Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance

"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."

at Mr. Kendrick

hour while munching on a fruit platter. When she got tired, she just lay down and fell asleep.

woke up, they had already exited the highway. She had completed her mission of

break to shake off the sleepiness. Molly stretched lazily after getting out of the car. She was

dressed in a white hoodie and sky-blue jeans. She squatted by the

break, they hit the road again. By noon, they finally made it to the

Grandma, we're back!" Molly announced loudly as soon

for you from the mountain." Grandma Aubree called to her with a

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

one is for Mia. She needs some sugar. If pregnant women don't eat well, they can get hypoglycemia, so I coated these hawthorns with sugar. The white one is for your dad. Let him make tea with them. It'll help." After a pause, Grandma Aubree added, "I didn't prepare a lot for Mia. She's still in early pregnancy. If she feels uncomfortable, she can eat a hawthorn to ease it, but she can't have them

and Chad were

"You could spend all this time you're wasting on us to help

hasn't found a job. We're living off our savings

because of the low pay and poor conditions. Juliana,

Grandpa Elmer angrily hung up the phone. He told Grandma Aubree, "From now on, we're not answering

of their poor hearing. Molly and Chad heard everything Juliana

the table in anger, "He never even tried to look for a job. Dave's dad is hopeless. I went out of my way to find him a laid-back security guard job that would've paid the bills, but he thought it was beneath him and the salary too low, so he just walked out. Unbelievable!" Chad was well aware that this family was full of shady characters. The world was a

"Molly, if Juliana calls you, just tell her you're still a student.