CH 11 - #roadsideassistance
#roadsideassistance
Luke
It was Thursday afternoon. I was almost back to the ranch after running into town to pick up some groceries when I spotted Madison’s BMW parked on the side of the road with the flashers on. As I got closer, I could see that the rear left tire was flat.
I pulled up behind Madison, parked my truck, and got out. As I approached the Livingstons’ fiery red-headed daughter, sitting in her driver’s seat, I noticed her watching me in her side mirror. When I reached her, she looked up at me. I motioned for her to lower her window.
“Looks like you’ve got yourself a little problem here,” I said once she had.
“Triple A is on their way to help me.”
“I’ll help you.”
“No, that’s okay, but I appreciate it.”
“You’re less than a mile from the ranch, and I’m standing right here.”
Madison pulled her eyes away from mine and stared out her windshield, sighing.
“Look at me,” I continued.
She finally did. “I’m looking at you. Now what?”
“Is your spare tire in your trunk?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a jack?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m going to check, with your permission, that is.”
“Luke, you don’t have to do all of this.”
“I want to.”
Madison searched my eyes and nodded. “Thank you.”
“Cancel Triple A, engage your emergency brake, and turn off your engine.”
Once she had, she got out of her car and stood yards away from me.
“I don’t bite,” I told her.
She glanced around, then focused on me again. “I know, Luke. It’s just that…”
“Just that what?”
“Never mind.”
I pointed behind her car. “Stand in the grass for your own safety.”
After she did, I began changing her flat, using my heavy-duty jack. When I finished, I tossed Madison’s tire into the bed of my truck and walked back over to her.
“What are you doing?” she asked, motioning toward my truck.
“I’m going to get your tire repaired.”
“No, I’ll do that.”
“You don’t know where to take it around here, but I do.”
“If you’d tell me where—”
“I’ve got you, Madison.”
She swallowed hard. “Thank you again.”
“I’ll have your tire to you before the sun sets.”
“Okay.”
“Do you mind my asking where you’d been before you got a flat?”
“You just did. I was cruising around, listening to music, and thinking.”
“I’ve had a lot to think about lately, too, especially since I met you.”
She took a deep breath, keeping her eyes on mine. “I need to go.”
“Alright.”
She stepped around me, hurrying to her driver’s side door, but I beat her to it and opened it.
She looked at me, gave me a nervous smile, got in her car, and cranked it after putting on her seatbelt.
I closed her door and watched her drive off, her flashers still on.
A few seconds later, Madison turned them off and disappeared into the distance.
I went back over to my truck, still running to keep my groceries cool. I didn’t immediately crawl inside the cab, though. I dropped my tailgate, sat on it, and stared up at the sky. It was still bright blue, but wouldn’t be later. A springtime storm was on the way.