Car | Pool Richmond Verified

"Water pump," Carl said finally. "Maybe the timing chain. It's done."

They piled in. The carpool lane was still there, waiting. And Richmond shrank in the rearview mirror, just another town full of people trying to get somewhere before the world fell apart.

At 6:52, Sofia arrived, huffing with two canvas bags. She was a pastry chef at a French bakery in Berkeley, and the bags smelled of proofing dough and dark chocolate. She folded herself into the back seat, arranging her supplies around her like nesting dolls. car pool richmond

Darnell nodded. He didn't do small talk before 7 AM. Carl respected that.

She did. He put the Crown Vic in drive.

No one moved. They had 45 minutes to get to work. No carpool lane access without the third passenger. No third passenger without the car.

"Fine," Sofia sighed, handing him one too. "But you owe me." "Water pump," Carl said finally

"I can take BART," Sofia said, but her voice cracked. BART meant three transfers and arriving covered in someone else's coffee.