Her attributes were well on display right here in the car.

Silvio could remember, back in the day, when you had to park the car to make out. Now, you could do it while you were on the move. He had the 2021 Gandalf, top of the line. Man, what must they have had to pay the Tolkien estate to name this love boat after the fictional wizard, not that they wouldn’t be able to cough up the money given what they charged for one of these beauties. But the name was totally apt. These wheels were nothing short of magical. Took delivery just three days before. Couldn’t wait to take Cheryl for a spin, show her what it could do. And what they could do, while the car went about its business. What was that old Greyhound commercial he’d hear on the TV when he was still in short pants? “Leave the driving to us!” Yeah, except in a Gandalf, there were no diesel fumes, and you didn’t get stuck sitting with some guy who hadn’t bathed since the invention of the wheel.

“Frankie,” Cheryl said.

“Yeah, babe?” He was circling her right nipple with an index finger.

“Can’t we just go back to your place? I mean, the car’s great and all, but I really can’t relax, you know?”

As she finished the sentence, the car filled with light and, a second later, a deafening roar as a truck went past in the opposite direction. Cheryl flinched.

“Every time that happens I jump out of my skin,” she said.

“We’re totally okay,” he said. “If you don’t believe me, let me check.” He lifted up his chin. “Hey, Lola, everything cool?”

A mechanical, yet feminine, voice emanated from the speakers. “All systems are performing at optimum levels.”

“Lola?” Cheryl asked.

Frank Silvio grinned. “My ex-wife. When you set the car up, you can name it anything you want. I call her Lola because the real one never did a thing I said, but this one has to. Say, Lola?”

“Yes?”

“I guess we might as well head home. Let’s go back to the beach house and crash.”

“I will take you there,” Lola said.

“Hey, Lola, how about a blow job?” Frank asked.

Lola replied, “I am sorry, but that does not fall within the parameters of my functions.”

Frank grinned at Cheryl. “Okay, in that respect, Lola’s exactly like my ex.”

The car slowed. The turn signal came on by itself as the car moved onto the shoulder. On the touch screen that spanned the entire dash, several video images captured what was around the car in all directions. Lola, confident the road was clear, executed a U-turn and began to head back they way they’d come.

Frank leaned in and planted his lips on Cheryl’s. “Just getting my own motor running before we get back.”