Sip by Sip

Chapter Fourteen: Odd Reasons

    The next morning she awoke with one word sitting atop her tongue.

    Friday.

    Finally, she thought with a smile. That was the motivation she needed to get up.

    She was quick out the door, nearly four thirty by the time she left. That was late, for her. Because she wouldn't see Noah for another three hours, she figured having a cup of coffee was a good idea to last her until then.

    But crossing the street in the dark, was not such a good idea. Headlights nearly blinded her, the horn blared, and she froze.

    Luckily the driver didn't. Tires screeching against the ashpalt, the taxi pulled to the side, rumbling over the curb and nearly colliding with a mailbox.

    She rushed to the driver, muttering over and over again her apologies in a voice to choked to hear.

    She helped the driver out of the car, he looked a bit dazed but otherwise wasn't harmed. She thanked the absence of a real god, and helped the man sit down.

    "Are you okay?" She asked, her voice cracking sharply.

    "Could ask the same of you," the man replied. His eyes were serious, but his tone was friendly.

    She gave a nervous laugh, and apologized once again. "I am so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going, and it was dark, and I was stupid . . . "

    Now it was his turn to laugh. "Well, at least neither you nor the car was damaged," he pointed out, looking lovingly over to his cab. "I'd say it could be worse."

    If Noah were there, he would've said, "optimists," while shaking his head in mild dibelief. He would've commented how the taxi driver and Gemma were "-of the same kind."

    She could almost hear him saying it.

    And for some odd reason, she also could almost see him pushing her out of the way of the car, out of the way of a possible demise, ready to give his life for hers.

But then again, what did she know? She had barely known him for more than a week.