Before he could talk himself out of it, he pulled his phone from his pocket and took a picture of her.He wasn’t sure why he did it, but he just knew he had to.He pocketed his phone and returned to the living room, where he took the throw from the back of the couch and went back to put it over Sadie.He held his breath until he had her covered, only releasing it when she remained asleep.Mission successful, he returned to the living room.
He dropped to the couch and checked his phone to see if he had any messages.Nope.Nothing.He hit play on the remote to restart his show, letting it play in the background.He’d seen all the episodes and was only rewatching them because they kept saying the next season was coming out soon.He wouldn’t hold his breath.
While that was playing, he shot off a text to Trick to see what time school got out in case Sadie was still sleeping at that time.He figured he would let her sleep, and he would pick up Oliver.He would need to have someone to sit with her while he was gone.If she woke up alone, it might freak her out.
Trick responded, and Jed checked the time.He had a couple of hours before it let out, so he was good.He tuned back into his show, and with nothing else to do, he waited.
The next time he checked his phone, it was a little after two o’clock, and Oliver would be getting out soon.From his position on the couch, he saw the keys to Sadie’s car still on the kitchen table where he had left them earlier.He estimated he could wait another thirty minutes and have plenty of time to make it there.
Unless he took his bike home and traded it for his Camaro before he picked him up.Yeah, that’s what he would do.The kid would love a ride in his old car.To do that, he should leave soon.He pulled out his phone and texted Chris to see if he was available.He was, and he’d be up in a few minutes.Thank God.If he had to wait for someone else to get here, he wouldn’t have time to pick up his car.
While he waited for Chris to come up, he shot off another text to Trick, asking Lindsey to let the front office know Jed was picking Oliver up.He said he’d take care of it.Oddly, he didn’t question him as to why he was picking up Sadie’s nephew.
There was a knock at the door telling him Chris had arrived.“Thanks for coming.”
“No problem.I don’t have another client until 4:30.”
“Okay.So, she’s asleep in her room with a migraine.If you want to watch TV, feel free, she doesn’t mind.If she wakes up, let her know I went to pick up Oliver.”
“Okay.I can do that.See you in a few.”
Jed made good time getting to his house, where he traded his bike for his Camaro.He booked it across town and was stunned to see the number of parents lined up to pick up their children.He remembered Lindsey saying some of these fuckers started lining up at two o’clock, wanting to be first in line.He shook his head.It would seem some people never grew up.
The line moved up steadily until he was in position to pick up Oliver.The boy’s eyes were bugging out of his head as Lindsey pointed at his car and led him closer.Her stepson Keegan followed behind them, a huge smile on his face.Jed had given him a ride in it once, and the kid fell in love.He was already hitting Trick up, saying he wanted some kind of muscle car when he turned sixteen.Couldn’t blame the kid.The rumbling sound of a 427 big block engine was life-changing.
He rolled down the window when they were a few feet away.“You have bus duty today?”
“No.”Lindsey smiled as she bent at the waist to talk to him.“I just wanted to make sure Oliver didn’t have any trouble leaving with you.”
Trick was a lucky man.His woman had a smile that could put anyone at ease, and despite having just given birth to her first child with Trick, had a rocking body.She’d had one to begin with, but pregnancy had given her hips and tits a little more curve.And although he’d had those curves in his hands twice when Trick asked him to join them, she never did act like she was the least bit uncomfortable to be around him one-on-one.
“Thanks.Appreciate it.”
“Hey, Jed.When are you going to give me another ride in your car?”Keegan asked.
“Next time I have it at the clubhouse, and you’re there, I’ll give you a ride.”Keegan was a good kid.Trick had done an amazing job raising him and his sister, Reagan, despite all the crap he put up with from their mother.Last he heard, Michelle had turned her life around and was still working as a receptionist at a doctor's office and doing well now that she’d cut her sister out of her life.That was a long time coming.
Lindsey opened the car door for Oliver.He stopped and looked from the back seat to the front.
“Front seat,” he told him.Dropping his backpack to the floor, he climbed in and pulled the door closed.He watched as he held the seatbelt in his hands and frowned.“Your seatbelt is broken.”
“Here.Let me help you.”Lindsey leaned in and helped Oliver buckle up.“Is Sadie okay?”she asked.“Trick messaged that you were picking him up today.”
“She has a really bad headache.I think they’re migraines, but she says they’re not.She laid down for a few minutes and fell asleep.I didn’t want to wake her up.”His gaze went to Oliver sitting in his passenger seat.“You ready?”
“Oh my gosh, yes!”Jed chuckled at the boy’s always enthusiastic, raspy voice.A horn honked behind them, letting him know he was taking too long.
“See ya, Lindsey.Thanks for your help.See ya, Keegan.”He waved at them as he drove off.He gave it a little gas and watched Oliver’s smile grow even bigger.As it was, the kid was too short to see out the front window and barely out the side window.If he did this again, he might have to invest in a booster seat or something.At the parking lot exit, he maintained the posted speed limit until he cleared the school zone, then he romped on it a couple of times, setting Oliver off in a peal of laughter.
“So, what do you think?”
“Oh my gosh!I want one so bad!”He had his fisted hands up near his chest, vibrating with excitement.His whole face shimmered with delight.
“How was your day?”Jed asked.
“Me and my friends played freeze tag at recess.That was fun.”He stretched to see out the side window.
“That does sound like fun.Anything else?”
