THE STREETS OF KING'S BAY
"You don't have to thank me anymore.
I swear."
"I'm sorry," Andy says, trying to
manage a smile. "It's just that I'm so on edge as it is, and the last thing
I was expecting was to get a ride from a woman whose car I just ran into--"
"Wasn't exactly the New Year's Eve
I was planning, either." She turns to him with a smile that he recognizes
as quite genuine. "But hey, it's already been weird ... why not go for
the gold, right?"
Andy stares out the car window and
watching the passing scenery for a moment through the darkness. "Do you
mind if I ask why you don't seem to be doing anything extraordinary tonight?"
"This isn't extraordinary?" She flashes
him that grin again, all full, red lips.
"I mean, to celebrate New Year's."
"It's complicated," she says, refocusing
on the road as she shifts her hands on the steering wheel. "I was in town
for a business deal, and we got our signals crossed--"
"In town? Where are you from?"
"Seattle."
"Not so far away."
"Nope. Close enough that I figured
that even after all the crap I went through yesterday and today with these
clients, I could get home in time to celebrate with my family."
Andy considers inquiring about this
family, but he shoves the thought aside. First things first.
"So that's what I was up to when
you rammed into me," she continues.
"You were going home to be with your
family? I didn't realize -- I never would have accepted a ride with you
if I'd known!"
"I'm not missing much, believe me."
He waits for her to elaborate, but
she doesn't.
"Take a right here," he tells her.
She does that and then shoots him
a quick glance. "Do you mind if I ask why you seem so stressed out over
this wedding? This isn't seeming the usual pre-wedding hijinx."
"I would welcome some hijinx," Andy
sighs. He senses that Maggie -- as she reported her name -- would like
some more explanation, so he adds, "I'm trying to stop my mother from going
through with this marriage. She's making a colossal mistake."
"Don't like the guy?"
"Not much to like about him. I'm
fairly certain that he's the reason she was in a coma for weeks last spring."
"Ouch."
"Exactly. He's ... mixed up in some
terrible things, and I can't let her marry into that."
"I would think not." She looks at
him again. "So what are you gonna do, burst in and drag her out of there?"
"Left here," he indicates with a
nod at the approaching intersection. "If that's I have to do, I will."
They ride along in silence for a
few moments. "Just take this next right," he tells her.
"It's that one," he points towards
the house. There isn't any need -- the street is lined with vehicles anyway.
Maggie guides the car in behind a Lexus sedan.
"Here goes nothing," Andy says, unfastening
his seatbelt.
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