Page 35 of The Dragon’s Accidental Manny

“You can all learn to drive in Cam’s car.” I doubted it’d be in one piece by the time Jack was sixteen.

It’s not in one piece now, my beast noted.

The whole family went to the dealership, but Jack climbed into the first vehicle on the lot, thinking it was ours, and Isla vetoed every color, saying our family needed something that reflected our personality.

She dismissed one, saying, “That one looks angry.”

The cheerful salesman, Nigel, who attached himself to us was human, and he talked of cupholders and sunroofs and how great all the cars were.

“Aren’t new cars supposed to work?” Bea stared at the guy. “Isn’t that the point of a new car?”

That shut him up for five seconds as he pretended to wipe off a speck on a windscreen.

Cam wandered around, cradling his bump and asking the baby which car they liked. “You’ll be spending a lot of time in it with your sisters and brother.”

Leaving the children to argue about a back seat screen and heated seats, I placed a hand on my mate’s hip. “This is hard for you.”

“It’s forcing me to let go of something that was my security blanket. I lived in Berty for a month.”

This was me making his life harder than it needed to be. “We’ll keep your car as long as you want.”

He turned and his belly brushed over my middle. “No. It’s time to let him go.” He tapped my lips. “With a baby on the way, three kids, and a roof over our heads, we’re very lucky.”

He sniffed, and I brushed away a tear as it trickled over his cheek. “You don’t have to.”

“I know.” He sighed. “Get the fender fixed and anything else that needs doing. I’ll give Berty to one of my old college friends who’s having a hard time and taking public transport to job interviews.”

Jack was bored and hiding under a car while asking Nigel to find him, but poor Nigel was fussing over a smudge the girls had left when they leaned on another car.

“Okay, can we vote on which color we want?” I wanted us out of here and doing something fun. We still had a few items remaining on our “to buy before the baby arrives” list

The three kids and Cam put up both hands. “I voted.” We all stared at one another and laughed. I wasn’t the only one who needed this car business to be over.

“The gray. It’s modern and kinda mysterious.” Isla pointed to the in-stock model.

“Done.”

An hour later we were in said car but couldn’t move because the kids were negotiating who would sit where.

“We need a seating plan,” Bea suggested.

“Can we all find a temporary seat and you can do that when we get home?” Cam had the I’m tired of lugging around this big belly look.

Jack climbed in the far back but negotiated for the middle seat on the left. “That’s for the baby.”

The girls looked at one another and shrugged. “Okay,” Isla agreed.

“Nobody but the baby can sit there.” Cam reached across the console and slid his hand into mine.

“How many scents do we have?” Cam glanced at the kids

“Five,” everyone shouted.

“And soon to be six.”

SEVENTEEN

CAM