Rio parked in front of Nicholas's school and waited. Two weeks later, the situation with Nicholas had improved almost entirely. He didn't love Ralph, but he had become pleasant, just like he was before Ralph became his... stepfather.
Nicholas tapped twice on the window, and Rio snapped out of her distraction. In truth, she hadn't slept very well... but she promised to pick him up, and she would honor that promise.
"Is it true that you're going to see my birthday present this week? "the boy couldn't contain the happiness and excitement that filled his body.
Rio wanted it to be a surprise.
"Your mom didn't approve the piano, buddy. You better choose something else.." She started the car, and Nicholas leaned back in his seat. He wasn't upset because he knew Rio.
"Oh... then I want a McDonald's snack."
"Think of something that's real, Nicholas!"
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Rio parked the car in front of Agatha's garden. Nicholas jumped out and Agatha appeared. Rio stayed in the car but waited.
"He wants a Christmas McDonald's snack. Are you happy? You suffocated an artist!" Rio's tone was falsely serious.
"Stop it! What time are we going?" Agatha had given in. After hearing Nicholas talk about the piano at Rio's house, she wanted to ease her son's anguish.
"Fine, he would have a piano. But if he really wanted to learn, he would do it on his own."
It was a silly condition, considering Rio called herself a beautiful musician. How much more time would she spend at Agatha's house now that Nicholas would have the instrument?
"Now. Get in there." The car doors unlocked, and Agatha noticed that this car was different. But something stood out in her mind.
"Explain to me who, in their right mind, is going to evaluate a piano at eleven in the morning?" she said, genuinely confused.
"The piano is custom-made. That's why I had to find a good luthier. So we're not doing this in New York. We're taking a quick trip to Pennsylvania." Rio had some lesser-known facets.
Generally, she was Rio Vidal, the badass from Vogue. Editor-in-chief. The one who instilled fear.
But with Agatha, she was like putty in her hands.
Vidal smiled like a mischievous child when she finally revealed that the luthier was in Pennsylvania. Agatha didn't appreciate this lack of information very much.
"Do you really think I'm going to spend—I don't know—four hours in this car for a piano?" Agatha leaned against Rio's window.
Rio flashed a wide smile and pressed the accelerator while the car was still stopped to provoke the sound of the engine.
"I want to test my new car. — She continued smiling and pressed the accelerator again.
The car in question was an all-black Jaguar I-Pace.
"I can go from zero to sixty miles per hour in less than five seconds, besides we won't take long. " Rio tilted her head to the side, trying to convince Agatha.
" You do realize we have a child to raise, right? I hope you're not planning on using those for five seconds."
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Although Rio had her funny moments, she didn't really think about what a four-hour journey with just her and Agatha in a car meant. When the journey reached an hour or so, she began to think about whether she should say something or keep quiet.
But if she said something, would Agatha talk? If she didn't say anything, would Agatha think it was bad? She felt the steering wheel become slippery as her hand began to sweat ridiculously.
"You know," Agatha started to break the silence. "It's recommended that you let someone else do some of the driving when the journey is long." Rio looked away, a little relieved.
It was as if Agatha was inside Rio's mind and knew what she was thinking. Or was Agatha just as nervous?
Agatha was stripped inside the car. She narrowly missed putting her feet up on the dashboard. But nothing stopped her from crossing her legs on the passenger seat. The seat was reclined back a little too. And Rio didn't stop her at any point.
"You just want to experience how horny this car is. I'm not falling for it." Rio looked forward again, holding the steering wheel tightly in her hands.
Agatha laughed, shook her head and leaned against the closed window, focusing on the road. But she had a point, Rio looked tired and driving for four hours without intervention could be dangerous.
"Seriously, you learn that in driving school. I'd say that if we were to have an accident now, it would be an adverse condition caused by the driver, who in this case is stubborn as hell." Agatha replied. "Or an adverse weather condition caused by the rain that's about to fall."
As they left New York behind, the sky seemed to darken and close in.
In fact, it didn't take long for heavy rain to fall. It was like night.
"Did you happen to look at the weather forecast today?" asked Agatha, already knowing the answer that would come.
Thick drops came down on the windows and the other cars didn't seem to move. In fact, they were stopped on the way out of town because of an accident further on.
"Of course not," Rio replied calmly.
"Some things never change... we're going to be stuck." Agatha accepted her inevitable end of the day.
"Are you in a hurry?"
They looked at each other.
Only the light from the car in front was illuminating that moment.
"We can't leave our son with Wanda forever," Agatha tried to explain but then Rio's laughter invaded the atmosphere.
"We're almost there. We won't be long." If only the car would go...
"Especially since stopping off in another city doesn't take long, does it?" Agatha remained incredulous.
"Hey, we want our boy to be happy." Rio calmed her voice and sighed slightly.
"Happiness far away, huh?"
"Happy happiness." Rio smiled broadly, completely without shame.
"Hurry up with that car." Agatha crossed her arms and pretended, or tried to pretend, that she wasn't laughing.
"Hot car, please. And I could've had someone check it, I know. But I like to do things for him." Rio replied with a warm heart, knowing that Nicholas would be happy.
The car drove for a little while, very little. Just long enough for them to take one of the branches off the main road. Agatha's silent glances at Rio went on and on. Rio didn't notice any. She was too preoccupied realizing that the road was bad.
She slowed down and still the car swerved sideways.
At one point, something that was definitely a hole appeared, causing the rear right wheel to get stuck.
"Damn." Rio accelerated and the car went forward a little. But it didn't get out of the hole.
The engine's roar was really good to hear. Not in this situation, of course. But it was impressive.The hazard lights were activated as a precaution and desperation.
