“Since when do you have an SUV?” Melvin asked.

“It’s new. I just bought it a few weeks ago.” Bette answered not elaborating on why she needed a second car, much less an SUV.

“Really. Well it’s about time you got something more sensible to drive, but why Lexus. Have you checked out the Cadillac?” Melvin asked, dismissing Bette’s choice and imposing his preference.

In her entire life, Bette had never known Melvin to own or drive any make car other than Cadillac; even when he rented. He’d purchased the first one when he graduated high-school and drove it from Pittsburgh PA to Cambridge MA where he attended Harvard University Law School. His car was as popular as he was on campus; being a star athlete. When he wasn’t hitting the books, or on the football field he could be spotted at the local car wash getting it waxed or driving around town with a pretty girl in the front seat, and his best friend Charles Madison in the back with his girl.

After graduation, Melvin traded old Betsy as he’d named the car and purchased a new one for the drive back to Pittsburgh where he had secured a job with a prestigious law firm. Once he started making a steady income he would trade up to newer models with more accessories every couple of years. He preferred the larger luxury sedans, but in recent years he’d developed a liking for the SUV models especially for winter driving in Pittsburgh where he still lived in the house that Bette grew up in.

“Cadillac is fine but not really my style. I’ve compared other models, but I’m sold on the Lexus Daddy.” Bette answered no longer feeling the need for his approval.

“Well, I suppose anything is better than this.” He waved his hand in the confined space. “Would you mind putting the top up?” he asked dismissing the previous conversation as he knew how stubborn Bette was when she made up her mind. One of the traits she’d inherited from him.

“Sure Daddy.” She answered.

They shared a smile as she flipped the mechanism to raise the car’s soft rooftop. Having the top up made it feel even more enclosed but not only did her father not like sports cars, he especially didn’t like driving in the open air. Bette secured the top, raised the windows. She turned on the engine, and put on the vent to circulate the air inside the car. Releasing the hand brake, she stepped on the foot pedals. “Ready?” she asked rhetorically as she shifted the car into first gear, eased her foot off the clutch and accelerated safely out of the hotel drive into the late morning traffic.