Page 97 of His Loyal Rebel

"Uh, yeah. Probably. They have the gates closed."

"Let's go out there."

"It's like ten o'clock at night." Tracy blew out her breath. "Rick wouldn't want me to—"

"Tell him we want to go outside. He can come with us." More determined the more she talked, she led Tracy out to the hallway and stopped. "Go get him."

"Wait here for me. I don't want you to go out there without us."

"I won't." She waited until Tracy walked into the other room and then paced.

Nervous energy filled her. She had to do something. If she couldn't help Whip, she needed to do something for herself.

Tracy returned with Rick. She shuddered under the glare she received from Tracy's husband until she realized he wasn't angry at her for interrupting his night, but his growing concern for his wife tended to make him surly.

"What's this about?" Rick looked at her without dipping his chin.

Not to be cowered into changing her mind, she started walking toward the back door. "We just want to go in the alley."

She pushed through the door. The darkness lit by the streetlight at the end of the long, narrow space gave her hope. It wasn't good to stay shut up in the clubhouse for hours, knowing she couldn't leave and afraid of what was beyond the gates.

Goosebumps appeared on her arms as the night air settled around her. The late hour only compressed on her worries that Whip should've been back by now.

"What are we going to do?" Tracy rubbed her bare arms.

"Run." She turned and smiled. "I'll race you."

"Like run-run?" Tracy frowned. "In a foot race?"

That's exactly what they needed. They both were walking around in a fog. Hit with the reality that they couldn't do anything but wait, she needed to do something. They both needed to do something.

She grabbed Tracy's hand and pulled her to the end of the alley. Looking over her shoulder, she glanced at Rick. "Are you joining us?"

Rick shook his head. She shrugged. Knowing he was anxious over how Tracy was handling everything, she decided not to press him. He'd done enough by letting them come outside.

At the gate, she stopped and turned around. There was a good one hundred and fifty feet between the two gates and all the empty space they needed.

She planted one foot in front of the other and leaned over, bracing her hands above her knee. "We'll race past Rick. The first one to touch the gate at the other end wins."

"I'm not a runner." Tracy's embarrassed laugh filled the night. "I haven't run since P.E. in high school."

Twyla looked at her. "What was that? A year ago?"

Tracy snorted. "Longer than that."

"Put everything you have into it. You run after those kids all day long. You're in better shape than I am." Twyla looked forward, narrowed her eyes, and said, "On your mark. Get set. Go!"

She burst forward, instantly realizing how awkward and stiff she'd become through the night. Her legs moved as if held down by extra weight. Her chest pounded, shocking her heart. She panted, trying to gain enough air. Pumping her arms, her muscles burned.

Without Whip, she was dying inside. Running, struggling, fighting for each step, each breath, each movement, showed her that she was alive and fighting for him to come back to her.

The soles of her Reebok's slapped the ground. Tracy, keeping pace, pushed her forward. Within yards of the gate, she kept going.

The more she ran, the more hope filled her.

She ran straight into the gate, catching herself, holding on to the metal bars to keep from falling. Tracy met the barrier beside her. Twyla sagged, out of breath, lightheaded, and sobbed in joy. She looked at Whip's sister and met her wild gaze. Understanding passed between them, and they fell into each other's arms, holding on to the optimism spilling forth.

"He's coming back," she whispered.