A Second Chance At Life

Something I Didn't Catch

"Herpes is a serious topic, dammit," I laughed. It was so easy to joke with Ella.

"Oh trust me I know," she said, wiggling an eyebrow.

"Ew," I groaned. "I'm eating!"

As it turned out, Zaxby's wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Ella seemed to enjoy it, though, so I kept nibbling on my wings.

"I always knew northerners couldn't handle spicy. Why else would they eat jarred fish eggs?" she said, noticing my watering eyes. "You do know those are literally called wussy wings, right?"

I gave her a wry smile. "I was trying to be polite."

"You don't have to pretend to like anything if you don't," she said slowly in that smooth southern drawl of hers.

What's that supposed to mean? I thought, nibbling at the remains of my wings.

Ella pushed her hair back into a ponytail. "Are you up for something dangerous? Or is that a city girl curse word?"

• • •

"Her name is Dodgezilla," Ella said seriously, "and she's gotten me from Point A to Point B pretty well, so no jokes."

"I never said anything," I said, confused.

"You will when we hit fifty-five," she said gravely, turning onto the road leading up the mountain.

I stared at her, not quite understanding. Suddenly, I heard a loud, gravelly, screeching sound from seemingly everywhere around me. I then understood the meaning of its name.

It didn't take very long until she pulled onto the same road our church was on. I looked at her expectantly.

"I should warn you," she said ominously, slowing the truck, "you're about to hate me." She navigated the truck down a small gravel road behind the church I had never noticed before.