I walked out into the door of the garage when I heard a car pull onto the pavement. I recognized the car right away as Brian and there was someone else with him too. The figure got out of the car seconds after he a-lighted and I realized it was a woman. What a coincidence. He walked in all smiles as if there was some joke on my face. I gave him my usual frown and continued to wipe my hand.
"Hey" he said enthusiastically. "how was your week without me?" he smiled as if hoping that I'd say something worthwhile.
"Coming to an end" I replied. "who's the woman?"
"Glad you asked" he said taking her hand and she smiled the same broad smile that the other idiot had. "this is Phillisa. I met her this morning. Her uh, car had some problems"
Again, where is the coincidence? Her car had, past tense problems, meaning no more. So why then was she here?
"Okay" I said walking back to the car I was currently fixing.
"This is the part where you ask what's wrong with it" he continued.
"I don't need to, you already saw it so there's no need for me to get involved"
He walked over and stooped to my level of the car.
"Yeah when I said her car had problems, I meant still have problems, I had to tow the van to get it her here"
"okay" I replied still working.
"That's all?" he asked in disbelief.
"That's all" I replied.
"shit" he mumbled.
I knew where this conversation was headed and there was no way I was going to volunteer myself in taking on another of our work if I didn't have to. Now that he was back he could share some of the jobs that he had been taking to us. My hands were already full and I didn't need another, I glanced over at her scanning her features before returning to my work, another crazy chick on my ass. She already looked annoying.
"Can't he fix it?" she asked sounding somewhat concerned by the turn of events.
By the sound of her voice and her question, I already knew what their conversation was like on their way over. He'd tell her that his friend would fix it and that she'll have it back in no time. What she didn't know however was that this friend already had enough work to keep him awake for days already and I was in no mood to accommodate anyone other than myself at the moment so, unless her rescuer was willing to help her out of this bind she was going to have to wait until everything else was out of the shop.
"Andy" said brian
"No"
"You haven't listened to a word I said yet"
"I don't need to" I mumbled back. "you told her I'd fix it. I can't do it yourself"
"I'll keep heather off your back until its fixed, so that's what maybe a week. One week without heather"
"No thanks I'll take my chances"
"Come on. I can't right now. I promised that I'd help with the July 4th festival set up and if I take this on, the governor will kill me for not having his car tuned and all that crap"
"Not my problem"
"Um, you don't need to fix it right this minute, its just that we'll need it to get around"
I glanced at her. I never agreed to do anything to it in the first place. I didn't even bother to look what type of car it was. That's their problem not mine.
"I'll take the two cars from you and that bike that's been in the corner for two months now"
"Fine" I replied. "Judith needs the car for the festival and there's a drag race that they need us for, you'll have to attend that as well"
"That's murder you know I can't do all of that on my own"
"Take it or leave it" I responded getting from under the car. "lets see the junk you've got"
Phillisa's nose scrunched up hearing me call her car a junk. I walked out into the pavement and found a deep blue Toyota van that seemed to be in good condition from the outside but obviously wasn't on the inside since it was at the shop. Opening the hood I checked, everything was black, great and I could smell the remnants of smoke. Yeah a week wasn't going to be enough for this.
"Come help me get this into the shop" I shouted to brian as I walked around to the passenger side of the door. My eyes wondered over the interior which was covered in black velvet and as I turned to walk away something moved. Stopping in my tracks I peeked inside which was probably a bad idea considering I didn't have a clue what the hell I was dealing with. I jumped back a little as a little thing sat up.
"what the hell!"
It moved slowly and small dark hands reached over what I supposed must have been a head to remove what looked like a shirt.
'F****" I muttered.
She stared at me eyes wide as if she hadn't just scared the hell out of me. There was another one? Brian and his companion made their way out sometime after while I continued to gaze at the woman in the car. She only glanced away a few seconds before returning her hazel eyes to mine. Her face was round and beneath her eyes was dark, I couldn't tell if the colour was from lack of sleep or she had been crying. She had a small button nose and her lips were pink changing to red due to the rush of blood to the area as she pursed her lips tighter as if trying to conceal a scream. This was creeping me out. What she can't speak?
"you need to get out" I grumbled.
She continued to stare, eyes wide, mouth pursed looking me over. Not saying a thing, not moving. What she was paralyzed from the waist down as well?
"now!" I said grabbing the door handle but she just sat un-phased staring at me.
"Kenzy!"
Her friend called out to her seeing my irritation and that was the only time she moved again. So what she was both mute and deaf? Where the hell did Brian find these people?
I looked over the broken down van one more time before heading inside to get my receipt book. Brian was caught up in talking to his Blondie and Ziploc, that was the name I came up with for her since she was yet to utter a word since we met and she stood looking unentertained by her environs. She clutched a small book tightly and looked up once catching my gaze but then she looked away and I continued with my word. I could tell she was young may be nearing her late twenties. Too young, I told myself let's not make our mind wander Andrew.
I handed Phillisa the receipt and she signed away without glancing at the charge. I smiled a little, I enjoyed customers who didn't make the financial aspect a burden. I mean that was only the overhaul part of the work, I had yet to make a great stake of it and she still didn't care. They didn't seem like the rich type, then again they were only dressed in summer wear and my two years of doing this taught me the rich came in all shapes and sizes. They didn't have to be the one with the bucks, there's always a wealthy dad or mother behind them.
"So" Blondie glanced at me a moment stepping away from Brian. "will we be able to get it back within a week's time?"
I glanced at her knowing she had heard the conversation previously between me and brian.
"No" I replied. "you just arrived. I can't just drop all my previous customers for you. Whenever I'm through I'll deal with your car"
Her mouth fell open and she glanced back at brian who shook his head at me.
"what are we supposed to do? How are we going to get around this place? I haven't seen a single cab since I got here"
Ziploc walked off in the opposite direction removing herself from the conversation heading outside and down the road. They were yet to see that she had left and I didn't bother to alert them, just went back to my unfinished work.
****
I pulled up to my drive way, friday afternoon, walking around to get my groceries. The super bowl was going to be on and I thought maybe I'd watch it for once. No there was no one else there. I preferred to be alone at all cost. That way, I had less cleaning to do and since Brian had a new distraction, I was more than able to say no with a clear conscience. I took up two packed to the brim brown bags and headed into the house, using my feet to keep the door open while I tried to balance the food in my hand going in.
"Hey Andrew"
I looked back for a moment seeing Mrs. Henderson near my car holding my shoe that her terrier had not thought to return, I hadn't even noticed.
"Need any help?"
"Sure" I replied. "There's another bag in the back"
I watched the little old lady walk in her eyes dancing all over the room as she normally does whenever she managed to get inside and as usual, I found myself at the counter wondering whether I should offer her something to drink or not. Proper courtesy demanded that I make an offer but then she normally doesn't stay that long for her to half a drink anyways and just opening one would be a waste. So instead, I just watched her waiting for her to talk to me as usual.
She placed the bag on the counter against the others and dropped the shoe in the corner, looking around again.
"Well, you always have this place looking lovely Andrew. I can't say the previous owners would have regretted selling it to you at all" She smiled taking out the groceries to pack them away like my mother would.
"I try" I replied.
"So how are you doing?" She opened the cupboard and gestured for me to hand her the tins to put them away while we chatted.
"The same as usual"
She shook her head. "You didn't chase kitty the other day"
Kitty? Was she referring to the annoying little dog they had? Seriously, that was ironic.
"I've been busy"
She nodded climbing down from the stool and heading to the refrigerator and I opened the other paper bag handing her another set of groceries.
"I've noticed. You haven't been around very much lately and you haven't been to the drag racing for quite a bit"
"Brian will be coming to see how it's going and to help if anything happens"
She took a deep breath. "Brian's been busy lately because of the festival, unfortunately everyone is asked to pitch in and I know there is some downside to your business with that." She turned to face me closing the fridge. "I asked you to come to the race because you need the break dear, I even made a car available for you, a little dirt and fresh air every now and again is good".
"I race to the lake every morning at six" I replied taking a seat. "I'm getting enough fresh air to last a lifetime"
She chuckled. "You know what I mean. Close the shop and come to the festival and cook out on Sunday. Enjoy yourself. You're grimacing too much and you're scaring kitty"
I laughed. She tapped me on the shoulder and headed out the door.