Page 9 of Oblivion

“Let’s take it for a spin while your mother makes breakfast.”

“Are you sure?” I asked Mom through the open roof.

She waved us off. “Of course. Don’t be long, though. Waffles will be ready in fifteen.”

On a high like no other, I backed down the driveway with a ridiculously wide smile on my face.

“It’s nice, huh?” Dad asked.

“It’ssonice! I can’t wait to show Vivi and Lydia.”

The three of us were going shopping today, then going out for dinner with my parents later tonight. After dinner, the three of us girls planned to party until we dropped, and who knew where that would be.

Dad’s voice broke my thoughts. “I know you’re an adult now, but you’ll always be my little girl. Be safe, Pen. That’s all I ask for. Doesn’t matter if you’re driving or with Lydia and Vivi, or out drinking for that matter. Your safety is paramount.”

I smiled and cast a loving glance his way. “Thanks, Daddy. I promise I will.”

Tickles of excitement vibrated through my arms. Despite my birthday getting off to a rocky start, things were looking up.

If only they’d stayed that way.

* * *

“This is insane, even for us,” Lydia laughed, loading shopping bags back to Mini Penny’s trunk.

She stood back with a look of triumph and removed a strand of blonde hair that stuck to her lip gloss. “I can already hear my tomorrow’s credit card crying.”

“Worth it. New season calls for new wardrobes, babes,” Vivi sang. Her large hoop earrings swung as she shoved her shopping bags alongside Lydia’s.

I laughed and loaded my haul into the backseat. “We really took our shopping to the next level today.”

“Damn right, we did. ThankGodthis coincided with payday,” Vivi laughed. “I can’t wait to go drinking tonight. Since you’re finally twenty-one now, Pen, drinks are on you!”

I feigned offense and pressed a hand to my chest. “You guys should buymedrinks.”

“Nah-ah-ah, it doesn’t work like that,” Lydia sassed. “Your dad’s still okay to pick us up before dinner, right?”

“Sure is.” I slid into the driver’s seat as Lydia and Vivi opened other doors and climbed in. “I’ll drop you girls home, then see you later.”

“I can’twait!Your birthday has takensolong to get here.” Lydia sighed dramatically.

I burst out a laugh. “I know! It feels like it’s been years, not months, since your birthdays.”

Lyds and Vivi were barely a few months older than me, but the countdown to my birthday had been nothing but a slow crawl.

After dropping them home, I sang at the top of my lungs as I headed back to Mom and Dad’s place. Parking in their driveway, I got out and admired my new car.

So pretty. So shiny. So pink and cute. I almost gave in to the insane urge to hug her. Instead, I opened the rear door and wrestled with my shopping bags before deciding to make two trips to unload.

I was only inside for two minutes, and by the time I made my way back downstairs and onto the driveway, a brown envelope was anchored beneath one window wiper.

I plucked it free and jogged to the sidewalk, searching up and down for who dropped it off.

“What the?” I murmured, when I found the street empty.

Turning the envelope over, I ripped open the sealed tab. Inside was a single leaf of paper which appeared to be some kind of medical document. I paused in the middle of the driveway to read it. The further I read, the harder my heart began to race.

Thishadto be a joke. There was simply no way I was reading it correctly.

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