Read Renewal 3 - Your Basic Swiss Family for Free Online Page B

said, drawing it out, “They say stand; I stand. They say work; I work. What do you say?”
    “I say get your ass in the truck.” Sally replied.
    “Delicate little flower like yourself, using words like that...” Terry tsked at her and shook his head. He and Bill lifted the bike into the bed of the pickup.
    Bill shook Terry’s hand and said, “Ok, remember, get on the end of the Judge’s line if you can. If shots are fired, dive in the ditch. We’ll take care of the rest.” He paused and then added, “Good luck with that,” Bill was shooting his eyes sideways towards his rebellious daughter.
    “Ok, Bill. Thanks again.” Terry said with a what-can-you-do expression. “See you in the morning.”
    Terry walked around and stepped up into the passenger seat. He fumbled a few seconds with the latch, since he had never ridden in the cab of a truck. Only in the back, as part of a crew. Sally was strapped in behind the wheel, looking almost good enough to risk losing an appendage touching her, but Terry liked having his hands, so he controlled the urge.
    She dropped the shift lever, and the truck made a clunking sound, which was immediately drowned by the sound of the engine as Sally executed a U-turn that bounced them halfway into the opposite ditch before she wheeled the truck straight and accelerated to the west.
    “Hey, we need to go back to Manchester, Sally.” Terry said, looking over his shoulder.
    “Well, we can’t just drive in on the main highway. That would be stupid, Stupid.” Sally said rolling her eyes at him. “We’ll circle around to the south, where we can sneak in. You live out by the old high school, right?”
    “I don’t know why you’re asking. I’m sure you read my dossier.”
    “I did, and I thought you’d be taller.”
    “Well, you can’t have everything.” Terry said, knowing that six-four was tall enough.
    “Which is why I’m stuck driving you around when I could be eating dinner.”
    “Yeah, I can tell you hate to drive,” he said, watching the trees whip past in a blur, and bracing his hands on the dashboard against the g-forces she was generating.
    She smiled and said, “Yeah, I ‘d even put up with you for an excuse to drive.”
    “Thanks.”
    “You’re welcome,” she said, with extra faux sweetness.
    “What’s in the bag?” Terry said, laying his hand on the cloth bag between them.
    “Oh, that’s mostly to keep you on your side of the truck.”
    “No worries there. I was just thinking about how I wouldn’t risk a finger on your side.”
    “So, you thought about it.”
    “Only for the briefest instant. You couldn’t even measure the time I thought about doing anything near your freckly body.”
    “I don’t have freckles on...” She caught herself, but a bit too late.
    Terry grinned at her.
    “Anyway, it’s your supper. I wouldn’t have brought you anything, but Mom made me do it.”
    “Well, I’ll be sure to thank her for saving me from your heard little heart, and my empty stomach.”
    “Don’t eat it all yourself. I like my men lean.”
    “Your men? How many men do you have?”
    “Oh, dozens, at least,” Sally replied waving airily.
    “That’s not what I heard.”
    Her brow furrowed, and Terry thought that was as beautiful as her smile.
    “They lie... What did you hear?”
    “I heard that they run far away when they see you coming. They hide in the barn with the scared babies.”
    “Babies can’t feed themselves you know...”
    “Why don’t you scare their mothers into the barn, then?”
    “Women are tougher. They don’t scare as easy.”
    “Ah. That explains everything.” Terry said, watching her watch the road.
    “Doesn’t it? That’s why you had my head on your shoulder and you didn’t even try to kiss me.”
    “It would be mighty hard to talk without my lips. I think I’ll keep them.”
    “Or, you were probably chicken because the whole gathering was watching our every move.”
    “That, too,” he agreed. “Just