Expect The Unexpected

Chapter 5

I see Dad looking into the rearview mirror nonstop, making eye contact with me.

Like he's making sure I'm still there.

Mom keeps turning around too and smiling when she sees me.

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We drove for two hours, and we went shopping and loaded the back of the truck, and I kept trying to pay, but Dad and Mom kept saying no, this is well overdue.

We asked what happened to them and they said that Geoffrey killed himself. They called the police when they found the body and then they left.

We're in the back of the car and it's ten thirty at night and I feel so safe and cozy, and I'm so tired, I can hardly keep my eyes open, but I don't have anywhere to rest my head.

MR. NOLE'S POV

I'm so happy to be free and to have Elizabeth back.

She's my little girl.

I look in the rearview mirror and see her fast asleep on Ben's shoulder.

I just want to get to know her.

We're all quiet the whole ride home.

The music is off, and the only sound is the truck.

Everyone is awake when we get home, except for Elizabeth. We all start getting out.

ELIZABETH'S POV

"Break, break, break!" Dad says.

I slam on the far right petal.

"That's the gas!" Dad shouts, frantic.

I slam on the middle petal. The tires squeal, and the truck lurches to a stop, shutters, and then shuts off.

I hit the steering wheel.

"I don't want to learn." I tell Dad. "I hate driving."

He's teaching me today. It's been a week of me being back home. We were setting up my bedroom, and now he's teaching me to drive.

The bumper of my truck is a mere inch from a person.

The person looks so startled.

Dad gets out and I do too.

"Sorry, Mr. Sanchez."

It's the shoe store owner, and his wife and two twin daughters, they're young, like four.

"What's going on, Stephen?" he asks.

Everyone is so used to seeing me and Mom and Dad around again. It's like we never left, only, I'm much older.

"I'm teaching my daughter to drive." Dad says.

"And I'm terrible, you can drive home."

"No, you need to learn the hard way. I'm not driving again until you're a perfect driver."

I sigh, but give in. We say goodbye to the Sanchez's and get back in the truck.

"Aright, remember, push the clutch in, press the break, start the car, and don't let the clutch out."

I do as he says.

The truck starts.

"Put it in reverse."

I do.

"Slowly let out the clutch and touch the gas when the car starts to move backwards."

I slowly let out the clutch and slam down on the gas when the car starts to move.