Fixing Love

3

"Okay ma'am, everything looks good." I closed the hood of her car, and wiped my hands on the towel I carry with me.

"Really? Are you sure there's nothing else you could take a look at?" She was twirling a lock of hair with her finger. She deliberately pulled her shirt down lower, and didn't even hide her flirting. Gotta say, I admire her honesty. But I was most definitely not interested.  

"No ma'am. Your car is fine, and everything is okay. Here are your keys, they will charge you inside the office." She left with a pout, but I didn't care. This town is small, so I am getting a lot of woman like her lately. I waited until she was out of sight before letting out a loud sigh, and leaning on the closes wall to me.

"Dude, what is that? Like the sixth woman who has come asking for you today?" Freddy placed his elbow on my shoulder, and watched the woman in the office.

"The seventh." I stand up straight and walked away, heading to grabbed my bottle of water off the table. "At least she's the last one, it's quitting time." I threw my towel at him, and he caught it before it hit his face.

"Yeah. Hey man, you finally gonna come out tonight?" I can see the hopeful look on his face. He asks me the same question every day. I know he's just trying to be nice since he knows I don't know anyone else here.

"I don't." He didn't even let me finish. He placed his hand on my mouth to stop me. I look at him with wide eyes, and see a cocky smirk on his face.

"Let me correct myself. You're going. It's Friday night, you have off tomorrow, and you're going." I took his hand off my mouth, and glared at him. He just gave me his easy going grin. I will admit, Freddy's a good looking guy. Short dirty blond hair, light hazel brown eyes. He was also pretty popular with our female clients. He just radiates this easy going vibe, and you can't help but smile at him.

"Fine." He fist pumped the air, and did a stupid dance. It was like watching a kid get excited when you tell them their getting ice cream.

"Ha! Marty you owe fifty!" We heard Marty cuss from inside the office. Marty's our boss, and owner of the shop. He's a man in his late fifties, but still has the body and energy of a man in his early thirties. "Looks like I got my pay bonus for the night. You wanna hit a bar?"

"Whatever, but you're paying." I pat his shoulder before I walk away. I heard Freddy's "ah man" as I reach my car. I couldn't help but laugh. Maybe a night out will do me some good.

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

"Freddy give me your keys!" I should have stopped him after his seventh shot. He was currently face planted on the bar with an empty shot glass in his hand. His clear cheeks now turned a bright of red.

"Bitch you ain't my momma!...Are you? Momma I'm sorry, don't spank me." He sat up fast and saw a girl walked by staring at him. "Except you. You can spank me."

"I'm gonna punch you if you don't give me the damn keys!" He handed them to me, and tried to reach for my drink. "Oh no you don't." I managed to pull the drink away from his reach, but caused him to lean over the counter again.

"Carter, you out?" I looked up and saw Stefan and the others watching us. They were laughing at Freddy's retarded ass trying to reach for another drink on the other side of the counter. His tongue was out, and he seemed really focused.

"Yeah. I'm gonna take this dumb ass home." I dragged a very emotional Freddy out of the bar, and into his car. I tossed him in the back seat, and helped buckle him up.

"Dude! I am so freaking hungry! Can we go to McDonald's?" I got into the driver's seat and started the car. He was my ride here, so I didn't have my car. I also don't know where he lives, so I guess he's crashing at my place tonight. For the last few minutes he would not shut up about how nuggets where the meaning of life or something. It was starting to give me a headache. Once we reached a red light I looked for something that would be big enough to catch something in.

"Hey Freddy?"

"Yeah?" I handed him a mega gulp cup from seven eleven that I found on his passenger side floor. "What's this for?"

"Chocolate squid, rotting tomatoes. Um, the smell of expired milk." I could hear him gagging.

"Man, please don't."

"Two girls one cup." That broke him. I heard him empty out his stomach inside the cup. I found another cup and handed it to him. I didn't even question why he had empty cups, I was just thankful for them at the moment. By the time we were half way to my house, he was done. "Want some gum?" I took the pack out of my jacket pocket. He took it from me, and tossed the empty packet back at me. "Dude, that was a new pack."

"Shut up." I could hear him munching away at the gum. "Thanks man, I feel better." I heard him unbuckle himself, and the sound of his seats being squished.

"Hey! Sit up mister! Click it or ticket!" Thankfully we arrived at my house without any more problems. "Come on sleeping ugly, we're here."

"Bitch, I'm sexy." Once we were parked he tried to get out of the car without my help, and landed face first on my lawn.

"You okay clumsy?"

"Shut up, I am not clumsy. I just wanted to kiss mother nature."

"Really?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest, and just watched as he tried to get back up.

"Yes. She is one sexy woman." I shook my head and helped him up. I managed to open the door with him clinging to me, and dropped him on the couch when we were inside. "Am I in heaven, cause this shit is soft." He buried his face in between my cushions.

"Sure, whatever. Drink this." I handed him a glass of water, and he drank the whole thing down. "Alright. You can either crash on the couch, or take the guest room. It's the second door to your right. I'm tired, so good night."

"Night man." He didn't even get off the couch. He simply rolled on his side, and knocked out. I don't blame him, my couch really is soft. The first day I bought it, I sat down, woke up, and realized it was the next day.

I grabbed a pillow from the hall closet, and a spare blanket. I placed the pillow under his head, and covered him with the blanket. He smiled in his sleep, and it reminded me so much of Ethan. They both have this way of making me smile, even when I don't want to.

Once I make sure he won't either choke in his sleep or freeze at night, I got up and walked to my room. I quickly changed into some sweats, and a black tank top. I didn't even bother covering myself, it was pretty warm in my room. I head to bed and lay down, but as always it takes me a while before I can even get to sleep.

"Ethan, sweet dreams." Even if I am still hurt by what happened, he is still my husband. I placed my left hand on my tattoo, and fell asleep with dreams of him. His smile, his eyes, his laugh. In my dreams he was standing under a tree in our backyard, a book resting on his legs. When he noticed I was there, he looked up and smiled that same sweet smile at me.

"Carter, there you are. Come on, I've been waiting for you." In the dream I ran to his side before dropping to my knees, and pulling him in to my arms. I could have sworn I felt his warmth as he rubbed his hand up and down my back."Carter, I love you."

"I love you too."