Page 10 of Edge of Unbroken

“Are you guys dating?” Janie asks with an inquisitive look at her brother.

Drew chuckles. “Nah. Cat’s just a friend of mine. We’re going to give her a quick ride home if that’s alright with you guys.”

“I’m starving,” Daisy whines, drawing out the last word.

“Me, too,” Janie says. “Can we stop by Macho Burger really quick?”

“What? No way,” Drew says, his attention on the road, driving slowly so as not to aquaplane.

“Why not?” Daisy whines again. “I’m so hungry!”

“You can eat at home.” Drew slows for pedestrians jaywalking across a busy road.

“You sound like Dad,” Janie complains with a huff.

“I can’t wait until we’re home,” Daisy says. “I’m going to die before we make it there.”

Janie backs up her little sister. “Yeah, we need food right now.”

“Please, please, please,” the two sisters singsong, making me laugh out loud.

Drew groans. “Oh fine, fuck.” He quickly turns his head in my direction. “Do you mind if I stop really quick to grab those two pests some food?”

“Not at all,” I laugh. “You’re a good big brother.”

“I’m an annoyed big brother,” he says, laughing, already pulling into the drive-through of a small fast food place. “Want anything?” he asks me.

“I’m fine,” I say quickly, shaking my head.

“Okay, cheeseburger and fries for Cat it is,” he laughs and pulls forward to the speaker where he orders food for everyone.

“You gotta eat this in the car, and don’t tell Dad I got you fast food!” Drew warns his sisters when he passes out the food after paying for it. “Here you go.” He places a warm paper bag on my lap.

“Thanks,” I say with a smile.

Drew pulls into the parking lot, giving everyone a chance to eat before continuing the ride home, and I pull out my burger and unwrap it to take a bite.

“Look what I made!” Daisy shouts with her mouth full of fries as she pulls a drawing out of her backpack.

“What is it?” Drew asks, inspecting the picture with knitted eyebrows.

“Drew, that’s clearly a castle with a beautiful princess,” I say.

Daisy gives me an appreciative nod.

“Really?” Drew asks, turning his head, still analyzing the picture Daisy’s holding up proudly.

“Yes, duh!” Daisy says with sass in her voice and shoves the picture unceremoniously back into her backpack.

“Okay, if you say so,” Drew says with a shrug and a grin.

“I like Cat,” Daisy says, “she’s smarter than you.”

“Wow, thanks for that,” Drew chuckles, then wipes his hands on a napkin and turns his attention back to me. “Ready to go?”

I nod, stuffing the empty burger wrapper back into the paper bag along with the untouched fries.

We drive the ten minutes to my house and Drew pulls up as close to the curb as he can, trying to minimize my exposure to the rain.

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