Out of The Blue

Chapter 23

     It's total chaos inside the car with Alice arguing about how hot the heater should be, Bob explaining how it has to be on the exact spot it has always been for the past 50 years. Me over here trying to get them to calm down raising my voice higher than theirs.

     "Bob but I'm freezing over here!"

     "Alice, Alice! Don't touch the controls of my car!"

     "This is probably the best day of my life!" I exclaim ignoring the argument.

     "It's literally snowing!"

     "Ok well, it's not a big deal!" I say within the debate but really, I think Alice is right.

     "The heater is just fine; it has been set like this since I've bought it and it's good just how it is, and it will stay like that!"

     It's a nonsensical infatuation but the arguing is getting irritating. It's like this argument is making it even more cold and harder to warm up.

     "Ok y'all need to- "

     "Ooh ho ho, really? Well it's rained a lot since then, don't you think maybe it's time to modernize?!"

     "Alice, the heater stays where it's at and that's final!"

     "But I'm freezing! You can't compromise this one thing for your guests? Huh? Right Marie?"

     "I mean yes she's right- "

     "See, I'm right!"

     "Oh, I see how it is, now you're on her side eh?!"

     "Ok but Bob, come on! You have it set on the lowest level of heat," I argue, I have to admit, it's extremely cold and he's being so stubborn with keeping it at the level it's been for 50 years!

     "Second to lowest! Second to lowest! It is not the lowest, look right there!"

     "Oh my god, Bob!"

     "Yes, yes!" Bob says as we complain.

     "Do you guys not want to know what I found out about my grandfather?"

     "Look! We haven't even been able to find out what they told Marie because of you and them stupid rules for the heater!"

     "Well if you two would stop fighting over the heater maybe you could listen!"

     "Oh, so now it's my fault!"

     "Alice- "

     "If I turn on the heater any higher, I won't be able to breathe!" Bob yells.

     "What an even wonderful reaso-"

     "Alice!" I yell while having to force myself not to laugh. 

     "What!?"

     "Are you guys done?"

     "Just spit it out then, Marie!"

     "Well Alice! –"

     Now I start arguing with her and now we're all arguing about something and none of us even make sense.

     "Enough!" Bob yells raising his open hand in signal for us to stop.

     "You started it," Alice says.

     "No one's changing the heater and you," he points at me through the rear-view mirror under the red stop light, "tell us what happened already, will ya?"

     There's a brief silence from all of us and the only sound there is, is from the car's signal lights ticking for left. After a few seconds the light turns green and he turns making the ticking stop. So, I start. I explain everything.

     "Did you see how much money would be yours?" Alice asks.

     "Yes... 85,000,000 dollars."

     There's another pause of silence as their eyes widen and Alice's mouth drops. I continue to explain.

                                                                                    ~~ 

     "So, I either make the accounts with my step-parents because I'm a minor, or I wait until I'm 18," I conclude.

     "And what do you want to do?" Bob asks.

     "I want to wait until I'm 18. I don't want to risk anyone else taking something that's mine away from me again."

     "I think that would be better," Alice agrees. She hasn't bluntly said it, but I know she doesn't like my stepmom and doesn't trust her. If I'm being honest, I don't either. I caught her stealing some money from Navey's wallet a while back because she wanted to buy cigarettes. I was heading downstairs from my room when I caught her, but I didn't say anything. I just tip-toed back to my room. That's when I found out that she had fallen back to smoking again – and she kept it a secret. I found that out because I discovered the cigarettes in her purse when I was looking for my lost phone one day. That's when I was assured that I could never trust that woman.

     I'm going to wait until April to do this and then I will fulfill my plan.