AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I dropped the girls off at the kindergarten and waved them goodbye before heading to the end of the block to drop Ethan off at the middle school.
"Thank you, Mr. Anthony," he said politely as he got out of the car. I couldn't help but smile. Boys and how they tried to be cool at this age were amusing.
"Bye, buddy," I said and drove off to work.
I was immediately reminded of the task at hand—driving Laura on a business trip. My mind kept conjuring up thoughts about the events that had unfolded between us over the past few weeks, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I had really messed up. But the choices and their consequences were endless. I couldn't just choose one without the consequences costing me, and the thought of having to spend the better part of two days alone with her was overwhelming.
I knew that I needed to talk to her about what had happened and how I was feeling, but I didn't know how to broach the subject without making things worse. I had been so caught up in my own concerns that I had never called or texted her back properly.
I arrived at the boss’s mansion and made my way over to the garage area to check the car before the long drive. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. I needed to focus on the task at hand. I popped the hood and checked the oil and other basic fluid levels. I also checked the air pressure in the tires, including the spare. Finally, I opened the driver's side door and looked over the front seats and floor, making sure they were clean and comfortable.
After I was satisfied that the car was road worthy, I closed the driver’s door and leaned against the side of the car, taking another deep breath. The thought of spending so much time with Laura was daunting, but I knew that I needed to face my fears and confront the situation head-on.
She wasn't hard to talk to, I reassured myself. I really hoped that I would not get short of words when was time to explain myself. I had decided that I really wanted to take things slow with her. I needed to play it safe, especially for the sake of my job and my daughter. I wanted to get to know her as a friend. And I intended to create memories with her on this trip.
As I waited for Laura to arrive, I felt a great sense of anticipation. I didn't know what the day would hold, but I knew it would be a long one.
I had been sitting in the garage for quite some time when I started hearing a faint argument erupting from the other end of the wall. The wall separating the garage from the main house was thick, but the voices were loud enough to make a few things out. On the opposite side of the wall was the boss's study, a place I had never been to. I had always imagined it to be a pit of hell where the devil himself resided, but Laura had convinced me otherwise. I overheard the soft murmur of a conversation between a father and daughter.
I had always possessed an acute sense of hearing. I could pick up the slightest whisper, even at a sizable distance. I sat there in my car, as still as possible, straining my ears to catch every word that was being spoken.
"That's not necessary, Dad. Why do I need two of your men following me around? It's suffocating," Laura's voice was barely audible, but I could make out every word.
"Look, Laura, not everything is your decision. I only…" The boss's voice trailed off, and I couldn't hear the rest of his sentence. He must have moved away from the side of the room closest to the wall.
"I don't care, Dad. I just don't want two people following me around. It's just a work trip. And doing that will only bring more attention to me," Laura spoke with a tinge of annoyance in her voice.
I strained my ears to listen in, but everything that was being said now came out muffled. I couldn't make sense of it.
No one would ever like having their privacy invaded and being followed around all the time. I agreed with her on that, but I doubted her father would let her live an ordinary life out there. It was clear that he was a man who wanted to keep a tight grip on his family, even if it meant limiting their choices.
I leaned back in my seat, took a deep breath, and gazed out the car window at the surrounding scenery. The sky was a deep shade of blue, and the sun was high in the sky, bringing out the bright colors of the landscape. The breeze was warm, with a faint scent of pine and woodsmoke lingering in the air.
As I sat there lost in my thoughts, I heard the sound of Laura's voice floating towards me on the breeze. She was chatting with the guys outside on the front lawn, her voice carrying into the garage through the open car window. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but I could tell she was agitated.
I watched as she made her way toward the car, her footsteps crunching on the path that led to the garage. I backed the car out onto the long driveway, and she looked up and saw me waiting in the car, the engine humming softly and the windows rolled down.
As she approached, I popped the trunk and went around to open her door and take care of her suitcase. She climbed into the passenger seat quietly.
We sat there in silence for a few moments, the only sound being the hum of the engine and the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze. I stole a glance at her from the corner of my eye, taking in the way her hair fell in soft waves around her face and the way the shining sun lit up her features.
I knew that this was a crucial moment—the first step in reconciling with Laura. The tension between us was palpable as we sat in the car. I gazed out the window, trying to muster the courage to initiate a conversation. The landscape outside was barren, and the silence in the car was deafening. Finally, I decided to take the plunge.
With a deep breath, I cleared my throat and turned to her with a forced smile. "So, where are we headed?" I asked, hoping to break the ice.
Laura's piercing gaze met mine as if she were pondering our destination.
"The store at the end of the road," she replied coolly, turning back to stare out the window. I hesitated, unsure of what to make of her cryptic response, but did as she requested.
When we pulled up to the convenience store, Laura climbed out of the car without a word.
"I'll be back," she muttered, striding purposefully towards the store.
I watched her go, feeling a sense of unease settle over me. Was she just going to pick up snacks for the journey? Or was she planning something else entirely? At that moment, a familiar black sedan pulled into the parking space beside me.
Minutes ticked by as I sat in the car, scrolling through my phone to distract myself. Finally, Laura emerged from the store, her arms laden with bottles of wine. My eyebrows shot up in surprise—wine? Really?
My confusion must have been evident on my face because Laura responded, "What?"
