Page 65 of Defect
“You okay? Your vibe feels tense.”
“Look across the street,” I sighed. She stood on her tiptoes and looked around me then rolled her eyes.
“You know how to make that go away, right?” She closed the front door and put her hands on her hips. “See? Problem solved. Doesn’t she have to go terrorize the people at her job?”
“Yeah, she’s about to leave.” I pulled Solo into my arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You look beautiful. That’s not what you usually wear to work though.” I slid my hand down her back until I was cupping her ass.
“We’re not going to work today.” She tossed me the keys to her car and motioned to the door.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m giving you the keys to my car. We’re playing hooky. I’ll teach my class at the school later on today and you’ll go to your GED class. It’ll be fine.”
“What about your classes at the studio.”
“Ezra Fredericks, don’t worry about my classes. I said we’re playing hooky. I planned this yesterday.”
“What the fuck?” I muttered, shaking my head. It was always something with that woman. I’d follow her anywhere though. I’d follow her into the sun. “You know I can’t drive.”
“Idon’t know that.Youknow that. So show me you can’t drive and I’ll take over for you. No problem, no pressure.” She held her hands up and I examined her slender fingers. Something was missing from that fourth one on her left hand.
I shook the rogue thought from my head and looked down at the keys in my hand. “My mother is going to run after your car on foot if she sees me driving off.”
“Well, let’s get you in the driver’s seat because I want to see this shit,” Solana’s laugh lit up the entire living room. I couldn’t help leaning down to kiss her. She stroked the side of my face and then she smiled at me.
Nerves took over my stomach and built a home that reached up to my chest. I hadn’t driven since before the accident and I knew the part of my brain that made decisions was fucked up, which would make driving nearly impossible. In order to drive you had to make one choice after the other.
“Solo…I don’t know.”
“Come on, baby. You got this. If you can’t do it, I’ll take over but you’re going to try.” When she pressed her palm to my back, I felt her hand heat up and I shut my eyes. She was always rearranging my energy so that I felt calm.
“I hope you’re not attached to your car,” I told her as we headed outside. My nosey ass mother was still out there, standing at her car and staring at Solana’s house from across the street. The minute she saw me, she stormed over, stopping in Solana’s driveway. I thought Solo would pop a fucking gasket.
The way she got angry wasn’t like everyone else. She was still amazingly calm. I felt the frustration pouring off her though. Somewhere along the line, I picked up her ability to read energy like a book. Maybe I just knew her really well but I could tell she was pissed.
“What are you doing?” Mom snapped when she saw me unlock Solo’s car.
“I’m going to work,” I lied, getting in the car.
“You can’t drive, Ezra! I told you that! The doctors told you that!” She looked at Solana and pushed out a puff of air through her flared nostrils. “You can’t let him drive your car. He’s not capable of driving.”
“Can you please get out of my driveway?”
“I’ll get out of your driveway when my son gets out of your car.”
I started the engine and gripped the steering wheel with one hand.
“No, you’re going to get out of my driveway now.” Solana almost raised her voice.Almost. I knew if my mother was pushing her to that point, it was serious.
“Yo, Solo, get in the car. Don’t argue with her.” Solana looked at me then looked at my mother. “In the car,” I boomed. She didn’t say another word. She got in the passenger side and looked at me.
“I know this isn’t the right time, but you’re sexy as fuck when you tell me what to do.” That glint in her pretty eyes was going to get her fucked later on. I loved the way we slipped into our own world no matter what storm was raging outside of us.
Mom hit the roof of the car and I looked at Solana. “I’m gonna back out. She’s not that stupid.”
“Go for it.” Solana shrugged. She locked her fingers between mine and gave my hand a squeeze. I threw the tiny yellow tin can in reverse and backed out of the driveway with ease. Mom moved to the side waving her arms in the air. Solana turned to look over her shoulder as I drove down the street then she looked at me with a smile.
“Well, would you look at that? You’re driving, Ezra.” She was right. I was driving. My brain wasn’t short-circuiting. I didn’t have headaches or fuzzy thoughts. It was like I’d never stopped driving.
