DMV

“Come on we need to like goooo…” Candi whined as Bailey sat down on the little bench in front of his makeup table. He swept his hands under his butt to smooth out his purple sundress that had a tropical flower print on it. “Gah, just like a sec I have to put my face on. A good girl always looks her best.” Bailey responded to his friend's prodding, he wasn’t going to leave the house partially dressed no matter how much of a hurry she was in. “Come on girls, we have to leave.” Bailey heard the voice from the living room while he put on some large, diamond earrings that were really just a sterling silver stud and cut glass. “Just a minute Mommy!” Bailey yelled back. “There is no way you are going to be done in like a minute and we need to like go. Why didn’t you like wake up earlier?” Amanda stepped into the room and saw Bailey flicking a large brush across her cheeks. “Honey you will have to do that in the car, grab your purse and get your tushy in the car.” She looked at Candi and held out the keys to the car. “Care to drive? I figure you should get a feel for my car before you take a test in it.” Candi bounced in place as she accepted the keys with reverence, much different then how she just snatched them from her father Bailey noticed. “But..” Amanda looked Bailey in the eye giving that same look her mother had done to her many times. “No butts, except for yours moving.”

It felt odd to be sitting in the backseat putting on makeup, while Candi sat in the driver's seat and he wondered if he would be in trouble if Aunt April found out he had left the house without putting on makeup. “Do you feel like you are ready to take the test today Candi?” Amanda asked, her hand lightly touching the handle above the window on the passenger side just in case she needed it. “Oh like totally, yeah. I got this!” Candi said flashing a wide smile and looking in the rear view mirror to see Bailey putting lipgloss on. “What about you Bailey? You got it like way harder, you have to take the road rules test and the driving test.” Amanda looked in the back seat, her blue eyes meeting Bailey’s green. “She is only taking the test for the permit, we discussed it and she is not mature enough for her Driver’s License yet.” Candi could hear her friend grumbling in the back seat, and knew she didn’t agree with her Mom about that decision, but this wasn’t new information. “Well I hope you studied.” Amanda smirked knowing that answer already, Bailey telling her how she didn’t need to study and already knew the rules of the road. “She did not, says she already knows them.” Candi shook her head and turned her head to look in the back seat after coming to a red light. “The test is like harder than I thought when I took it, you should totally study till they call your name.” Capping her gloss Bailey gave his friend a cocky smile, he had passed that test and had been driving for years. He had a Class E License to drive his motorcycle, well motorcycles… his old bike broke down and he had sold it. “No I totally got this fer sure.” Candi shrugged, giving her friend a small smile. “I like your confidence sis, but don’t say I like didn’t warn you.”

After the car was parked the trio made their way into the government building, Amanda held out each of her hands. “Hold my hands girls.” Candi took hers right away and Bailey seemed ****, but did as she requested. “Mommy, we are eighteen, we aren't babies.” Amanda stopped and looked at Bailey in her purple dress, the brown braided leather belt around her waist and light purple heels that had a few butterflies. A small pang of guilt hit her, imagining how embarrassing it must be for a teen to be asked to do such a thing. “Its okay Miss Best I enjoy holding your hand.” Bailey stuck his tongue out at Candi for sucking up, but he still did what he was told. A good girl is always obedient, ran through his mind and was happy Aunt Megan wasn’t here to see him talk back. “Sorry sweetheart, you do not need to hold my hand. I know you are all grown up.” Bailey didn’t let go of her hand and motioned to the building ahead with his head. “Maybe just like this once.” The two of them couldn’t sleep together anymore, not like he wanted so maybe this was her way to get some type of physical connection, he could understand that. “You know Candi, you can call me Amanda if you want, but I have told you that before, have I not?” Candi nodded, holding in the energy that just wanted to burst from her with all the excitement of being this close to finally getting her license. “Daddy calls you Mandy and of course Bailey calls you mommy, but since like Bailey calls my Daddy the same thing, can I call you Mom?” Amanda felt Candi’s hand give hers a little squeeze and she felt like her heart might stop it was so full. It was not appropriate, even if it was the cutest thing ever to have a beautiful young woman so taken with her that she wanted her to be her mother. “Your father and I are only dating, I do not think that would be appropriate.” It was difficult to say, but it was the truth. “How about like just for today? You can be our beautiful Mom taking her lovely daughters out on errands. Please….!”

Stopping at the door Amanda let go of both of the girl’s hands and raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head to the side slightly. “Your father lets you get what you want when you talk like that I bet.” Candi nodded rapidly with a cheesy smile. Amanda sighed, the joy radiating off the girl wanting to call her Mom was palpable, but she really shouldn’t become that attached to her, she wasn’t even really in a relationship with her father. “Candi you know your father isn’t even my boyfriend let alone husband.” Bailey was silent as he watched the two, he had to agree, but was in no position to speak his mind. Even as he watched his blonde friend tilt her head thinking about that and looking none too happy. “Daddy didn’t ask you to be his girlfriend? Gah, he is like so helpless. Don’t worry I will like totally make sure he asks you and Bailey and I have it like figured out. You are like going to fall in love and totally want what marry each other when you go to the wedding.” Amanda raised her hand to cover her mouth a little surprised and looked at Bailey, who in return was looking at Candi like the girl had just said something that wasn’t supposed to get out. “The two of you have this all figured out? How long have you two been planning all this?” Amanda watched as Bailey shook her head and Candi put her hands together behind her back smiling with a little smirk. “I like knew you two would fall in love when I saw you looking at the fireworks the day we met, but like Bailey didn’t get on board till we went to the water park.”

Looking into Bailey’s eyes Amanda tried to appraise her feminized ex-boyfriend, wondering about a few things. Bailey had openly given her permission to be with Derrick and had called him Daddy more than once. With how hard Bailey took the loss, she wondered if the closeness she had seen between Derrick and her was allowing Bailey to have something she missed. “The two of you talked about trying to get Derrick and I together?” While she was looking at Bailey, Candi happily answered. “Oh yeah, a few times, like lots. That's why Bailey went with Daddy at the water park and I went with you.” Amanda touched Bailey’s chin to get her to look her in the eye again as her eyes drifted away. “Bailey, is that true?” It was kind of true, but less discussing and more of Candi making decisions about things that couldn’t happen. Even her plan of them falling in love at the wedding wouldn’t work, he didn’t fall in love with her at the first wedding they went to and had already been in love by the second. Mommy had made an effort to reach out and talk with him and hold his hand because of their bond, the wedding wouldn’t matter.”Yeah, we did, but like…” Bailey stumbled forward as Candi suddenly hugged him from behind, resting her head on his shoulder so that their faces were side by side. “See, you are going to fall in love with Daddy and get another amazing, talented and lovely daughter out of it.” Amanda couldn’t help, but smile and let loose a little laugh at how ridiculous she was being. “Come on, lets go inside.” Amanda said, pulling open one of the double doors. “Thank you Mom.” Candi said with a huge smile, noting that while she wasn’t given permission like she asked, she wasn’t told no either.

Taking the time to check the girls in Amanda noted the names ahead of them and how the DMV was running behind schedule, though that was to be expected. She turned around to head back to the girls who had taken some seats in the front row. It amused her to see Candi bounding one of her legs, obviously nervous despite her boasts of confidence. While Bailey was tilting her head, this way and that as she took a few selfies. Bailey had taken to the instructions to take selfies on that first day and seemed to have never stopped and it made her wonder what she would see if she looked through Bailey’s camera roll. “Okay girls, looks like we have a few minutes to wait if you need to go use the restroom, or maybe take a peek at the road rules guide.” She said the last part looking at Bailey. “Mommy… I told you I was like fine. I fer sure got this.” With a little shrug Amanda sat down in the seat they left between them and pulled out her own phone to check her endless work emails, when she saw a group text that just came through, that included both the girls..

Derrick: About to get on my flight, but I wanted to wish you all a wonderful day.

Derrick: I believe in all of you, you can do this!

Derrick: Mandy could you give both the girls a hug and kiss for me and tell them I believe in them.

Candace: Love you Daddy, be safe!

Amanda: Of course I will and I am sure the girls already know you believe in them without me saying it, considering you just said it.

Derrick: Can’t be too sure, you will have to do it in person. Teenagers are hard of hearing when it comes to parents talking. Though I also meant you Mandy.

Derrick: I believe in you

Candace:: Awwww <3!

Amanda: I will be sure to do that for you.

Derrick: Maybe I could get the girls to do the same to you?

Candace: Oh yes!

Putting her arms around both Candi and Bailey, Amanda kissed the top of their heads, whispering. “You are loved and people in your life believe in you.” Bailey tried to pull away, he had seen the texts, but would rather tell the man to lose his number then participate. “Gah.. I read the message I totally heard him.” A tap to his shoulder caused Bailey to look over to see Candi picking around Amanda’s head. She motioned toward the older women and mouthed the word photo. Amanda felt both of the girls squeeze in from either side, into her as they hugged her back. Even if Candi hadn’t raised her phone to snap a photo she would have been smiling. The photo appeared moments later inside the group text and it made her adore Derrick a little more that with just a tiny bit of effort he had successfully encouraged something like that to happen. She loved her own mother dearly, but the idea of giving her a hug, while taking a photo out at a public place like the DMV would never have happened. She was still riding that emotional high as each of the girls were called away separately, first Bailey and then Candi for their respective tests. It gave her some time alone that she should have been using to do some work, but instead she found herself wondering about Bailey. Her sister had said Bailey was enjoying being a teen again, not having responsibilities and it had been her idea for a belly button ring, the lip filler and eyelashes and all of that couldn’t be explained away by just wanting to fit in with the disguise, could it? Then there was the revelation the two had been trying to get her together with Derrick and to fall in love, that was beyond just giving her permission for an open relationship. A small hopeful smile came to her face as she asked herself if maybe Bailey was enjoying being her daughter as much as she was having her. It faded as she fidgeted with her cross necklace, wondering if something like this was even okay.

The elderly woman watching over the test made it clear she didn’t accept any nonsense as she handed out the pencils for the test. Bailey earned a scowl when she caught him rolling his eyes at her rant about integrity and how she wouldn’t accept any one cheating. When he looked at the test there were a few answers he didn’t know off the top of his head. “When the road is marked with a solid yellow line and a broken yellow line on your side, you may pass…” Bailey said out loud before reading the answer options. “Only in an emergency, if you are on an expressway, traffic is clear or at intersections.” Before he could circle an answer the elderly employee tapped him on the shoulder, making a shushing gesture. “Yeah, like okay I get it.” Bailey said turning back to the test annoyed the woman poked him while he was concentrating on the test and circled the answer only in emergencies, before moving on to the next question. Most of them were easy, or at least that was what Bailey thought till the sower faced woman graded the thing and he found out he had failed the test by two questions. “No, like check again, no way did I like fail!” Bailey said stomping his heeled foot. “Young lady, I will ask you to keep your voice down, others are still have time left on their test. You failed, but take this booklet and go study for a few minutes and then come back here when you think you are ready to try again.” Bailey glowered at the woman, upset that she wouldn’t even double check his test, there was no way he missed enough answers to fail. “I’m like totally ready now.” The DMV employee shook her head, it was hardly past nine in the morning and she was already sick of the entitled teens. “Young lady.” She looked down at the test on her table. “Miss Best, I suggest you go back to the waiting room and figure out what answers you got wrong. The test is not difficult, and all the answers are being freely given to you in this booklet to study. Now keep the attitude to yourself, and go.”

Bailey took the booklet from the stack on her desk and left the testing area, upset about the test and the womans attitude and how she tried to turn it around on him. He already had a license, he had passed this test before, she had just messed up or was punishing him for rolling his eyes at her. Coming back to his seat Bailey plopped down with a huff. “Is that how you sit down young lady?” Bailey didn’t argue or say anything, he just stood up, smoothed his dress out and then crossed his legs after he sat down. He did know better than to sit that way, he was just so upset. “It did not go well I take it?” Amanda watched as Bailey shook her head and held up the test study guide as her answer. She considered telling Bailey she told her so, but when she saw Bailey open the book to look through it, decided to leave it alone. If she had learned her lesson and was going to read through the book, then that was enough. It did make her wonder how many other adults would fail that test if they had to retake it, and wished it was required as part of renewing a license considering how many people drove on the road.

Walking into the back with a few other teenagers after he had skimmed through the book, Bailey half listened as the older woman who looked like she might be in her seventies handed out pencils and went over the instructions for the test and her whole spiel again. This time Bailey kept himself from rolling his eyes, but was more impatient than last time and he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. When she dismissed them to go stand in their booths Bailey bumped into another boy, dropping his pencil. “Hey, watch where you are…” The youth's voice trailed off as Bailey bent over to pick up the pencil, not thinking about how it looked as he retrieved the object the way he had been taught. Feet together, bend at the waist, giving the boy who couldn’t be older than seventeen a view of Bailey’s rear end in the purple dress. “Never mind, I’m sorry I bumped into you. Maybe I can make it up to you after the test. My mom could take us to the mall or a movie.” Bailey blinked at the child, unable to fathom being hit on by him and offered to be taken somewhere with him and his mom, his slow reaction to speak and the blinking just made it look like Bailey was a shy girl fluttering her lashes at someone she thought was cute. “I’m not hearing a no, so tell me what kind of movies do you like?” The elderly employee stepped up next to Bailey and his new suitor looking annoyed. “Enough flirting you two, go and start your test. The timer has already started, and no more talking.”

“You look like the type of girl who likes a good romance movie. I’m Roy by the way, what is your name?” The boy said leaning over to Bailey as he wrote out his full name or the current one he was using on the bubble sheet. “I’m like eighteen Roy.” Bailey said shifting his stance away from him. “Bailey Ann Best… that is a very pretty name, but you can’t fool me. If you were eighteen you wouldn’t be taking this test.” Roy said leaning over to read her name, happy she shifted so he could lean more into her booth. “This is your first warning, I pray you are both smart enough to not need another.” Both Bailey and Roy turned to watch her walk away, when she did Bailey looked back at his test filling in the first answer, positive it was right this time, just like it was before. “Bit of a bitch, right?” Bailey agreed she was, but wasn’t going to give her another reason to come back and kept quiet. “Hey Bailey, you got number three wrong.” Bailey looked up from the test and stared at the wall, feeling the teenager's hand on the small of his back as he leaned over. “Could you not touch me.” Bailey whispered, still trying not to draw the ire of the living crypt keeper. “What was that?” Bailey cringed as Roy moved closer, fully in his booth. Turning to face the teenager, Bailey looked at him for the first time. He was at that age where he probably had just shot up in height and the rest of his body hadn’t caught up, making him just a little taller than him in his heels. “Look…” Bailey said before a familiar voice spoke up just to his side outside of the booth. “Oh I am looking Miss Best, and I am not liking what I see. This is not some dating social, and I will not accept any form of cheating.” She said taking ahold of each of their wrists and pulling for them to come out, her grip or strength wasn’t such much that Bailey would have had moved if he didn’t want to, but fighting back wasn’t best.

“See what you did now!” Bailey said to Roy as their tests were collected. “Both of you have failed. Mr. Hembrook, Miss Best, come with me.” She obviously expected Bailey to follow and he saw little choice then to do so. Stepping out of the testing room Bailey watched her poke the gangly boy in his ribs. “Where is your mother or father, point them out. Be quick about it.” When he did she started to walk in that direction, and Bailey looked for his Momm... Mandy. She was looking at her phone, and he was about to move toward her when the old woman’s bony hands touched his forearm. “Miss Best, we will see to your parent in a moment, now follow.” Few things are as embarrassing as this, he hadn’t even done anything wrong. This little twerp just wouldn’t leave him alone. “Mrs. Hembrook, I’m afraid to tell you that your son was caught cheating in the back room, while he was flirting with Miss Best here.” Bailey was wrong, this felt much more embarrassing. “I like wasn’t…” Bailey was cut off by the loud voice of the rotund mother of Roy. “Roy Samual Hembrook, I didn’t raise you to cheat! Roy took a step away from Bailey, shaking his head. “Mom, mom I wasn’t cheating I was just trying to help her!” Bailey tried, and tried a second time to tell her how her tall terror of a boy wouldn’t leave him alone, but she wasn’t hearing it or letting Bailey get more then a single symbol out of his mouth. “Roy I swear your father is not going to be happy about this. Little hussies like this will try to take advantage of you all your life. You can’t let them drag you down. And you little missy better stay away from my boy!” Feeling like he could crawl into a hole and just die, Bailey was happy to be led away from the irate woman, less so to be brought back under these conditions. “Mrs. Best.” Amanda looked up seeing Bailey looking at the ground, some of her hair hanging down to cover part of her face and an elderly woman with a DMV lanyard around her neck. “Ms. Best, but how can I help you?”

“Your daughter was caught flirting with a boy in the back asking for answers to the test. Cheating is an automatic failure, she is allowed to try one more time today before you will have to reschedule her for another day.” Standing up from her seat Amanda tapped Bailey under the chin to get her to look her in the eye. She never had to make Bailey look her in the eye before, but they were covering a lot of new territory. “Is what she is saying true?” Bailey could hear the steel in her voice and thought back to how he had asked her to spank him to punish him and was afraid that was going to happen when they got back home. “Ahh.. well, you see I wasn’t flirting he is like seventeen.” Amanda was focused on the blushing girl in front of her when the employee spoke up again. “I caught the boy in the same booth as her, them facing one another as he told her one of her questions was wrong.” Giving a polite smile Amanda looked to the worker, while she put a hand on Bailey’s shoulder. “Ma’am, I apologize for my daughter. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and she will not be trying again today.” Bailey didn’t want the stupid learners permit, but was shocked that she was going to take it that small thing away from him. When the older woman stepped away Amanda looked Bailey in the eye, pursing her lips. I heard what the other mother was shouting and didn’t put it together that it was you till now, no… Bailey this is where you keep your mouth shut young lady. I do believe you that you were not flirting with the boy, but you cannot lead anyone on either…” Amanda held up her finger as she saw Bailey about to talk again. “No back talk.” A good girl is seen and not heard, a good girl never argues or complains. The words ran through Bailey’s mind as he looked into the angry blue eyes of the woman he loved. “You have to be firm with boys, but none of that matters. I told you to study for the test and you chose not to and then asked for help during the test.” Amanda stopped when she saw Bailey give a small shake of her head, but didn’t try to talk back. “No you did not ask for help? Then what? The boy looked over at your test to see if you got something wrong so that he could then give you the right answer? No, Bailey come with me. You are not getting any type of permit today, instead you are just getting an ID.”

Amanda was fuming, Bailey was always putting things off and then just never doing them. Bailey knew the test would be today, but decided she knew better and didn’t need to study. Then failed the test and when she had the book in hand and didn’t take the extra given time to study long enough to know the answers for the test she just tried to take, and failed. She imagined Bailey whispering to get the other teens attention and asking for the answer to a question and given how Bailey looked he was more than happy to help. She would have to teach Bailey how to set clear boundaries with boys, but that had little impact on how she tried to cheat on a silly test instead of putting in the work. She wasn’t going to sit here all day while Bailey tried a third time after cheating, no she would have to just make due with a state ID card.