In Search of Tomorrow ✓

Five

Cameron pulled up in his convertible minutes later, and I hurried into the passenger's seat with my stomach flopping uncomfortably. The rain that was pattering on the windshield sounded like hail, and lightning was flashing all around us.

"Come on, let's just go," I said nervously, watching out of the corner of my eye as he pressed down on the gas pedal and made his way towards the elementary school carpool line.

I managed to herd Maddie and Clare out into the rain and then into the backseat of the convertible, buckling them in and then warning Cameron to drive slowly because Maddie wasn't in her car seat. The torrents of rain kept coming down, blinding the road in front of us.

"Can't your windshield wipers go any faster?" I asked as Cameron pulled up to the stoplight outside of the school--the red glow was just visible through the storm.

Cameron glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, as if he thought I was being unreasonable, and said, "They're going as fast as they can go. We're fine. Just give me directions to the daycare."

"Take a right here, then go straight for about a mile and turn left," I said. I was jiggling my leg nervously as he pulled out into the intersection and turned. Though he seemed perfectly in-control of his car, I wanted nothing more than to hop into the driver's seat and steer it myself.

It was only ten minutes before we arrived at the daycare. I helped Maddie and Clare out, promising that I'd be there to pick them up (though I didn't know how), and then settled back into the passenger's seat.

"To Skyport Creamry?" Cameron asked.

The rain had slowed down as we had been driving to the daycare, and now it was just a light drizzle. Cameron had an easy time naviagating around the deep puddles and through the traffic, adjusting the radio as he drove.

"Am I coming over again tonight?" he asked, hooking a left turn and stopping in a line of traffic. "Seven o'clock okay?"

My shift at the ice cream shop ended at five thirty today, so I figured that would be enough time to go home and make dinner--assuming I was able to get a ride. "Yeah," I said, and then, because I was desperate, "What time does soccer practice end?"

"Five," said Cameron absentmindedly.

I looked over at him and watched as he ran his hand through his hair again--it was still messed up from when he had been out in the rain. His eyes were fixed on the road, his hands on the steering wheel in the ten o'clock and two o'clock positions, just like I'd learned in driver's ed.

"If I asked super nicely, would you pick me up and go back to the daycare to pick up Maddie and Clare, then drive back to my house?" I asked. "You can stay for dinner before tutoring."

Cameron didn't even hesitate. "Sure," he said, glancing away from the road long enough to smile at me. His teeth looked fresh out of braces. "I need to eat dinner anyway."

I spent the rest of the ride worrying about what I would cook that was company-worthy--usually, I just threw together whatever I could manage. Clare and Maddie weren't picky. But having a guest over? That was something that hadn't happened in years.

By the time Cameron pulled up to Skyport Creamery, the rain had stopped altogether and a small rainbow was poking out from the horizon. I climbed out of the passenger's seat, relieved to set my feet on solid ground again, and turned around. "Can you pick me up here at five thirty?" I asked.

"Sure thing." Rolling down the window, Cameron called as he drove away, "Just call me your chauffeur!"

Smiling to myself for the first time in what felt like months, I shook the rest of the rain out of my hair and headed inside.