“Dad.It’s very distracting when you hold the ‘oh shit’ handle before I shift out of park,” Liv says from the driver’s seat of my Cadillac. “Can you chill, please? For like, thirty minutes.”
“She’s right,” Hannah pipes up from the back seat. “We need a calm environment. You look like you want to rip that handle off, and that gives the tone of nervous energy right off the bat.”
“I don’t appreciate being ganged up on,” I grumble, slowly relaxing my grip. I look down at my seat belt, checking to make sure it’s tight, and take a deep breath. “This is serious shit, everyone.”
“We’re in an open parking lot with no other cars. What do you think is going to happen?” Hannah asks, and when her eyes meet mine in the mirror, it’s easy to tell she’s trying not to laugh. It makes my lips twitch. “A meteor is going to crash into earth and we’re all going to die?”
“Yes,” I answer. “Do you not see the threats all around us?”
“Hang on.” She makes a show of leaning over the center console and looking out the dashboard. “Oh,no. Liv! Look out! There’s a crushed water bottle sixty yards away!”
“There’s also hot dog wrapper up ahead.” Liv giggles and turns on the radio, starting to blast a pop song before I reach for the dials and lower the volume. “Could be dangerous.”
“You can’t even get your permit until you’re sixteen. That’s over a year from now. Why are we rushing to get you behind the wheel?” I put a hand over my chest, positive I’m having heart palpitations. “And why is it so hot in here?”
“I think your father is panicking, Liv.” Hannah reaches for the dials on the dashboard. She switches from heat to airconditioning, and I heave a sigh of relief at the cool blast of air. “Brody? May I speak to you outside?”
“Sure. Yeah. Outside.” I open my door and unbuckle my seat belt, almost rolling to the asphalt. My knees shake when I stand, and I lean against the car when I shut the door behind me. “What’s up?”
“Are you okay?” Hannah asks. “You seem jumpy.”
“Maybe that’s because my only daughter wants to learn how to drive. That means tomorrow, she’s going off to college.” I press the heels of my palms into my eyes. “And then getting married and having her own kids.”
“I see what’s going on here.”
“What’s going on here is time is moving too fast. She just learned to walk, and now she’s driving? Where did the last?—”
“Brody.” Hannah puts her fingers around my wrist, guiding my hands away from my face. “Take a breath.”
“I was fine this morning.” A deep inhale, a long exhale. “When she asked if I would teach her to drive, I thought this would be easy. But now we’re here, and I’m?—”
“A very good father,” she says gently, letting go of my wrists. Somewhere, behind my panic and anxiety, I appreciate her discretion with PDA around Liv. That’s a conversation I’mreallynot sure how to have. “Liv is so lucky she has someone who cares about her and her safety so much. I’m not a parent. I’m not going to pretend to understand anything parent-related or tell you how to act, because that’s your domain, but as a former fourteen-year-old girl, I’m here to tell you that you can’t stop time.”
“You’d think with all my money I’d be able to find a way,” I tell her, and she smiles.
“It would be nice, wouldn’t it? I think I’m going to call an Uber and head home. This feels like an important moment foryou all, and I don’t want to overstep.” Hannah pats my chest. “Text me later? We could?—”
“Will you stay? I could use some moral support. Clearly, I’m not doing that great.” I huff out a laugh and shove my hands in my pockets. “And it’s nice to have someone call me out when I’m acting irrationally.”
“I never said anything about being irrational! Just that?—”
“I know. I’m giving you a hard time.” It’s cold as hell out here, but I smile. “I mean that in the sense of you’re not obligated to handle the absurdity that comes with being a parent, but I’m glad you’re letting me know when I’m overreacting.”
“Feels like I’m invested now.” Hannah bites her lip. “I’ll stay with you. But only because I can’t wait to see how much you panic when she gets up to ten miles an hour.”
“Brat,” I tell her. “If you’re not doing anything tonight, Liv is going to Kali’s. I’ll probably be asleep by ten, but if you want to come by and enjoy some early festivities before the ball drops, my door is open.”
“Yeah?” She steps closer. “What kind of festivities?”
“Pineapple pizza. Whiskey. Three fingers,” I murmur, and her cheeks turn bright red. “Maybe four.”
“Can’t think of a better way to ring in the new year than with good dick and good food.” Hannah opens the back door, dropping into the leather seat. “Count me in, Brody.”
I don’t let myself look too excited when I sit next to Liv again. “Okay, kid. Go from park to drive, and make sure you keep your foot on the brake when you shift gears.”
“What was it like when you learned to drive?” Liv raises her seat up and checks the mirrors before following my instructions. “Did you have to use a horse and buggy?”
“Ouch.” I groan and shake my head. “My own daughter is attacking me.”
