Fortunately, no.

We only had to cross about three or four miles worth of city before we found ourselves outside of what looked like small, fashionable apartments. At least as far as I could tell. The parking lot attached was big, filled with cars, and most of them looked like "thanks Dad" rides.

"Here we go, one of America's finest institutions." Kaila grumbled, pulling next to a small dip in the concrete. "Can you get her inside?"

Megan flashed a small card key which had appeared out of some pocket or another in Rachel's coat. "Yeah, we're good. Just have to punch it in."

"Mmmm... say that again." Rachel purred, struggling to get up. "You two could always... I mean, I owe you a party or two at my place, Carla..."

"I'm KAILA." Kaila growled again. "Every fucking time... I swear. Get out, seriously." There was a sudden degree of anger in her voice. "I do not want to get drunk and watch you try to fuck my date."

"Mmm, since you mention it..." Rachel snickered, undoing her seatbelt. Her dress was still hanging open.

"OUT!" Kaila nearly shouted, gesturing towards the door.

"MMmm, such a spoil sport... how bout you? Want to tuck me in? I'm awfully tired, daddy..." she purred.

"Don't even... you know what, you want to, go ahead," Kaila cautioned me. "I don't own you."

There was a part of me that was actually pretty tempted. I mean, Kaila was awesome, but that whole Carla thing had me on edge, and I wasn't sure that I wanted to find out more about it. It was clear she didn't want to talk about it, and maybe I could get some more information out of Rachel. The thought that she was being not at all discreet about her intentions may also have had something to do with my face and thought process at the time.

"I'll take a rain check," I smiled, "You know, when consent's a little less dubious."

"Your loss," Rachel shuffle across the van floor, nearly kicking out one of the boxes of folders. "Ooops..." She mumbled, setting her feet on the concrete of the sidewalk. Megan followed her quickly, shutting the door behind the two of them. Rachel took a couple steps towards the glass double doors that marked the entrance but seemed to think better of it when she noted that she was only wearing one shoe. She turned unsteadily, and looked to be about to return to the van.

"... nope." Kaila suddenly pressed her foot down on the accelerator, moving us rapidly past the pair on the sidewalk. "Nope, not going to do just One more thing for her tonight. Not gonna happen." She spun the wheel, aiming directly for the a green light that seemed to be a bit staler than I'd like

"Run Away!" I shouted out, caught up in the moment, in my best faux- British Accent. Oh crap, it just turned yellow...

"ASSHOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLEEEE!" Kaila shouted, back over her shoulder towards the pair we had left behind. The sound of a loud horn resounded as she did so.

"Wait, how does that...?" I began.

"Fish Called Wanda totally follows from Monty Python," Kaila snickered, as we bumped along a small dip in the road. Her mood seemed to have instantly improved again the moment the other two were out of sight. She spun the wheel. "So, hope you like the bridge, I think I cross it at least twenty times a week."

"It's still fun to go across, but less so than when I was a kid." I agreed.

"Oh, so you're from here? That's actually unusual." She laughed, and I took in the sea of cars as we cruised along the busy divided road. Cars, buses, and overhanging wires. I was already a little jumped up from the light and now... Shit. I'm not there. I'm on a date with a nice woman and... I'm not THERE.

For a second I swore I could see a white truck loaded with hay bales coming towards us. It caused a shudder and an instant urge to reach for my weapon, when I realized it was just a refrigerated bus painted off yellow. Nothing to panic about, I tried to remind myself as I swallowed. This... was why I didn't leave the house much.

"You ok?" Kaila asked, noting my silence. "I wasn't trying to say that it's bad or anything."

"No, I uh... not from here, but actually a couple hours south. " I concentrated on the conversation. Talking helped. Being in the moment helped.

"So... trying to decide whether to tell you in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge so I can have a totally epic story to tell when I kick you out for saying the same thing every guy does..." Kaila changed the subject mischievously.

"Tell me what?" I asked, a bit cluelessly. The Trees of the park we were driving through brought some interesting shadows to play across her face as I looked her way.

"About Carla," Kaila spoke softly. "You're going to find out soon anyway, but everybody always gets weird when they do. Especially men."