Thank You? ~ A Photostory

It was a normal Wednesday afternoon...

Claire was on Pinterest...

Charlie was playing with Jack...

and Taryn was, well...

"OK. Seriously, Taryn? What are you doing?!" Claire said in frustration.

"Yeah. I've been wondering the same thing!" Charlie chimed.

Taryn spun around and shouted, "You guys don't even recognize the practice for my favorite sport?!"

"No. What sport is it?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Oh, come on!" Taryn cried, "I've been talking about it for weeks!"

"Um, yeah. But, we still don't know what you're talking about so could you tell us again?" Claire suggested.

"No." Taryn answered, "You'll just laugh at me."

"Maybe we could guess." Charlie mused.

"Sure. Um, is it a rhythmic thing or a stamina thing?"  Claire asked.

"It's rhythmic, if you must know." Taryn replied, haughtily.

Charlie gasped. "Are you going to be a cheer leader?! That would be so cool! We could do it together and..."

"NO, I"M NOT GOING TO BE A CHEER LEADER!" Taryn cried, outraged.

"Just tell us then!" Claire countered.

"No." Taryn said, biding her anger and going back to what she was doing.

"I won't laugh at you." Charlie said.

"Me neither!" Claire echoed.

"Still not going to tell you." Taryn said, without pausing.

"Come on!" Claire prodded, giving Taryn a playful shove.
But Claire may have pushed a little harder than she meant to.

Taryn lost her balance and fell.

"Taryn!" Charlie cried, "Are you OK?"

All Claire could do was stand and stare.
"Oops."

Before Charlie could help her up Taryn said something that neither of the others could understand.

"I'm sorry. What was that?" Claire asked cupping a hand around her ear.

"I'm taking figure skating." Taryn said again as she sat up.

"Wait, wait, wait. You mean that you, the girl who thinks dancing and cheer-leading are too girly, are taking figure skating!?" Claire asked, suppressing her giggles.

"I told you you'd laugh." Taryn said, self-consciously.

"Well, I think it's cool you're taking figure skating." Charlie said encouragingly. 

"Uh, yeah. Cool." Claire said turning back to her bed.

"Wait! Claire?" Taryn said, jumping up.

"What?" Claire groaned.

"Um, I'm not on the skate team ... yet. My try-outs are this Friday evening. I was wondering if you... um, wanted to come?" Taryn mumbled.

"I'll um, think about." Claire said, walking away quickly.
"What about supper with my friends?" Claire thought as she remembered the plans she and her friends had for Friday night. 

"I thought so." Taryn sighed.

"I'll come to your try-outs!" Charlie chirped.
"Thanks." Taryn answered halfheartedly.

Later that evening...

Charlie and Claire were watching 'Full House' on Netflix, when the TV screen went blank.

"No!" Claire cried, "I have to find out who DJ kissed! Where is the remote?!"

"Um, is this what you're looking for?" Taryn asked pulling it out from under herself. The batteries were no where to be seen.

"Taryn!" Claire shouted.

The next morning...

Claire sat at the table surveying her breakfast.
"Ah. Tasty tasty eggs." Claire sighed, happily.

Taryn was walking past the table, reciting her routine in her head...and didn't see the chair in front of her.

Taryn tripped on the chair bumping the table and knocking Claire over.

"Oops. Sorry." Taryn apologized.

"Taryn." Claire growled from the floor.

And so the days went on with disaster..

after disaster.

Until, Friday afternoon, when Taryn was at practice.

Claire held her head as the headache she had gained during the last three days throbbed on.

"Hey, can I have one of those ice packs?" Claire asked Charlie, wincing as she talked.

"Sorry, this is the last one." Charlie answered, holing it to her swollen leg, "We've got through twelve in the last three days!"

Claire plopped down on the ground beside Charlie.
"Crazy week, am I right?" Claire asked.

"Claire, Taryn's try-outs are tonight." Charlie said, changing the subject.

"Yeah, so?" Claire asked in confusion.

"So, in two hours Taryn is going to come home and get her skates, and go to her try-out and she'll expect us to come. So are you coming?" Charlie asked.

"What! You want me to go!? I wouldn't be surprised if the ice rink collapsed when she started! She is a disaster! I don't want to go!" Claire shouted in a rush of words.

" Well, I'm going...and I think Taryn would appreciate it if you came too." Charlie said quietly.

"Oh. Um, I'll have to think about it." Claire said. 
She would have to chose between her plans and her sister.

30 minutes until the Try-Outs...

Charlie set Taryn's skate bag on the table.
The bag had Taryn's special recital skates in it.

Claire sat on her bed, absently stroking her kittens.
"What should I do?" She thought.

"So, Claire. Have you thought about what I said?" Charlie asked.

"Um, yeah. I think I've decided to-" Claire was interrupted by the door flying open.

Taryn marched into the room and shouted, "Charlie! Do you have my skates?"

"Yes, right here." Charlie answered, holding up the bag.

"Claire?" Taryn said, turning to face Claire, "Are you coming?"

"Um, ah.." Claire stuttered, turning to look at Charlie who gave her a pleading smile.

Claire sighed.
"Yeah, I'm coming."
She expected Taryn to say 'Thank you' or 'Awesome' or 'Wow! You're the best sister ever'.

But instead, Taryn gave a nod and said, "OK, just make sure you wear something nice. I don't want you to embarrass me."

Claire made a little unintelligible sound of mixed frustration and surprise.
"E-embarrass y-y-you!" Claire was able to say.

"Yes." Taryn confirmed as she hung her bag on her shoulder, "And do your hair, it looks terrible."

  
"Come to think of it, doesn't your hair look a bit messy?" Charlie asked cautiously.

"No! I forgot!" Taryn cried as she crashed down in front of Charlie.
"Do it! Please!" Taryn shouted.

"Um, OK. What style?" Charlie asked as she took out Taryn's braid.
"I don't know! Just do it fast!" Taryn screeched.
"Claire! Can you get me some hair elastics?!" Charlie said, urgently.

"You want me to get stuff for her?!' Claire cried, obviously outraged, "Did you hear what she-"
"Claire!" Charlie said, with a warning look.

"Here." Claire said grudgingly.
"Hurry up!" Taryn cried.

The second Charlie said she was finished, Taryn jumped up and raced to the door.

When she reached the door she paused and turned.
"Guys?" She asked.

Claire smiled  in relief. Taryn  hadn't forgotten to say thank you after all.
"Yes?" Claire replied eagerly.

"Don't be late!" Taryn said, and with that she flew out the door and her footsteps echoed down the hall.

"Aauurrgghh!" Claire cried, "I can't believe her! I'm giving up my plans, and she says 'Don't be late'!"

"It's OK." Charlie said comfortingly, "We'll go to the try-outs and then-"

"No!" Claire shouted, tearing her hand away from Charlie's, "I'm not going!"

"But, but, y-you just told Taryn you were going to come." Charlie stuttered.
"I've changed my mind." Claire said resolutely.

Charlie sighed.
"Alright, I'm going to go with Taryn to make sure she's OK." 

Charlie got to the door and stopped.
"Claire?" She said without turning, "Please reconsider." and with that she left.

Once  the other were gone, Claire leaned back in her chair to check Instagram, but the image of Taryn running out the door.
Until she noticed something missing in the picture.

"No." Claire said as her gaze snapped towards the table were Claire saw exactly what she didn't want to see.

Taryn purple skate bag lay on the floor.
"Oh no!"Claire said as she snatched up the bag.

Claire opened the bag, hoping that Taryn had taken her skates out already, but the flash of metal proved otherwise. 

"Oh great. What now?" Claire thought.

She ran to her bed and grabbed her phone to call Taryn's cell.
"Pick up, pick up, pick up!"

Taryn's phone went straight to message.
Claire shook her phone in frustration.

"Wait," Claire said calming herself down, "what do I care? I should actually go just to see Taryn's face when she realizes she forgot them!" As soon as she had the thought she felt guilty...but Taryn did deserve it, right?

She looked over at the bag.
She knew what she wanted to do... and she knew what she should do... but what would she do?

At the Rink...

Taryn stood on the edge of the rink and sobbed while Charlie tried to comfort her.

"It's OK. I can, um, go get them!" Charlie suggested.

"No," Taryn cried, "There isn't enough time!"

Then Taryn's face lit up.
"I'll ask Claire to bring them in the car!" she said excitedly.

"Um, well, Claire isn't coming so..." Charlie finished in a sigh.

"What?! What do you mean she isn't coming?!" Taryn asked in surprise.

"Taryn, she was going to have supper with her friends tonight. She canceled just so she could come, and you didn't say thank you. In fact, you were really rude." Charlie said quietly.

"Oh, um, yeah. I guess I was rude to her." Taryn said, scratching her head awkwardly, "Well, I guess I should tell the coach I'm dropping out."

Taryn and Charlie jumped up and down trying to get the coaches attention, but she was to busy to notice them.

"Oh, It's no use." Taryn sighed, "I'll have to go out on the ice and announce it once it's my turn. Oh! I should have been nicer to Claire. I'm so sorry! And I'm sorry I was rude to you too, Charlie."

Charlie hugged Taryn tight.
"I'm sure Claire will forgive you." Charlie said.

Just then someone on the PA system announced, "Taryn Brady. Will Taryn Brady please come to center ice."

"Well, here I go." Taryn whispered.

Charlie gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

As Taryn walked away, Charlie shouted, "I forgive you too."

Calmly, Taryn walked to the middle of the rink.
"Um, hi. I'm Taryn."

 "Uh, I forgot my skates at home so, um, I won't be participating."
Cheers echoed from the other competitors.

As her tears began to flow, Taryn began to walk back towards Charlie.
When something stopped her.

"What?" Taryn asked as she turned again.

"Taryn!" Claire called again, "I'm here!"

"W-wha-" Taryn stammered in surprise.

"Catch!" Claire called tossing the bag to Taryn.

The bag landed at Taryn's feet and quick as lightning she pulled her skates out and put them on.
Claire ran and grabbed the bag then ran to stand by Charlie.

"What are you doing here?" Charlie asked Claire as she ran up.

"I'm just here to show my sister I'm proud of her." Claire replied.
Then, as the music began, they turned their attention back to Taryn.

And Taryn began.

As Taryn skidded to a halt, cheers erupted from ever corner of the rink.

Taryn walked back toward the other girls, excitement plain on her face.

  
Charlie and Claire didn't give her time to say anything before they wrapped her in a hug.

"Claire," Taryn said after a minute, "Thank you."

"For what?" Claire asked.

"For bringing my skates." Taryn answered.

"Well, if you didn't have your skates you wouldn't have made the team, then you never would have stopped practicing." Charlie chipped in.

"Um, you guys do realize that now I'm on the team I'll practice more right?"

The End