Chapter Two #2
Jenna nodded. That made sense. And not just because of the damage someone her age might do, even if they didn’t intend to. Jenna wouldn’t have been comfortable with Lacey coming in alone when the place wasn’t manned anyway. To her, it was just common sense.
“Anything else you would like to know?” Roadkill asked as they made it back to the reception desk. It looked like a couple of people had come in while they’d been upstairs and they were now setting up and using different machines.
Jenna shook her head.
“I can’t think of anything.”
“Here’s the membership form, as well as the liability waivers, and a pen. I need all of that filled out and signed, then we can get you set up.”
“Sounds good.” Jenna took the clipboard and moved to one of only a few metal waiting room style chairs along one wall to fill it out.
An hour and a half later, she walked out of the repurposed warehouse, and headed for the school.
She needed to pick up Lacey, then there was homework, and she needed to figure out something for dinner.
She got into her ten-year-old sedan and propped her forehead against the steering wheel as she forced herself to take five deep breaths and clear her mind.
What she really wanted to do was go home, pull the blankets over her head and sleep for about a week. But she had responsibilities, and making sure her sister made it through high school was one of them.
Pulling herself together, she put the key in the ignition and turned it. She heard a click, then nothing. The car didn’t start, it didn’t go like it was supposed to.
Jenna sighed. Why now? Why her? She didn’t have time for this. Nor the money. She wanted to cover her face and cry, but she had to figure out what to do now. There was no money for another vehicle. She got back out of the car and went back inside the gym.
“Back so soon?” Roadkill asked.
“My car won’t start. By chance do either of you know anything about cars?
Or know someone who might be able to help me?
” She tried not to sound desperate, but knew she failed.
She fought back tears. “I need to get to the school to pick up my sister, and I don’t know what I’m going to do if I have to pay for a big repair. ”
Jenna couldn’t believe she’d said all that. She hadn’t meant to. Mama had always told her she needed to learn to ask for help. But she hated having to try. Too often, she’d been made to feel as if needing help was failure of some kind. She just hated to ask. Hated to be a bother to anyone.
“Let me come take a look,” Roadkill said, as he stepped around the front desk. “Phantom, you’ve got the desk.”
The man still slouching behind the desk grunted but didn’t move or even seem to open his eyes.
Jenna turned and followed the larger man back outside.
“You said your sister is 14, does that mean middle or high school? he asked, making conversation. “You helping your folks out while they’re at work?
“No. It’s just me and Lacey. Mama passed away a few years ago.
Lacey’s still in middle school. She just turned fourteen.
” Jenna shook her head. “I’d forgotten how dramatic fourteen-year-old girls are.
Everything is earth shattering or the most important thing in the world, from homework assignments, to who you sit with at lunch, to whether or not the cute boy spoke to you.
” She rolled her eyes, wishing she could skip this stage, but at the same time knowing she was lucky to be able to keep her Lacey instead of her ending up in the foster system.
“This is me.” She motioned to where her car sat, not even looking like it had betrayed her.
“What’s it doing?”
“Nothing. I turned the key, it clicked, then nothing.” Jenna sighed and unlocked the car.
Roadkill nodded. “Can you pop the hood?”
Jenna didn’t respond but opened the door and leaned in to pull the lever that popped the hood.
“Want me over there or here?” she asked.
“There’s good. I’m going to need you to try to start it, but not yet.”
“All right.” She sat in the driver’s seat and put the key in but didn’t turn it until he told her to.
Again, there was a click, then nothing.
“Turn it off,” Roadkill called.
She did as instructed, then waited.
“Try to turn her over again,” he said after a couple of minutes.
She turned the key and the engine roared to life. She laughed. Now she could get Lacey and head home.
Angling out of the car, she went to the front where Roadkill still stood.
“What was it?”
“Your battery terminals are loose. They still need adjusting, but they’ll do for now.
” He dropped the hood, then pulled a wallet from his back pocket, pulled out a business card and held it out to her.
“Take it in here. Tell them I sent you. They’ll make sure it’s in top shape.
My club owns the shop. We can work out a payment plan if it’s more than you can afford right now. ”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know we don’t. But I want to. You need something reliable if you’re taking care of your sister. This is something small I can do.”
Jenna watched his face, trying to decide if he was being honest or if he had other motives. Finally, she took the card.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.” He nodded toward the car. “All set?”
“Yes, thank you. I need to go or I’ll be late to pick her up. Thank you again and I’ll see you soon.” She hurried back to the driver’s seat, put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot.
Had she lost her mind? ‘I’ll see you soon’? She just hoped he didn’t take that as a threat rather than something friendly as she’d intended.