Chapter 3 - THE CAR WASN’T REALLY FREE
Three days later, Michael sent me a photograph of the completed title paperwork.
The car would be transferred to Mom as legal owner until I turned eighteen, with me listed as primary driver where insurance allowed.
No conditions.
No repayment.
No weird contract.
That was good.
Then Mom discovered the insurance premium.
Not good.
She stared at the quote.
“Absolutely not.”
I laughed.
“How bad?”
She turned the screen.
I stopped laughing.
Seventeen-year-old boy.
New car.
Full coverage.
Enough said.
Michael offered to pay the insurance.
Mom refused initially.
Then Ray said:
“Why?”
She looked at him.
“Because I don’t want him buying his way in.”
Ray shrugged.
“Paying the cost attached to his gift is not buying his way in.”
Mom considered.
He continued:
“If Ethan keeps the car, somebody pays insurance.”
“Better the man who created the expense.”
Fair.
Michael paid.
In writing.
For one year.
After that, we would review.
The car came home the following Friday.
No bow.
I liked it more without one.
Ray walked around it.
“Nice.”
“You jealous?”
“Of heated seats?”
“Yes.”
“Extremely.”
Danny pressed his face to the window.
Cara demanded first ride.
I looked at Ray.
“Want to drive?”
He shook his head.
“Your car.”
“Come on.”
“No.”
Then he smiled.
“Take your mom.”
So I did.
That first drive mattered more than Michael probably understood.
Mom sat in the passenger seat.
She touched the dashboard.
“Your father always liked nice cars.”
“Michael?”
She looked at me.
“You can call him Dad if you want.”
“I know.”
“And you can call Ray Dad someday if you want.”
I glanced at her.
“You okay with that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because it’s weird?”
“Families are weird.”
Fair.
Then she said:
“You don’t owe either man a title.”
“Names should describe relationships.”
“Not create them.”
May you like
I remembered that.
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