The Strongest Curse Master

"Honey, what are you doing with the expensive wine? I'm saving it for a special day," Pam said, raising an eyebrow as she watched Dan bring her prized wine bottle from their wine cellar after finishing his breakfast.

"It's for the sheriff's wife," Dan replied, his tone casual as he carefully set the bottle down. "I asked the sheriff not to release Hank until I get there," he explained, glancing at Pam.

Because Dan started his day late, his plans were delayed. As a result, he had to pull a favor with the sheriff to catch Hank at the station before he had a chance to blab about seeing a ghost in the auto salvage yard. So, Pam could only bid a helpless goodbye to her prized wine bottle, watching as Dan took it away with a resigned sigh.

On his way out, Dan noticed a packed suitcase by the door and asked, "Whose luggage is this?"

"Us girls plan to hit the resort while you and the boys spend two days on the lake," Pam replied with a deadpan grin, her expression implying, 'I know everything.'

Dan's face froze as he struggled to find words to defend himself. After a moment, he gave up and pleaded, "Honey, please don't be mad. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision."

"I'm not mad," Pam said, but her eyes told a different story.

"Was it Danny?" Dan quickly blamed his good-for-nothing son, planning to retaliate.

"No, I heard you on the phone, instructing Marty to hire extra help for tonight and tomorrow's ranch work because you'll be out camping and crabbing," Pam revealed. Then, pointing at the trolley she added, "Could you place the suitcase in the car? I'm sure you can make some time in your busy schedule to drop us off and pick us up at the resort."

"With the luggage taking up the third-row seating, I don't think the Navigator can seat all of us," Dan said, hoping to force his luck.

"Mandy's driving her own car," Pam responded coolly. "If Danny rides with her, I'm sure your car can seat the rest of us." Her expression made it clear she wasn't buying any excuses.

"Can't you three take your car?" Dan argued, but being glared by his wife he caved, "Your idea sounds better honey."

Dan shock his head dejectedly, knowing his wife was being unreasonable to punish him for making plans without involving her. He could only resign to his fate and cancel his plans to give his son and nephew a little taste of the adult life that his wife and sister-in-law would never approve of. Dan sighed inwardly, as things did not go as his plan since the start.

He'd be playing chauffeur, far from the wild trip he had imagined.

…

"Dan, what's with the pink bag and the wine?" Al asked, sitting in the passenger seat, ready to go.

"Change of plans," Dan replied, exhaling heavily. "We're dropping off the women at the resort," he informed his brother, signaling that their wild trip was officially off.

Al sighed, his mood souring even more when Danny chimed in from the back, "Then I'm staying at the resort too."

"No, you'll be staying at the hospital if you don't shut up," Dan snapped at his son, who quickly buried his face in his handheld console, trying to stay out of further trouble.

"Ace, you're traveling with Mandy to the resort, there you can switch cars," Dan instructed, determined to keep an eye on Danny. He knew his son would pick a resort over boating any day if given the chance, and Dan wasn't about to let that happen.

"Uncle, I don't mind sitting in the third row. I can adjust, the lake isn't that far," Ace proposed not wanting to be alone with Mandy.

"Nah, we will be stopping at the sheriff's station first. Just go ride with Mandy," Dan reject Ace without giving it much thought. He did not seem to notice the tension between Ace and Mandy. After all, he trusted Ace and Mandy more than his own flesh and blood, Danny.

Ace sighed as he stepped out of the car and headed to garage to meet up with Mandy while he heard his uncle complained to his father, "How much longer are they going to take to come out of the house? We are already late."

…

"Print all the documents and meet me at the sheriff's station." Arriving at the garage, Ace heard Mandy on a call. Noticing him, she hung up and asked, "Pam said Danny would be riding with me. Don't tell me you switched to be with me."

"No way. I came because he got in trouble for his big mouth," Ace replied, his attention immediately drawn to the spotless jet-black 1967 Chevrolet Corvette C2 Stingray behind her. Its sleek lines were hard to ignore. Curious, he peeked inside, admiring the modified red interior.

"What do you think?" Mandy asked, though she wasn't sure why. She usually didn't care about other people's opinions on her car's modification.

"Mind-blowing," Ace said, genuinely impressed. "It looks like the black version of Red Racer's car *Starpedo.* It's even cooler with that touchscreen display and exotic center console. How did you come up with this? It's amazing!" His enthusiasm bubbled over as he reminisced about one of his favorite childhood cartoons. It was a old cartoon from way back in the 60s.

Due to its popularity and record breaking merchandise sales, they air its reruns even today.

Mandy couldn't help but crack a small smile. "It was my dad's project. He called it Dark Starpedo," she said, shrugging it off, though clearly pleased with his reaction. "He was a huge fan of Red Racer. He never got to finish it as my late and unexpected addition to the family took a huge chunk out of his retirement fund.

So, when I inherited it and had more than enough money to spare, I hired people to finish it in his vision," she shared finding Ace more pleasing to her eyes.

"Can I drive it?" Ace asked, eager to fulfill his dream of driving the iconic Starpedo even it was a fan's reimagined version.

"Nope," Mandy instinctively rejected him, without even considering it. Then, playfully added, "I might consider it if we were seeing each other."

"Never in a million years," Ace rejected, sliding into the car's passenger seat.