by E. L. Todd
“Where was it?” Silke asked.
“With your father’s laundry,” Janice answered.
At least that would explain why it smelled like me.
“Thanks,” Silke said. “I’d been looking for this everywhere then I realized I last wore it here.”
“At least the mystery has been solved,” Ryan said.
“Well, I’m in a hurry,” Silke said. “Can I use the bathroom?”
“You ask to use the bathroom but you barge in her without knocking?” Ryan asked sarcastically.
“Sorry,” she said. “I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
“Make sure you knock next time,” Janice said.
“Okay, I’ll remember,” Silke said. Her feet sounded against the hardwood floor. As she came closer, I couldn’t resist. I cracked the door open and peeked at her.
She reached the door, wearing dark jeans and a tight top. I examined every inch of her, thankful I got to see her close up. I felt like I was watching a rare species in a secluded forest. The mythical beauty was real despite all the rumors. I watched her open the door and step inside. I couldn’t look away. Then she shut the door.
I stood still, waiting for her to come out. I held my breath and tried not to move. It was painful to be so close to her but be so far away. She was just within reach. I could grab her and kiss her if I really wanted to. But Ryan’s rule hung over my shoulders. This wasn’t the way I wanted to get her back. I hadn’t completed my transformation. I still had a long way to go.
She stepped out again then stopped and turned around. Her sweater was sitting on the counter. She snatched it, and then inexplicably, she smelled it. She held it in her hands for a moment while she stared at it. Her face contorted in confusion. Then, she smelled it again.
I knew she recognized my scent but she assumed her mind was playing tricks on her. She’d slept with me enough times to recognize the scent even in a perfume store. Memories of me came flooding back to her, and when she took a deep breath and her eyes started to water, I knew she missed me as much as I missed her. She pulled the sweater over her shirt then sighed again, combating painful recollections.
Watching it was painful, but it gave me hope. Just like I assumed, she still loved me despite all the time that passed. Just watching her smell the sweater told me everything I needed to know.
My motivation had been kicked into overdrive, and hope like I’d never known flooded through me. I was already half way done changing who I was. I was almost there, almost at the point where I could arrive at her doorstep and ask her to be mine again. I could tell her I love her without any fear.
I was almost there.
***
Ryan took time off of work and handed the shop over to Slade. He simply didn’t have time to do both anymore.
“Won’t he wonder why you aren’t working?” I asked.
He laughed. “All he cares about is having total dominion. And I mentioned I wanted some alone time at the house. I’d been working since I was young. I don’t take vacations very often.”
I nodded.
“And I’ll check the books every once in a while at night when Slade isn’t there. But I trust him. I know he’ll be fine without me. He’s been ready to go on his own for a while.”
“Cool,” I said.
Ryan and I ordered the parts and equipment for the shop. Since Ryan didn’t know anything about cars or motorcycles, he had to rely on my educations to steer us. Thankfully, my school taught me well. I knew everything we needed. Buying everything was expensive. I never saw the price tag, but I wasn’t an idiot. None of this stuff was cheap.
The inside of the building was remodeled to allow the motorcycles to be near the window. A lobby and front desk was made, and I had a private office in the rear. When everything was set up, I looked around, hardly able to believe it was really happening.
“Now we need to open,” Ryan said.
“Don’t we need employees first?” I asked.
“No. I’ll run the desk and you’ll do the mechanic work. When things pick up, we’ll hire more people. Right now, it would just be a wasted expense.”
Since he was an expert at running a business, I didn’t question it.
In the following weeks, new bikes came in from the dealerships and we displayed them in front of the window. T-shirts with the store logo were made, and the shop was in tip-top shape. Before we were opened, people would come by with their cars. When we turned them away, Ryan smiled.
“I knew this location was perfect,” he said.
The day before we opened, everything was ready. I had my uniform to work on the cars and I knew where all the equipment was. The excitement bubbled inside me. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. I was so much closer to getting near the two women I loved.
Ryan sat on the front desk and sighed. “Well, tomorrow is the big day.”
“Yeah.” I sat in a chair in the lobby, feeling tired from all the work we did.
“This place is going to be a success. I can tell.”
“How?”
“I just can.”
I leaned my head back and looked up at the ceiling. “Is Silke seeing anyone?” I hoped the answer was no. We’d been broken up for over a year, so it was possible she was seeing someone new. But when I saw her inhale my scent, I knew she still loved me. But having another guy in the picture would still complicate my plans.
Ryan shook his head. “No.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was going according to plan. “I know you’ve already done a lot for me, but I need a favor. I wouldn’t ask unless I had another choice. And you’re the only person I trust.”
“Hit me,” Ryan said.
“I have a stash of cash in a field in Boston. I need to retrieve it. I would get it myself but I’m still on parole for a few more weeks.”
“And you want me to get it?” Ryan asked in a quiet voice.
“Yeah.”
“What are you going to do with it?”
“One of two things: I was going to pay you back for the shop or I was going to give it to my daughter.”
“Anything else?” he asked.
I shook my head. “It’s money I earned illegally. I don’t think I have the right to spend it on myself.”
“How much is it?” Ryan asked.
I was quiet for a while. “A hundred grand.”
Ryan whistled. “Damn…”
“I stashed it away in case of emergencies. Someone might have found it by now.”
He laughed. “Maybe I should sell weed…”
I chuckled. “It’s not as nice as it sounds.”
“I’ll get it for you,” Ryan said. “As long as you give all of it to your daughter.”
“I should pay you back first…”
“No,” he said immediately. “If I were you, I’d put the money in a trust fund so she can have it when she becomes an adult. That way her mom can’t take it away from her. Plus, it’ll incur interest and potentially double in value.”
I nodded. “That is a good idea. I’ll do that.”
“But I have a feeling her mother isn’t going to be exactly thrilled to see you again. I would give her a nice wad of cash to make up for all the child support you didn’t pay. That will tell her that you’re serious about being in your daughter’s life.”
I hadn’t thought of any of that. I just assumed I would show up on her doorstep, and I would automatically have a relationship with my daughter. I didn’t think of those complications. After the way I abandoned her, leaving her in the middle of the night without a note, of course she would hate me.
“Arsen.” He gave me a firm look. “You have to tread carefully. Since you’ve served prison time, if she ever took the custody issue to court, you would lose in a heartbeat. Play by her rules and be patient. You can’t afford to mess it up.”
I nodded. “Thank you for the advice.”
“You’re welcome.”
***
Ryan returned that eve
ning with a dirty sack in his hands. “Found it.” He dropped it on the ground in the entryway.
I opened the bag and looked inside. “It’s all here.”
Janice was cooking dinner, and drifted to us. “Uh, what’s that?”
“A hundred thousand dollars in hundreds,” Ryan said simply.
Her eyes widened. “Should I be worried?”
“No,” Ryan said. “This is Arsen’s savings from the streets. He asked me to retrieve it from him.”
“Wow…” She didn’t know what else to say.
“You really should take it,” I said. “It’ll pay back my education and some of the expenses of the shop. I can always make more money for my daughter.”
Ryan shook his head. “I don’t want it. It belongs to her.”
I looked back at the sack then closed it. “How do I get a trust fund?”
“I’ll take you to the bank in the morning,” Ryan said as he patted me on the back. “I’ll say it’s mine so they aren’t too suspicious.”
Janice crossed her arms and shook her head slightly. “I guess there’s a lot of money in weed.”
“Cocaine is where it’s really at,” I blurted.
Ryan gave me a hard look.
“I’m just saying… I’ve never done it or anything.”
Ryan dropped the look. “We’ll leave it in the closet for now.” He carried the sack inside then shut the door.
I was glad the money was out of sight. It reminded me of my years earning it. It reminded me of night time meetings in alleyways, dealing with gang members and thugs, and being held at gun point more times than I could count. I didn’t miss that life at all. What I had now as so much better in comparison. It almost made me want to throw the money away.
***
As soon as the shop opened the next morning, a charcoal gray Ferrari pulled up.
“Isn’t that Sean’s car?” I asked as I stared out the window.
“Yep.” Ryan watched him from behind the desk.
Sean left his car right in front then walked inside. “Wow, this place looks nice.” He reached Ryan then shook his hand.
“It does, huh?” Ryan asked.
Sean acknowledged me next. “Ready for your first big day?”
“I’ve been ready for a long time,” I answered.
“Good.” Sean patted my shoulder. “I need an oil change. Can you do that for me?”
I stared at him blankly. “You’re going to let me touch your car?”
He chuckled. “I’m sure you’ll take care of her. But I know Scarlet wouldn’t mind if you accidentally broke the engine. She hates it when I drive this car.”
“Why?” I asked.
“She knows I speed.”
I laughed. “Well, it would be hard not to.”
Ryan nodded toward the garage. “Get to work.”
“Yes, sir,” I said.
Sean turned to Ryan. “Mike is coming, and I asked all the guys at the country cub to stop by with their nice cars.”
“Excellent,” Ryan said. “As long as we get them in here it’ll be good for business.”
I walked out then got to work on his car. The oil hardly needed changing but I knew he only stopped by to be nice. It was easy work, and it was a pleasure touching the sleek curves of his car. When I pulled it out of the garage and parked it, I felt a jolt of excitement.
When I came back, more cars were waiting. They were all shiny and clearly expensive. I walked inside and saw Ryan talking to a few guys in suits.
“Thanks for coming in,” he said. “Arsen can change your oil in under ten minutes.”
I handed the keys to Sean. “She’s a beauty.”
“I know.”
“What did you name her?” I asked.
“What I name all my cars,” he replied.
I had no idea what that name could be.
“Scarlet,” he said when I didn’t make a guess.
“Oh.” Now I felt stupid. “Well Scarlet is ready to go.”
“Thanks, Arsen,” he said. “I should head to work. See you around.”
“Bye,” I said.
Ryan nodded toward the garage. “We got five cars waiting. Get to work.”
“Yes, sir.” I jogged back outside.
Hours passed and there were still more cars waiting. They were all fancy and expensive, and I was extra careful just in case I did something stupid. They all wanted an oil change, and since the cars were all new, it was easy for me to get through them quickly.
Just when I thought I was done, there was a new line of cars. But they weren’t shiny and expensive. They were regular cars you saw on the streets, Toyotas and Hondas. I wondered if these were real customers. I didn’t question it and got to work. Some people needed their tires replaced, and others needed transmission fluid. I was so busy I skipped lunch and only managed to drink the water Ryan brought out for me.
When the shop closed and the last car was complete, I walked back inside, dirty and exhausted.
Ryan was working the register, counting the drawer and finishing the paperwork. We had a very, very good day, Arsen.”
I fell into a chair and closed my eyes. “We did?”
“You worked on fifty cars today,” he said incredulously.
That didn’t surprise me at all.
“Sean’s idea worked perfectly. My brother-in-law is a genius, as much as I hate to admit it.”
“What was his idea?” I asked in a tired voice.
“To bring flashy cars to the shop. When other people realized rich people trusted us with their beloved Mercedes and Bentley’s, it automatically gave us huge credibility. After that, customers started to pour in.
“Cool.” It was hard to be excited when I was barely awake.
Ryan tossed me a sandwich. “Wash your hands and eat up.”
“Food!” I washed my hands in the bathroom then dug in, practically shoving the sandwich into my mouth.
Ryan chuckled while he watched me. “We might have to hire employees after all.”
“I can do it every day,” I answered. “But if more cars start to show up, I won’t be able to keep up. And I doubt people are going to stick around for a long wait time.”
“Good point,” Ryan said. “I’ll post a few positions online.”
I glanced at the motorcycles. “Anyone browse?”
“No,” he said. “Which is a good thing. I don’t know anything about motorcycles, and you were too busy to come inside.”
I finished my food then tossed the wrapper in the garbage can. “But we’ll make a lot more selling a single bike then working on a few cars.”
“True,” he said. “We’ll hire a few mechanics and a receptionist so you’ll have free time to handle that. Plus, you’ll be in charge of the paperwork. “
“That sounds awesome to me,” I said with a tired laugh.
He organized the money with rubber bands then dropped it into a safe. But he kept a ten-dollar bill out.
“You forgot some,” I noted, not getting up.
Ryan grabbed it then handed it to me. “Your first honest living.”
I eyed it for a moment before I took it. It was only ten bucks, but it meant a lot more to me. It was the first time I ever earned something the right way. “Thanks…”
“You’re welcome, kid.”
“But I hope I’ll be making more than a dollar an hour from now on.”
He laughed. “You get paid every two weeks like everyone else.”
“Wait, I’m getting paid?” I asked.
“Yeah…you thought you were going to do this for free?”
“Well, until I paid you back for everything.”
“No,” he said immediately. “I don’t need that money back right away. You can make payments like you would on anything else.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes, Arsen. I think you’re ready to get your own apartment and start your own life.”
His words meant more than he would ever understand. Silke
was that much closer to being mine.
***
Ryan interviewed three mechanics and a receptionist. Since I was working outside, I didn’t have much say in the process, but that was because I simply didn’t have the time. Since our opening day, business hadn’t slowed down. Perhaps it was just the location or maybe it was because of the nice cars here on the first day. I wasn’t sure. But I was grateful things were going well. The sooner Ryan made his money back, the happier I’d be.
At the end of the day, I washed my hands then walked inside the lobby. “How’d interviews go?”
“The mechanics checked out. I think they’ll all be a good fit. One of them went to school with you, actually.”
“Oh. Who?”
“Rob.”
I nodded. “He’s a cool guy.”
“And there are two people for the receptionist position. They are both equally qualified. I can’t decide.”
I looked at their resumes. One was a girl and one was a guy. “Go with the guy.”
“Why him?” he asked.
I didn’t want Silke to ever come in here and be threatened by the fact I worked with a woman every day. I didn’t want anything to get in my way of having her. I never wanted her to be jealous. “Men are easier to work with.”
“You’re the boss,” he said. “The guy it is.”
I sat down in the chair and felt exhausted like I had for the past few weeks.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “You’ll have a break soon enough.”
“I’m not complaining,” I said immediately. “It’s nice to be tired from a hard day’s work for once in my life.”
***
After the mechanics and receptionist began working, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I stared out the window and watched as more cars pulled up. The register filled with more money as the day wore on, and the receptionist took care of new customers and their questions.
Ryan and I were in the office and watched everyone in the lobby through the glass windows.
“Don’t know what to do with yourself?” Ryan asked.
“A little.” I’d done the bookkeeping, ordered more supplies, and made the schedule for the next two weeks. There wasn’t anything else for me to do.
“I don’t think you need me anymore, Arsen.”
I turned to him and felt the fear grip my heart. “You’re going to leave?”