Chapter 33

Ten days flew by in the blink of an eye. Stephen spent most of this time at driving school, ultimately succeeding in getting his license. In later years, such a short timeframe would have been impossible, even for Stephen, who was essentially a seasoned driver with over a decade of experience. Yet, in 2009, especially in a small town like Linden, those in the know understood that many things could be accomplished through connections. Jerry's middle school classmate happened to be a driving instructor. With his help, Stephen breezed through the process. As for Zachary, after two days of post-SAT celebration, he started helping out at his family's breakfast diner. Stephen occasionally woke up early to lend a hand and snag a free breakfast. During that time, he suggested that Zachary get his license too, mentioning that Jerry's connections could make it happen in ten days. Zachary considered it briefly but declined, saying his parents would not want to spend the money. Stephen was su