Page 23 of Right in Front of You

“You got a car?” she asked, as I headed toward the vehicle. Molly stepped in beside me and stayed close. A quick memory flashback took me to a time when we were young and carefree. Except we’d been holding hands and jumping into puddles while it rained cats and dogs.

“It’s Maxwell’s.” My older brother almost made me sign a contract that would guarantee I’d lose my life if anything happened to the car. “It runs well, for the most part. He said I can drive it until I fix my father’s old truck.”

“Look at you, growing up and all.”

I stopped and looked at her from the side. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Not at all. I’m just surprised how much you’ve changed since the last time I saw you.”

“It’s not that much.” That was a lie, of course. I’d completed my firefighter training, was living on my own, and was making money fixing cars. If I could only figure out this relationship stuff, I’d be okay.

“I heard you’re a home owner now as well.”

“Yeah, I bought Mr. Grafton’s old house.”

“Yikes, and you’re not afraid to live there?”

“Nah.” I waved, remembering how the old man’s haunted house had been the best one decorated on Halloween. “There are worse monsters in the world to be afraid of than ghosts.”

Her eyes opened wide and she stared at me with a knowing look. It was as if she completely understood me. And then she smiled again, and I forgot what I was saying.

“So, where to?” she asked.

“Do you like fish and chips?

“Are we friends at all, for you to be asking me such silly questions?”

“Fish and chips it is, then,” I said as if I didn’t know that was Molly’s favorite meal.

I opened the car door for Molly and walked around to the other side. Twisting the ignition key, the car coughed before its motor gave a constant hum. “Max has been having trouble with the engine. He hasn’t had much luck with cars. Every single one he’s owned has eventually broken down.”

I turned right and heard Molly giggle.

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“You’re nervous.”

“Am not.”

“Too bad it’s not raining.” She sighed. “We could jump in puddles.”

I made a note to check the weather next time we went out, to make sure it was raining. I drove for fifteen minutes before we came to a cozy restaurant at the outskirts of the city. I parked, ran around to Molly’s door, and opened it for her. If she was nervous, she didn’t show it.

We were seated at a table, and Molly didn’t waste any time ordering her favorite meal of fish and chips. I opted for the plate of chicken wings, along with root beer, just like Molly had.

“So, did you really come out here just to ask me to dinner?” she asked, when the waitress left.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Thanks, Carter. That’s nice of you.”

“There’s a reason why I asked you out, Molly. Actually there are a couple of reasons. First, I want to apologize. I mean, really apologize. You were so kind and caring to me when I needed… help. I would have died out in that field, you know. You saved my life, and I’m very sorry that I was rude and inconsiderate.”

I heard a tremble in my voice.

Fuck!

Apologizing to people wasn’t my strongest skill. The words seemed to be stuck in my throat, and each time I tried to speak, my vocal cords tightened. Asking a girl out on a date hadn’t been this difficult when I dated Daisy. But then again, Daisy was… different. And technically, I never had to ask her out, because we just happened. Molly’s eyes, and mouth, were wide open in bewilderment. “I never thought I’d live to see the day when Carter Clark apologized.”

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