Free The Designated Drivers' Club by Shelley K. Wall

few, like her, still loved the upbeat storytelling of the country tunes.
    College had changed that — a big school, a big lifestyle, big music. There, she learned and became attached to most of the rock music, and a little pop too. She liked the edgy hardness of bands like Nickelback. They were rough, sang things that most parents wouldn’t want their kids to listen to, but that was their motivation she thought. Still, country was her favorite, and what she preferred. She always flipped the station to other music based on the client, but when alone, this was her mainstay. It had a way of wiping the dirt away from the work, so to speak, and reminding her of more important things.
    A hard rap on the window knocked her out of her car dancing. She jerked a look at the side window. A young black man peered in at her, a teen with neat dark hair, a serious expression, and a green backpack thrown lazily over his shoulder. He looked harmless, but you never know. He smiled and waved, then signaled for her to roll down the glass.
    Jenny pressed the button, held it for a second, and then watched the glass inch open slightly. She peered nervously at the teen. “Can I help you?”
    “You’re with the Designated Driver Company, aren’t you?” he asked.
    “Yes, that’s right.”
    “You give my mom rides. Her name is Lauren Follis.”
    “Oh, yes! She’s your mother?” Jenny recognized the resemblance right away. He had the same eyes, the same angular facial features, but his slight stature didn’t come from Lauren. She was rounder, a woman whose curves were noticeable a mile away. No one would call Lauren heavy, but she was definitely not a waif. Her Halloween costume actually was an apt semblance of her true personality. She was the type of woman that turned heads. This young man was solid as a rock, even for a teen, and not an extra ounce of flesh to be seen.
    “Yes, unfortunately. I was wondering. Since you give rides, and you don’t have anyone in your car right now, do you think you could drop me off at the corner of the Bagley medical complex? I have a lab starting in 45 minutes and I missed the bus.”
    “You’re a student?” She had obviously misjudged his age.
    “Yeah, trying to be. I’m a senior, trying to get into med school. I probably won’t make it. I can barely pass my organic chemistry class right now. I’m sorry to ask, but Mom’s passed out — and she lost her license anyway. She totaled the car a few months back, and I don’t have one.” An angry scowl passed across his features. He quickly wiped it away and met her with a steady gaze. “So, what do you say?” he asked.
    Jenny glanced at the dash, decided she had plenty of time to spare, and nodded. “Sure, hop in. You have a name, young man?”
    “Josh.” He slid into the seat behind her. She handed him a business card from her console then adjusted the rearview so that she could see his face. He noticed, averted his eyes out the window and shoved his hands into his pockets. She guided the car onto the freeway and pressed the gas, it would be a rush to get him on campus for his class, but she could do it.
    “You might be a few minutes late,” she admitted. “I’ll see what I can do. So, med school, huh? That’s pretty impressive, what made you choose that?”
    “I used to think it would be cool to save people’s lives. When I was a kid, I sat in an emergency room and watched a bunch of doctors trying to save this little girl, and I thought — wow, I want to do that. It would have been better to be part of the group than one of the people watching them.”
    “The little girl was sick?”
    “No, car accident.” He shook his head and darted a scowl into the mirror. “I need to study for this lab.” He pulled out a notebook from the backpack on his shoulder, flipped the pages open, and effectively squelched any further questions she considered asking.
    Jenny adjusted the radio to the rock station. He looked to be the rock type,