Chapter 2
"So I'm supposed to take the bus forever?"
Daniel glanced at his brother, Ryan, behind him.
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"My job involves meeting clients, and I have to go out on short notice. You go to the same place every day."
My outstretched hand slowly curled into a fist.
"The bus route changed last month, so I've had to leave forty minutes earlier every day. Did you know that?"
"Yes."
"One night it was pouring, and I asked if you could pick me up. You said you'd already changed into your pajamas."
His lips pressed into a thin line.
That night, when I got home, water spilled out of my shoes onto the floor.
They still weren't dry the next morning.
"Can we talk about this inside?"
He took hold of my arm and led me toward the kitchen door.
I pulled my arm free and stayed where I was.
"Give me the key first."
"Keep your voice down."
He shifted to block the people in the living room from looking over at us.
"Ryan already thanked me. If I take it back now, what are they supposed to think?"
"What was I supposed to think when you gave it away?"
"I told you, I'll make it up to you later."
"I just bought this car. Why should I have to wait for you to make it up to me?"
He reached for the kitchen door, and I put my hand against the edge.
"Don't close it. You didn't close the door when you made the announcement."
Carol walked over.
"Are you two still not done? Megan's back is already hurting from standing so long."
In the living room, Megan was already sitting in an armchair, with a cushion Ryan had brought her.
She looked down at her phone without looking at me.
"She can sit," I said. "I didn't ask her to wait."
My mother-in-law's expression darkened.
"Laura, it's your birthday. Everyone came all this way for you. The least you can do is let everyone leave happy."
"I didn't invite everyone here to take my car."
"No one is taking anything from you. Daniel was just trying to do something nice."
"Then he can give them his own car."
"Why do you keep coming back to that?" Daniel let go of the door handle. "I already explained it."
Carol sighed.
"Doesn't your bus stop right outside the clinic? Getting to prenatal appointments isn't nearly that easy for her."
"I have to transfer once and walk another ten minutes."
"Ten minutes isn't far. You're healthy. A little walking won't hurt you."
I looked at Daniel, waiting for him to say something.
Instead, he slipped the key into his pants pocket and nodded toward the living room.
"Let's get back out there."
When Ryan saw us return, he stood up.
"Seriously, man, thank you. We've been trying to figure this out for a while."
Daniel patted him on the back.
"I know. Don't worry about it."
I stood a couple of steps away, listening to them.
Carol raised her phone again and replayed the video she'd taken earlier.
Daniel's voice came from the phone, announcing that he was giving them the car, followed by mine saying, "That's my car."
She frowned and stopped the video.
"We can't use this."
She walked over to the window and pulled the curtain open slightly.
"Daniel, take out the key. Laura, stand next to Megan."
I didn't move.
She looked at her screen, then added,
"You looked awful in the last one. Smile this time and hand her the key. I only need a few seconds."
Megan looked up and smoothed her hair.
Daniel took the key out of his pocket.
I stared at the metal key ring in his hand but didn't reach for it.
"I already told you. I don't agree to this."
My mother-in-law still had her phone pointed at me.
"It's just a video. Do you really have to make such a big deal out of it?"