Page 8 of Skid
“Thank you, Skid. I really appreciate this.”
“Glad to help.”
With that, she slipped out of the truck, and with her daughter bundled in her arms, she rushed to her door. I sat there for a second, watching as they made their way inside. I couldn’t help but notice that the place remained dark. She might’ve been trying to keep her daughter from waking up, but I had a feeling it was something else.
I waited for a moment longer, then grabbed my phone and called one of the prospects. Zeke answered with a groggy, “Yeah.”
“Prospect duty.”
“Damn, man. It’s after one.”
“Glad you can tell time.” I didn’t have the patience to deal with whining, so I got straight to it. “Got a silver Corolla that broke down about ten miles out on 67. Need you and Smitty to get the trailer and pick it up. Bring it over to my place and park it close to the garage.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, now. Roads are slick, and I don’t want anyone running over the damn thing. Don’t want anyone fucking with it either.”
The kid grumbled something likeyou got it, before hanging up the phone. I chuckled and tossed my phone into the console.I remember the long, hard days and nights of prospecting. It was rough. You never knew when one of the brothers would call, and even when you felt like complete ass, you had to not only answer but do whatever they asked. And you did it without complaint.
But once you earn that patch and you’re finally in, you’re part of something bigger than yourself, and you realize all the hard work was worth it. Knowing the car would be taken care of, I backed out of Laken’s parking lot and headed home. The drive was quiet, and I had nothing to distract me from thinking about Laken and her daughter.
I couldn’t help but wonder about the kid’s dad and where he might’ve been. There had to be a reason why they were out there alone in the middle of the night. I just couldn’t imagine what that reason might’ve been. I pulled into my drive and killed the engine.
Normally, I would’ve gone straight in, grabbed a beer, and crashed for the night. Instead, I sat there with my fingers drumming against the steering wheel and thinking about a beautiful woman with tired eyes and no ring on her finger. There was no denying it. They’d gotten under my skin and would remain there until I did something about it.
I just didn’t know what that something might be.
Eventually, I went inside and crashed, and a couple hours later, I heard the rumble of a truck engine fading down the road. I knew then that Zeke and Smitty had come through for me. I slept a few hours longer, and when the sun started creeping through the blinds, I forced myself out of bed. I walked over and looked out the window, and just as I’d expected, the Corolla was parked crooked in the driveway.
They could’ve parked it closer to the garage door, but the job was done, and I was grateful. I was also grateful that the rain had finally let up. After a quick shower, I threw on some clothes and headed outside. It was cooler than I’d expected. The air had acold, wet bite that sank right into my bones, and I knew then that fall was hanging by a thread.
That meant shorter days, colder nights, and even less time on the bike. I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I had a car to fix, so I put on my coat and got to work. I popped the hood and groaned when I saw that it was in even worse shape than I’d thought. I started making a list of all the things that needed to be fixed: carburetor, the battery, cooling hose, alternator, and various spark plugs.
That was just the start. I pulled my phone from my back pocket and texted Smitty. I gave him a list of everything I needed and told him to get it over to the house ASAP. That’s all that needed to be said. I knew he’d take care of it, so I got to work on breaking her down.
I hadn’t planned on spending my day working on a car, but for some reason, I didn’t mind. Maybe it was the hopeful look in Laken’s eyes or the fact that I liked a challenge. Either way, I was eager to get the job done. I’d just taken out the battery when my phone buzzed with a message.
I wiped my hands, and when I checked the screen, I saw that it was a message from Laken.
Laken:
Hey. It’s Laken.
I have to be at work at two, but if you’re busy, I can take the bus.
It really isn’t a big deal.
Me:
I’ll be there at 1:40.
I’ll come back and pick you up when you’re done.
Laken:
If you’re sure.
Me:
