Page 61 of That Summer
Thankfully, the first leg was drama free as he rolled into the parking lot of their first destination, Tim Horton’s—his favourite—and stopped.
He rushed to open her door, extending his hand to her. “You did great.”
“Thanks,” she said, holding his hand tightly as he pulled her onto her feet.
He kept an eye on her, watching for signs of too much stress. So far, nothing out of the ordinary. Always one to plan for the what ifs, a couple Xanax were packed for emergency use, compliments of Chris. They were hidden safely in the pocket of his jeans. She had stressed—repeatedly, as if he were a supreme idiot, and not Aurora’s best friend—how important it was to allow her to call the shots and to read her emotions. A skill he already possessed in spades. One of the major reasons he was transferring to psych next term. It didn’t matter what his Mom said. He just felt drawn to that career path. Yeah, the money was an issue, a huge one, but he’d figure it out one way or another. That’s why they invented student loans.
The Timmy’s was packed, and it took nearly fifteen minutes for them to wait in line and order. With a cold drink for him and a bottle of water for her, they pushed through the crowds and rested outside. Cars lined the drive-thru, inching their way to the front. Didn’t matter what time of the day he drove past here—there was always a line up.
He slurped on the Ice Capp she bought him, loving the way it cooled him down. The heat rose all around him, and the forecast said it would be a great night, although there was a small chance of storms. Hopefully those waited until they’d left the track.
“Want a sip?” he asked, tipping the drink in her direction.
Silently, she shook her head, covering her face against the rays of sunlight.
Just as well. Empty tummy means a lesser chance of throwing up.
The car had just been detailed so he could sell it and use the extra cash for school. The resale value would sink like a lead weight with the stench of vomit. Rumor has itthatsmell never comes out.
“I’m ready for more. Let’s continue.” Her sweet voice broke him out of his wandering thoughts. Aurora shook out her hands as she paced.
“Alrighty then,” he said, checking his watch. Ahead of schedule. He’d budgeted a thirty-minute break, and she was raring to go within twenty.
Well done.
He opened the door and patiently waited for her to make the first move. God, Nate would be so impressed with her, and just as proud as Lucas was. The new adventure to and from university was a fifteen-minute, twice a day success. Come Monday morning, Nate would be driving her. At least that’s what Lucas assumed. But only if she wanted him to. Maybe she wouldn’t be comfortable with Nate? Was it wrong to hope that?
The gentlest arm pat touched him, and he focused back on her. She folded back into the seat, colour draining as she went.
Lucas waited for the thumbs up. It had been a while since they’d done back-to-back trips. The best part, aside from her actually conquering her fears, was the closeness afterwards. If she felt she’d failed, she snuggled into his arms. If she made it without a blackout or a stomach dumping, she jumped into his arms. Total win-win for him.
He was about to ask if she was okay, when he saw her signal. “Great. We’ll stop in Leduc and watch the airplanes, okay?”
“That works.”
They had lots of time still, something he made sure to keep in excess. Two more stops to go, and she’d likely need a longer rest at the next one. If traffic was good, it should take about twenty minutes. He needed to drive through town, rather than around it. He had no issue stopping on the side of the highway to watch the planes, but that really wasn’t the best spot for Aurora. She deserved some place safer. The Visitor Information Center in town was the ideal location. Plus, there were benches and picnic tables, with lots of space to walk and stretch.
Heart-pounding, he opened Google maps and cheeredwoot-wootwhen he saw nothing but green lines–free-flowing traffic. Relief filled him.
On the northern edge of Leduc, Aurora’s hums changed in pitch.
This isn’t good.
A second later, she stopped humming all together.
Shit.
Her breathing increased, and her normal rhythmic tapping ceased. Instead, she pushed her hands harshly into her thighs.
No… No…
His heart hammered in his ears and dread pooled in his lap. She was on edge and very close to going over.
“Aurora?”
Don’t black out. Don’t black out.
He gripped the steering wheel with more strength than was necessary.