The Unwanted Bride by the Winslows

SA’s Preconceptions

Preconceptions

"Theodore, put on your seatbelt."

As soon as Aoife sits in the driver's seat, her vibe changes. She becomes calm and focused. Her chin lifts high, and her red hair glows like flames in the sunlight. When she turns her head, Theodore already has his seatbelt on.

"Of course, it is the common sense."

Aoife smiles. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to life in NYC. Before I retired, my buddies prefer standing on the top of the car. If I don't remind them, they'd be thrown off and need a long recovery period, unable to support their families."

Theodore raises an eyebrow. "I know one boutique in New York. I wonder if you can navigate there just by my instructions and make this old car as sharp as a shark."

"Try me." Aoife loves challenges. She starts the engine smoothly. " Mission accepted. On the battlefield, we're always faced with such scenarios. Please give the instruction, boss. No, you're my commander, and I'm your soldier."

The sky looks like a painter's palette, reminiscent of an old cowboy movie. Brave Aoife is about to take an elite man rush in adventure into ordinary life.

Theodore stares into Aoife's bright green eyes. The old car's interior smells of old engine oil, making the small space feel suffocating. He finds a bit hard to breathe.

He shifts his gaze forward. "I won't lead you astray, Miss Aoife." His memory is extraordinarily sharp, mapping out a clear 3D model of NYC in his mind. He can recall every street name and always choose the quickest route.

"Drive straight to the fourth intersection and turn right, then—" Theodore doesn't finish before Aoife floors the gas pedal, thrusting him back into the old seat.

As Aoife says, they move like a shark through the ocean, swiftly navigating the streets. Unlike the vast African savannah, the city road has countless cars moving at different speeds around them. Each driver has their own mind and might suddenly slow down or speed up. The unpredictable possibility of collisions stimulates Theodore's brain. He tried many extreme sports but never with such high unpredictability. Aoife doesn't ease off the gas, weaving through traffic and leaving cursing drivers behind.

When the speed difference creates elongated afterimages in their vision, Theodore really feels like a land shark in New York City. Aoife doesn't slow down for turns, even speeding up at green lights to complete a perfect drift.

"Sir, how about next?" Aoife asks, like a victorious knight, proudly shaking her red ponytail. "Thanks to your money, I'm not worry about speeding tickets anymore. I wouldn't be able to enjoy driving otherwise. It's a shame there's no helicopter following us for added excitement."

Theodore is still in the drifting moment, feeling every nerve excited by the stimulation. But as a person in power, he remains calm in any moment.

"Go straight for three more intersections, then turn left. After one more intersection, you'll see an store with no sign."

"Gocha." Aoife replies.

The Winslow shark couple reach the destination for their first ‘data’. Aoife's driving skills, comparable to a racecar driver's, show off even in parking. This old car perfectly swift in between two luxury cars with just a 10cm gap, any mistake costing thousands in repairs.

One SA frowns, never having served a customer with such an old car. He knocks on the window, polite but unpleasant:

"Hello, this parking area is private, reserved for our clients. If you can't afford a $20,000 dress, please don't disrupt our business."

Aoife doesn't totally understand the BA’s British-accented but she is not happy with his obviously impatience.

"You sure I cannot afford it?"

The SA looks Aoife over through the window. Her worn T-shirt shows heavy wear and tear, making her look like a penniless commoner, not their target customer at all. The old car and her clothes closed this case immediately.

The SA smiles, but his voice sound arrogant. "Yes, ma'am. Our clients have names in the New York Times. We'll give you some parking vouchers. Please move your vintage car to a public spot."

"She will be the Winslows." Said Theodore, with his imperturbabily voice.