365 Days (Part 1) | ✓

40. Car Keys

40. Car Keys: Write about someone getting their driver's license for the first time.

"Hey, Mom! Anything I can get for you? Milk? Eggs? Bread?"

Matt's mom looked at her son with her that look exclusive to mothers' faces. That "I am not an idiot" combined with "You, on the other hand, are an idiot" look.

"No," she answered calmly. "Maybe later."

"Aw, Mom. C'mon. I passed, didn't I--"

She snorted.

"--So you've got to let me drive sometime. How will I get good at it if I don't do it?"

She shrugged. "You can practice on your virtual driving game."

He wanted to roll his eyes, but knew that if she caught him doing that, his case would be pigeonholed. "Please, Mom?"

She looked at him with eyebrows raised. "It would be nice, you know, if you were so willing to help out at other times of the day and not just when we're out of hand soap."

He nodded, trying to look contrite. "Yes, ma'am."

She sighed. "Okay, fine. But you drive straight to the store and straight back, okay?"

He nodded eagerly, bobbing his head up and down so fast his bangs whacked him in the eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it. It's the farthest thing from my mind."

"Liar," she accused, but she smiled as she handed him the keys.

He held them loosely, resisting the urge to hold them up and start dancing. He tried to act casual, scared that if he was too excited the privilege of driving would be taken away."

"Mom, I'm hurt," he said, but he grinned.

"Straight there, straight back," she repeated. "Understand me, young man?"

"Yeah, yeah, gotcha." He patted his back pocket, confirming his wallet was still there. "Anything else you need?"

"Just soap. Honey lemon. Get the foam kind."

At this point, it was debateable if Matt was still listening. He grunted and skipped/ran/jumped to the door. Freedom!

*

It was three hours later when Matt finally got home, creeping into the house with a very guilty look and no hand soap. His furious mother was waiting for him.

"Where have you been?" she asked calmly, but with that undercurrent of danger in her expression.

"Grocery store," Matt lied. "I, uh, saw a friend there. We got to talking."

She stared at him for one long moment. Then she pushed past him and marched outside. He jogged after her, alarmed by her purposeful stride.

"Uh, Mom, where are you going?"

She flung the front door open. Her Honda was there in the driveway, and as she did a slow circle around it, she saw that there wasn't a scratch on it that hadn't been there before. She sighed in relief.

Then she whirled to her son, fists planted on her hips. "Matt, where have you been?"

"I told you..."

She held out her hand. He placed the car keys into it without a protest. Then she opened the car door. He watched in growing dread as she turned the ignition.

"Matt!" she yelped. "There was almost a full tank of gas in this car! It's almost empty. Where have you been?"

Crap. He was screwed.

"I went to Tulsa," he admitted.

"You went to -- wha--?" His mom's mouth worked, slowly forming his words. "Tulsa?"

He nodded, feeling very stupid.

"But, why?"

Matt couldn't do anything but shrug.

"What's in Tulsa?"

Again the shrug.

"Matthew, answer me!"

"I don't know why! I just... I was just driving and somehow... somehow I was Oklahoma."

She stared, her mouth slightly open, in disbelief at her dumb son. "Room. Now. You're grounded. And no driving for a month."

"Mom!"

"Two months."

"That's not fa--"

"Would you like to make it three, because I assure you, that is very much a possibility!"

"No," he said sulkily.

"No, ma'am."

"No, ma'am."

"Now... where's the soap?"

*

A/N: May or may not be inspired by a true story... ;)

We can add pictures now? Yippee!