Page 101 of Safety Net
My driver made a sharp turn, abrupt enough to make my drinks topple over. The coffee spilled a bit from the half-opened lid.
Finn
I went back to the party looking for you. Everyone said you disappeared.
Off to New Dane. gotta get those sets and bring them back before the first show tonight
Finn
It's 1 AM.
Celeste needed them weeks ago. I kept dragging my feet. It's brunch time.
*crunch
Finn
I could have taken you. I could still leave now and meet you. Bring you back.
no, don't. I didn't ask because I knew you guys would offer and do all this last-minute running around
Finn
What's wrong with that?
I need to fix this myself. It's my own mess.
Finn
We'll never mind helping you clean things up.
Despite my headache and the looming possibility of losing the woman of my dreams, I smiled. I found brief comfort in the fact that when I went home, people who cared waited for me.
I really appreciate that. But I have to get this done myself. I can't keep phoning a friend.
There was a pause in our conversation. My driver turned on some smooth jazz, making a bumpy ride a little more peaceful. My stomach was turning, so I sat back up, rolled down the window, and finished another bottle of water.
Finn
I understand. It's very respectable. I'll tell everyone to leave you alone. If you change your mind, let me know.
I let out a breath of relief and responded,
Thanks. Wish me luck; I'm not sure this is going to work.
Finn
You don't need luck. You just need to stop getting in your own way.
"Keep it running," I said as I hopped out of the SUV and onto the wet sidewalk. It had started raining on the ride up.
"That's not how it works," my driver, Lucas, said. "You gotta put in another request on the app."
"Right, right." I hurried to do that before jogging up the walk to Aaron's front door. I called him twice before resorting to the dreaded doorbell. His voice came through on the door camera.
"What?" he asked with a valid level of grumpiness in his tone.
"Sorry to do this to you so late," I said.
