Chapter 4: Ride Home

"Are you sure about that, honey?" her mom asked as she let go of her after a tight, affectionate embrace.

"Of course, Mom. You go on that business trip of yours and I'll go find myself a cab," she said, knowing that her parents are to be in a plane to Hawaii in two hours' time.

She hesitated, "You sure?" she asked again.

"Yes, mom. I'm sure." she said as she kissed her mom's cheek.

"If it'll make you feel any better, I'll drive her home," Lance offered, making Andrea look at him.

She didn’t want to ruin his Friday night!

"No, I can really manage with a cab. I've done it a lot of times before," she said, declining the offer.

"Oh, don't be silly, Andrea, I'd feel a lot better if Lance drives you home," her dad said.

She pouted, "I don't want to ruin his night," she said to her parents.

"You don't have to worry about that, you do not have any night to ruin and I'd rather drive you home than go out and have fun," Lance shrugged.

"Then it is settled, you, young woman will be driven home by Lance, clear?" her mom said, pointing her with a finger.

"Okay, okay," she finally surrendered.

Her mom and dad smiled with satisfaction.

"Okay, then. Good Night, my lovely daughter. We love you," her dad said, kissing her on the cheeks

"Love you, too, Dad. Mom," she smiled at them.

Her parents drove off and she remained there for some seconds, watching the vehicle get smaller and smaller until it disappeared from her view.

"Ready?" asked Lance from behind her.

She turned around to beam at him, "Yeah," she answered.

He smiled back, knowing that he can't shield himself from her contagious smile, and took her hand to lead her to his car.

"Have you ever found that one girl who just made you feel all wobbly and you know, in love?" Andrea asked, out of the blue as they approach his car.

Yeah, and she's your mother, he thought but did not say. He can't just say that to her no matter how close they are. For goodness's sake she's still their daughter!

So, he thought better to remain silent and opened Andrea's door for her.

She slipped in, and right after she fastened her seatbelt, Lance got in. He started the engine, still not answering her question.

She poked his shoulder, "Hey,"

"Hmmm..."

"I asked you a question," she said simply, "and you haven't answered yet," she added.

He creased his brow in an attempt to act like he does not remember, but Andrea knew him like the back of her hand.

"Oh please, Lance, don't act like that. We've talked about our love lives and in your 39 years of existence, I know you've felt it before. You just ain't telling," she said, waving her hands in the air.

He turned a corner and sighed, "Okay, well, yeah. Of course, I felt it before, I think" he said, with the last words two octaves lower.

"What happened?" she inquired.

Another sigh, "She married someone else," he answered and looked at Andrea to see her look at him with sympathy, he turned back his head to the windshield and stopped the car as the red-light flash.

"Did she know?" she asked, meekly.

"No," he answered instantly.

"Can I ask why?" she asked as he start to move again.

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, I can't share it with you now," or ever, he added on his mind.

She nodded and smiled as she put a hand on his thigh.

"Can I play some music?" she asked, changing the subject.