Standing By

Performing On New Year's Eve

(Tim)

Smith's eyes moved from each of us in turn, starting with Adam and Kevin, then to Avi, over Kirstie, and Scott, and Mitch, the two of which where holding on to each other, to me, to Austin, over Chance and Rob, and back to Avi.  "How possible do you think this may be?"

    Avi closed his eyes painstakingly.  "I don't know.  For all I know, I may just be involved in a major car accident in a week.  I just know her track record.  I know how she is.  She's my sister; I've lived with her for over half my life.

    "I guess... maybe... could be a car accident?" Kirstie mumbled doubtfully.

    Adam wasn't having that though.  "The current and active issue is tonight's show.  That is my immediate concern.  The scenario that I just described may be extreme, but it is possible."

    "Let's get through tonight and then go from there," Kevin agreed.

    "Tell us a little more about this Linda person, Tim," Smith requested seriously.

    I decided now would be a phenomenal time for my anxiety medicine and slid the bottle out of my pocket, toying with it for a minute as I described my mother-in-law.  "Well, she's... she and Dale have been married all of Jenika's life.  Still are.  Works at a software company, has been for over twenty years.  She is smart.  She can be condescending.  Her and my relationship is, ah..."  I paused, considering.  "She wasn't my favorite person in the world, but she isn't terrible.  If I had a choice between being in a locked room with her, Jenika, or Dale, I'd pick her."

    "Mark," Chance reminded me.  "You have a choice to be with her, Jenika, Dale, or Mark.  Who do you pick?"

    "Linda," I said immediately.  "Dale and Mark are—can be—in your face violent.  Jenika, as a whole, isn't violent, but can be pushed over the edge.  Linda is a porcupine and won't touch you, but will verbally assault you and cut you down."

    " 'less she's trying to run someone over with a car," Austin remarked, slapping at his phone. "Look at 'em faster, dude!"

    "Yeah," I muttered, rubbing at my face.

"What?" Rob shot Austin a weird look, but he just shook his head at him.

    Adam pressed two fists to his eyeballs.  "We can't risk it.  And honestly..."  He let his sentence drop.

    "Honestly what?" Rob prompted.

    Slowly, he removed one fist from his right eye.  "Chris said something about a man."

    "Elliott researched that," I told him.  "Elliott said it was rented to Linda.  And that came from the car rental place."

    "He said there was a man, Tim!" Adam protested.

    "He also said that it was dark," Rob said softly.  "And he wasn't sure."

    "He may have even mis-seen something, or saw a reflection," I commented.

    "He knows what he saw, Tim!"  Adam was getting defensive.  "He's perfectly observant!  And a reflection isn't gonna change sex!"

    "Adam—," I started.

    He threw his hands up.  "He's got twenty/twenty vision, he's got keen senses, and he's well-aware of his surroundings!  His survival skills are stronger than all of ours combined, believe me!  You haven't seen him threatened or backed to a wall!  If it wasn't for his instinct to jump in the bush, it'd have been a damn car that finally killed him after everything!  Trust me!"  Adam was near tears just thinking about it.