The Lost Queen -Book 1- Alden

1. Smoke Break

     "Are we there yet?" "How much longer?" "She's on my side!" "I'm not touching you!"  I love my niece and nephew but being stuck in the car with them for a half hour is pure torture.  I really wouldn't wish this on anyone.  All they do is scream and yell about anything. "He's breathing my air!" Ok that one was kind of funny.

My sister is in the passenger seat with her face stuck to her phone.  She is laughing quietly about something.

"Doesn't all the yelling get to you?" I ask.

"Sometimes, but I'm more concerned if they stop yelling.  I know they are ok if they're making noise, silence scares the hell out of me though."  She sighs and shakes a bit like a chill goes threw her.

"GET OUT OF MY SPACE!"

"I could really use a smoke right now."  I say as calmly as I can.

"You can't smoke with the kids in the car! Besides, we're almost there, I think you can make it to the mall." Jess yells at me, over all the screaming.  

She's right, I can make it.  They are only in town for 1 more night.  Her husband had to leave for a work trip so she came with the rug rats to visit the family.   They are staying with me in my small apartment.  It's a squish but we make it work.  I only have 1 guest room but it has a king bed in it.  She said the 3 of them could fit in it. And apparently they can, because this will be the 4th night of it.  

I only heard her complain about it once.  On the second day, I guess she woke up with a foot in her mouth.  She wasn't very happy and I don't think I helped the situation any by laughing at her.  I still find it funny.  I can't help but start to laugh again.

"What's so funny?" she asks, giving me a weird look.

"The foot."  As I say it, I just bust out laughing.

I get a dirty look and an eye roll for that.

She wanted to grab something from some store in the mall before she went home.  She told me what it was, but I really wasn't listening.  So here we are, on our way to the mall with two kids in tow.  They are so loud.  I'll just turn on the radio.

"Let it go, let it go" OMG NO!!!  It's to late, the three of them are already singing at the tops of their lungs.  "I can't hold it back any more."  We can't get to the mall fast enough.  I am about to lose my mind.  I should have just let her drove my car but I am trying to be a good brother and uncle.  Trying to get a few extra minutes of time with them before they leave tomorrow.  I really am regretting this decision.

About the time the song ends we pull into the parking lot.  Convenient I know.  I just need to find a parking spot.  I already have the cigarette in my mouth and I'm half out the door when I finally get the car into park.  I dive out and make a run for the nearest bench.  I now claim this as my smoking bench and my plan is to chain smoke here for a bit.  My sister walks by with the kids and just smiles and laughs at me.  After I get a couple smokes in, I'll go find them.  I want to get the kids each a new toy or candy or something.  Maybe a book.  It doesn't really matter what they get, I just want them to be able to say they got a souvenir from their trip.  They really are good kids.

I get to enjoy the silence for about 60 seconds when two school busses full of kids pull up.  "Great" I mutter under my breath.  I am far enough away from the kids that I don't worry about putting my cigarette out.  But that doesn't stop any of the teachers or chaperones from giving me dirty looks.  After they all make it in the mall, one of the teachers runs back out and tries to inhale a smoke in 1 puff.  It is quite funny, not that I blame her, I only had 2 kids in the car, I couldn't imagine an entire bus load of them.  I would probably be trying to smoke 3 at once right now.