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“What do you think is going to happen? A discussion about who’s running for Governor?”
“Smart ass. No. I just think you’re jumping the gun.”
“Oh, really.”
“Alana isn’t like that. She’s the type that will take things slow.”
“Uh huh. Right.”
She smirks and it makes us both laugh at how wrong the other person is. Then her eyes widen momentarily and I am turned around again. The two teenagers are coming back through the slider with embarrassed smiles all over their guilty faces. But the kicker is, someone new is wearing a trace of pink lipstick. And the other one is avoiding looking my way.
Chapter 14
LEILANI
“Eight thousand? For this?”
Akoni is as shocked as I am. The used car business has taken a bad turn. Since Covid, the prices have gone into the stratosphere. The salesman with the too tight shirt looks at us with pity. That straining button exposing his tummy is about to pop.
“Supply and demand. Getting parts is not like it used to be. Makes the prices of cars that are functioning and reliable go up.”
“Crap.”
“And if you’re interested, you better jump on it. It will be gone by tonight.”
“This one doesn’t look functioning or reliable.”
I put a hand on his arm. “Doesn’t matter. It isn’t even close to what we can afford.”
“Well, if you change your mind, I’ll be here. Here’s my card.”
He is gone before we can thank him for his time. Walking away dejected has become our thing the last few days. I thought this would be easier. Even though one or two thousand would stretch my budget to the outer limits, having transportation for Akoni’s job is a given. I need my own ride for work. No bus goes to the restaurant. Uber would be out of sight expensive.
“There has to be another way,” I say, getting in my car.
He is in his head. I see it as he slides into the passenger seat and looks out the window. I pull away.
“Hey! Snap out of it! Are you getting down because we haven’t figured this out yet?”
“It just pisses me off that I have to take money from your dream to pay for mine.”
What I hear is that getting the job at Nani’s feels like a dream to him. I like that. It is the step up.
“What? My dream is not going to stop because I’m out of a couple thousand dollars. It may just take a minute longer.”
“You’re a good sister. Know that?”
I pat his leg. “I really am, right?”
He chuckles and I see the light return to his eyes.
“Maybe we need to come at this another way. We haven’t explored all our options yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, maybe some private party has a car they want to get rid of easily. No muss no fuss. An as is situation kind of thing.”
“I don’t know. I know nothing about cars, or how to fix them, Leilani. What if it doesn’t start and I can’t make my shift?”
