Parallel (Travelers Series Book 1)

Parallel (Chapter 16)

Chapter Sixteen
Pool Party

After last night’s revelations, I only end up getting about four hours sleep, so needless to say, I’m a bit of a wreck when Jaime shows up to pick me up for school. I still haven’t heard back from the Mini dealership, so I have to rely on Jaime for a ride, now that she has her driving privileges back. Her parents finally gave in and she’s no longer grounded. I’m in the middle of picking at the eggs benedict Maggie has prepared for me.

“You look like hell,” Jaime says, helping herself to breakfast.

Now I know why Aunt Maggie spends so much time in the kitchen. Someone must have appointed her the responsibility of feeding all the neighborhood kids.

“Gee, thanks.” I sop up the remaining hollandaise sauce with the last piece of my English muffin and pop it in my mouth.

“Seriously, what’d you do? Stay up all night? And why wasn’t I invited?” Jaime pours so much hollandaise on her plate you can’t even see the rest of the dish. It’s absolutely gluttonous. I wonder how she manages to stay so thin.

I should really take a cue from my own journal and give her a break. She is a little spoiled, but I know she has my back in any fight. I peek over at my aunt. “You could say I stayed up. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

“Right and I’m sure the visitor you had yesterday morning doesn’t have anything to do with it. Tall dark and handsome can do that to a girl. Don’t forget you promised to introduce us.”

I made no such promise, but I let it slide. “No, it’s not that. I just stayed up late watching TV when I couldn’t fall asleep.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Aunt Maggie just nurses her coffee and shoots me a wink, allowing my little white lie. It’s nice being able to share my secret with someone that isn’t Cooper. My aunt may not have all the answers, but I know I can count on her to help me figure things out as they come.

My feelings are so mixed, I’m not sure who knows what at this point and what other secrets are possibly being kept from me. I know I can trust Jaime, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to disclose what’s really going on with me. So for now, I want to keep my conversation with my aunt close to the vest.

“Etta, I almost forgot to tell you. While you were upstairs getting dressed, I got a call from the dealership. Your car is ready,” my aunt informs me. “If we hurry, we can go pick it up before school, then you can drive yourself.”

“Awesome.” Jaime sounds more excited than I do. “I’m going with. I love riding around in your car.”

Yes! Finally, I’ll be able to roam around town without having to rely on anyone. I clear my plate in the sink and meet my aunt at the front door with Jaime trailing right behind me.

The Mini dealership is only minutes away from the house and I’m so stoked to be picking up my car, you’d think I’m being presented with it for the first time. Then I remember this is the first time I’d be behind the wheel of my very own car and I get excited all over again.

My aunt accompanies me over to the reception desk. I sign the appropriate paperwork as she pays the bill. Then all three of us wait outside as they bring my car around the front of the building. As soon as I lay eyes on it, I instinctively know I had picked the car out myself. The dark green Mini convertible is exactly the kind of car I would have chosen. I run my hand along the slick shiny hood and wonder for the millionth time how I ended up in this world.