Fixing Love

7

"You sure I can't talk you into staying?" Marty was actually really sad about me leaving. I told him everything, and he was also pretty cool about it.

"I can't Marty. I've been gone a year, and there's a lot of unfinished business that needs taking care of." He rubbed his stubbly chin, and seemed deep in thought. But after a moment he let out a deep asigh before looking up at me, and giving me a reassuring smile.

"Alright. Good luck Carter. I hope everything works out between you and your husband. But just know. You ever decide to come back? You'll always have a place here, alright?"

"Thanks Marty." He pulled me into a quick one armed hug, and gave my shoulder a quick tap.

"What about me Marty?" Freddy was pointing at himself. If he were a dog, his tail would be wagging a mile a minute.

"You." He looked at him for a moment, and then tapped my shoulder again. "Keep him as long as you like."

"Hey!" We all started cracking up.

"Kidding! Freddy go with him. If you stay, then I wish you luck in starting a new life. You feel it ain't for you,come back. This shop is here for you."

"Thanks man." We said bye to the guys, and the women that came to see me and Freddy. We waved goodbye one last time before heading for the car.

"Come on, let's go." We hopped into my car, and started heading out. The drive is gonna be almost a day long. I drove all the way here, and stopped because my car started running out of gas. I pulled into a small gas station, and decided to spend the night since it was getting late. The town itself was small, but very nice. The more I explored, the more I liked it. It was different from the loud and busy city. I realized it was what I needed.

After officially moving there, I started looking for work. It sucked to realize, I didn't really know how to do any jobs. I had never worked a day in my life, and now I had to start. I searched, job after job. Freddy found me one day wondering, looking for work. He said his job was hiring, and that he could help me get in. I told him I had never worked before, and instead of laughing or judging he was actually cool about it. He and Marty taught me how to fix cars. I owe a lot to those two.

"You scared?" He was laying back, watching the scene outside the window. He had the window down, letting the cool breeze into the car. 

"No, nerves. I wonder how they will react to seeing me."

"You'll be fine. They may get one hell of a shock seeing you now. You're bigger than when you got here." My muscles aren't the only things different about me. I touched the tattoo on my right arm. I smiled once my hand was placed on it. Freddy saw, and smiled. I told him the secret about the tattoo. "He loves you man, relax."

"I hope so. Ethan may be a sweet and gentle guy, but don't let that fool you. Remember, he's a kick boxer." The memory of him in that coma still haunts me. Knowing all I could do was hold his hand, and nothing else.

"He that good?" I quickly glanced at Freddy, and saw him staring at me with wide eyes.

"Oh yeah. I have never seen punches and kicks that fast. They were like lightning. You could hear the sound when they hit their target. If his last opponent didn't psych him out, he probably would have won that match." My grip on the steering wheel was so strong, my knuckles turned white.

"Bro relax. Too pretty to die here." He waved his hand in front of his face. We started cracking up.

"Bitch please, you ugly."

"Girl! I'm sexy! You know you want all this white chocolatey goodness." I quickly gave him a look, then focussed on the road.

"White chocolate? Really?" I saw him pretend to flip his hair like a girl. I tried not to crack up.

"Bitch don't hate." After that it was pretty chill. We stopped at a Jack in the box a few miles away. Genius over here thought he could handle two drinks, and realized he couldn't. Half way down an empty country style road, he had me pull over.

"Damn man, I think I'm about to pee from my eyeballs!" He ran out the car, his belt already off. He ran to the middle of the field. He looked up mid pee, and realized a cow was there grazing. He quickly covered himself. "Excuse me! Rude! Don't you know it's wrong to watch a man pee?"

"Shut up and get in here! The cow doesn't want your mini hot dog!" He flipped me off without looking, and finished. Once he was back in the car, he pulled out a small bottle of hand sanitizer.

"Cows are perverts." He grumbled and crossed his arms. I swear this guy's an idiot, but I like having him around.

"Yeah, and you're a moron. Now buckle up, we still have a long way to go."

*********************

"Fuckin' ay man, we there yet?" The sun was now gone, and all you could see was stars. To try and save a few hours, I drove over the speed limit when I felt like there was no cop for miles.

"Keep your pink panties on, we're almost there." I saw him cover himself, and give me a look.

"How did you know they were pink?" We started cracking up. But mine died once I saw where we were. "You cool man?"

"We're here." We were in the road leading to the gates. You could see the mansion clearly from here.

"Holy baby shit! You live here?!" I ignored his reaction, and just stared at the mansion. All the lights were off. He was either asleep, or not home. A huge part really hoped he was asleep. If he did move on, I wouldn't blame him. He may still be my husband, but I left him for a year. I missed so much. His birthday is a month after mine. I missed thanksgiving, Christmas and new years. I missed so much. He should be twenty-three, about to be twenty-four soon. I'll be twenty-six.

"Dude look." I looked to the left, and saw a limo pulling in. I recognized it the moment I it.

"My dad." I watched as it pulled into the gates, and up the long drive way. I watched it pull up into the winding path, until I couldn't see anymore. The driveway turns, and the view is covered by trees on either side of it. "Let's get this over with." I pulled up to the gates, and entered the code manually. The gates beeped open. This is it. I rolled up my window since it was tinted. I ended up buying a new car when I moved, and I had the windows tinted a darker shade to block me. In case this goes south before I even step out, the tint will cover who I am.

"Carter, relax. Everything will be fine." Man I hope he's right.