More Than One: A Novel by Monica Fowler Page B

where are they? What car are they in?” Rach asked.
    “I don’t know. It’s a big secret. My mom said that the car was a surprise and they were about to pull back around,” I said.
    “Cool.”
    We stood there for about five minutes watching all the cars pass by, looking for my parents. I wondered what kind of car my dad got this time. Every time he would buy something new, his only comment was that he was trying to keep up with the times. I could only imagine what the in thing was for him now.
    A minute more passed by and a silver masterpiece pulled up in front of us. I didn’t know who it was until the window rolled down.
    “Mom!” I yelled.
    “I know what you’re thinking, but your dad really wanted this car,” she said while she was carefully getting out.
    “This car is amazing,” Rach said.
    “Yeah dad, you know I have to drive this before I leave,” I said.
    “I’ll think about it,” my dad answered getting out of the car.
    My dad, the Dr. Martin Whitlock, was a tall, handsome, worldly man. His strong features overpowered the fact that he had a soft heart. He was always clean shaven and dressed like some preppy oversized teenager. His eyes were like endless pools of knowledge, a river of education streaming through his veins. It was all he knew and I could always see it dancing around in his brown eyes. At six feet, he towered over us. I wish I had gotten my height from him, but like everything else, I got that from my mom.
    They both embraced me with a hug and instantly it felt like home again. It was like how it was before all the drama and stress. I was elated. My mom found her way to Rach and gave her a hug as well. My dad was still holding on to me.
    “What kind of car is this?” I asked.
    “An Audi R8 Spyder,” he said with a big smile on his face. “As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to get it. This car comes with everything. I might let you drive it before you go. You can test the speed for me. Your mom won’t let me go any faster than sixty-five on the highway.” He leaned over and whispered the last sentence.
    “I sure won’t and neither will Jamie,” my mom said.
    “So Rachel, how is school?” My dad turned to talk to her and he approached her for a hug.
    “It’s okay. I was ready for a break though. Thanks for inviting me,” she said.
    “I understand. I felt the same way when I was in school, but it’ll be over before you know it.”
    After we got all the formalities out of the way, we threw our things in the trunk and headed home.
    I loved being here. This place was so nice growing up. At first, my parents were upset that I decided to go to school in Georgia. They wanted me to stay at home. I almost changed my mind and went to college here, but the adventurous side of me outweighed everything else, and I left anyway. I really wanted to experience life on my own. I still had a lot of love for my hometown though.
    We made it to the house within thirty minutes. It had only been a few months since I was home, but I still felt a tinge of nostalgia.
    “Let’s put our things up and go see what’s in the frig. I’m starving,” Rach said, cutting into my thoughts.
    “Okay,” I replied.
    When we made it to the kitchen, my mom was already there making lunch; grilled ham and cheese, another of my favorites.
    “Hey mom, what’s going on this weekend? Are there any festivals we can go to?” I asked.
    “I don’t know dear, you’ll have to ask your father.”
    “Where is he?”
    “He should be in his office. Lunch will be ready soon. You girls just relax and I’ll bring it out to you,” my mom said.
    “Thanks mom,” I said kissing her cheek, “Love you.”
    “Love you, too.”
    We walked out of the kitchen and Rach went to the couch and turned on the television.
    “I’ll wait here until you get back,” she said.
    I walked around the corner to my dad’s office. When I walked in, it reminded me of being at Dr. Silverman’s office. The colors were almost the same,