Chapter 28 - Driving Lessons
"Brake! Brake! For the love of God, Sophie, brake!"
Richard shouted, pressing his foot desperately into the imaginary pedal on the passenger side.
The old sedan lurched to a violent, jerky halt just three feet away from a plastic traffic cone in the empty high school parking lot.
Sophie slammed her hands against the steering wheel, laughing hysterically.
"I told you I pressed it!"
Sophie giggled, her face flushed with excitement.
"You pressed it like it owed you money,"
Richard groaned, rubbing his temples, though he was smiling too.
"Driving is about finesse, Sophie. It's not a piano sonata; you can't just hit the keys harder."
"I am a terrible driver,"
Sophie admitted, leaning back in the seat.
"You are an enthusiastic driver,"
Richard corrected her gently.
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"Put it in reverse. Let's try parallel parking again. And this time, let's try not to terrify the local squirrel population."
They spent the entire Sunday afternoon in that empty lot. It was a classic, quintessential rite of passage. There were no shadows, no heavy psychological burdens—just a father teaching his daughter how to navigate the world, one terrifying parking maneuver at a time.
