Flo's V8 Café was slow and relaxed as usual. True, business had picked up considerably since the events involving McQueen opening up his racing headquarters in Radiator Springs, but the old favorite hang out still had its lazy charm. Everyone was glad of it too. There was nothing like relaxing under its roof after a tiring and stressful day.
Flo finished seeing to a couple of passing customers and then wheeled over to where her husband, Ramone, and Fillmore and Sarge sat talking. Red, an overly shy and quiet fire engine, lazily showered some nearby flowers with water from the hose-like spigot on his back. No one paid him much notice as they continued on talking.
"I think that's the last of them for right now." Flo laughed, pulling up beside Ramone. She looked at her husband and smiled. "I declare! That color fits you perfectly. In fact, I like you in that color. Makes you look overly handsome."
"Thank you, my dear. It's the night look." Ramone said deeply and proudly as he showed of his latest paint job, which consisted of a sparkly metallic navy blue color dotted with silver sparkles. To top it off he had painted decals of white stars all over him. Ramone owned the town's 'House of Body Art' and was particularly fond of experimenting and testing out new designs on himself, partly because he loved it and partly to advertise his business. It never failed; each day he would come out with a brand new look. It baffled McQueen. He still wasn't sure what color was Ramone's true color, although he just took a stabbing guess that it was the metallic purple with flames.
While in the middle of Ramone showing of his latest masterpiece, Lightning McQueen, Mater and Mack slowly drove up and stopped in front of Flo and the rest. Mater carefully snatched up the parcel on McQueen's back and set it down on the ground.
"Wow!" McQueen exclaimed. "I think that is the slowest I've ever driven in my life!"
"What do you have here?" Flo gestured towards the bassinet.
"Something I need to show you." McQueen grinned before glancing around. "Where is everyone?"
"Working." Sarge answered, gruffly. Even though he was now a veteran, the irritable WWII army Jeep still sounded like he was addressing an army of troops every time he spoke.
"We have, like, some tourists and visitors in the town today, man." Fillmore lazily explained. "So everyone's, you know, like seeing to them at the moment."
"They chose a new set of tires and curios over army surplus! Can you imagine that?" Sarge grumbled.
"Well, tires are more useful, man. And let's face it, you can't decorate with surplus." Fillmore smiled.
"Oh yeah? Well it was your revolting organic fuel that sent several of them to Doc's!" Sarge came towards the hippy van.
"Peace, brother."
"I'll show you peace in a minute."
"Boys," Flo shook her head. "Quit acting like a couple of children. McQueen here has something he wants to show us."
Sarge and Fillmore turned towards McQueen and the bassinet and waited quietly for him to show whatever it was he had brought. The bassinet was turned towards McQueen so that no one could see what was inside it. He eyed the baby car silently for a couple of minutes, trying to decide how he was going to go about introducing Nevan. Flo cleared her throat and came a few inches towards the basket in hopes of maybe getting a peek inside.
The baby car squealed happily, causing everyone around him to arouse with curiosity.
"This here's Sally's lil nephew!" Mater suddenly blurted out before McQueen could even do anything. "We all knewd her brother and his wife wuz expectin'. Well, here he is!"
The race car sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. He then pushed the bassinet around so everyone could clearly see little Nevan. Everyone gasped and awww-ed.
"Well I'll be." Flo smiled.
"Isn't he cute?" Mack said proudly.
"He's a cute leetle fella alright." Ramone came up for a closer look. "What's his name?"
"Nevan." McQueen answered.
Both Sarge and Fillmore pulled up closer as well, and smiled down at the little silver bundle. Nevan smiled even bigger at the many strange faces surrounding him.
"Sally must be awful proud of her brother." Flo sighed happily.
"Yep." McQueen smiled.
"But why do you have him?"
"Sally had to go back to California to meet up with an unexpected client so she wanted me to look after him until she returned. And Sally has him because his parents had to go off on a business trip for two weeks."
"The poor little dear." Flo looked down at Nevan. The baby car squealed with delight at Flo's words.
"Think he'd like some organic fuel?" Fillmore asked.
"Please!" Sarge turned a sharp look. "What do you wanna do? Kill the poor kid?"
Nevan started to giggle at the bickering between Sarge and Fillmore. Then Sarge caught a glare from Flo.
"Do you two have to do that right now?"
"Sorry, Flo." Sarge softly apologized then looked down at Nevan. "Just saving this little guy from a horribly tormenting experience. I don't want him to meet Doc that way."
Fillmore turned an irritated look in Sarge's direction, but let the ridicule slide. After all, he was a van of peace and fighting wasn't his nature.
Unknown to the group, Red had stopped watering his flowers and stood and stared in the direction of the bassinet and Nevan. The fire engine sweetly smiled at seeing the baby car, but he was too shy to go over and get a closer look. He wanted to, but he just couldn't. By this time, the group had started talking again, but Nevan caught sight of Red. The baby car silently and curiously stared at the little shy fire engine. Red blushed and quickly continued watering the flowers in front of him, even though he had already done it. He glanced up and saw that Nevan was still staring in his direction. The car smiled at him, but Red pretended like he hadn't seen it.
"Flo," McQueen turned towards the sea green show car beside him. "Do you know anything about babies?"
Flo laughed. "Yeah, I know a little. Why?"
"Sally left me to care for Nevan while she's gone and I have no idea how to take care of babies." McQueen blushed a little.
"Don't worry, hon, I think you'll do fine." Flo smiled. "Did Sally leave you any instructions?"
"Well, yeah. She left a notepad with Nevan's feeding and nap times and other info like that."
"Then follow them. Everything should work out ok. If you need any more help, you know where to find me."
"Thanks." McQueen sighed and smiled.
Nevan hiccupped and then turned his attention towards Flo and smiled.
"So when do I get to show Nevan to the rest of the group?"
"Whenever they get done working." Said Sarge.
As if on cue, Luigi and Guido came rolling up to the café and behind them came Lizzie, an old Model T that could barely get around at all. Naturally they were excited over the new sales they had just made and talked excitedly for nearly eight minutes before they realized that something was up.
"If you're through talking, McQueen has someone for you to meet." Flo smiled and turned toward Lightning.
"This here is Nevan, Sally's nephew." He grinned proudly. In an instant, Luigi, Guido and Lizzie were crowded around the bassinet.
"He has so much of Sally's family in him." Said Luigi. "He is the spitting image of Sally and her brother."
"And he's so cute." Lizzie said, squinting to focus. "Reminds me of the time when,"
Before Lizzie could continue on with her past memories, Doc Hudson, a deep blue Hudson Hornet, slowly and carefully drove up with a weary look on his face.
"What's wrong?" Flo asked, noticing the look on his face.
"Nothing, Flo," he sighed before coming to a stop beside Lizzie. "Just worn out from the usual strain that comes with dealing with patients. Complaining patients I might add."
Fillmore cautiously eyed Doc as he continued on.
"I gave them something to easy the nausea, but then they kept complaining that it wasn't doing any good. Finally after awhile they started feeling better, paid and left." Doc sighed again and turned a hard glare to Fillmore. The van could only smile innocently and shrug. Nevan, however, had other plans. The baby car let out a shrill squeal and giggle. Doc Hudson's eyes widened as he turned himself to face McQueen.
"This is Sally's nephew, Nevan." Lightening calmly smiled.
Doc came closer and peered down at the little car. A faint smile formed on the old Hornet's lips as he watched Nevan giggle and roll around in his bassinet. McQueen couldn't help noticing. It was something rare when it came to Doc. He knew the old car knew how to smile because he'd seen it before, but he rarely ever did. It was always nice to see that he hadn't forgotten how.
"It's always a pleasure to see new life come into the world." Doc breathed, barely above a whisper. It was doubtful that anyone else heard him.
"You know, I should be getting back to the motel." McQueen interrupted the moment. "I don't want to miss any guests."
"Alright McQueen." Flo smiled down at Nevan one last time.
"I really wanted Sheriff to see him too, but I take it he's out on patrol."
"Yeah. He won't be back until later." Said Sarge. "I think he's checking a lot of the old back roads today."
With McQueen's ok, Mater grabbed up the bassinet and placed it on top of McQueen again and they started off just as they had come, Mater on one side and Mack on the other to see that Nevan didn't fall off. Everyone said their good byes as the group slowly drove off in the direction of the Cozy Cone. Flo shouted that she would be coming by later that evening to check and see if everything was ok and if McQueen needed anything. McQueen shouted back to her that he had heard.