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I changed into the black knit dress with a gold zipper up the back and smoothed the cabled material down over the white underwear I’d put on. I slid the strappy heels onto my feet and stood up carefully. I’d practiced in them but hadn’t had them for long, so I still wasn’t too sure about them.
I left the cubicle and went out to the mirror where I applied eye makeup and my lipstick. Then, I put my hair up in a thick bun, pulled out a few tendrils, and looked at myself. I didn’t look like a young girl anymore, I looked like a woman. I knew it was all makeup and artifice, but it was me under all of that. With a final swipe at a smudge below my bottom lip, I left the bathroom.
I made my way to the car rental stand with care. I could stand up, walk, and get around in the shoes, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable. I took out my paperwork when the client in front of me was done and smiled at the young woman behind the desk.
“Hi, I’m Nicolette Howell, I should have a car ready?” I didn’t know what else to say, so I handed the woman the papers.
She smiled, typed something into her computer and frowned. “Hmm.”
“What?” I asked my nerves already on edge. I was so close to the moment of truth I thought I’d collapse at any moment.
“I can’t find that reservation. Let me check…,” she didn’t say anything else, she just kept typing. After a few minutes, and a lot of clicking she looked up at me. “I’m really sorry…”
“What? What’s wrong?” I stared at her, my heart beating a rapid rhythm in my chest.
“Somehow, it looks like your reservation was moved.” She looked doubtful, but that must be what the screen said. “I found your reservation, but we had a glitch last week and we keep finding these reservations that have been changed to next year.”
“And?” I didn’t care what the problem was, I wanted to know what the solution was.
“Well, since you made the reservation and have the record, we have to honor it. The problem is, all the small cars are gone. We only have the luxury cars left.” She looked behind her, at my dumbstruck face, then behind her again. “Let me go talk to my boss and I’ll be right back. We’ll sort this out for you, I promise.”
“I hope so. I have a very important meeting to get to.” I wanted to tap my foot as I waited, but I was afraid I’d fall over. The heels were thin little wisps of nothing down there on my feet, and the heel itself was a thin strip. I didn’t want to put too much pressure on it.
“I’ve got a car for you, Miss Howell.”
“Okay.” I perked up a little.
“Have you ever driven an electric car before?” she asked as she began to type frantically into the computer again.
“No, but is it that different?” I wondered if it was going to be a tiny little Prius or something. I didn’t care, at this point, so long as it drove.
“Not really.” She turned to a printer where papers were busy spitting out and turned back to me. “Okay, this car is a little more expensive, but because this is an error on our end, we’re upgrading you for free. I just need you to sign a few more papers than usual, and we’ll have you on your way.”
I could feel my anxiety rising as I signed paper after paper. I think I signed my life, and first-born child away to these people, but at last, the woman smiled, handed me a set of keys, and told me where to find the car.
“Thanks,” I said and walked out of the doors at the front of the stand. I looked around, completely lost, but noticed all the rows had colors and numbers.
I looked for orange row and bay 15 and found it after I wandered for a few minutes. The car I found in that spot wasn’t the car I’d expected at all. It was a luxurious red Tesla! I clicked the button she’d given me with the keys and the car unlocked.
I took a few minutes to appreciate the car before I turned the car on. A screen came on in the console and asked me if I wanted to do a tutorial. I decided it was probably best. I learned how to charge the car, how to operate the various systems in the car, and then asked it to take me to the hotel.
I followed the directions and soon found myself at the hotel’s parking lot. Up there, at the very top, four boys, men I reminded myself, not boys, waited for me. For Amanda. I turned the car off, checked my makeup, added lipstick, and then grabbed my handbag. I’d get the other bag later if they didn’t kick me out.
