clearly come out to do her bit.
“Sure,” I mutter, unwilling to make this a happy experience for her when it is clearly another opportunity to ship me off to yet another school, and she helped them do it. Turning back to the window, I continue to ignore her attempt at mindless conversation.
Undeterred she continues, pulling out her materials from the school, “The school takes some scholarship students, but only a few. It’s very expensive and quite exclusive. Austin is a college town, only about eight hundred thousand people. Maybe Tommy can elaborate. Tommy, what’s it like to live here?” My Aunt asks smiling, blinking her eyes at the driver. My God! I think she bat her eyelashes at him. I want to crawl under the seat.
“That sounds about right, Ma’am.” Tommy confirms. “Downtown is fun, sixth street has some great music. Lots of good restaurants. That’s not all there is to the town though. We have quite a few lakes, and some springs. Skiing and boating on the lakes. Trails for motorcross and riding are everywhere, if you like that sort of thing.” His lips curve into a knowing grin. “But I like it. I grew up here. There’s a quiet gentleness to the outskirts of town, especially on the lake, surprises most folks.” He shrugs.
“How long have you been a chauffeur?” My aunt asks.
“Just helpin’ out, really.” His crooked smile seems almost mischievous. “I’m a musician by trade. My dad has a ranch outside of town. He fell and broke his hip, and I’ve been helping him out until he gets back on his feet. After that, I’ll be heading back to Nashville.”
“A musician? Really?” My aunt says, nudging my arm. “What instruments do you play?”
I shoot her a dagger stare in hopes she’ll stop. What is she doing? She glances at me, oblivious. The smile lilts across her lips.
“I play guitar, and I sing. I’ve been in Nashville for about three years, mostly playing local bars, some studio and demo work. Since I’ve been back in Austin, I’ve been working at the ranch during the day and playing at night here and there.”
“Impressive. With all of that, how do you find time to be a driver as well?” She asks, her smile beaming too brightly.
“Aunt Patty, seriously? Don’t you think you have grilled him enough?” I am so embarrassed. I shoot a scalding look her way.
“Oh, it’s no problem, Ms. Turner.” He adds, “Talking makes the time pass faster, don’t ya think?” He grins at me broadly, his eyes crinkling at the corners behind his shades. “Ms. Chadwick is a family friend, and she asked me to help her out over the next few days after she lost her old driver. I couldn’t say no…damsel in distress and all.”
“Well, that is sweet of you.” My aunt smiles.
“It’s no problem at all. I enjoyed meeting y’all.” His devilish smile fails miserably to match his gracious words. “I’ll drop you at the hotel so they can check you in, and drive you over to the school so Ms. Turner can settle in.”
The car pulls up to the hotel in downtown. Tommy gets out, crosses around to open the door for us, and I notice several hundred people crowding along a bridge. “That’s strange. What are they doing?” I ask. “It’s too early for fireworks.” Staring up at the sky, the sun is beginning to set as a dark cloud slowly descends from underneath the bridge. “What are they? Are those birds?” Thousands upon thousands of some kind of bird fly for several minutes from underneath the bridge, a black ribbon set against a blue and orange sky.
Tommy chuckles. “Nope… bats.” His twinkling smirk is all the response we get to our shocked expressions.
“Bats? Are you kidding?” My aunt asks.
“That is the coolest thing I have ever seen,” I mumble to myself, forgetting to continue the bratty behavior I have used as a shield all day. Staring at the bridge in awe, I’m mesmerized by the sea of black, and the shocks of the tiny bat cries. “There’s thousands. Have they always been here?”
Slipping off his glasses, Tommy takes a moment to watch this spectacular sight. Looking down at me, his crystal blue eyes shine. Wow, his eyes are fucking dazzling. A boyish glee lights his face, politely waiting for a few moments as I stand fascinated. “The bats have been coming here since I was a boy. They fly in formation. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Yeah.” I breathe. “Do you miss living