Motorcycle Girl: Book Four

Chapter 13: Reckless

Odeletta

I walk over to my oldest, dropping the keys to the Cadillac Escalade in his lap. It's around five on the first Wednesday back to school. All the kids are home, with the bus dropping them off in front of the house. Dr. Grey still hasn't approved me to go back to work, and the word bored is an understatement.

I wake up to get the kids ready for school and then I sit around the house. Nathan works from nine to six, sometimes later, which means I'm home alone until the kids come home.

I haven't left the house since the 29th, which was last Wednesday. It's January third and I've been home a week. A full week.

"What are these for?" Raylen asks, peeking over the screen of his phone.

"We're going out." I say.

"You can't drive." He says, confused.

"And you have a learners permit." I clap my hands together. "So you can drive."

"I've never driven before." He says. "And you and Daddy said you weren't going to let me drive the Cadillac or the truck."

I wave him off.

"Let's go."

"All of us?" Noemie asks, her eyes wide.

"Yes."

"Mama, I'm not comfortable with this." Raylen says.

"Neither was I when I started driving. Let's go Raylen, now."

All the kids stand up. I grab my purse off the coffee table and go wandering out to the Cadillac. I get in the passenger seat as all five kids pile in the car, Raylen in the front seat.

This is wonderful. I can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

I pull my phone out and put on my seatbelt, twisting as I see all four kids put on their seatbelt. I look at Raylen and see him sitting there staring at the steering wheel, his eyebrows creased.

"Well?" I ask. "What do you do first?"

"Erm..." he shoves the key in the ignition.

"Wrong." I say. He looks at me.

"What do I do?"

"You passed the permit test. You tell me."

He frowns, and then he puts on his seatbelt. He grabs the key in the ignition and looks at me. I nod once, and he starts the car. The engine roars to life. He reaches to the side to adjust the seat, moving it where he wants it. He tests the pedals with his right foot, and then he puts his foot on the break and throws the car in reverse. We start to roll back.

"Raylen, stop the car." I say. He presses the break and we come to a steady halt.

"Yes Mama?"

"Did you adjust your mirrors? Did you open the garage door?"

"Oh right."

He puts the car in park and adjusts his mirrors, and then he presses the button on the visor. The garage door slides open and he puts the car back in reverse, twisting in his seat. He puts his left hand on the back of my seat and backs out carefully, slamming on the breaks to stop the car.

It's snowing out as he puts the car in drive and carefully pulls to the end of the driveway.

"Where are we going?" He asks.

"The mall." I say.

"All the way in Columbus?" He asks.

"Yes."