Chapter 10: The Long Way Home

"Switch with me," I said.

Gianni looked at me.

"Talia."

"My father taught me to drive this car. You've driven it for three weeks." I was already climbing over the gearshift in my good wool skirt. "Move."

He moved.

We traded places across the bench seat, all elbows.

I pulled out without signaling.

The Camry came out behind us two cars back.

I took Fifth Avenue to Bay Ridge Parkway and made the light at Fourth by a coat of paint.

The Camry ran it.

"That's a no on nobody," Gianni said.

"Seatbelt."

"I'm wearing it."

"Wear it harder."

I knew those streets like I knew my mother's kitchen.

I'd ridden my bike on every one of them.

I cut down Seventh and through the alley behind the funeral home.

Then I went straight across the gravel lot of the closed church school.

The Buick fishtailed on the gravel and came out straight.

The Camry bounced in after us and scraped its bumper on the curb.

"You're enjoying this," Gianni said.

"I'm a pregnant woman fleeing for my life."

"You're smiling."

I was.

I went up onto the Belt Parkway with the harbor on my left.

The sun came off the water so bright I couldn't see the lines.

I stayed in the right lane, at the limit.

The Camry settled in behind us, three cars back.

"Now what?" Gianni asked.

"Now we wait for the exit."

At the last exit before the bridge, I stayed in the right lane until the Camry committed to staying with us.

Then I moved left across two lanes and back onto the highway at the last possible second.

Horns.

A delivery truck.

In the mirror the Camry was stuck on the exit ramp, boxed in by the truck, going the wrong way.

I got off two exits later and drove the long way back through Dyker Heights, past the houses that put up the big Christmas lights.

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