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“A Chevrolet Spark,” the girl behind the counter replies. Squinting up at him, she frowns and says, “You’ll just fit.”
Aiden cringes.
“On the upside, you’ll fit into any parking space,” she announces, trying to find something positive.
“That will not do,” a man on the counter next to us yells. “How am I going to fit five people and all our luggage into a tiny ass car?”
“I’m sorry, sir, but it’s all we have available. Perhaps you could hire two cars?” the rental car girl proposes. “Are you insane? My wife has a broken arm,” he points at his wife’s plastered up arm. Given her pained expression, it must be a recent injury… unless her husband’s outburst put the sour look on her face.
Behind her are three kids; two overweight tween boys and a skinny girl about eight years old. I wouldn’t want to be her, stuck in between her brothers in the backseat of a sardine tin rental.
“And my children aren’t old enough to drive. He’s fourteen, for heaven’s sake,” the man continues his tirade. Okay, so one of the boys is a teenager; he obviously hasn’t had his growth spurt yet.
“Sir, please don’t raise your voice at me. This is all I have left. If I had a bigger car, I would give it to you, but I don’t.”
“Where are you heading?” Aiden asks the man.
What is he doing? He’s not going to offer one or more of them a lift, is he?
“Atlanta,” the man replies.
Oh no.
The guy is like an average Joe, in his early forties, with a little beer belly and thinning hair.
“We’re heading there too. Can we help you in some way?” I stare at Aiden in disbelief.
What the heck?
If we have to take anyone, I vote for the mother.
“We could take some of your luggage? We only have a small car too, but our backseat is completely empty.”
Oh… luggage. That’s a much better idea. Why didn’t I think of that.
“That’s so kind of you,” the mother gushes. Mr. Average Joe contemplates the offer, eyeing us up and down and must deem us trustworthy. He holds out his hand to Aiden, shaking it when he takes it. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”
Aiden and Average Joe, whose name actually is Joe, talk about the arrangements and once we collect the keys, we all make our way to the parking garage.
Aiden holds the key in the air and clicks the unlock button. The lights on a small green car flash, and we walk over.
I stare at it for a moment. I don’t think I’ve ever driven such a tiny car. Even my first car was bigger than this, not by much, but at least it had four doors. This one only has two.
Average Joe and one of his sons push a luggage cart each, and both carts are fully loaded. There’s no way we can fit much of this in our car. I count five large suitcases, three carry-ons, and numerous small shopping bags. I’m not sure where they’ve been, but they sure aren’t light travelers. This isn’t going to fit. They will have to sit with bags on their laps.
We open both doors on our car and move the seats forward, so we can squeeze Average Joe’s luggage onto the backseat. It’s like fitting Tetris pieces together; though, I have to say I prefer playing that game on my phone. Real life Tetris is hard work.
While the guys are occupied, I put Aiden’s and my bag into the trunk. There’s room for one more, and I pick up one of their carry-ons to fill the space.
As I lift it off the luggage cart, Sue, Joe’s wife, stands abruptly, raising a hand to stop me but then thinks better of it, straightening her hair instead.
Okay… what’s in this bag?
Chapter Six
Ella
Suelooksatthebag and then at me.
