"Oh, right, give me half an hour." Molly said.
In the early morning, Chad told his parents in the yard, "I washed the car yesterday to pick up Molly from school. But we're going back to the countryside today, so all the dust will just make it dirty again. Seems like washing it was a wasted effort."
Coleen suggested, "Let Molly wash it when you get back."
"Nah, you know Molly. My car's white. If I let her wash it, it might end up with some other color." Chad said.
Coleen remembered a story from Molly's childhood. Once, Mr. Kendrick had driven home in the company car which was all dirty from his field visits. Molly decided to help him wash it and halfway through, she started doodling on it with watercolor pens. She even ended up sprawled on the hood, drawing away.
The company folks who came to pick up the car were greeted by a rainbow of colors and squiggly "Dad, Mom, Family" scribbled all over it. They couldn't help but laugh.
Thankfully, the doodles were easy to clean, otherwise, the company car would've been turned into Molly's canvas.
Molly, now dressed, appeared and asked, "What are you guys praising me for?"
Coleen laughed, "We're just talking about some funny stuff you did as a kid."
She pointed at Chad's car, "Go with Chad, and don't just fall asleep. Chad's gonna get tired from the long drive, so keep him company."
"Got it." Molly replied, tossing her bag onto the back seat and hopping into the passenger seat.
After the kids left, Mr. Kendrick told Coleen, "We'll go to the hospital in the morning and then to the park in the afternoon."
Coleen looked at Mr. Kendrick and nodded, smiling.
On the road, Molly chatted with Chad for half an hour while munching on a fruit platter. When she got tired, she just lay down and fell asleep. Chad gently covered her with his jacket.
When she woke up, they had already exited the highway. She had completed her mission of keeping Chad company in her dreams.
Chad parked the car on the side of the road for a smoke break to shake off the sleepiness. Molly stretched lazily after getting out of the car. She was mesmerized by the wildflowers around them. "Spring's awesome; all the flowers are blooming."
She was dressed in a white hoodie and sky-blue jeans. She squatted by the roadside, basking in the warmth of spring. Her hair glistened under the sunlight.
After a short break, they hit the road again. By noon, they finally made it to the countryside. Grandma Aubree had already packed the wild hawthorns she had made.
"Grandpa, Grandma, we're back!" Molly announced loudly as soon as they entered.
"Molly's here! Look what Grandpa Elmer picked for you from the mountain." Grandma Aubree called to her with a smile.
The village was full of dog owners, and if they left the door open, neighborhood dogs would barge in looking for food.
Grandpa Elmer chased the dogs away with a stick and closed the door. They hadn't forgotten Molly's dog allergy.
"How come you have hawthorns at this season?" Molly asked.
Grandma Aubree explained, "Last year, no one picked the ripe hawthorns on the mountain, so Grandpa Elmer and I picked a big bag. They were originally for Mr. Kendrick since he has high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar."
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