Endless || Jonah Marais ✓

♪ SIXTY-THREE ♪

"Callie's meeting with the lawyer isn't until this afternoon," Corbyn states, giving Aurora a questioning look. "Why are you willingly out of pyjamas before noon?"

"Because Caramel and I are going to a wedding. I was hired as the photographer," she informs the blond as she enters the kitchen. Zach opens his mouth to protest but she stops him. "No arguments, Heroin. I won the arm wrestling match fair and square."

"I still think you cheated," he grumbles, crossing his arms and sinking back into the chair.

"Anyway," Carmen interjects before Aurora can retort. "Why did you kick Jonah out of bed last night?"

"I didn't know I had," she furrows her eyebrows together, glancing around the room for him.

"Trust me, you did," a sleepy Jonah confirms, yawning widely. "You punched me in the face in your sleep and, in a really deep voice, said 'I am Batman. Batman sleeps alone'. Then you layed across the bed sideways so I had no choice but to sleep somewhere else."

"Whoops," Aurora laughs, placing a quick kiss on his cheek before linking her arm through Carmen's. "I'll bring you back some wedding cake to make up for it."

"GOODBYE, DON'T GET ARRESTED WITHOUT ME!" Corbyn yells as the front door shuts behind them.

"Isn't one of the cars in the driveway yours?" Carmen questions, claiming the passenger seat of Jonah's Corvette.

"Yep," Aurora points out the black Lexus that remains in the back corner of the driveway. "It's that one."

"Why don't you ever drive it?"

"Well, you see, Caramel," she winks before sliding Jonah's sunglasses on. "I can not legally answer that question."

××××

"Really?" Aurora snaps at the elderly woman who has repeatedly attempted to tell her she was doing it all the wrong way and how she wanted the pictures taken. "Because, as far as I know, they didn't have cameras in the Stone Age. So, please be so kind as to step back and let me do my damn job."

Crouching down, she attempt to focus in on the maid of honor while the bride, who's name she believes is Haley, chokes back her laughter.

"Excuse you, young lady, there is still time for us to fire you. I suggest you watch that tone."

"If you were going to fire me, you would've done it when I tried on her wedding dress," Aurora states. "Besides, we both know there isn't enough time for you to find somebody to replace me."

She glances around, half expecting Carmen to either reprimand or encourage her, only to remember she sent her to the next room to take pictures of the groom.

"Uh, mom," Haley says, tugging at a wrinkle in her dress to hide her ever growing smile. "Will you go check on the flower girls and make sure they're ready?"

"Of course, dear," the snarky woman's glare disappears as she faces her daughter before bustling out of the room.

Haley, along with the three of her bridesmaids, all visibly relax in relief.

"Sorry about her," she apologizes. "I'd say it's just the stress of the wedding causing her to act that way, but, she always acts that way."

"Don't worry about it," Aurora chuckles, standing up and brushing the dirt off of my jeans. "After all the soccer moms I've dealt with, she's nothing. Now, do you want me to take pictures during the reception too or-?"

"No, you've done enough already," Haley hastily cuts her off, a grateful smile on her face. "Besides, I️ sorta promised one of my nieces she could take those."

"I'll have these developed and edited in a few days. I'll let you know when they're ready and you can pay me then," Aurora explains, gathering her cameras just as her stomach growls loudly.

"You know," the bride's voice drops to a whisper, almost as though she's worried her crazy mother will hear. "Mom ordered way too much food from the caterer. All of it is in the building next door if you and that other girl would like to take some with you guys."

"Are you just trying to get a discount?" Aurora raises an eyebrow. "Because it's working if you are."

××××

"Oh my goodness," Carmen laughs disbelievingly, staring wide eyed at the backseat piled high with containers of food. "When she told you to 'help yourself', I️ don't think you were supposed to take her literally."

"Don't worry, Caramel," Aurora pats the top of her head endearingly before pulling out of the church's parking lot. "I️ held back. Besides, they still have plenty left to feed everyone. . .I'm assuming."

The girl rolls her eyes playfully, messing with the dials on the radio as Aurora speeds down the surprisingly empty stretch of highway.

"Aurora," Carmen starts warily, her gaze settling on something in the rear view mirror. "Is it just me or are red and blue lights flashing behind us?"

The older girl glances at the mirror, seeing the lights flashing behind them on the top of a police car, followed immediately by a wailing siren.

"I'm sure they're for someone else," she dismisses, readjusting Jonah's sunglasses.

"We're the only other car on this road," the girl scoffs disbelievingly. "Who else could they possibly be trying to pull over?"

"Invisible Joe?" Aurora suggests, but, nevertheless, shoulders the Corvette on the side of the road. The police car rolls to a stop behind them. Carmen stiffens from her spot in the passenger seat. "Relax, Caramel, as long as they don't run my name, we'll be fine."

A police officer, who looks far younger than one usually is, raps on the window, wearing a kind smile as she rolls it down.

"Ma'am," he begins, glancing briefly back to where his superior sits in the car. "Do you have any idea how fast you were going?"

"Apparently not fast enough," Aurora shoots back. "You caught me." The officer's eyes go wide, seemingly baffled by my blunt answer. "You must be new, I haven't seen you before."

"I'm going to need to see your-"

"License and registration?" She hands the card and papers over, already prepared.

"Yeah," he takes it confusedly. "I'll be right back, don't drive off while I scan these."

"I wouldn't dream of it," she roll my window back up as he walks away, looking at Carmen with a triumphant grin. "See? We're fine, he doesn't know who I am."

Mere seconds later, there's another tap on the window, causing her to whip my head around. The younger officer wasn't standing there. Instead, it was his superior.

"Hey, John," Aurora leans back in her seat casually. "Fancy seeing you here."

"We need to see your actual license, Aurora," he requests, holding his hand out.

"But I gave it to the new guy," she smiles innocently.

He gives her an unamused look. "I know for a fact that your name isn't Bridget Hollingsworth."

"I legally changed my name?"