Matt's face tensed at the request, like a petulant child being told not to do something. He shifted into first gear, surprised by the ease of it, and the car started rolling. The motion was eerie, ghostly – the sound of Lloyd's wheels squeaking and pressing against the concrete was the only sound in the parking garage, yet Matt's hands still shook on the steering wheel in elation. The gas pedal was sensitive, more sensitive than he remembered, and the anger inside him flared slightly.
He cleared the exit to the parking garage and shifted into second. The sensations felt more familiar, and the engine reverberated nicely as Lloyd pulled out onto the streets. It seemed unfathomable that the car hadn't run since the end of summer last, but still, the moment felt dream-like.
Except for Yang tensely watching the world pass by, while Eli and Lilly bickered in the back.
The streets were quiet the more they embarked away from the hotel, tucked along tree-lined suburban streets. There was an surreal-ness to driving, made more apparent by the lack of cars and the distinct smell of barbecue so early in the day.
Matthew coasted to a stop and shifted back into first, then neutral. He lingered, waiting, eyes scanning the gentle stretch of road ahead.
"Mr. Robinson?" Yang asked.
And then recklessness kicked in. He chose not to hear his employer. "Sit down, kids," Matt said, stare fixed ahead. "Buckle up."
"Are we flying?" Lilly asked.
"We call it that, sure." Matt drew in a slow breath and shifted into first; the motion felt too easy, like it did nothing at all. Blood drained from his fingers. His foot pressed the gas, and Lloyd hopped forward. The tires squeaked as it rolled off; Matt pressed his foot a little harder on the gas, and pulled off the pedal to shift into second; this shift felt more tactile, like this was what the motor was most comfortable with now. Houses began blurring by as Matt shot through a stop sign. He shifted into third; again, it felt like Matthew never shifted. The world turned into a swath of green and gray.
"Matt!" Yang shouted, pulling his knees into his chest.
He leaned in, gritting his teeth as he swerved to miss a station wagon. He could see the end of the street ahead, the battery only having drained about thirty percent. The speedometer ticked higher and higher before plateauing. The needle sticking, bouncing in one spot, pissed Matt off to no end. He shifted into fourth gear. There was no noticeable difference, only making him angrier. "Come on," he hissed through his teeth. "Come on. You deserve this, bud."
"Mr. Robinson!" Yang gripped the door handle.
"Faster! Faster!" called Eli.
"Deploy wings!" shouted Lilly, shooting, and pointing, forward.
"Lilliana!" Yang pushed her back. "Seat belt!"
Matt pressed his foot on the brake, tempting to slam it back on the accelerator, as Lloyd met a curve. The Bug bounced on its springs, tilting into it, before wobbling back. Still, Matthew pressed on, watching people stare in shock and awe at the silent little blue car rocket down the street.
Block after block rolled by, Lloyd wiggling on his springs with a chrome smile, staring forward as his driver leaned into the motion. They dodged a stationwagon at an intersection. They were inches from clipping a car pulling out of a driveway. Lloyd's occupants screamed and yelped – whether in delight or fear was determined by the looks on their faces.
Matthew only stopped the car when they came to a major road – seven lanes wide and most certainly not something Matt would risk launching Lloyd into yet. "Dammit," he hissed under his breath, sitting back and sighing.
YOU ARE READING
It's Definitely Not All Mary Poppins
General Fiction[A Slice-Of-Life LGBTQ+ Story about Found Family] Matthew Robinson's career as a teacher seemed to have stalled, yet when the winds in the East suddenly lands him in the employ as a nanny, Matthew realizes he's probably signed up for more than he ba...
