Over time, Kelly had learned to ignore the comments and love her body for what it was. Was anyone truly ever happy with how they looked? Kelly doubted it, and, she was eternally grateful that she had all her faculties and limbs. Not everyone was as fortunate.

“This backside.” Kelly wiggled her bum on the bed “Has the perfect amount of padding for riding my motorcycle.”

“I’ve never been on a motorbike.” Lucy popped a grape into her mouth and passed the nearly barren bunch to Kelly. “Would you take me for a ride one day?”

“It would be my pleasure. In fact, I’d planned to make a trip to Wellington to visit my little sis next weekend. Wanna come?”

A worry line creased Lucy’s forehead and Kelly’s stomach churned. Had she been too presumptuous? Surely not. Lucy had said she wanted to get to know all of her and her sister was an important part of Kelly’s life.

“I think my arse would be flat as a board if I had to sit astride a bike for two hours straight. Perhaps we could start with a shorter trip.”

“Oh. yeah.” She had a good point, one Kelly hadn’t thought of. “Never mind. Perhaps you can meet Jo, my sister, some other time.”

“Hey, don’t sound so dejected. I’d love to come with you.”

“I don’t have a car.” Kelly picked up the empty platter and set it on her bedside table.

Caught up in her own misery when her bright idea had come crashing down around her ears, Kelly didn’t even consider the fact they had other options. Until Lucy spoke.

“Don’t play c…”

Biting back a smile, Kelly plucked up a pillow and wielded it in the air. “Don’t say it.”

She tossed the pillow aside, pinned Lucy to the bed, and launched into a full-on tickle attack.

Giggling, Lucy thrashed about trying to get free. “I was going to say I have a car.”

“Were not.”

Kelly kept up the torment until tears streamed down Lucy’s cheeks and she was laughing hysterically.

“Stop.”

“Never.” Kelly nipped Lucy’s neck and dug her fingers in deeper. “Take it back. I wasn’t playing coy.”

“I take it back.” Lucy’s smirked. “You were sulking.”

Kelly moved the tickling from her stomach to her ribs, upping the ante. Lucy screamed and laughed.

“Okay, okay. I take it back.”

“Say it like you mean it.” Glad she wasn’t the one on the bottom, Kelly gave Lucy an evil grin.

Thrashing about wildly, Lucy said, “Candyfloss.”

Relenting, Kelly rolled off. “Not fair. That’s not what a safe word’s for.”

With the back of her hand, Lucy wiped tears from her eyes.

Kelly stroked her cheek. “Naw, don’t cry.”

They laughed and called a truce.