As Much as You {completed}

Ezra: 20.

                “Look,” Ezra sighed as they pulled up outside the front gate of his house, “just say we went out for the day. You dragged me out.”

                “That makes me look like the bad one.”

                “They’ll understand.” Ezra replied, a slight bitterness to his tone. “Seriously.”

                It didn’t take much convincing, and Carmen sighed, looking out of the window. “Fine.” She grumbled. “But if they guess, I am not defending you.”

                “That’s fine,” Ezra replied. “But don’t be the first to rat me out.”

                “Only if you don’t kidnap me again.”

                “It wasn’t really kidnapping.”

                Carmen looked at Ezra, her lips pursed and her eyebrows raised.

                “Okay, it was,” Ezra rushed to say. “But don’t let them know I drove. Please! Especially considering this isn’t their car.” 

                Carmen frowned. She looked at Ezra, who was biting his lip, and swallowed the lump that was in her throat. She wondered why he didn’t want his parents to know. Surely if the boy had gotten behind the wheel of a car for the first time in five years then his parents would want to know. They’d be proud of him. So why did he want to keep it a secret?

                “Fine,” she replied. Maybe keeping secrets was just a part of the new him. Carmen didn’t, and wouldn’t, know. 

                The smallest smile cracked out onto Ezra’s lips. “Thank you.”

                Astounded, Carmen felt a blush come to her cheeks. She dipped her head to hide it. “That’s OK.” She replied. Grabbing her things, she got out of the car as Ezra reversed into an empty space.

                Carmen opened the gate and headed up the pathway to the Sparks’ house. As soon as she was in view from everyone in the kitchen, Guilia bundled out of the door, worry appearing all over her face.

                “Oh my goodness,” she breathed. “I woke up early to make you breakfast before going to work but then I found your room empty, and then Ezra’s too, and Vincent was going on about something that you’d taken the car and left in the middle of the night, and I was so worried. I went to work hoping you’d come back but when I got back from Truro you still weren’t home and I was getting worried. Ezra wasn’t answering his phone and a woman called Gretchen has been ringing every hour on the hour to see if you’re home yet because she wants to be kept in the loop about your whereabouts.” Guilia let out a long huff of air after that monologue. “I was so worried,” she admitted.

                Guilt washed over Carmen and she smiled meekly. “I’m sorry. I just… I thought…” she could hear Ezra walking up behind her, and Guilia’s eyes snapped to him. Suddenly, she looked cross, as if she was about to blame him as soon as he was in ear shot. “I thought I’d take Ezra out for the day; see if we got on away from Cornwall, you know?”

                Guilia’s eyes widened. “Oh, lovely. Well, that’s OK then.”

                Ezra passed, and Carmen caught him rolling his eyes. He was right, after all, they wouldn’t mind if Carmen said it was her idea. Biting her lip, Carmen followed the pair inside the house, only to be greeted by Peter and Vincent, who were at the table eating.