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“Uh-huh.” I bit down on my tongue before I could say anything else.
Blinking up at me, she said, “Have I told you that you look handsome today? Plaid is your color.” She reached out and stroked the rolled up end of my shirt by my elbow.
“Willow.”
“Please, Dean?” She begged, crossing her hands together and holding them beneath her chin. She even jutted out her bottom lip for good measure.
“Alright, fine.” I tossed my hands in the air and made my way to the opposite side of the car to sit in the passenger seat.
I was a sucker.
“Thank you!” Willow cried, leaning over to quickly wrap her arms around my neck. “You’re the best!” She smacked a loud kiss against my cheek.
“Just don’t hurt my car or get us killed.”
“Your faith in me is astounding.” She smiled, completely unfazed.
“Alright, Tiger, listen carefully to what I say.”
She nodded and mimed zipping her lips.
“Your clutch is on the far left and you use it when you’re moving up or down from one gear to another. You got that?” I asked her. She nodded so I continued. “Neutral isn’t a gear,” I pointed, “second gear is where it’s at.” I let her soak in that bit of information. “Now, turn off the car.”
“What? No! I want to drive!”
I chuckled. “I know. But turn it off so we can go through the gears and then we’ll try actually moving.”
“Oh.” She shut off the car and put the keys in her lap. Sitting up straight, she said, “I’m ready.”
She grew quiet as I began to instruct her again and took her hand to guide her through each gear.
“That’s not so bad,” she said, seeming relieved.
I chuckled. She had no idea.
“Wait ‘til we start the car and then let me know if you still feel the same.”
There was a little bit of fear back in her eyes.
“Now, put the car in neutral before you start it.”
She did as I said and then sat quietly, waiting for my next instructions.
“The clutch is what allows you to move gears easily, so never forget to press on the clutch or the car will sound like it’s dying.”
She looked a little scared at that, but I continued on.
After another ten or so minutes of instructions Willow sat there with a determined look in her eyes.
“I’ve got this,” she said.
“Let’s see what you can do.” I leaned back in the seat and rested my arm on the door.
We were still in the gas station parking lot, but thankfully the road leading back out to the highway wasn’t a busy one.
I stayed quiet and let Willow work through everything I’d told her. I knew she wouldn’t want me to repeat myself now. She’d want to do this on her own.
She went to move the gearshift and there was an awful grinding sound.
