Out in the Parking Lot

(Originally posted by Catfish)

The concert attendees were already starting to trickle out of the arena gates -- it was looking as if a combination teen model/teen bodybuilder convention had ended -- and Kevin noticed that a lot of them seemed to be making a right turn, toward the stage door, rather than going straight to the parking lot.

"There are probably going to be thousands of people trying to talk to Jason now that they know, uh, what he can do," Kevin said, walking and trying to steer the three girls straight ahead. He gritted his teeth. "But remember, he said you'd be able to make wishes, or -- or pray." He hadn't been particularly religious, but this was somehow seeming slightly blasphemous.

"Oh, yeah," said Annabelle. "Um, what should we pray for?"

"Jason's autograph!" Kim exclaimed. She folded her hands as she walked. "Dear Jason Henderson, please give all us girls your autograph. Amen."

"Uh, okay, but you really shouldn't bother him with --" Kevin was about to say "trivial stuff," but held his tongue, knowing the girls would disagree with it being called "trivial."

"Yeah, come on, we can email him to ask for autographs!" Emma pointed out. "We should only pray for big stuff!"

That was certainly mature of his younger daughter, thought Kevin, wondering if her mind had matured, somehow, along with her body.

For the rest of the walk to the car, the girls were quiet, apparently contemplating what they would pray for.

"Okay," said Kevin as they approached his 10-year-old Volvo sedan. He looked toward the exit gate and didn't see much traffic going out. "Looks like we should be able to --"

He put his hand on the Volvo's door handle and it immediately transformed into a brand-new Lexus SUV. The girls squealed from the unexpected event.

"Daddy, did you pray for that?!" Annabelle demanded. "I thought you said --"

"No, I wasn't even thinking of it," Kevin snapped. He looked down in his hand to see that his set of keys looked different.

"He said we'd get rewards, though, remember? Even if we didn't pray!" Emma pointed out.

All Kevin could do was tell the girls to get into the back seat, which they happily did. There was obviously more room than in the Volvo. He got in and had to check the glove compartment, finding both a registration slip and an insurance card that proclaimed him to be the owner of the vehicle.

Reasonably satisfied that he wouldn't be stopped for driving something stolen, he started it up. Zero point zero miles showed on the odometer. He took his accustomed look in the rear view mirror to check that the girls were wearing seat belts, and saw their made-up faces looking forward.

He sighed to himself as he gingerly touched the gas pedal, assuming this SUV would be more powerful than the Volvo. Sure, Jason Henderson had given the girls more "adult" bodies and clothing, but the makeup really seemed like the most obvious symptom -- pop culture often seemed like it was conspiring to make girls grow up before they were ready, and here it had happened literally.

Kevin pulled all the way out of the parking space and slowly made his way toward the exit. He silently voiced a prayer: "God -- or Jason, if it really is you..."