The Drive Home.

Delia and Josh leave the bar after a couple of hours visiting with friends and drinking. They stop in a convenience store a few blocks away to pee and grab a few drinks. Josh picks up his weekly eighteen pack of beer. “Do you want a Red Bull?” Josh asked.

“Ummm. I’m not sure,” Delia hesitates. She contemplates a four-pack of wines. She grabs the handle of the cold case then lets it go. Josh walks to the counter to pay. He looks back at Delia with a frown.

She hesitates twice before giving in to the temptation knowing that driving and drinking is illegal. She should have listened to the good voice.

The items are paid for and sacked. Delia grabs the small sack of wines. She smiles on the way to the car.

“So when do you think Sam moved out of their house?” Delia asks. She checks her mirrors and the road before taking a swig from her little bottle of red wine.

“Before the holidays I think he said.”

“Do you think they’ll get back together?” Delia takes another swig.

“Doesn’t sound like it. I think he’s having more fun now.”

Suddenly, there are bright lights flashing behind them. She gives Josh the little bottle. “Here. Put this under your seat,” she said as she slows down to find a spot to pull over.

“Oh shit! I knew you shouldn’t have opened that.” Josh panics.

“Now you say something. I didn’t hear that earlier.”

“I thought I’d let you take your chances.”

“Well, if I go, you go.”

Delia pulls the car over and reaches for her wallet. The policeman shines his flashlight into the car and motions for her to lower the window. Delia lowers her window.

“Ma’am, can I see your license, please?” the policeman asked.

“Yes sir. Was I speeding?”

“Ma’am, what are you drinking?”

Delia looks down at the cup holders in the car. She picks up a plastic bottle of green tea. She holds it up to the policeman. He shakes his head.

“I saw you drinking from a small red bottle. Ma’am, have you been drinking?”

“I had a glass of wine with dinner.”

“Do you have a small red bottle, Ma’am?”

Delia looks around in the floor. She reaches under her seat. She pulls up a small grape juice bottle. “Could this be what you saw?”

The policeman shines the flashlight on the empty bottle. “I had a little left over from this morning. I wanted to kill it off before I put it on the floor mats,” Delia said.

The policeman hesitates. He looks from Delia to Josh and around the car. He shines the light in the back seat. “Well, okay. You kids be careful.”

“Yes sir. We will. We’re going straight home.”

Delia smiles and waits for the policeman to get back in his car. She pulls away and drives the speed limit.

“Whew. That was close.” She holds her hand out for the small bottle.

“How long has that grape juice bottle been in here?”

“Pretty smart, huh?”

Josh reluctantly hands her the small wine bottle. After checking her mirrors again, Delia takes a long swig of the red wine. “Ahhhh.”