The Pitch

Night went and dawn came. The rain softened to a drip.

Zed blinked his eyes awake. On the couch again. He tried to turn and found Betty tucked against his side. One arm draped possessively across his chest. Behind him, Alice had shifted. Her back was still pressed to his, but her head was turned. Watching him.

-Good morning.

Betty stirred. A drowsy smile.

-Good morning.

She nuzzled closer. Alice didn't turn.

-Was the bed upstairs too big?

-Yeah. Felt too... empty.

Betty squeezed his hand under the blanket.

-We missed you. Both of us.

Zed sat up. The air was cool.

-Saturday morning.

Alice stretched. A soft groan.

-No storm to blame today.

-I don't have much breakfast. I can make coffee.

Betty brightened.

-Coffee sounds perfect. With a little cream, if you have it. And sugar.

Alice sat up. Messy hair. Sharp eyes.

-Black. No sugar.

Alice smirked at her sister.

-Sweet for the sweet, bitter for the bitter.

Zed went to the kitchen to make coffee. He found some crackers and spreads. He brought everything out.

-What are your plans for the weekend?

Betty sighed. She held her mug with both hands.

-We were supposed to go to a gallery opening tonight. Same crowd as the party.

-Pretentious posers, Alice scoffed. You’d hate it.

-So you can't go?

-Showing up alone after getting stranded last night? Humiliating.

Zed looked at them.

-I assumed you were students?

-Final year. Art history, Betty said. Political science, she continued, pointing to Alice. Because someone has to fix the world.

Alice scoffed.

-And you?

-History major. Graduated three years ago.

Betty’s eyes lit up.

-Living inside a story?

-I work in sales now.

Alice set her mug down.

-Sales. So you’re good at convincing people to buy things they don’t need?

-Nobody really needs anything, Alice.

She chuckled.

-Don’t use my own cynicism against me.

-Your performance yesterday might've been the best door to door sales I've ever seen.

Betty laughed. Alice shook her head.

-I didn't even know you were selling anything.

Alice leaned forward. Her voice dropped.

-Oh, I'm always selling something. Just depends if you're buying.

-As a salesman, I'll never say no to a pitch.

Alice’s eyes gleamed.

-The pitch? Staying. Right here. Tonight.

She didn't blink.

-No gallery. Just us.

-And the catch?

-The catch is you have to admit you want us here. No take-backs. You ask, we stay.

Betty held her breath. She looked at Zed. Waiting.

Zed smiled.

-Yeah. Ok. That's fair. I admit I want you here.

Alice’s expression faltered. Then she smirked. Satisfied.

-Good. No take-backs.

Betty let out a sigh of relief. She reached out and squeezed Zed's hand.

-Thank you. We, we really want to be here, too.

Alice watched the exchange. She lifted her mug to hide a smile.

-Don't get sappy.

Zed squeezed Betty's hand back. He looked at Alice. She didn't look away.

The rain had stopped. They were just getting started.