Chapter 2

‘Interesting’. I thought.

<You’re doing better than your mother ... Way better than Cynthia. She was always talking to me ... outloud.>

We had just returned to Austin. I had delivered ... by watch ... JW, Zoe and the kids to Fiji. Gods ... Fiji is so cool! I wanted to stay. Ocean breezes, green mountains ... two catamarans ... both of which are mine ... although ... Cynthia McWilliams hotly contests that.

“The title and insurance of the 90 is in the name of Surprise Me Flintkote ... I am her heir ... the letter of permission is for JW Flintkote ... only. Mrs. McWilliams ... you do NOT own this boat! I do ... and if you make a claim of ownership I will have you and yours evicted!”

I will allow the reader full leeway in imagining the argument that led me to the finality of my statement... ‘Cyn pissed me off.’ “Oops! Sorry Grand dad. Mrs. McWilliams upset my tranquility.”

“She does that to me ... with great regularity,” JW had said. “That was well done, by the way, Cynthia has that effect on most people ... and usually gets away with it.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“What are you doing with the little cat?” JW asked.

“I’m leaving it,” I said. “I expect it’s your refuge when ‘She’ gets demanding.”

“We usually end up with her set too.”

“Adam” ... I call Daddy, Adam ... at least I do when we’re seriously discussing ... whatever.

“Yes, Miss Dent,” Adam said.

The reply was the result of two circumstances: Firstly, IQ ... I was more intelligent than my mom ... not a ton ... but enough that the Department of Education (Princessapality) had a whole set of rules and regulations regarding the descendants of John Flintkote. Secondly, there are very few teens that have watched a tv program of their pregnant mother and two of her unborn siblings being machineguned to death ... fewer have watched said program with their father.

“Tell me about mom,” I begged.

“Genius,” Adam said.

“I know that,” I said.

“Pilot,” he said.

That was totally unnecessary ... the AD-1 was sitting outside the door.

“Dadddy,” I huffed.

“She was just like you.”

“What did she like to do?”

He just looked at me ... and blushed.

“Besides that,” I blushed too.

“Hot Rod night,”

“What?”

“Come on.”

The ‘34 Ford was parked next to the Spad.

“Front seat,” he said.

THAT was unusual. To and from school I sat in the back ... buckled in. Three inch five point racing harness... (I never wore dresses in that backseat. A five point is a little too ‘friendly.’)

At 12 I was just beginning to be ‘a big girl’. And I wasn’t sure I liked it. Daddy said, “You’ll get used to it.”

The ‘34 cranked and we pulled out. Past the helicopter ... I worked there Sunday afternoons ... through the gate. Daddy stopped ... I locked up. Out to MLK and turned left. Right at Burger King and on to 183.

I looked longingly at the Burger.

“Nope ... we’re going out to eat.”

“That’s out.” I said.

“I’m buying,” he said. “If you buy you can choose.”

I am a notorious penny pincher. “Okay.” That didn’t mean I didn’t look ... I did. I admit to ‘sniffing’ heavily.

We took 183 to West Anderson ... and I am rubber-necking ... I have never been in North Austin ... this is all new ... to me.

Left on Burnet and a couple blocks south. Daddy got in the left hand turn lane.

Oh my God.

Top Notch Burgers ... this is slow fast food ... order stands rollerskating wait-staff.

<Carhops, Selene. They’re called Carhops>

“Daddy...”

“Yes?”

“Seven is here.”

“She’s buying her own.”

<You are a big meanie>

‘Yup ... remember the birthday cake?’

<It was sooooooo good.>

‘Remember what you said?’

<umh no.>

‘We get more if we separate,’

<See ya.>