Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3)(46)

Everyone nodded. No one looked at each other.

The banquet hall had a bunch of long, segregated tables that fit eight. On each table was a cardboard divider down the middle of the table lengthwise. It was like table tennis except the net wasn’t see-through and was going down the table instead of across.

Later they would learn that each team needed to break into pairs. One part of the pair would sit on one side, the other on the opposite. On each person’s desk space was either a picture or a bunch of wood shapes. The person with the picture was supposed to explain using only words—no hand gestures of any kind—what the picture looked like. Their partner was then supposed to create that picture using the shapes.

There would be a round for each partner to try to explain, then listen and place the shapes accordingly. Each person would cycle through until everyone had worked together. At the end of what the judge called “practice rounds,” the best pair would compete against the best pairs of the other regions.

Sean and Krista paired off first since no one wanted to work with Krista or Sean. They both figured they’d probably make it to the final round, but would follow protocol. Krista got the picture first, and then Sean took his turn. Based on the fact Sean could read Krista like a book—she hadn’t realized—he did better putting the picture together. They both did great, though. Each picture was slightly flawed or skewed in some way, but it was mostly correct. They were far better than any of the other pairs.

If that wasn’t a metaphor for their life, Krista didn’t know what was.

Krista was then pushed toward Bob. It was a mess. He wouldn’t listen to her, she couldn’t understand him. They each hated the sight of the other, so they wouldn’t meet eyes. The picture and the pattern didn’t resemble each other one bit. If there was a piece in the correct spot, it had been an accident.

Totally his fault, obviously. If only she had her lucky mug here to agree with her.

Sean and Bob didn’t do much better. In fact, not many people did well with Bob, not even Dean who was his chum. It was enlightening for more than just Sean and Krista.

Krista had the same problem with Dean as she had with Bob, and didn’t bother to finish out the time. This left her time to look at the other regions.

Most couples were having a hard time of it, based on the scowls and out of control, though illegal, hand gestures. The difference between their teams and Sean’s was that they were at least having fun. Often times the hand gestures would result in laughing and sitting on one’s hands. When the time was up, most pairs looked over the divide and broke down in laughter.

Georgie and Krista did pretty well. They weren’t as good as Krista and Sean, but they got a few things right. They didn’t joke, but they weren’t hostile. It was something they could work on.

Next for Krista was Donald. She had the picture first.

When the time started, she looked directly into Donald’s eyes, as she did everyone but that pig Bob, and was surprised when he didn’t flinch. He just waited patiently for her to start. When she did, spitting out the first description with the thorough detail for which she was known, he would look at her, tilt his head, then place the piece. He would listen to her entire explanation of the next piece, tilt his head, then place it. They didn’t get three pieces on the board when the time was up, but what they did get was exact. No difference between picture and actual pieces. No skew. Life-like representation!

Krista was faced with a horrible realization—Donald’s thought process was similar to her own. She had always thought of him as part robot, and now they seemed to both speak the same language. Which meant…

She didn’t even want to think about it. It wasn’t pretty. She just hoped no one else realized it.

They switched roles. Krista understood Donald’s explanations easily. He was so methodical and organized that whatever he said made perfect sense. Krista could actually see what he was saying in her mind. Like he was drawing a map. The problem was, he needed to give the whole explanation before he could move on. It was a time waster because Krista didn’t often need even half the cues.

When the time came to choose a pair, it was unanimous. Krista and Donald were it, much to Sean’s dismay. He really wanted to work with her. He wanted the two of them to lead his team to victory like the foolish romantic he was. He didn’t need convincing, though. He might have wanted her back, but he wanted to succeed more.

Which had always been the problem.

Donald and Krista, two misfits, took their places. The competing table closest was two old-timers from Texas. New York was beyond them. About half the tables had VPs in the mix. At the end of the room was Tory, standing impassive, watching the proceedings. If he noticed Krista, he gave no sign.

“Okay, everyone. Get ready, set…GO!”

“Donald, take the red stop sign and put it in the middle of your one foot by one foot square playing area. The top, bottom and sides of the stop sign should be parallel to the top, bottom and sides of your playing area.” Head tilt, piece placement. “Nod when finished please.” Nod. “Okay, next take your parallelogram. It looks like a diamond. There are two. It is the largest of the two. Place one side on the top of the stop sign so that, if it could point, it would be pointing right.” Head tilt, piece placement, nod. “Okay…”

Krista kept her eye on the time and on Donald’s cues. She could tell when he wasn’t getting something because he got a crease down the middle of his eyebrows. When she saw that crease, she altered her explanation until that crease went away. Only twice did she get a head shake instead of a nod, in which she had to explain again, using different wording. They finished with three seconds to spare.