Driving Needs, Part One

"We're going into town," Antoinette said, and Elyssa nodded in a way that made Chris think they'd talked this over in advance.

Chris shrugged. "Okay."

"And," Antoinette added, "you're driving us."

Chris frowned at her, puzzled. "You don't know how to drive?"

"I actually do," Antoinette told him, "but I also know you grumble every time you have a lesson on it. You need to get comfortable with it."

"The fact that I despise automobiles--" Chris stopped, then swallowed and started again. "Fine. I'll drive us."

"Really?" Antoinette asked. "No objections?"

Chris didn't answer; he just turned to look at the car. It was a Honda Accord, a gray sedan, parked not far from the gate. The Ministry didn't forbid its Registered Outsiders from interacting with the human world, it just made very sure that they knew how to pass in mundane society first. Driving a car was part of that.

Antoinette tapped his shoulder and handed him the keys, and he touched the fob to unlock the doors. They climbed inside, Antoinette in the passenger seat and Elyssa in the back, and Chris waited until they were all buckled in before he started the car. "Okay," he said. "Where to?"

"Downtown Tulsa. I'll give you something more specific when we get there."

Chris resisted the urge to shrug again, and instead put the car in gear and drove them out through the gates.