Venus slid around a slow-moving ancient Honda and revved her engine in the early morning traffic. A blaring honk followed her from the guy she’d just cut off. Her phone rang. She answered with her Bluetooth wireless earpiece. “Hello?” “Hello, dear.” “Mom, this is not a good time.” She squeezed in between two cars so she could make the freeway exit coming up. More honking. “Well!” Her mother’s huffing sounded like hurricane winds in her earpiece. “That’s a nice welcome.” “Mom, the presentation is today.” “What presentation?” “The one I told you about last week. At lunch. That I was stressing over.” “Speaking of lunch, you should go to lunch with me today. There’s this new restaurant I want you to take me to.” “Mom!” Venus jammed on the brakes before she rear-ended the minivan in front of her. “The presentation?” “What presentation?” Venus strangled her mother’s imaginary neck until the car behind her honked to get going. She hit the accelerator, but not soon enough to prevent an SUV from cutting in front of her, forcing her to hit the brakes again.
