“Hi, guys,” Corey greeted brightly.
Taylor gave a smile. “Didn’t expect to see you up,” he told her. “And dressed, too. It’s like you were expecting us or something.”
Corey grinned. “Expecting you? Nah,” she said sarcastically. She slid out of bed. She’d had Dr. Harris take her IV out earlier that morning so she’d have one less thing to do when Isaac, Taylor, and Zac showed up. “So, what’re we doing today?”
“It’s a surprise,” Isaac said. “Can’t tell you.” He grinned.
Corey rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Surprise? You mean you’re not gonna make me decide again?”
“Hey, we only made you decide yesterday,” Zac said defensively.
“Wrong. You made me decide what restaurant to go to the first day, remember?” she corrected. “You’ve made me think more in the past three days than I have in the last three months. Are you trying to kill me?” She watched as the smiles on Isaac, Taylor, and Zac’s faces fell simultaneously. “Sorry, bad choice of words,” she apologized.
Zac gave a small half smile. “That’s okay.” He checked the watch on his right wrist. “We should get going.”
“Yeah,” Taylor agreed. “We’ve gotta do everything today.”
“How come?” Corey asked, slipping on her shoes. “I thought you were staying until tomorrow?”
“We are,” Isaac said, picking up. “But we won’t have much time. We’ll drop by to say goodbye and all, but we won’t be able to stay long.”
Corey nodded, understanding. “Okay,” she said. “Then we’d better get started.” She smiled.
“We’re seeing another movie?” Corey asked doubtfully as Isaac pulled into the theater parking lot.
“No,” Isaac said. “Not another movie. Something else.” He pulled behind the building and put the car into park. He opened his door, slid out of the car, and opened Corey’s door. “Get out,” he said.
Corey pulled her eyebrows together questioningly. “What?” she asked.
“Trade places,” he said. “No, actually,” he added, rethinking, “Tay, you take Corey’s place, I’ll take yours, Corey will take mine, okay?”
“All right,” Tay said quickly, jumping out of the car and running over to the other side.
Unsurely, Corey got out of the car and walked up to the driver’s seat. Isaac jogged to the passenger side and got in. “C’mon, Corey,” he prompted, slamming the door behind him.
Corey sighed. “Okay,” she muttered, sliding into the seat. She closed the door. “Ah! I can’t reach the pedals!” she cried melodramatically. “I can’t do this.” She reached for the door handle.
“Na - nope, nope. Not getting out of this that easily,” Isaac said, reaching across and stilling her hands. “There’s a lever underneath the seat. You can pull it forward so you can reach the pedals, okay?”
Corey smiled. “Okay,” she agreed. She messed with the lever and finally managed to get the seat adjusted properly. “All right, Isaac. Now what?”
“Push down on the brake pedal - the wide one - yeah, that’s it. Okay, and that lever there,” he motioned to the gear shift, “pull it toward you and then pull it down until that little line is on the D, okay?”
“I’ve got it,” Corey said. “Okay, I’ve got it. Now what?” she asked.
“Let off the break and push down slowly on the gas pedal,” Isaac instructed.
Corey did as he said and the car jerked forward. She slammed on the brakes.
“Whoa! Whiplash!” Zac quipped from the back seat.
“Quiet, you! I’d like to see you do better!” Corey snapped, smiling. She couldn’t help but laugh at herself. “Okay, Isaac. Let off the brake, slowly push down on the gas pedal . . .”
“Yeah, do that and we’ll be fine,” he told her.
Corey did so, being extra careful with the gas pedal this time. The car picked up momentum and she managed to keep the speed at about twenty miles per hour.
“Okay,” Isaac said with a small sigh. “You’re doing good. Just drive around back here - you can turn around now. Turn the wheel now, Corey -”
“I know, I know,” she muttered, turning the car in a wide half-circle and starting back the way she had come. “See, I’m not totally stupid,” she insisted.
He smiled. “Sorry. I’m like an uptight parent or something, I dunno,” he apologized. “You should see me when Tay drives.”
From behind Corey, Taylor laughed. “Yeah, he’s like, ‘Tay, Tay! Slow down! Oh, god, Taylor! Watch the road! Don’t look at me! Zac, shut up! Jordan Taylor, don’t hit that car! Oh, god, pull over!’ It’s hilarious.”
Corey laughed, being careful to keep her eyes on the road. “I could almost see you doing that, too, Isaac,” she told him.
Zac laughed as well. “I wonder if he’ll mellow out by the time I’m ready to drive?”
“Doubt it,” Taylor muttered. Isaac turned and playfully smacked his brother.
“Okay, okay,” Corey said, slowing the car to a stop. “I think I’ve had my fill of driving now. Isaac, you can take control of the wheel again.”
Isaac looked over at her. “You sure?” he asked. She nodded. “Well, okay. Be sure to put the car in park.” Once Corey had done so, the two of them climbed out of their respective seats and switched with each other.
Corey sighed as Isaac put the car into gear and started out of the parking lot. “What next?” she asked.
“A long drive,” Isaac said. “Better get comfortable.”
