Hummingbird Lane by Brown, Carolyn (good books to read for beginners TXT) 📕

don’t be a back-seat driver. Drink some coffee so you won’t be so grouchy.”

“You’re worse than Victoria.” Sophie picked up the coffee and took a few sips, but she didn’t say another word for thirty minutes. By then they were passing the tiny community of Terlingua.

“I’m stopping for a bathroom break. If you want to call anyone, like Teddy, and tell him what a jackass you’ve been, your phone is in your purse.” Emma pointed to the back seat.

“What the hell is all that other stuff?” Sophie gasped.

“It’s what Josh, Arty, and Filly say we need for a few nights in the park. Are you going with me to the bathroom or not? I thought I’d also pick up some milk and maybe a six-pack of beer while we’re here. Arty said he put enough ice in the cooler to last until tomorrow,” Emma answered.

“Good God!” Sophie groaned.

“You might want to put your boots on if you need to use the bathroom. Looks like that gravel would hurt bare feet.” Emma snagged the keys and her purse and opened the door. She unfastened her seat belt and followed the signs around to the side of the building where the restrooms were located. She wasn’t a bit surprised when she finished to find Sophie waiting at the door with her boots on.

“If we were on Facebook right now, I would unfriend you,” she fumed with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Good thing we’re in the real world, then, isn’t it?” Emma flashed her brightest smile. “If you’re not ashamed to be seen in the store in your pajama pants and no bra, come on inside and see if there’s anything you might like to take with us. I’ve still got my hundred dollars I left the institution with, so I can get what I think we might need.”

Sophie went into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. “You are a witch.”

“I believe it,” Emma yelled through the closed door. “I got you out of bed, so I must have superpowers. When we get back home, I’ll see if I can make a broom fly and turn frogs into princes. Maybe I’ll turn Teddy into a frog and you’ll be plumb out of luck.”

“Hush,” Sophie shouted. “Go buy the beer.”

Emma didn’t budge. No way was she giving Sophie a chance to hitch a ride back to the trailer park. “If they have whiskey, I might need a bottle of that just to get me through the next few days with an old cranky-butted woman.”

Sophie slung open the door. “Don’t call me old.”

“Well, today you look twenty years older than me,” Emma said. “Your hair is a fright and your boobs are sagging. It’s a good thing Teddy can’t see you right now.”

Sophie crossed her arms over her chest again and stormed back to the car, got inside, and slammed the door so hard that it rocked the vehicle.

“Mission accomplished,” Emma singsonged. “Being mad is a step up from being numb.” She got two six-packs of beer, a couple of bottles of cheap wine, half a gallon of milk, and, on the way to the register, she picked up two Cherry Mash candies. Emma hadn’t had one of those in years, but just seeing the red-and-white wrapper reminded her of the days when Rebel used to give her and Sophie one while they sketched or colored in their books. Maybe just having one would help Sophie get over all this and make up with Teddy.

Sophie was still in a mood when she got back to the vehicle. Emma wedged everything except the candy into a small place in the back, and then got behind the wheel again. “I’m going to turn Lulu off now, and you can guide me through the park and to the best campground.”

“Why do you call the GPS Lulu, and what are you hiding in your pocket?” Sophie asked.

“The cleaning lady we had after Rebel got fired was Lulu. She had a voice just like that GPS lady, and she was very blunt, not at all like Rebel. She never told stories or brought me one of these.” Emma tossed a Cherry Mash candy toward Sophie.

Sophie caught it midair. “Don’t think because you brought my favorite candy out here that you are forgiven.”

“Eat it and drink your coffee and tell me what to do now,” Emma said.

“Drive straight into the park, stop at the toll booth, and pay for us to go inside. It’s fifteen dollars for each of us,” Sophie said.

“Get your purse out,” Emma said.

“Oh, no.” Sophie shook her head. “This is your party. You pay the cover fee.”

Emma did a quick tally. She had more than thirty dollars left in her purse, even after buying what she had, but there wouldn’t be much left. Hopefully Arty and Filly had packed enough food to get them through until Sophie’s funk ended. Thank goodness Filly hadn’t let her pay for the things she’d asked them to pick up at the store while Sophie was gone, or she wouldn’t have been able to pay the toll.

They pulled in behind four pickup trucks when they reached the adobe booth with an American flag flying high outside. “Is there a camping fee in addition—” Emma started to ask, but two of the trucks in front of her shoved something out the window and went right on through, so she had to pull up.

“Sixteen dollars a night,” Sophie answered. “How long are we staying and which campground are we using?”

The best-laid plans and all that crap, Emma thought as she tossed out the idea of staying until the weekend. She had enough money to get them into the park. They sure wouldn’t go hungry, but Sophie had better get out of her mood by the end of the day.

At least you tried, and you got behind the wheel and drove again, and you asserted a little authority over Sophie.

“Yes, I did,” Emma whispered in agreement.

“You did what, and who are you