Maggie

forty

I am going to die and my daughter will be at fault.

"Maggie!" I slam my hand on the wheel, steering it away from the pole in the parking lot. The car jerks forward nearly sending us through the window before abruptly braking. My hearts hammering in my chest and it takes everything in me not to throw up.

Thank god we are wealthy because the day my daughter gets on a busy road is the day some innocent pedestrian will meet their end. I will have her driven around for the rest of her life if it means she never has to get in front of the wheel again.

"That was your fault." She sasses as she puts the car in park. I love my daughter. She's funny and sweet. Her smile brightens my life. But from the day she's come to live with me to sitting right here, in a car she almost crashed, I have grown older. My skins wrinkling and my hair is turning grey. Not literally but she definitely is making me feel old.

"Do you really want to drive?"

"Yes."

"No."

"What do you mean no?" She scoffs.

"You almost killed me." I state calmly as if I didn't almost see the light.

"Oh cut the dramatics Leonardo. I am not that bad."

"I love you, and I support everything you do. I think you're the smartest person ever. But, even some of the smartest people should not drive." She scoffs as she shifts the gears into drive. "No no no." I squeeze my eyes shut. Clutching the handle above the window as I prepare for impact. It is like if a toddler was driving. Pure fear would be anyone in the vehicles reaction.

"Should I do doughnuts?" She gasps making my eyes snap open.

"No!"

"You are no f — oh my god!" She cuts herself off as she brakes so fast I probably got whiplash. I need to get out of this car. She is going to kill me. I slowly open my eyes and there I see the culprit of our abrupt stop.

A squirrel with two acorns shoved in its mouth.

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