Chapter 57
CHAPTER
FIFTY-SEVEN
REBEL
April is already at the makeshift garage when I arrive the next morning. Chance and his expensive lawyers are still working to undo Stewart’s attempt to shut us down.
Turns out, lawsuits aren’t as cut and dry as they appear in the movies. They can take weeks or months or even years if there’s no settlement.
On the bright side, being outdoors isn’t so bad now that we’ve rigged up a generator and attached giant standing fans to chase away the severe, late morning heat.
The scent of engine oil wafts from a car’s rusty gears.
Ah. Smells like home.
April’s bent over the open hood of a truck, eyes locked on a tablet screen that’s spitting engine readings via waveforms.
“Morning!” I sing.
“Morning. You’re in a good mood.”
“It’s good to be outside. ‘Touch grass’ as they say.” I grin as I set my pink tool box on a plastic table that Mauve allowed us to sneak away from the Tuna. Then I set my surprise down on top of the tool box.
April notices what I brought. “Ooh! Donuts. Phil’s?”
I pause for dramatic effect and then say slowly, “Marnie’s.”
April doesn’t drop the tablet. She throws it on the table and flies over to me. “Phil’s mom? The original donut queen? The legend who came up with the recipe for Phil’s chocolate donuts? I thought she retired after handing the shop over to Phil?”
“Marnie still bakes, but only for a select clientele aka the Kinseys.”
When Gunner showed up with the box this morning and acted like getting Marnie to bake him donuts was no big deal, I was torn between being extremely touched and extremely irritated.
Sure, I knew the Kinseys have wealth, deep connections and the respect of the entire town, but I thought doughnuts were safe. Turns out, there’s still a difference between the social classes even with sugary treats.
April rushes to wash her hands and sinks her teeth into a doughnut. The moment she takes that first bite, her eyes roll back and she groans, “Man, it must be good to be a Kinsey.”
“If Gunner wasn’t my boyfriend, I’d probably stage a one-woman protest over this,” I murmur, taking a more polite bite.
“Oh? Are you and Gunner okay now?”
I blink innocently. “We were always okay.”
“Is that why you were walking around on auto-pilot for the last couple days?”
“Was I?”
“Sometimes, you worked like a monster on steroids. Other times, you’d just be staring into space.” April dusts her hands on her navy jumpsuit. “Chance said that Gunner was the same at practice. What happened?”
“A… lot.”
“Oy.”
Leaning closer to my best friend, I share everything about the will, Clarence Kinsey, and my agreement with Gunner to give ourselves some space to think.
“Last night,” I continue, “Gunner and I had a long conversation and we decided to protect each other no matter what happens.” I smile sappily as I remember his romantic words in the couch, followed by his big hands grabbing my hips and putting me on his lap while he gave me a kiss that set my entire body on fire.
“I’m sorry ,” April says, looking dumbfounded. “I’m still stuck at the part where you and your mom could be literal millionaires and you haven’t told her yet.”
“We still need evidence.”
“ She could have the evidence. Have you ever thought of that?” April points out.
“Of course I’ve thought of that.” I throw my hands wide. “But…”
“April! Rebel!” A sweet voice interrupts. We both turn to find a little girl streaming out of a car and running to us.
“Gordie, be careful!” I call, noticing her going full sprint. There are many dangerous, sharp items in a mechanic shop—even an unofficial one like this—and I don’t want her to get hurt.
“Wow!” Gordie’s eyes dart back and forth. “Is this an outdoor garage? This is so cool.”
I place my hands on my hips, smiling proudly. “It is, isn’t it?”
“She’s so fast,” an elderly woman mumbles, waddling up to us.
“Do you want to sit down?” I gesture to a plastic chair. “You look a little pale.”
“It’s alright, dear.” The woman gives me a weak smile. “We won’t stay long. Gordie just has a question for you ladies before she goes to school.”
“It’s career week and I have to write a report about a cool career. I wanted to write about astronauts, but we don’t have astronauts in Lucky Falls. So I wanted to write about mechanics.”
“We’re honored that you’d think of us, Gordie,” April says, bending down to get on Gordie’s level.
Just then, a loud rumble fills the air. Delia brings her bike to a stop on the grassy lawn. I’m used to the full, throaty roar of Delia’s bike so I only spare our new technician a quick glance and look to Gordie to continue the conversation.
But the little girl is no longer beside me.
She is floating forward, her eyes locked on Delia and her jaw dragging on the floor.
Delia pops the shade of her helmet up and, a moment later, she pulls the entire helmet off. She is one of those rare, impressive people who don’t get helmet hair so her silky black bob swishes right back into place with just a toss of her head.
“Excuse me,” Gordie’s nanny taps my hand, “I’m not feeling too well.”
“Oh no. Do you need something?”
“I’m okay.” She sniffs. “I’ll rest after I take Gordie to school. Could you watch her for a moment while I take my medication? It’s in the car.”
“Of course. Take your time.”
Delia walks into the garage and I know the moment she realizes a child is present because she jumps right out of her skin.
Gordie beams and waves at her. “Hi.”
“Hello… tiny human,” Delia says. Her eyes dart to me and April and she makes a subtle gesture towards Gordie.
April, knowing Delia’s discomfort around kids, steers a very excited Gordie toward the furthest tent while I approach Delia.
“Ready for another busy day?” I smile. “Seems like people still trust us with their cars even if our mechanic bay has…” I gesture to the trees around us, “a more woodsy aesthetic.”
She keeps a cautious eye on Gordie. “Where’s the convertible I was working on? I don’t see it?”
I point her to the back tent. “Chance helped April move the cars, but he isn’t a mechanic so he didn’t park them in the best places.”
“It’s alright. I’ll figure it out,” Delia says.
I turn in Gordie and April’s direction, intending on chatting with the little girl a bit.
Just then, my phone rings.
It’s mom.
A chill goes down my spine.
My shoulders tighten as if my body senses bad news.
No, everything is fine. Gunner has the team watching mom.
Then I realize the team is at early morning practice.
Uneasy, I pick up mom’s call.
“Hey, mom. Is everything okay?”
“Rebel?” Mom’s voice sounds thin.
“Mom?” I grip the phone tighter, my stomach churning.
“Can you come over for a minute?”
“Of course, mom. Where are you? Are you okay? Do I need to call the police?”
“No… it’s…” She’s breathing hard.
“Mom? Mom? ”
There’s a thud and then the line goes dead.
I’m sprinting to the door before I remember that my keys are in my purse and my purse is in the locker where I keep my casual clothes. Panicked, I change directions and head to the locker.
“What’s wrong?” April asks, her eyes wide and frightened.
“My mom. Something is… I have to get to her.”
I keep searching through my purse until I locate the keys. But the moment I get my hands on them, they’re snatched away.
April’s stare is firm. “I can’t let you drive in this state. I’m coming with you. Delia, can you watch Gordie until her nanny comes back?”
Gordie’s eyes light up.
Delia has the opposite reaction. Face pooling with dread, the mechanic squeals, “You’re leaving a vulnerable human being with me? ”
I rush to my truck.
“Thanks, Delia,” April says in a whir as she follows me.
I’m about to dial the police and call an ambulance for my mom when her number lights up on my screen. My heart jumps all the way up my throat as I answer.
“Mom, are you okay? What happened?”
“Nothing. I just got a little frightened and dropped the phone. I’m fine now.”
Something’s off with her voice. I can feel it. “Who’s there, mom?”
“S-Stewart Kinsey?”
My heart swells with panic and I taste bile when I swallow. “I’m calling the police. And I’ll be there in, like, ten minutes.”
“Rebel, don’t be so dramatic. I don’t need the police.”
“Mom,” I hiss, “Stewart is a dangerous guy. Who knows what he’ll do to you?”
“He’s not dangerous.”
I lean forward, wishing I could sprout wings and fly to her. “You have no idea. Mom, I haven’t told you anything about what’s been going on, but the truth is?—”
“He asked me to marry him.”
I flop back in shock.
April glances over, a deep line marking her forehead.
I shake my head. “W-what did you say?”
“Stewart Kinsey just asked for my hand in marriage.”