Blond Braids

When the alarms simultaneously sounded hours before the sun would break the night, groggy curses could be heard throughout the house. It took less than ten minutes for them to dress and be at the door. When the taxi van showed up, it took less time than that to load. No one smiled, and no one spoke.

“My life for some coffee man,” Luca grumbled at the driver.

“If that translates to ‘you get a big tip for a coffee run’ then I’m your guy!” the driver called back, unnaturally happy for this godforsaken time of the day.

“That translates to, ‘I’ll put your firstborn through college’ if you make that happen,” Luca responded and wondered if the man just hadn’t gone to bed for the night yet. No one should be that awake and chipper before the sun poked out its head. “But then, look at the little fairy, she’s bright-eyed and positively glowing,” he shook his head at this thought. She even made this cursed hour look good.

Zinnia chose to sit up front and happily talked with the driver