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“That is the key to you not driving us into a light pole.”
“It’s disgusting.”
“But you feel more awake now, don’t you?”
He was right. It did wake me up and clear my mind a bit more. The shock of its flavor was enough to get my adrenaline going. It tasted like I had gotten out of the car and licked the dirt on the ground in a fit of deliriousness.
I grumbled as he put in the address so we could pick up the twins. We had a long drive ahead of us to make it to regionals and I was the taxi driver for Micah, Lillian, and Hazel. We were going to meet everyone else at the competition location.
Paxon had left yesterday after school with his team since they needed to be on location early to register, warm up, and plan for their games. We just needed to be there in time for the first game that was starting at ten.
“How’s Bayley doing?” I asked while we waited for the twins to come out. They lived in a large, two-story house with a double-car garage. It was well taken care of and fit in with all the other houses on the street. Nearly cookie cutter looking.
“She’s good. She even went on a hike the other day. It’s the first hike she’d been on for way too long. I think my dad cried more than she did when we realized she was perfectly fine through the whole thing.”
“Really?” I grinned big. “That’s amazing.”
Micah’s grin said it all as his eyes glistened. “It really is, isn’t it. She has more tests just to double check, but even the doctors in the city are hopeful. This move has been a game changer for her.”
Micah swallowed hard, fighting the unshed tears as he fought back his emotions. I wanted to let him know it was okay to let it out, but the twins were coming down the sidewalk with their bags. They looked just as tired as I had been. Maybe Micah would help them wake up with the dirt in his cup.
Micah got out and let Lillian take the front seat as he crawled into the back, sitting with Hazel. I watched him in the rearview mirror, my curiosity once again peaking. I still hadn’t gotten an answer as to what was going on with him, but it seemed he and Hazel were growing really close. In that case, good for him.
It couldn’t have been easy for him to move away from all his friends and family. I was glad he was doing so well here. I knew I hadn’t been much help in his adjustment either.
“Please tell me someone has coffee,” Lillian groaned, leaning her head back against the headrest.
“Here.” Micah gave her the canister. I eyed the trap like it was going to devour me.
Lillian saw my expression. “Is he going to poison me?”
“It’ll definitely feel like it,” I said. “He calls it ‘coffee.’ ”
“Hey!” Micah called out. “It is coffee.”
I suppressed a smile. “See. He says it’s coffee.”
Lillian swallowed hard as she opened it and took a big whiff. As soon as she took in a breath, she grimaced, covered it, and passed it back to Micah.
“I don’t know what your definition of coffee is, but that isn’t it.”
“I want to try,” Hazel said. I watched through the rearview mirror as she uncapped it and gave it a smell. Her nose curled up in disgust, and she shook her head. “Never mind. That’s all yours.”
Micah seemed offended as he grabbed the canister and even took a drink. I had no idea how he could swallow that without making a face, but he did, unaffected by it.
“I’ll stop by somewhere so we can get something that won’t destroy our stomachs,” I said.
“I knew you were an angel,” Hazel said.
Once we stopped and got real coffee, I put in the directions to Paxon’s game and we headed out.
“Are you going to be fine with the long drive?” Lillian asked. “I can drive too.”
“I’m fine,” I said. “This is nothing to me.”
She made a low humming sound as she cracked open the window to let in a small breeze. “Well, let me know. I don’t mind driving.”
“She’s my better half,” Hazel said. “I hate driving.”
