The Wedding
When the boys flag down Leslie's Towing Company*
"Dude, it's a tow truck!" Drake cried out, a glimmer of hope sparking in his eyes.
Josh exhaled a sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "Finally, something good happens," he muttered, clenching his fist in a silent victory gesture.
As the tow truck with "Leslie's Towing Company" emblazoned all over it drew closer, Drake and Josh frantically waved their free arms around (still covering their left eyes with their other hands), hoping to catch the driver's attention. To their immense relief, the truck slowed to a stop near their car.
"Yes! Yes! He's stopping!" Josh exclaimed, his excitement bubbling over as he tapped Drake's shoulder repeatedly.
The driver's door swung open, revealing a balding, heavyset man in a blue jumpsuit. A wide smirk spread across his face as he stepped out of the truck.
"Hey there," the man greeted, a hint of amusement in his voice.
The boys awkwardly waved.
"Hi."
"Hey."
Noticing that the boys were each covering their left eye with their whole hand, the man covered his own left eye mockingly.
"Hello?" the man said playfully.
The boys awkwardly tried to explain why they were covering their eyes, the whole time stumbling over their words. Eventually, they gave up when they realized how stupid they looked.
"We're just really glad to see you," Drake said, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.
The tow truck guy surveyed the battered El Camino, a wry smile spreading across his face. "Yeah, looks like you boys could use a tow," he chuckled. "Lucky for you, I got ten of 'em." He erupted into a hearty guffaw, slapping his knees with glee.
Drake and Josh exchanged bewildered glances, unsure whether to laugh.
"It's a joke that we tow truck drivers say," the man explained.
The boys forced out a polite chuckle, appreciating the effort if not the punchline.
"Anyway," Josh began, his voice a mix of urgency and embarrassment, "could you tow us to the nearest garage?"
"Forget the garage!" Drake interrupted, his eyes wide with panic. "Can you tow us to the First Presbyterian Church on Shady Grove Road?"
"We're really late for a wedding," Josh added, wincing.
"Weddin', huh?" the tow truck driver mused, his smirk returning. "So, which one of you is gonna be the bride, and which one's the groom?" He burst into another fit of laughter, seemingly oblivious to the boys' growing discomfort.
Drake and Josh exchanged a look of shared exasperation, their forced smiles fading into flat expressions. The man's attempt at humor, once again, missed the mark entirely.
"So," Josh interjected, hoping to steer the conversation back on track, "could you please just tow us?"
"Sure, sure," the tow truck driver replied, pulling on a pair of yellow work gloves. "I just need to see your car registration."
Drake and Josh exchanged a panicked glance. The registration was locked inside the car, along with the keys.
"It's probably in the glove compartment," Josh mumbled, his voice barely audible.
"And we kind of locked the keys inside the car," Drake admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"We..." Josh said sarcastically, a forced smile on his face. This predicament was entirely Drake's fault, and he knew it.
"Can you just...open the door?" Drake asked, his voice laced with a hint of desperation.
"Yeah, yeah," the tow truck driver replied, his tone nonchalant as he strolled back to his truck. "Shouldn't be a problem at all."
He emerged moments later, a thin, black tool glinting in his hand. "This oughta do the trick," he said with a confident smirk.
Before Drake or Josh could react, he swung the tool with surprising force, shattering the driver side's window in a deafening crash. Shards of glass spilled out, leaving them momentarily stunned.
Their mouths hung open, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Did he just...smash their window? The sheer audacity of his actions left them speechless.
"Oh, we coulda done that!" Drake exclaimed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well, why didn't ya'?" the man retorted, playfully jabbing a finger at the boys and cackling.
The man sauntered back to his truck, still chuckling to himself.
"Okay, man!" Drake shouted, his annoyance growing with the man's odd behavior. "Look, we have so much—"
Josh, sensing Drake's rising anger, quickly pulled him aside and wrapped an arm around him.
"Look, Drake," Josh said calmly, "we'll get the window fixed later, alright? The important thing is that guy will tow us to the wedding."
Drake took a deep breath, his anger subsiding. "Right, okay," he conceded. Josh was right. Despite the tow truck man's unconventional methods, they needed his help if they wanted to make it to Aunt Catherine's wedding and have a chance at inheriting her beach house.
Josh unlocked the driver's side door with a sigh of relief. Turning back to Drake, he noticed his brother standing with the tow truck driver. A wave of panic washed over Josh. He couldn't leave Drake alone with this man, not with his knack for making inappropriate comments.
"Hey," Josh hissed, grabbing Drake's arm and pulling him aside.
"What?" Drake snapped, his voice laced with irritation.
"Go into the glove compartment and get the car registration," Josh instructed, his tone urgent.
Drake blinked, momentarily confused. "Huh?"
Josh sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Just look in the glove compartment for a little piece of paper that says, 'car registration' on it."
Drake's face brightened with understanding. "Oh, right," he mumbled. "Got it. On it."
As Drake clambered into the car, Josh sidled up to the tow truck driver, who stood proudly beside his vehicle.
"So..." Josh began, awkwardly attempting to strike up a conversation. "How's your day going?" He flashed a nervous grin.
"Doin' pretty well, thank ya'," the tow truck driver replied, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"That's good," Josh responded, a brief silence falling between them.
"So, you boys are going to a weddin', huh?" the tow truck driver inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Josh nodded. "Yeah, it's for our Great Aunt Catherine."
The man's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Great aunt?"
Josh chuckled. "Yeah, she's 89 years old, but she's getting married."
"Oh my," the tow truck driver exclaimed, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "That's a bit old to be getting married."
Josh shrugged, a playful smile on his face. "Our aunt is not normal."
The tow truck driver let out a hearty laugh, appreciating Josh's good-natured humor.
Drake emerged from the car, triumphantly waving a piece of paper in his hand.
"Got it!" he announced, holding up the registration.
Josh breathed a sigh of relief and took the paper from his brother. " Awesome!" he said, a hint of pride in his voice.
Josh then handed the registration to the tow truck driver. "Here you go," he said, his tone professional and polite.
"Thanks," the tow truck driver grunted.
After a cursory glance at the registration, the tow truck driver nodded approvingly.
"Alrighty," he declared, his voice gruff but satisfied. "Everything seems to be in order."
Drake and Josh exchanged relieved smiles, their shoulders slumping in unison.
"That's awesome," Drake chirped, his optimism returning.
"Yeah," Josh echoed, a grateful grin spreading across his face.
The tow truck driver ambled back to his truck, uncoiling a heavy-duty cable as he went.
"Alright, boys," he called out, "I'm gonna get this thing hooked up, so hop in and buckle up."
Drake and Josh shared a triumphant high-five before scrambling back into the El Camino.
Once the cable was securely fastened, the tow truck driver gave them a thumbs-up and returned to his own vehicle.
"First Presbyterian Church on Shady Grove Road, right?" he confirmed through his open window.
"Yeah yeah!" Josh replied enthusiastically.
"Alright then," the tow truck driver said with a grin. "Let's get this show on the road!"
With the El Camino securely hooked and ready for transport, the tow truck driver revved the engine and began moving, dragging the El Camino along with it.
Drake and Josh braced themselves in their seats as the car jolted into motion. Josh's eyes darted to his watch, a knot of worry forming in his stomach.
"It looks like we're going to be late for the ceremony," he announced grimly.
"Ooh," Drake groaned, his face paling. "That doesn't sound good."
Josh stole another glance at his watch, a glimmer of hope returning to his eyes. "On the bright side, at least we'll get there before it's time to cut the cake."
"Awesome!" Drake exclaimed, a confident smirk returning to his face. "We still have a shot at Aunt Catherine's beach house then."
*At the First Presbyterian Church*
The guests were all gathered in the sanctuary as the ceremony commenced. The familiar strains of "Here Comes the Bride" echoed through the air as Aunt Catherine, adorned in white, was slowly wheeled down the aisle by her caretaker.
Audrey, Walter, and Megan sat in their designated pew, their eyes anxiously scanning the crowd for any sign of Drake and Josh.
"They're still not here yet," Audrey hissed to Walter, her voice a mix of worry and frustration.
Walter sighed, slouching deeper into his seat. "Not good," he mumbled, burying his face in his hands.
Megan, arms crossed, shook her head in disgust. "I knew those boobs would screw this up," she muttered under her breath, drawing a disapproving glance from Walter.
Just as Audrey was about to give up hope, her eyes widened with surprise. There, slipping in through a side door, were Drake and Josh, their disheveled appearance a stark contrast to the formal attire of the other guests.
Audrey nudged Walter excitedly. "They're here!" she whispered, a smile blooming on her face. "The boys made it."
"Thank goodness," Walter sighed, a wave of relief washing over him.
"Finally," Megan grumbled, her annoyance only slightly masked by a hint of satisfaction.
The boys quietly slipped into the pew beside their family, their disheveled appearance drawing curious glances from the surrounding guests.
"We made it," Josh gasped, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.
"Barely," Drake added, his voice raspy from exertion.
Audrey, Walter, and Megan stared at their tardy arrivals with a mixture of relief and exasperation.
"You're late," Audrey hissed, her eyes narrowing in disapproval.
"Where have you two been?" Walter demanded, his voice stern. "You almost missed the entire ceremony!"
"We're so sorry," Josh blurted out, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Our car broke down on the way here."
"We had to get a tow truck," Drake chimed in, avoiding eye contact with his parents.
"It's a long story," Josh sighed, shooting Drake a pointed look. The unspoken message hung heavy in the air: This was your fault, Drake.
Audrey and Walter exchanged a weary glance, their eyes lingering on their sons' disheveled appearance and labored breathing. After a moment of silent deliberation, they decided to let the tardiness slide, at least for now.
"Well, at least you boys made it before the reception," Walter remarked, a hint of amusement softening his earlier sternness.
"Is the wedding cake...?" Audrey began, her voice trailing off with a hopeful lilt.
"Safe and sound in the dining hall," Josh confirmed, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
Audrey visibly relaxed, placing a hand on her chest in gratitude. "Oh, thank goodness," she sighed.
Drake and Josh exchanged a triumphant high-five, their grins widening. With the cake delivered and the ceremony underway, they felt confident that Aunt Catherine's beach house was within their grasp.