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Jack pulled the emergency brake and said, “Stop joking around!”

“He’s just mad because in his heart he knows I’m a natural, I’ll be driving better than him in no time,” I informed Mike.

“Sure,” Jack said snidely. “Just remember, when you need a shoulder to cry on the fifth time you fail your driving test, I’m here for you.”

I rolled my eyes and got out. Jack sighed and did the same. Once we’d changed places, I rubbed my hands together enthusiastically. “So this is what it feels like to be you,” I said.

“I’m already regretting this,” he replied.

“Ross!” Mike exclaimed. “Don’t be such a loser. She’s going to do great.”

Will, who had come along, added, “And worst-case scenario, if she wrecks, you can finally buy a car that actually looks cool.”

Will and Mike buckled up. I think secretly they hoped a disaster would happen. I’d invited Naya along for moral support, but I think she and Will were more worried about their baby than my desire for independence, and prudently, she decided to stay home. I was excited, though. Humming to myself, I started touching all the buttons, flipping the levers, putting on the windshield wipers, hitting the turn signal when I tried to turn them off, honking the horn.

The guys mentioned that they’d taken bets back at home on how I would do. Everyone had agreed I’d screw it up—the only question was how bad—so when Jack said he’d taken my side and was sure I’d be great, I knew it was a lie.

“Shut up, y’all!” I said. “Now where’s the, uh, start button?”

Jack buried his head in his hands and moaned, “My poor car…there’s no way it will survive.”

“Have faith,” I encouraged him.

“Jen,” he replied, “I’m begging you. Please, please don’t ruin my car. It’s the thing I love mo—it’s the thing I love second-most in the world.”

“After his bed,” Mike said. Will pulled him back into the back seat and Jack got serious.

“Let’s start with the pedals.”

“Cool, where are those?”

A look of horror crossed his face, and I rushed to add, “Jack, I’m kidding!”

“Get out,” he said. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m driving us home.”

“No!” I responded, grabbing his arm. “It really was a joke. Give me another chance. I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Jack thought it over, then relaxed and told me about the clutch, the accelerator, and the brake. He must have been the last guy in the world to own a stick shift, but I thought that was for the best. If I could drive his car, then I could drive anything. As if I’d never been in an automobile before, he pointed out the gears, the hand brake, how the steering wheel worked—all things I knew, but I decided to be polite and listen along. There was only one thing I wanted: to hit the gas and take off. But I restrained myself. When the explanations were done, Jack looked down into his lap as though preparing himself for a certain death.

“It’s time,” he said, turning the key for me. The motor roared, and I said, “Let’s go!”

Mike checked his seatbelt and asked, “What do you think Naya and Sue will do if we die?”

“Throw a party,” Will answered. “Just think, it’ll mean twice as much room for the baby.”

“And one less parasite on the sofa,” Jack added. “Now Jen, let’s get this thing going before I change my mind. And take it easy, please.”

I put it in first and stalled out. On my second try, Jack rested his handon top of mine to reassure me. I knew he was nervous, but he made sure I knew he believed in me: “Easy now. You’re already in first. Let’s start over…”

I did as he said, and slowly, the car crawled forward. I tried to contain my excitement as I squeezed the wheel. Ten miles an hour! I was doing it! I smiled and looked over at Jack. “Am I doing OK?”

“You’re doing great, babe. Now we’re going to try to reach that post over there. Keep your speed up, turn a little, and…hey, what are you giggling about?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this nervous,” I said. “It’s cute.”

As he reproached me—Jen, please—I tried to listen close. Jack thought I was being too hesitant and cut the wheel a bit. We passed the post, and he told me to speed up and pull into a lot ahead of us. We went on turning circles, parking, restarting for what must have been an hour. When it was done, I felt better, and I think Jack did, too.

Will was the first to congratulate me, giving me an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder. “You look surprised,” I said, mocking him. Mike pretended to pat himself down to check if anything was broken, and thanked God we were all still alive.