Seat Filler Novels & Stories

I ask. “You got money, lady?” “No, I don’t.” “Then we ain’t stoppin’.” He spits again, then adds, “Got a bag of jerky under the back seat.” I nod, even though he can’t possibly see me while facing forward, and close the curtain so that I don’t have to watch him spit every five minutes, then I turn to examine the seat in front of me. It seems to be solid all the way to the floor, with no storage area underneath. But a little exploring of the seat cushion tells me it lifts up, so I slide my fingers just under the cushion and find the latch.

On the way to the hospital in my daughter's car, my legs felt cramped, so I adjusted the angle of the passenger seat. A second later, I heard a soft snap from beneath the seat. A toothpick had broken. I jumped in fright as my daughter, Marissa Langford, slammed on the brakes, her face turning pale. "Why would you touch that? Tyler set that seat to a specific position on purpose. He uses it to check whether another man has been sitting in the passenger seat. How am I supposed to explain this now?" Realizing I'd caused trouble for her marriage, I immediately sent Tyler Ashford, my son-in-law, an apology. Hours passed without a reply. Eventually, all I received was a cold laughing emoji.

It was a statement — small‚ quiet‚ expensive — that said the person who rode in this mattered very much. Liam was already pressed against the window with his face squashed against the glass and his stuffed dog held up beside him so it could see too. "Mama it has little screens! LITTLE SCREENS INSIDE‚ MAMA!" Killian opened the back door and I looked inside. A built-in car seat fitted perfectly into the rear‚ the leather spotless. A small screen sat in the headrest in front of it. A little compartment beside the seat held a water bottle. And on the headrest‚ a small monogrammed tag.

They were large and long, with luggage compartments underneath. Our jaws dropped as soon as we saw the inside. The rows were spacious, and the seats were like brown leather recliners. Although, I wasn't sure if they actually reclined. But they were about the same size. There were small tables that folded up and down in front of each seat, with small built-in cup holders. On the back of the seats, there were small, built-in touchscreen TV screens about the size of an iPad. I walked up to one of the chairs to feel it, and my jaw dropped even further. The leather was so squishy, I honestly couldn't wait to start the trip. I looked over at Haylie, who was also occupied squishing the seats.

A child seat had already been installed on the right side, complete with a small neutral-colored neck pillow that looked like it had been bought by someone who never allowed the world to make its own decisions. “This is excessive,” I said quietly. Sebastian turned his face slightly. “It’s necessary.” “I have a car.” “Not today.” “I have hands.” “Good. Save them for holding the front door when you get home.” I stared at his profile. God must have been bored when He made this man, then decided to throw in the face as a bonus. Poppy was already leaning out of Sebastian’s arms toward the car. “I want to sit in that fancy baby seat.”

I sank deeper into my seat, trying to get comfortable while fiddling with the controls on the side. As I pressed a switch, the seat reclined almost flat like a bed. “Okay, this is too much,” I muttered, thumping my hand on the controls in frustration as I struggled to find the right button to adjust my position back to normal. I clicked the next switch, and to my surprise, a fold beneath the chair opened up, revealing an extension for my legs. In an instant, the seat transformed into a luxurious sunbed, allowing me to stretch out comfortably. It felt like I was lounging in a five-star resort, completely at ease as I rested my legs. The soft fabric cradled me, inviting me to relax fully and e