stubbornly. 

"Yeah, well, I remember another guy who was selling some things, like mattresses, but in walks this Bohemen. Big guy. Big mouth. Big dream, and he made this old son of a gun remember that there are still some dreams floating around out there. It's not too late, you just gotta reach out and grab 'em," Nick told Billy, using references Lara didn't understand.

"Dammit, Nick, I reached for my dreams. Why don't you just leave me alone?" the tall man asked irritatedly. "I messed it up for everybody." 

"Billy, you forgot to click a button," Lara jumped in. "You're not a computer wizard, we know that by now. But I also know that you are not a wimp. You're tougher than most, dare I say all, of the interns I've encountered this year. You grew up in a time when there weren't any computers so how can we expect you to know everything about them?" 

"Exactly!" Nick exclaimed, pointing at Lara. "Billy, we grew up in the seventies. Remember what that was like? We didn't have computers or bike helmets or sunscreens or seatbelts. Did you wear a seatbelt?" 

Billy thought for a second before stating, "No." 

"What was your seatbelt?" 

"My mom would go like this." Billy stretched out his arm as if he were holding back someone. 

Nick copied his stance. "Yeah, your mom would go like this. And how did that work out?" 

"I went through the windshield," Billy answered as if it were no big deal. 

"89 stitches which made you look like a little badass all of third grade," Nick stated. "And were you afraid to go back into that station wagon?" He didn't wait for an answer as he continued. "Nah. You took that very same car five years later without permission from nobody. Not your parents. Not old man Law. It was just you and Sally Moran. Parked in the middle of nowhere, working on your night moves. You didn't even know if you were doing it right." 

By this point, Lara was more confused than ever, but it was working somehow. Or so she thought. 

"Where are you going with this?" Billy asked. 

Lara decided to answer. "I think Nick's comparing life to that station wagon, Billy. You're gonna be thrown through some windshields but it's your duty to get back in that car and drive to where you want to go. You might get some more stitches or even get your heart broken, but every once in a while, you get rewarded for it," Lara stated. "You came to Google for a reason, just like I and all the other interns did. I can't promise that you're going to win, but you have a damn good chance." She paused, letting her words sink in. She straightened her back and pointed a warning finger at Billy. "So you're going back there and you're going to see it through because that's what Billy McMahon does." 

Billy opened his mouth, presumably to argue, but Lara beat him to it. "I don't want any more wimpy talk. You're getting your ass back in that station wagon and ride it all the way back to Google where you're gonna show them that you can't be messed with," she told him sternly. 

"But what if it's too late?" Billy asked. 

"It's never too late, Billy. You still have a pretty decent chance at winning if you get to it right away," she said. 

"What's this challenge anyway?" he asked her. 

A grin made its way onto her lips. "Sales." 

"Sales? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he asked. 

"Because I wanted you to come back because of the team, not the challenge. Those guys need you more than anything. I don't know the others very well, but I know Stuart, and I know that he is the most awkward person when it comes to presentations and conversations, so you have to get your ass over there right now to keep them from messing this thing up," she said. 

"What do you say, buddy?" Nick asked his friend. 

Billy sighed, dropping his head. "On one condition," he told Lara. 

"What condition?" She asked him. 

"You won't call me a wimp ever again. Like, what even does it mean?" he asked and she let out a laugh. 

"It means pussy, doofus," she giggled. 

"Use American words!" He exclaimed with a laugh. "No one knows what doofus means." 

She shrugged. "That's why it's so funny." 

Randy came over to the group. "Yo, Billy, we have to get to work. Ethel and Doris are waiting." His eye fell on Lara. "You're welcome to join, as well." He wiggled his eyebrows and Lara took a step back. 

"Sorry, pal, but she's taken," Nick told him. 

"I won't tell him if you won't, amirite?" Randy continued. 

"Not interested, but thanks for the offer, I suppose," Lara stated. 

"Oh, you're British?" He asked, pleasant surprise lacing his words. 

"I am, and where I'm from, it's not every decent to ask a woman for a... what did you call it? A group play?" she told him, straightening her back and staring him down with a certain coolness in her eyes which she had learned over the years of diminishment by men. 

"I was only offering, baby. Your loss, not mine." Randy held up his hands. 

"It's definitely your loss because she's great. We are leaving," Nick stated. "You coming, Billy?" 

"Yeah, I'm coming. Randy, I have to go," Billy told Randy.

"What?" 

"My dreams are waiting. Sorry, man." 

Randy sighed. "Alright. Will I see you later?" 

"Probably not," Billy stated, patting the man on the shoulder.