Page 86 of Drive Me Crazy
“What are you ladies talking about?” my dad asks, coming into the room. “Anything fun?”
My mom shoots me a wink. “Oh, just our badass daughter.”
“Badass, huh?” A deep chuckle vibrates through his chest. “Well, do my badass daughter and wife want to go grab some lunch? I’m starving.”
His face falls when I give him an unconvinced shrug.There’s aLaw & Order: SVUmarathon starting in thirty minutes. Plus, I don’t feel like putting on real people pants.
“I’m happy you’re finally relaxing, but you can’t hide here forever, sweetheart.” My mom sighs, ruffling my hair. “At least go outside and get some fresh air. Play some ball with Murphy.”
“It’s chilly out!” I protest. “I don’t want to catch a cold.”
“Wear a coat,” my dad suggests. “Put on a hat, some gloves. Maybe go crazy and wear fuzzy socks.”
“Hey, Dad … ” I grin, my lips curling up at the edges. “What happens when someone gets angry in cold weather?”
He rubs his chin in thought. “They complain?”
“They have a meltdown.”
My dad’s raspy laugh fills the room. The joke wasn’t that funny, but he’s a sucker for a lame punchline and I feel guilty for shutting down his lunch idea.
“How about you guys go and bring me back something?” I suggest. “I’ll take Murphy on a walk while you’re gone.”
This seems to satisfy them. Murphy instantly jumps up at the recognition of the wordwalk. He runs around in anticipation, so I have no choice but to bundle up against the crispy November weather. He nips at my heels in excitement as I pull on my boots and coat.
“Be safe, hon!” my mom calls out as she and my dad head to the garage. “See you later.”
I wave goodbye as I put Murphy into his harness. I’m not important enough to have paparazzi camped outside my house, but that doesn’t stop me from holding my breath as I walk out the door. No one’s hiding in the bush, and Murphy is eager for a walk, practically dragging me down the driveway. I should’ve worn fuzzy socks.
Slipping my earbuds in, I put on a playlist Josie made for me called “bad bitches only.” The fresh air may be turning thetip of my nose bright red, but it’s making me feel more awake and clear-headed than I have been for days.
We’re finishing up our walk when a familiar sound interrupts the song I’m listening to. I glance down at my phone and stop dead in my tracks as I see the notification lit up on the screen.
A new episode of Coffee with Champions is now available!
I don’t know whether I should laugh at how fucking horrible this is or cry at how fucking unfair this is. Throwing up is an option too because I’m suddenly extremely nauseous. I stand still as a statue for a full five minutes while looking at my phone, deciding what to do. With Murphy in tow, I sprint up the driveway and back into the house. Settling myself into a comfortable position on the couch, I press play on the episode. Here goes nothing.
Jack Feinstein:
Hey, everyone. I know I’m not Ella and this isn’t a usual episode ofCoffee with Champions, but we’re here with her boyfriend, Blake, for a very special episode. It’s sort of sports-related since we have a five-time World Champ with us, but—
Poppy Calloway:
And you both have balls, and balls are sort of sporty.
Blake Hollis:
