Chapter 6
6
T he Department of Motor Vehicles was a maze of lines, and they arrived early. There were nervous-looking teenagers and frustrated men and women. Folks often compared a trip to the DMV with a dental appointment. Tabitha knew she wasn’t like everyone else, and this place proved it because she liked it. It was a great place to people-watch.
There was a rather attractive man leaning on a counter, and it looked as if he were renewing a license or something like that. He grew less appealing when he started yelling at the woman behind the plexiglass. The barrier was probably put there during Covid, but now it was protecting the woman from being sprayed or even assaulted. He was on a rant, and there was likely spit flying out of his mouth. Tabitha was about to walk over to the window and tell the man to calm down, but that didn’t happen. Deenie returned from checking in and paying her fee.
“I’m number twelve. We got here early and managed to avoid the crush of people. They’re on number eight, and two people are administering the driving test,” Deenie said. “How’s the people watching?”
“I have a tip for you. When selecting a man to spend time with, be sure they treat service workers with respect.”
“What’s a service worker?” Deenie asked.
“It’s anyone who is being paid to serve you. It could be a waiter, barista, person at a hotel front desk, or working at the DMV. Any job that has the person dealing directly with the public. In many cases, they'd rather be somewhere else, but they work hard to get the job done with a smile,” Tabitha said. “That man over there has been a first-class jerk to the poor woman behind the counter.”
“That’s the time you have to let Karma do its thing. He’ll probably be single for the rest of his life because women are too smart to spend time with someone like that,” Deenie said.
Tabitha smiled. “Look at you. I seemed to have raised a little feminist.”
“I’ve always been listening, and not much got by me. You and Dad furnished me with a good set of values. Dad messed up a little, but that taught me what not to do.”
Tabitha’s pride in her daughter grew every day, but she knew that having a false sense of security could be dangerous.
The woman who introduced herself as Mrs. Ventnor called Deenie to the back door. Soon, they disappeared, and Tabitha hoped she passed the first time. It would do a lot for her driving confidence, and if she failed, it would be until after the summer when she could retake the test. She was holding onto Deenie's backpack when a note fell out written in a familiar hand.
You got this, Deenie! Your mom and I believe in you. Max
Below the handwritten note was a drawing of a car. Maxim hadn’t even told her that he left the note of encouragement for Deenie. It was things like that that made him one of the kindest men she'd ever met. The note wasn’t done to make Tabitha think he was a great guy. It was done just because he was a great guy. She would look back on her relationship with Maxim as a high point in a year that she needed to have something good going on.
The DMV was starting to load up, and the number to be served was in the triple digits. She kept her eye on the door that Deenie had used to go outside. Someone tapped on her shoulder from behind, and Tabitha whipped around. It was Deenie.
“I passed! I have to hop in line to get my picture taken. Come with me.” Deenie dragged her along. “Oh no, are you about to cry?”
“No, no. I can stop the tears.” Tabitha closed her green eyes and focused on composing herself. “Oh, forget it. My daughter just passed her driving test, and if I want to cry – I’m going to cry.” She gushed.
“I’m so excited to get on the highway and zip off to Houston. Dad has to let me because I’m legal. How does my hair look? Did you know one of the Kardashians, I forget which one, had her glam squad accompany her to the DMV?”
“You don’t need a glam squad,” Tabitha said.
Deenie was too jazzed up for Tabitha to slow her down. She didn’t have the heart to stop such sheer joy that was palpable. Tabitha recalled from sixteen when she passed the driving test to when she was thirty-three and had Deenie. Life was filled with milestones. Tabitha knew there weren’t as many personal milestones at her age, and she had to create them herself. She also got to live vicariously through her daughter and live them all over again.
Of course, Deenie drove home, and on the way, they had to pick up a case of wine for the bon voyage celebration they were throwing themselves. They went to the warehouse store and picked up other goodies, too. Leftovers would go to Mel, Deb, and April to take home. Any excess wine would go with her as host gifts on her travels north.
Deenie’s phone rang, and Tabitha immediately knew it was her father. Her tone slightly changed when she was on the phone with Greg. It wasn’t a baby voice, but it was a bit cutesy. Tabitha didn’t make a big deal out of it because she was probably the same way with her father.
Her father died when Tabitha was forty after a quick battle with pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed around Halloween and gone by Christmas. Tank Faust was a proud man, and his quick illness was a blessing in a way. He didn’t suffer, and people had no memory of him except as a strong NFL lineman. Tabitha heard about his glory days with the Miami Dolphins so many times that she felt like she was there. Her mother, Gloria, lived in Arizona. She married one of her father’s former teammates, and Tank wouldn't have had it any other way. If she had married a former player from another team, he would haunt her for the rest of her days.
“Is your dad getting close to the Florida line?” Tabitha asked.
“He’s here. He stopped in at the Cape to see some old friends. Can he come to the party tonight? He didn't ask to stay over. He's staying at Herman’s house, but I’d love him to come and meet my friends.”
“Sure, I don’t see why not,” Tabitha said. She kept repeating to herself that he was Deenie’s father and not just her ex-husband.
She headed for the wine, and Deenie went to see what free samples she could score. Tabitha was grateful for some time alone because she was still thinking about how it would be having Maxim and Greg in one room. They were opposite in looks, demeanor, and, of course, age. Greg might not even know Tabitha had a boyfriend, which shouldn’t be too weird since he had a wife who was soon to be another ex-wife.
Mel, Deb, and April, who had stayed for the soiree, hated him for the pain they had caused Tabitha. He must have known that would be the case. Greg had embarrassed her at work, threw her life into turmoil, and a whole bunch of other despicable things. Loyal girlfriends always loathed the guy who hurt one of their friends, and her pals were true blue. At least he wasn’t staying the night, not that there would be room for him since April and Kylen were staying in the guest room.
Tabitha hadn’t even considered how April was going to feel since she was feuding with her brother. She didn’t even know what the argument was about, and she didn’t care. Greg had no way of knowing that his sister and nephew would be there. Maybe Deenie would say something, and he would change his mind. Greg knew many people in the area, so it wouldn’t be difficult for him to find something else to do.
“Mom, what are you doing looking at menswear?” Deenie said.
Tabitha wasn’t paying attention to where she was. “I was thinking about men, I guess.”
Deenie rolled her eyes – she looked very confused.
They picked up the wine and walked out of there four hundred dollars later. Tabitha hadn’t even looked at what Deenie threw into the cart. Honestly, it was the last thing on her mind. Deenie drove home, which snapped Tabitha out of it, and she had something new to worry about.