Page 56 of Shattered

“Fuck! We’re being pulled over. You had to have your ass in the air, didn’t you?” He’s frowning while his eyes flash from the road to the rearview mirror.

“How did my ass get us pulled over?” My voice is high pitched and loud from being blamed for this.

“I can’t touch you, I had to look,” he says as he pulls the car to the shoulder of the road.

I want to laugh at his confession, but the seriousness of it all is muffling my amusement.

The cop taps on the window and River rolls his down.

“Do you know why I pulled you over?” he asks.

River doesn’t answer, just shrugs.

“You were speeding and driving erratically. I need your driver’s license and registration.”

“I don’t have it on me,” River answers.

I feel my mouth hang open. How do you not have your license on you?

“What’s your name and date of birth? I’ll look you up?”

River’s head leans back against the seat. “I’ll just save you some time, I don’t have a license.”

“How do you not have a license?” I yell, unable to hold it in. He’s been doing most of the fucking driving and he doesn’t have a license?

His head jerks in my direction. “I just moved from New York City. Nobody has a license!”

“Ma’am, is that alcohol?” the police officer asks.

I suddenly realize I’m still holding the open flask in my hand. “No!” I quickly answer.

He motions for the flask, but I hold it out the window, quickly pouring it out on the ground.

The police officer rushes around the car and grabs the flask from my hand. He raises it to his nose. “You know drinking in a motor vehicle is against the law, right?”

I bat my eyes at him and smile. “I had no idea.”

“Step out of the car ma’am.” He opens my door.

“Hey, wait just a minute,” River says, getting out of the car and rushing around to my side.

The cop, feeling danger, spins River around and presses him against the car. River thrashes against him, trying to explain, but the officer slaps cuffs on him and walks him back to the police car.

“I’m afraid you’re going in too,” he says while motioning for me to step out of the car. He allows me to step out on my own and I put my hands behind my back as he puts the cuffs in place.

“Can you grab my purse for me?” I ask nicely.

He takes my purse and puts it in the front seat of the police car before placing me in the backseat next to River.

He stands outside the car, talking on his radio.

“I can’t believe you don’t have a license!” I yell at River.

“I can’t believe you poured out my flask! Do you know how expensive that scotch was?” He rolls his eyes.

I shake my head, unable to believe this is where our day is heading. We’re being arrested and all he’s worried about is his scotch.

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