Page 34 of Lilly's Little Labor Day

“Sure does. I need out of here!”

“Count me in,” Betty said. “And I have the perfect getaway plan. Mina, go up the rocket. We’ll give you a minute. This way you’ll have… uh, what do they call it? Plausible deniability?”

Mina nodded and hurried away.

A few seconds later, Lilly and Betty stole a glance at Nanny J.

“She’s not paying too much attention,” Betty said. “Now. Follow me.”

They crept along and to anyone watching, probably looked just like Littles scurrying along a playground, eager to move on to the next toy. Master Derek and Edward were still deep in conversation. So, no one stopped them they climbed aboard the golf cart Master Derek had just pulled up in.

“Uh, shouldn’t we at least go for Nanny J’s?” Lilly said.

“Doesn’t matter. The outcome will be the same,” Betty said from behind the wheel. She swiveled her head to look at her frightened passenger, smiling devilishly as she said, “They have to catch us first.”

And with that, they were off.

“Hey! Where are you two going?” Master Derek asked loudly as he jogged toward the fleeing cart.

Nanny J was on her feet, too, hurrying toward the runaway vehicle.

It was no use. Betty had the pedal to the floor and the vehicle was surprisingly fast. They zoomed away from the playground and straight toward a grove of nearby trees.

“Are you gonna turn the wheel?” Lilly asked frantically, jabbing a finger at the upcoming obstacles.

“Relax,” Betty said with a dismissive wave. “I know what I’m doing.”

“I’d prefer you keep both hands on the wheel!” Lilly shouted.

Lilly shifted on the bench seat until she could see behind them. She winced. Even Edward had joined in the chase. Despite her grim situation—as she would surely have her bottom reddened—she couldn’t help but smile. Seeing the rich, suave CEO chasing a runaway golf cart was quite funny.

It would be funnier if it wasn’t her in said golf cart, but there wasn’t anything she could do about that now. She’d made her bed and she’d have to lie in it. No matter how badly it stung her bottom.

She turned back around just as they zipped down a small hill.

“Whoa!” She grabbed one of the metal bars that ran from the body to the vehicle’s roof and held on tightly.

“Don’t worry. There’s a path here. I’ve run through these trees a bunch,” Betty said.

Lilly wondered just how many times her new friend had done something like this.

Betty turned the wheel slightly and soon they were on a narrow path that split the grove in half. The gravel beneath them crunched loudly as the tires continued to roll. Dips had the Littles bouncing and flying up several times. Tree branches and leaves slapped the cart’s roof loudly. There were several twists and turns but Betty handled them all with precision.

That is, until they rocketed out of the grove. She took one last turn but didn’t realize just how close the river was.

Turns out, it was extremely close.

Too close.

“I can’t stop in time! Bail out!” Betty yelled.

The women dove from their respective sides. They hit the ground rolling.

“Oof!” Lilly said as some of the air left her body.

She came to a stop two feet from the river’s banks. Betty did, too.

The golf cart, though, was not so lucky. It hit the water with a splash, sat there a moment like a boat waiting to take off, but then began to sink with a loud gurgle.

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