Thou Shalt Not(74)

I had always been decent with my money, until Carrie got sick and everything we had went to paying her medical bills. In the years since her death, I had finished paying them off and had started building up my bank account once again. I could have afforded the payments on a new car a while ago, but part of me felt like I had to keep Carrie’s car. I was a nostalgic person by nature anyway, and the Roller Skate was a homage to my deceased wife. But, it was time to move past that. And seeing as how I had kissed a married woman the night before, there seemed to be no better time than the present. April had awakened me, and this was a big step in continuing that process.

Holly finally responded to my text while I was at the dealership, and when I told her what I was doing she got excited.

That’s awesome! Bye-bye Roller-Girl!

Then she said, Just know that I will be helping break in whichever car you decide on ;-)

I swear this girl thought about sex all the time. She had the mind of a guy. And normally, I wasn’t complaining.

The day crept by, and I spent most of it in the office of the car salesman who was running credit and doing the paperwork. Thankfully, I had been chosen by salesman-vulture Andy, who seemed to be the least slimy of all of the salespeople. He had steered me in the direction of an SUV after I told him the things I was interested in, and before long he was starting the paperwork on my new Dodge Nitro.

I still hadn’t heard anything from April. I knew her husband was around, but I didn’t like not hearing from her either. I wanted to text and see if everything was okay, but I wasn’t sure if it was a good time. I figured I could wait until I knew he was at the stadium before I sent another. That was if he went to the game at all. After his display the night before, it was possible the team was telling him to stay home. With the season coming to an end, maybe they would just not want him back at all.

Vulture Andy decided to make conversation. Because I was a guy, naturally he chose sports.

“Did you see the Rays game last night?” he asked, as the keyboard clicked away under his rapidly moving fingers.

“Yeah. I was there, actually.”

“No shit,” he said, clearly not caring that it wasn’t exactly proper to curse in front of your customers.

I never understood the phrase “No shit.” Was I supposed to respond, “Yes shit!” or “Maybe shit?” Or “No, I was just saying that to be a shit...shit.”

Also, the phrase “I’m just fucking with you.” I am always tempted to reply, “I didn’t give you permission to ‘fuck with me’. So, that’s considered rape, motherfucker!”

Mind tangents.

“Yeah, it was pretty wild,” I replied. Yes shit.

“God, that Batista guy. Can you believe him?” Andy said, head shaking emphatically. “I never can figure out what the Rays saw in that asshole?”

“Join the club,” I said without even thinking.

He laughed.

“I’d want nothing to do with him. Anyone who does is out of their mind.”

Fuck you, Andy.

I got less talkative, and his work speed quickened, and soon enough I was on the road in my new vehicle.

I inhaled deeply every few minutes, thoroughly enjoying the new car smell. I wondered when the new car smell faded away, and what I would have to do to make it last as long as possible. I was also loving the air conditioning, which meant early morning showers in the school locker room were now a thing of the past. Thank Jesus in heaven.

I still felt bad for lying to Holly to keep her away from the house while April was there.

I called Holly to see what she was doing. She sounded distracted, and a little upset. Her boss had called her in early to help clean up the mess the lunch bartender had made.

Holly hated when people left her bar a mess. Absolutely loathed it. She took pride in her work, and her work station. But, she also hated getting called in early or on the days she needed off. So, this was like a double whammy.

I decided to go see her at work. I rarely got the chance to go down there when the place wasn’t hopping. It would be later that night, but it most certainly wasn’t going to be now.

The bar was mostly empty, save two men who were hunched over their snifters of brandy. The men were older and very well dressed. I was pretty sure they were a couple.

Holly had her back turned to the patrons and was returning all the different bottles of alcohol to their rightful places. I had never watched a bartender do this, and I was impressed by how methodical she was.

“Gin and tonic, please,” I said.

Holly turned, and I could tell by her body language she hadn’t wanted to be interrupted by a customer.

But it all changed when she saw me. Her mouth opened in surprise, and she did the jazz hand thing.