A road to nowhere

‘Let’s go for a drive,’ he announced across the family dining table. ‘Better get you home, it’s getting late.’ he winked.

The car was a novelty. It was part of the package, along with his good looks and a well-paying job. This was teenage love and those four wheels were our ticket to freedom. He had just turned eighteen and recently got his drivers license. On the downside he still lived at home and so did I.

The passenger seat of his father’s Corolla smelled of citrus and tobacco, his mother’s signature scent. He squeezed my hand in anticipation as I buckled up. I imagined that we too were husband and wife as he pulled away from the curb. Time in the car was our only time alone. At this hour the suburban streets were dimly lit and deserted, we were heading to our usual parking spot: a dead-end street in the middle of an industrial estate, seeking privacy in the most public of places.