“Perhaps everyone should have, but that doesn’t mean theywould have.” The smile on my father’s face was so tender, I found myself moved yet again. Jeez, my family was really tempting the waterworks, weren’t they? “If your dad doesn’t mind, there’s something I’d like to give you.”
Benny looked at his father, who gave him an encouraging nod. “You earned it.”
“You don’t have to,” Benny said. It was so cute how he was trying to downplay his eagerness. After all, what kid didn’t like presents? “But I would be happy to, if that’s what you want.”
“I very much do want. Just wait right here, please.”
Ben shot me a curious look.
“Should we take this cooler and put it in the car?” Nox asked.
I knew Ben could probably haul that whole thing with one arm above his head, but that wouldn’t exactly be conducive to blending in as a human, so he thanked my siblings and pressed a button on his key fob to pop the trunk.
Man, it was easy to forget there are all sorts of newfangled perks that came with current vehicles. Maybe one day I’d save up for a car like that, but the reality was that once my old lady of a vehicle died, I’d probably keep on buying used.
“Here you are,” my dad said before returning with several DVDs that I wasn’t familiar with. “My daughter happened to mention that you like dinosaurs, and this is a full miniseries that was on TV a little bit ago. It’s not exactly about prehistoric times, but rather documents the advancement and how we’ve come to understand and study everything having to do with paleontology.”
Whoa, that was a good gift. When did he have the time to go get that? Andwherehad he gotten it?
“Wicked!” Benny practically crowed as he took the DVDs with borderline reverence. “Dad, can we watch these in the car?”
“We can watch one episode on the way there,” Ben said. “But Natalie’s car doesn’t have a TV in it, remember, so the rest will have to wait for home. And we’re going to space them out, okay? No bingeing.”
“Okay! Thank you, Mr. Fischbacher. This was really nice of you.”
“You deserve it, kiddo. I hope you enjoy.”
“I will!”
Benny was already racing back to the car, waving to my siblings as they walked back to the porch. I had no doubt that the first episode would already be playing by the time I got into the car, but I really didn’t mind. Honestly, I was kind of interested in the subject matter as well.
“Should we hit the road?” Ben said.
“Definitely,” I agreed.
There were some hugs all around on my part, and handshakes for Ben, then we were on our way.
As fascinating as the first episode of the miniseries was, I passed out after fifteen minutes, completely dead to the world until Ben gently shook my shoulder.
“Hmm?” I asked, as eloquent as always.
“We’re here,” he said softly, barely audible to me over the heat vents that were pointed towards me. Sometimes, Ben seemed to forget I didn’t have enhanced hearing. “I’ve already got the cooler out, and our chairs set up in the shade. Would you like a tour, or do you wanna sit here in the warmth a little longer?”
“Is it cold?” I asked, unbuckling my seat belt and feeling lucidity start to come back to me a bit.
“I’m not really the best judge of that.”
Right.
“I’d like to see the place,” I said, before realizing that my mouth was awfully dry. “But maybe after I chug a bottle of water.”
“Good idea. The first stop will be the porta potties, so you’ll know where to go.”
“Ha, you know me so well.” I was a little surprised I didn’t have to run to the bathroom already. Maybe it was the snacks,maybe it was the copious amount of drinks, but something about being on a road trip made my bladder demand attention.
“I’d like to think that I do.”
There was a weight in Ben’s words, but I didn’t feel the need to comment on it. Instead, I kissed his cheek and took his hand when he offered it to me. Did I need his help to get out of the car? No. But it made me feel like a princess, so I didn’t mind it at all.
