Roland Davis-Kazinski's car was something he didn't like to brag about, but he was proud of it. It was the best luxury sedan on the market, leather interior, heated seats, sunroof, a bunch of smart car shit he didn't understand. Back when they'd lived in California full-time and not in this cold misbegotten state, Roland had collected more than a few sports cars. That was back before he'd met and then later married Eve, of course. Back when he'd been a fresh quarterback just out of college and stars in his eyes at finally, FINALLY being in the NFL.
Who said that he'd never leave the street?
But after he'd started a family, especially after he'd made his millions and retired, Roland had sold off most of the sports cars save for his 'project' car he kept in the second garage along with the rest of his 'man cave' stuff he shared with Russel back before the chip off the old block had left for his own career in football. But he'd needed to downsize, they had one of the biggest houses in Shermer but it was still more conservative than the mansion in California, and plus you didn't need to 'flaunt' in a place like Shermer. At least not as extravagantly as you had to in LA. So between his car, his project car, Russel's truck, Lily's car she never drove because she had to 'save the environment', Eve's car...There wasn't a whole lot of room left over.
Plus sedans were safer than sports cars and muscles cars were for his girls.
Roland pulled the car out onto the fresh pavement that cut through the middle of the lavish subdivision that sat on the outskirts of Shermer. Their own mansion was just one of a number that were situated around the nearby artificial lake, and the Ingerman estate loomed over them all, a palace of palaces on it's own artificial mountain where Roland's boss and family lived. Not where his mistress lived, of course, but even SHE lived in luxury in a house somewhere in Shermer. Roland wasn't really supposed to know that, but as Regional Director of IngerCorp...A company house that was always listed as 'available' but Ragnar was the only one with access to it? C'mon. Plus the dude definitely had a thing for younger women, and a 'type', if his new wife was anything to go by. Luckily and perhaps...What was the word Josie had used? Sus? there was no ex-Ingerman matriarch for Ragnar to worry about. She'd died years ago in some kind of car accident.
Like his daughter said. Sus.
Speaking of...
Roland shot a look at his pride and joy (not that he didn't love Russel or Lily just as much but there was something about Jocelyn that made his heart melt with fatherly love), who was sitting in the front passenger seat, staring out the window at the overcast sky, her eyes narrowed in thought before she caught him staring.
"What?" She said, her voice playfully suspicious.
"Oh, nothing" Roland said, turning his gaze back to the road and making an overt show of checking out the incredibly familiar landscape and featureless sky as if he was seeing it for the first time.
"Fine then, keep your secrets" Josie said, putting on a far too convincing accent. She'd picked up her mother's acting ability for sure. But at least Roland understood that reference. After all the Lord of the Rings films had been HUGE. They'd been Marvel before Marvel had been a thing, and despite all of Jocelyn's 'preppy' activities...She was a surprisingly huge geek underneath the makeup. But yet despite all the superhero movies she'd been buying and the little figurines she put up in the man-cave/garage...When the movies had come out she seemed surprisingly unimpressed. There was a lot of stuff, geeky stuff that he'd learned to appreciate due to his kids enjoying it, that never really surprised Josie.
In fact when the first iPhone had shown up and blown everyone's mind, she had simply said "Finally!" as if she'd been waiting on it for years. What seven year old cared THAT much about a phone? but Roland loved his daughter anyway, despite how she could be absolutely odd.
The start of the drive was normal, if a little awkward. Eve or Lily were the ones that typically took Jocelyn to school while Roland usually left later in the day, the perks of being a handful of steps away from CEO of one of the largest corporations on in America. Or Earth, if he was being completely honest. There was the usual small talk, what Josie had on her schedule today, the occasional dad joke and daughterly groan. Hearing her go on and on and ON about the numerous social engagements she had, all the clubs she was involved in plus managing the cheerleading team...Roland had long since learned how to pick up on subtext and the subtle changes in a woman's voice, the choice of words. Physical movements. Typically Josie was easier for him to talk to and was less 'dramatic' than Lily or Eve, but before he'd learned how, Roland still found himself saying the wrong thing and ending with her being miffed at him.
But it was pretty obvious to him now. Jocelyn was miserable with all the things that his wife had 'suggested' Josie start doing. And whatever Eve 'suggested' or in some cases flat out ordered, Jocelyn did without question. Maybe a little attitude, but she always did what her mother told. Now him? He learned long ago that Josie wouldn't do shit for him if she wasn't feeling like it. She generally did, of course, but there had been times...But regardless, his little Firecracker had too much on her plate. The whole thing about 'not wanting to look like this', aka more naturally beautiful than pretty much any woman in the world minus Eve herself had been out of character. He'd known woman, cheerleaders, a few strippers, supermodels, actresses that would have KILLED to look like her or Eve, and it was one of the few, few times she'd ever openly shown disdain for being drop dead gorgeous.
'Note to self, keep away from Ragnar' Roland thought darkly. The older man was more about white girls, specifically blondes, but maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring up moving Eve's parent out to Hawaii again...
"Uh, dad? This isn't the way to the school..." Josie's voice shook Roland out of his thoughts as he turned away from down town Shermer and headed towards the commercial district.
"Huh? Oh, well I thought you'd appreciate the scenic route this morning. Must be boring to take the same roads every day with your mom or Lily" Roland said, feigning ignorance.
"Uh huh" Josie said, but it was clear she was catching on. There was a sparkle in her hazel flecked eyes that only grew wider as he gave up the ghost and wheeled into a nearby car dealership.
"Ohmigawd, really!?" She squealed, pressing her face against the window as they slowly rolled down the lanes of new cars. She turned back to him, "Does mom know?"
"It was actually her idea. I think she's getting a little tired of being your chauffeur. She and I talked about and you did take Driver's Ed and everything...I know it's a couple of years overdue but I think she knows it's time. And it's any car on the lot you want, honey. But you only get one. The next one comes out of your pocket"
"Oh no, my poor trust fund, however will I survive on such a pittance" Jocelyn said dramatically, a slender arm across her eyes before she burst into a giggle, and Roland into a rumbling chuckle. And then as they pulled to a stop, the redhead was out the door before the ex-football star could even shut off the engine.
"Ohmigawd a car! I, can't, like, even right now" Josie tittered as she jumped from vehicle to vehicle, peering through the windows before realization suddenly hit her.
"Dad I...I gotta get to school! I can't skip, I've got-" She started, heading back towards her father's car as panic set in, only to be stopped by Roland's firm hand on her shoulder.
"Firecracker, it's a remote day. You don't have to go in." Roland said, dropping the bombshell as softly as he could and trying not chuckle as his daughter's face turned redder than her hair as the realization hit her.
"What? It's...You jerks! I could have slept in!" Jocelyn whined, giving her dad a punch on the arm as he burst out into heavy laughter that rolled and echoed across the parking lot like thunder. Josie stood off to the side and fumed, pouting at the deception and mentally kicking herself for forgetting that there was a global pandemic.
'Well, don't blame yourself too much Little Miss Perfect' A voice from the back of her head whispered, and Jocelyn mentally bristled at the words, 'After all you didn't live through this the first time around. You've got three lifetimes in your head girly'
"That still...I still have stuff I have to do" Jocelyn muttered darkly as her father's laughter died away.
"What was that, kiddo?" Roland asked, wiping away a few stray mirthful tears. Oh, Lily and Eve would get a kick out of this!
Josie summoned the mental strength to banish those thoughts. Right now this was a GOOD THING. She'd be able to do so much more now! And be away from mom more! She could...There was just so much that could be done now that she was getting a car!
And she knew just which one to pick. Or at least hoped to pick.
"C'mon dad, I know the PERFECT car for me!" Jocelyn grinned, and off she ran, a unsuppressed laugh bursting from her lips as she scanned the lines of cars. It was too much to expect it to be still be here but...
"Yes!" The flannel clad goddess shouted in joy as she skidded to a stop, now firmly in the 'used car' section of the lot.
There, in front of her, was a small white Honda Civic that had seen better days, and a single night or horrific vandalism three years and two lifetimes ago.
It was Bill's car.
"Hey bud" Jocelyn said, laying a tiny hand on the car's hood and closing her eyes. For just a brief moment, despite the chill in the air and the disapproving noise of her father...
Things, for once, felt right.