[[This is not intended to be a short story on its own. This would be an excerpt from a novel I'm working on. Any feedback appreciated.]]
Late-bloomed lilacs wilted on the bushes, violet hues browning in frilly clumps. Elijah didn't seem to care. The boy stopped between his Pre-K building and the parking lot to pull the fading flowers from the tree. "Gramma's gonna love 'em."
Jett smiled, still taking the black top to his titanium Chrysler 300. "Think so?"
Springy blond curls bounced as the kid ran to catch up. "Of course! And I only got one day left of school!"
"Can't believe it." Jett gave his nephew's shoulder a light punch and pulled open his car door. He'd wanted something luxurious, more flashy, but while it wasn't the Mercedes-Benz he'd drooled over, it was just inconvenient enough to be considered a splurge. Elijah hopped onto the soft-leather passenger's seat and wrestled his backpack off as Jett closed the door and rounded the car. Climbing in behind the wheel, he reached to take the boy's seatbelt and get it in place, then his own. "And we're off."
"Vroom..." Elijah's sound effect was much softer than Jett's would have been at five years old, but the kid's eyes were blazing all kinds of positive energy. Jett pulled from the lot with the smooth control piloting experience gained him. The entire first two blocks of the drive, Elijah gripped his bundle of limp lilacs at the stems, eyes zeroed in on the steering wheel audio controls. The boy's favorite part of the whole car was the way Jett could control the volume and radio station without bringing his hands off the wheel. It wasn't even that fine a feature, really, but Jett humored him and slid his thumb to the upper arrow. Steadily, slick vibrations surrounded them and classic rock reached uncanny decibels. Palms lifting to his ears, Elijah's nose wrinkled with his grin. Jett laughed and brought the sound down again to background noise level. Elijah dropped his hands back to the flowers. "Whew. That sure gets loud."
"Sure does. You hungry? Auntie Nana's helping Char still, she said we could get some chow on the road if we want."
"Chow on the road?"
"You want pizza or tacos?"
"Um." Elijah's tongue slid over his bottom lip, torn. "Tacos."
"Tacos it is."
"What about Uncle Nix? Can he come?"
Jett masked a flinch and shook his head. "Maybe next time."
"Where is he?"
"I think he's still out fishing."
"Really?" Jett detected longing in the kid's tone.
"Yeah. Sorry Buddy." He wouldn't volunteer his brother to take the kid next time. Phoenix could do that on his own if he wanted to.
Elijah sighed. "Aw. Kay. Guess what."
"What?"
"I know what I want to be when I grow up already."
"You do?" Jett's mouth tugged.
"Yeah. How come Uncle Nix is a grown up and he doesn't know yet?"
Should've seen this coming. Jett swallowed. "Sometimes it just takes longer. Or things don't go the way you thought they would."
Elijah's sigh was soft. He went back to clutching his bouquet until a large purple bell overhead caught his eye. "We're here!"
"Right on." Jett parked and lead the kid inside. The building's air was crisply cool, tile floor only half-swept. Elijah shifted his feet toward the counter, neck craned back to peer up at the menu board. Jett stepped up behind him.
"You want the kid's meal?"
"Yes please."
Jett squeezed his shoulder and ordered that with an orange soda, then took a chicken burrito and diet Coke for himself. The wait was less than a minute and Elijah ran for napkins as Jett pulled the tray for a trip to a table near one of the expansive windows. Elijah came to slide into the booth beside him instead of across. Jett pulled up the kid's meal bag to hand over and Elijah shuddered, tucking his hands beneath the bare part of his legs above the knees where his shorts hemmed off.
"Brr. The seat's cold."
Jett smiled. "Toughen up, Little Man, here's your food."
Grinning sheepishly, the boy pulled his hands up and reached first for his drink. He let the kid rip the wrapper from his straw, had him say a simple prayer, and unwrapped his own late lunch.
"So, what did you decide you wanted to be when you grow up?"
Elijah's sandaled feet swung near the floor beneath him. "A vet."
Jett's head cocked, interested. "Oh yeah? You gonna fix animals?"
"Yep. All kinds."
"Good for you."
The kid's smile warmed him. Before further discussion was an option, the ring tone reserved for his twin went off on his cell in his pocket. He arched back in his seat to dig it out and flipped it open on its way to his ear.
"Yello?"
"Hey. Jett?"
"Who else? What's up, Nix?" He winked toward Elijah when the kid's eyes lifted.
"You busy?"
"Just finishing eating."
Gushes of water sounded in the background. "I'm at the falls."
"Might've guessed."
"Truck's battery died."
"I'll take that as a hint."
"Is that okay?"
Jett casually reached to crumple his wrapper. "Be there in a few."
"No big hurry." Phoenix cleared his throat. "Take your time."
"In that case..."
Phoenix sighed. "Yeah, before midnight if you can."
Jett's mouth tugged. "Soon as we leave here."
When he hung up, Elijah stared without touching his food. "What did he say?"
"He needs us to get him." Jett hid his concern, wondering if he should have let his brother know he had the boy. "Looks like you get to see Uncle Nix today after all."
Anywho, onto the nitpicks! There are only a few.
Not that it's a bad thing here--actually, it's part of what separates your work from the norm--but I do think it could be toned down just a smidgen. 
