Page 56 of The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle
“That’s it!” Melody cheered beside her. “You did it!”
Liz laughed out loud, exhilaration running through her body with the same intensity as the fear that had coursed there only two minutes earlier. “I really did!” She leaned across the center console and threw her arms around Melody. She hadn’t put the car in PARK, however, and as her right foot came off the brake just slightly, the car began to roll again.
“Whoa!” Melody pulled back from the embrace. “Brake! Brake!”
Liz moved her right foot to the brake pedal and stomped it as quickly as she could. The car jerked to another halt and she saw Melody’s body move forward and slam back against the passenger seat once more. “That was an emergency, right?”
Melody sighed. “We have our work cut out for us, don’t we? Keep holding the brake pedal down and move the gear back toPfor park.”
Liz did as Melody instructed and then she looked at her friend. “Thank you for this.”
“Of course.”
“And now you probably want to forget about any more driver’s lessons, huh?”
“No way. You made one mistake and everything is fine. No one got hurt. Let’s try again. You can reverse to where you were and drive forward to the mailbox.”
Liz grimaced. “My neighbors will think I’ve lost my mind, going up and down the driveway.”
“Who cares?” Melody asked. “You’re conquering your fear, which is more than most people ever do.”
Liz looked down for a moment, steadying her breath and her emotions. “Most people don’t have as much fear as me.”
Melody gave a humorless laugh. “You’d be surprised.”
Liz looked at her friend across the center console. “What’s your fear to be conquered?”
“It was returning to Trove Isle,” Melody said.
“Well, you did that already. Now what?”
Melody shrugged. “I’m not sure. Now I take this summer one day at a time, I guess. You ready to drive again?”
Liz side-eyed her. “Areyouready for me to drive?”
Melody laughed lightly and gripped the handle on the passenger door. “Ready.”
* * *
On Sundays, Liz had Danette’s sister, Sissy, work at The Bitery. Whereas Liz and her mother had once handled the store by themselves, over the last couple of years Liz’s mom had hired consistent part-time help.
That was good because today Liz’s Sunday was wide-open for whatever she wanted to do. She’d been invited to Mrs. West’s home for lunch along with Melody, Christopher, and possibly Matt. She hadn’t said yes, but she also hadn’t said no. She’d said maybe because she didn’t like to be tied down with plans on her one full day off.
Maybe she’d read a book today. Or take a walk and snap some pictures. Or sit in a car and drive up and down the driveway again. The choices and the freedom to choose was nearly intoxicating.
Rose stomped out of her bedroom and looked at Liz. Liz gave her sister a visual assessment, realizing she hadn’t necessarily stomped out. She was just wearing boots with a chunky heel over her black leggings that made her sound like she was marching through Liz’s home.
“Going somewhere?” Liz asked.
Rose shrugged. “Stores open at noon. I was thinking about going dress shopping.”
For prom. That was the only reason that Rose would ever put on a dress. “You’re going out with Devin?”
Rose shook her head. “She’s busy.”
Liz waited as her sister nibbled her lower lip. Liz was the one with anxiety. Rose was always confident, but right now she looked nervous. “Who are you going dress shopping with then?”
Rose’s slight shoulders shrugged upward toward large silver hoop earrings. “I was kind of hoping you would go with me.”
