That was stupid of me. So stupid. I'm a goddamn marathon runner gulping for air after an intense 50K expedition.
Why did I lure him into a trap like that? I should have known he'd see right through me.
Fuck.
That's it. I'm getting a hotel. I can't do this anymore.
As soon as I'm done with this nap, I'm looking for an Airbnb, rental property,anywhereto get me away from this temptation.
WhenImakemyway downstairs after a glorious snooze, my dad and Molly are tag-teaming the laundry on the couch.
"What are you up to today?" Molly is folding my dad's underwear, and I want to throw up.
"Nothing on the agenda. Might go for a walk—"
Theo bursts into the house like the world is ending. "Shit! Shit!"
"What's wrong?" Molly asks, and my dad opens his mouth but wisely decides to hold his tongue.
"They took the Mustang, and I left my phone on the passenger seat. I can't even call Gus back because I don't know his number."
"Go get it at the shop. Amelia, you said you didn't have plans today. Why don't you take him?"
Oh, now my father decides to talk.
Theo ignores my dad, again. "Mom, can I use your car?"
"I'm…parked…behind…them," I sputter.
"Amelia, go take your brother," my dad jokes, but oh wow did that fall flat.
The energy in the room is vacuumed out by the reality and impact of that sentence.
"He's not my brother." I try to keep my tone even in spite of the internal tornado I’m experiencing.
And because I want to vacate this scene as soon as possible, I add, "Fine, let’s go."
Lord, let me make it through this car ride without strangling him in the passenger seat.
When his door shuts and we are met with silence, I back out of the driveway.
"You know where the shop is I assume?"
"Umm, no. That's what Google is for."
"Great, can I trust you to plug in the destination?" I offer out my phone like it's a temporary white flag and we can behave for those pesky sixty minutes.
"Yes, sure, umm."
He's fumbling with the maps app and types something in the search bar but deletes it.
"You do remember the name of the business, right?"
"It'll come to me, hang on."
I'm headed toward the freeway regardless if I am going in the right direction.
"I swear," I mumble under my breath.
