ALPHABET SOUP (01)

P

is for
✧ 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ✧

"Put your left turn signal on," Tom ordered as he finished the last of his glazed donut and adjusted his shades.

"Which way's left?" Sonic slumped forward to find the turn signal switch, taking hold of it one hand while the other gripped the steering wheel tightly in front of them.

"Towards the window," chuckled Tom, one arm hung out said window and other around Sonic's waist, who was sitting in his lap.

"This way?" Sonic clicked the switch and turned the steering wheel into the second left lane of the highway as the human hummed a yes.

Tom slowed to a stop at a red lighted intersection, sitting quietly and patiently as cars drove by. Being as Sonic was a short stack and couldn't reach the pedals, Donut Lord did that while Sonic steered the car.

About a minute passed when a car pulled up beside them in the other left turn lane and with a dramatic gasp, a woman began to shout, "You're letting your toddler drive?! That's against the law!"

Tom turned to face the typical, blonde middle-aged American woman who he recognized and he groaned in annoyance, "Karen, I am the law."

Taking his eyes off the road and snickering, Sonic faced Karen as well, retorting mockingly, "Yeah, Karen! Go talk to the manager or something!"

Her jaw dropped to the floor in disgust and offense, a hand to her heart as she looked to her husband beside her for his feedback; he was busy looking on his phone to even care and she slapped him for that; Donut Lord had blanched and began to sweat.

Glaring, she faced the sheriff of Green Hills again and snarled, "How dare you let your child talk to me like that!"

"Fight me!" Sonic stuck out his tongue to the annoying woman, making Tom's face go red.

"Drive away, drive away!" he whispered quickly and stepped on the gas to get out of the situation, Sonic turning left as the light went green with approval in the nick of time.

When they were a good distance away, Sonic burst out into a fit of laughter. "What a woman!"

However, Tom had shakily sighed, "Sonic, don't ever mouth someone off like that again."

"Hey, she's a bully and I won't stand for it. I know exactly who she is. She always has complaints about everything," the cerulean hedgehog proceeded to mock the Green Hills resident, Karen, "like, 'So-and-so parked their car along my street!' or 'So-and-so took my parking space! I always park there!'—Blah blah blaaahhh. Hate that guy."

Donut Lord paused briefly, slowly down at another red light. With a sigh, he continued, "I know. That's the kind of person she is, always giving me a hard time, but doesn't mean you mouth her off—you shouldn't mouth anyone off."

"Yeah, well," mumbled Sonic as he released his grip on the steering wheel and cracked a few knuckles, "she's a bully and I don't like bullies. I don't like when people upset my friends."

The human managed a small smile, draping both arms around Sonic's waist in a slight hug as much as the seatbelt would allow.

"You should kick her out of town," Sonic promptly stated, holding the wheel again, "because all she does is upset people. Like in Animal Crossing, there's this stupid frog named Huck, right? and he totally bullied all my villagers and made Sherb cry all the time! so you know what I did, Donut Lord? I kicked him out of the game, that's what!"

Chuckling, Tom stepped on the gas again as the traffic light went green. "Well, life isn't like Animal Crossing."

Sonic snorted with a rebuttal, "It should be." He then scratched his nose, replying, "When are we gonna get there? I've been driving for ten hours now."

Tom chuckled, "It's only been..." he checked the clock on the dashboard, "...fifteen minutes. It's literally down the road. Get ready to turn right—towards shotgun."

Sonic put the right turn signal on as Donut Lord lightly pressed the brakes. The two of them turned to check oncoming traffic before going, pulling into the parking lot of the veterinary office: the place where Maddie worked!

"Park right here," Donut Lord directed in the back of the area so Sonic wouldn't cause any damage.

"I can't frickin' see," Sonic mumbled and had to turn all the way around to see the back of the truck, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "Ahh," he groaned as he went crooked by mistake. He shifted the car forward again, correcting the wheel, before returning to reverse and trying once more. When he messed up again, he got prickly and teary-eyed in his frustration.

"It's fine," soothed Tom, trying to scoot over so he wouldn't get jabbed with a quill. "You're okay. Just try again."

Sonic huffed with an uneven breath and a heated muzzle, once again pulling forward to correct the wheels before reversing into the parking space.

Tom looked out the window and nodded, squeezing Sonic in a soft hug. "See? You did it."

"It's not straight," the boy mumbled, but accepted the hug nonetheless.

"It's not crooked." Tom unbuckled the seatbelt and they exited the truck. "See? You're in between the lines and the wheels are forward." He patted the short one's head. "You did great, rookie."

Little Boy Blue smiled and put his hands on his hips, puffing out his chest. "Why, thank you, Your Highness."

Tom ruffled the fur on his head and motioned him to follow, the hedgehog staying close as they trudged through the parking lot to the office. Upon entering, Maddie was all ready and waiting for the two, standing in the lobby, still in uniform.

Sonic deeply inhaled before shouting, "Mamaaaa!" just like in "Bohemian Rhapsody" before rushing over to squeeze her leg in a tight hug.

"Hi!" She was caught a bit off-guard, smiling down at her hedgehog son, and running her fingers through his fur. She looked up to face her husband, giving him a kiss, before scooping up their cerulean child. They ventured back out to the car, Maddie talking about her day to her husband.

Sonic loudly gasped, interposing the adult conversation, getting fluffy in excitement. "You guys!" He pointed behind them to a drive-in across the street. "That place is named after me!"

The two humans turned and looked where Sonic was pointing. Maddie made a face, for she didn't like fast food, but Tom laughed.

"Forgot that place existed," he said.

"Can we go there?!" Sonic hopped excitedly in Pretzel Lady's arms, emerald eyes enormous.

"I suppose—after all, you earned it," smiled Donut Lord.

"That's right," Maddie remembered, "you had your first driving lesson today!" She kissed Sonic's fluffy face, causing him to blush.

So, to conclude their evening, the Wachowskis headed over to Sonic Drive-In for dinner, and their small, hedgehog son squealed in delight at a certain item on the menu.