She leaves once the food has been replenished, and I'm no longer in the mood to celebrate America's birthday.
Amelia's Honda is being blocked by a few cars that decided to park in the driveway illegally. She hasn't left, so the other option would be her room.
Her door is open an inch, and I knock lightly on it before poking my head in.
"Oh, hi!" She shuts her laptop with purpose and sets it next to her on the bed.
"What are you doing up here? Watching porn?"
"Ew, gross, you think I'd do that with a bunch of people outside my window?"
"Who knows, you shut that with such tenacity, what else could it be?"
"I was shopping for clothes I can't afford. What areyoudoing up here?"
"I got bored."
"And you're not used to that by now?"
My lips spread apart, and her eyes are fixated on my mouth.
"Wanna go for a drive with me?" I ask.
"Sure."
I open the garage once we are buckled in.
She notices all the parked cars blocking our exit. "Looks like we won't be able to fit."
"I've been in tighter spots, hang on."
Putting my right hand on the back of Amelia's chair, I turn my head and put the car in reverse. She's flushed at the double entendre, and I turn the wheel with accuracy. I would rather get run over by Bruce's Ford Explorer than damage my Mustang.
"Theo, Theo, careful!"
"I see it."
My side mirror, while infinitely smaller than the standard ones on cars nowadays, is a millimeter away from scraping along someone's Mercedes.
A neighbor pops up from the side yard. "Where are you two off to?"
"That's the guy that fell in the pool years ago," Amelia mumbles as she rolls down her window and cranes her neck out. "Going on a drive."
He stumbles to the driver side and runs his hand along the hood.
"This is one good looking car you have."
"Thanks." I wonder if Amelia can smell the alcohol on his breath from her seat.
"How fast have you taken her?"
He's referring to my car like she's a woman, and normally I'd be annoyed, but I want to end this conversation.
"I've gone about 120?" I surmise.
"120? Woooooie! That is fast. Y'all be careful now, ya hear?"
"Yes sir," I respond, as though he's a police officer pulling us over.
