Indirect Route by Matthews Claire

Author:Matthews, Claire [Matthews, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Jude Street Press
Published: 2015-12-11T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

JANIE

“McDonald’s?” she cried, incredulous.

“Afraid so.”

“So let me get this straight. You have a phobia about germs in food, and the only restaurant you’ll eat in is McDonald’s? That’s like someone with a fear of heights living in a treehouse!”

“I know if doesn’t make sense, but in my mind, the chances of an actual human being touching the food is less likely here than at any other fast food restaurant. It’s all so processed and conveyor-belty.”

“Is that an adjective?”

“I choose to think so.”

They got in the drive-thru line, and Janie watched Aaron out of the corner of her eye as he called his order out the car window. When he finished and put the car back in gear, she looked straight ahead, trying hard not to crack a smile.

“What now?” He barked, but she knew he wasn’t really mad.

“Why? Why a happy meal?”

“Because, I figure they have to be more careful with the kid food than with the adult food.” He cleared his throat. “I hope you noticed that I told them to leave out the toy.”

“I did. It was very manly of you.”

At the window, Aaron passed his money through the window and took his bright red box of food with a rueful grin. “Try to contain yourself.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything.” She was biting the inside of her lip so hard, she felt as if she’d soon draw blood. She took the food from his hands so he could drive.

“Do you—“She stopped herself.

“What?”

“Do you want me to put the straw in your juice box?”

“Go on, get it all out.”

“You can’t have the cookie until you finish your sandwich.”

He closed his eyes and sighed. “Keep ‘em coming.”

Janie took a deep breath and shook her head. “I’m done.” He eyed her suspiciously. “I am!”

“Just hand me my burger.” She obeyed, unwrapping the small hamburger and handing it to him, holding it between her thumb and index finger.

“Oh! I touched it! Did I ruin it?”

“What? No, of course not,” he said, grabbing the burger and biting it in half. “I don’t mind you touching my food. I just don’t like the idea of strangers touching it.” He reached across the gearshift and grabbed a handful of fries from the box on her lap. “I wish I could explain it. I’m not a germaphobe. I mean, not entirely. Hell, I just sucked on your face for a good half hour.”

“Language!” Janie cried, stealing a fry.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “It’s just the unknown that bothers me, I guess.”

“But life is just a series of unknowns. Do we know whether or not a bus is going to mow us down between here and the hotel? Do we know if an asteroid’s on a crash-course with earth as we speak? If you take that line of thinking to the extreme, you’d never leave the house.”

“I get it. You think I haven’t had this argument with myself a thousand times?”

Janie stopped. “Well. Of course you have. What a sanctimonious shit I am.”

“No you’re not. You’re right.

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