When Penny first suggested he travel to Sydney with her to watch her graduate from the Academy, Storm was all but frantic to find a way out of going. Of course she wanted him to drive and he hated traveling any great distance by road. If he could doze off and simply wake up once they arrived that was one thing. Driving a car there and back again was another.
“Oh, come on! This is the first time we've been able to be together for three or four days alone together. It'll be great!”
“You can't drive yourself, right? So you need me to be your chauffeur.”
“I could drive the straight bits. Where we can see where police are hiding.”
“Why haven’t you got your license yet? You're bloody old enough.”
“Gawd, Storm! I told you before. I don't trust myself …show more content…
“Come on! The bus?”
“That's what people do when they can't drive a car.”
“I'd take a plane if you had your pilot’s license.”
“Money, Pen. It's all about money. I don't have any.”
“Right. So let's accept Mum’s offer and take her car. I pay for the gas and all you need do is drive.”
“I thought doctors are supposed to have a car at hand.”
“She bought a new one. She’s selling the old one when we get back. Just say, yes. We'll have a good time. I promise! Please!”
“What if I fall asleep on the road?”
“You won’t. Mum said we have a view of the Harbor Bridge from the bedroom! Doesn't that sound fantastic?”
“Are you sure she knows you’re planning on taking me?”
Penny leaned forward and giggled. “She booked a room with a double bed,” she stage whispered. to him.
Storm blushed. “What about Michael?”
She laughed. “He thinks I'm taking a bus. That's where I'm getting the money for …show more content…
Don't worry!”
He sipped his slushy noisily before leaning over to look at her half-filled container of fries. “You finished with your chips?”
“Yes. Take them away from me. Quick!”
He pulled the greasy carton toward him and opened the sachet of tomato sauce she hadn't touched. “You would prefer a decent coffee made by a poncy barista to chips and sauce, right?”
“Barista. Hm. I’ve not heard you use that word before.”
He dipped two chips into the sauce and held them up in front of her. “I read books you know.”
She laughed. “Watch TV you mean.”
“I READ books,” he repeated slowly through half chewed chips.
“Alright. Sor-ry. I'm going to get you an awesome espresso when we arrive.”
“Fantastic,” he replied sarcastically.
Storm didn't want to run into his mother until they were back from Sydney. He figured it was best they avoid each other for a few days until she became more used to the idea of him enlisting. He would tell Penny another day.
Summer took on the thankless role of a go-between so things worked out more or less fine for a while, but their house was small. By the time he arrived outside Franchette's front gate on the morning they left for Sydney, he was only too happy for the chance of
“Oh, come on! This is the first time we've been able to be together for three or four days alone together. It'll be great!”
“You can't drive yourself, right? So you need me to be your chauffeur.”
“I could drive the straight bits. Where we can see where police are hiding.”
“Why haven’t you got your license yet? You're bloody old enough.”
“Gawd, Storm! I told you before. I don't trust myself …show more content…
“Come on! The bus?”
“That's what people do when they can't drive a car.”
“I'd take a plane if you had your pilot’s license.”
“Money, Pen. It's all about money. I don't have any.”
“Right. So let's accept Mum’s offer and take her car. I pay for the gas and all you need do is drive.”
“I thought doctors are supposed to have a car at hand.”
“She bought a new one. She’s selling the old one when we get back. Just say, yes. We'll have a good time. I promise! Please!”
“What if I fall asleep on the road?”
“You won’t. Mum said we have a view of the Harbor Bridge from the bedroom! Doesn't that sound fantastic?”
“Are you sure she knows you’re planning on taking me?”
Penny leaned forward and giggled. “She booked a room with a double bed,” she stage whispered. to him.
Storm blushed. “What about Michael?”
She laughed. “He thinks I'm taking a bus. That's where I'm getting the money for …show more content…
Don't worry!”
He sipped his slushy noisily before leaning over to look at her half-filled container of fries. “You finished with your chips?”
“Yes. Take them away from me. Quick!”
He pulled the greasy carton toward him and opened the sachet of tomato sauce she hadn't touched. “You would prefer a decent coffee made by a poncy barista to chips and sauce, right?”
“Barista. Hm. I’ve not heard you use that word before.”
He dipped two chips into the sauce and held them up in front of her. “I read books you know.”
She laughed. “Watch TV you mean.”
“I READ books,” he repeated slowly through half chewed chips.
“Alright. Sor-ry. I'm going to get you an awesome espresso when we arrive.”
“Fantastic,” he replied sarcastically.
Storm didn't want to run into his mother until they were back from Sydney. He figured it was best they avoid each other for a few days until she became more used to the idea of him enlisting. He would tell Penny another day.
Summer took on the thankless role of a go-between so things worked out more or less fine for a while, but their house was small. By the time he arrived outside Franchette's front gate on the morning they left for Sydney, he was only too happy for the chance of