Current

by Abby Mccarthy

  “Honey, no offense,” she whispers and then gets close to my ear to be sure Lily doesn’t hear, “Maybe you should take the hot for what it is. How long has it been since you got laid?”

  I roll my eyes because we both know it’s been over a year, “Fair enough, Liz. I need to at least like him.”

  Lily looks up from the iPad, “Who are you guys talking about? Alice? Total noob. He was all, so you like Dora? I'm all like Dora was so three years ago,” Lily scrunches up her nose in disgust.

  I laugh at Lily’s nickname for him.

  “He met Lily?” Liz asks aghast.

  “Not intentionally, believe me. I thought it was my coming to pick Lily up for their sleepover, but Alister was early and Mom was late.”

  “Oh God!” Liz says.

  “I know. Then, my mom met him too.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, oh.” Liz knows my number one rules is that I don’t introduce men to Lily unless it’s serious and this thing with Alister is not serious. Sure, I let him kiss me, but that’s about it.

  Liz checks the time on her watch, “I hate to do this pumpkin, but Aunt Liz has to go.”

  Lily sets down the iPad and looks up at Liz with her big beautiful blue-green eyes, “Do you have to? Already?”

  Liz, with a look that says I do, but I really wish I didn’t, nods her head.

  “But we just got here,” Lily whines.

  “I told you Lily, Aunt Liz only has a small amount of time today.” I look at my daughter sympathetically.

  Liz pays the bill because she never lets me pay and we hug goodbye.

  I watch in my rear-view mirror making sure Lily buckles herself in her booster when my phone rings. I dig it out of my purse, spotting the tie dye case that Lily said I had to have and answer it smiling when I see it says Daryn. Daryn is Grace’s dad, Lily’s best friend.

  “Hey, Daryn!” I answer with a smile.

  “Hey, June. Grace has been at me all day and I need her to have company so I can get some work done around here. Can Lily come over? Save me?” he asks hopefully.

  “I can take them, if you have a lot of work?”

  “No, I just need to cut the grass and trim my hedges before Mr. Applegate calls the city because I can’t keep my lawn neat. Besides, I promised Grace that if you said yes, I’d take the girls to see that new Pixar movie.”

  “Hang on. Let me ask if she’s up for it,” I look back at Lily smiling, “You want to go to Grace’s?”

  “Yes!” she squeals.

  “That’s affirmative. I’m just leaving downtown now. I can be there in twenty.”

  “You’re a lifesaver, June,” he says disconnecting.

  I make the drive, thinking that if it wasn’t for people like Daryn, Liz, or my parents that this whole single parent thing would’ve been a lot tougher. I lived with my parents for the first two years of Lily’s life, until I saved and finally landed a great job with the newspaper. I know newspapers are not the most current form of in the know, but we print online as well as the good old fashioned black and white and I cover politics which, considering all of the scandals Cleveland has had, keeps me very busy.

  I pull up in front of Daryn and Grace’s bungalow-style house and Daryn is outside working on his hedges. It’s warm out. Daryn is already sweating, based on the fact that his tight black undershirt tank top has dark spots. Daryn is an attractive man with his dark hair, tanned skin, and chiseled chest. We have a lot in common. He lost his wife four years ago to breast cancer and has been going at it alone the best he can. Maybe that’s one of the reasons our girls have bonded so well.

  Grace is doing cartwheels in the grass and runs up to the car as soon as Lily’s car door opens.

  “Hi, Lil!” Grace jumps up and down, her blonde curls bouncing as she does.

  “Grace,” Lily squeals just as excited, “I can’t wait to tell you about this fashion game that my Aunt Liz had on her iPad.”

  The two girls run into the house with barely a backwards glance from Lily. I laugh and shake my head.

  “No ‘bye Mom or anything,” I mumble and Daryn laughs. it shocks me a little. I give him a good hard look. I’m not sure I’ve seen him really laugh. He’s always had this look of loss hiding beneath the surface. For the first time, it looks like it’s gone. I flash him a huge grin.

  “What?” he asks.

  “Your laugh. It sounds good on you,” I smile and get back into my car, “Call me when you want me to pick her up.”

  “I can drop her after the movie.” The look on his face changes, like he forgot he wasn’t supposed to be happy. I immediately regret bringing attention to it because somewhere deep in the buried recesses of my heart I remember how that feels.

  I take advantage of my afternoon and clean my closet out, then when that’s finished, I clean my hardwoods. It’s nice for once not to have to work twice as hard keeping Lily off them while they dry. I take a call from Lily begging me to let her stay the night, so I talk with Daryn and give him the okay and let him know that I’ll pick both girls up for soccer practice in the morning.

  I pour a glass of white wine and slip into a steaming hot bubbling oasis, better known as my awesome bath that I never have time for. The water feels good. I feel good. I think about Daryn and that if I was going to seriously date someone it would be someone like him. He’s an amazing dad and he’s hot, okay more like drop dead sexy, but his pain is still so raw. If things were different, I would ask him out. I think about my date with Alister and decide that if he asks me out again, I’m going to politely decline. He isn't for me. I haven’t had anything close to that spark I had with Jake, and I sure as shit don’t have that with Alister.

  I try not to think of Jake. It hurts too much. The slightest comparison to Alister has my chest feeling funny. Even if Daryn is ready, am I? Will I ever be? Jake never contacted me, not once. A year ago I looked him up on the State’s inmate search only to find that he was released a year previous to that. He could have googled me, I come right up. My phone number is listed too, so it’s not like I’d be hard to find.

  I sink under the bubbles letting the hot water clear my thoughts. I promised myself long ago to not let him have more of my heart. He doesn't deserve it.

  I finish the bath and wrap my over-sized, terrycloth robe around me then head to the kitchen to pour myself another glass of wine. I sit in the small window seat and look around. My floors look good. I’m proud of how they turned out. My house isn't the biggest, but I’ve worked hard to make my home nice. Mom and Dad splurged and bought me new over-sized off-white sofas for Christmas three years ago; they’re perfect for having friends over. I swear every time Liz comes to visit we end up finding some brilliant piece of furniture for dirt cheap. She does corporate investments, but you would think she was an interior designer. With her keen eye for decorating and my obsession with Sensibly Chic on HGTV, the place has turned out to be my own personal paradise. I’ve worked hard to give Lily a perfect place to call home.

  My cell rings in the living room. I set my glass of wine down, that I’ve barely touched and hurry to retrieve it. I smile when I see Liz’s name flash, “My plane is delayed, please tell me you can get a sitter?” she asks like my answer holds a cure for world hunger.

  “She’s gone for the night. Staying at Grace’s.”

  “She’s the one with the hotty dad, right?” she asks.

  I giggle, “Yep, Daryn,”

  “You have to come meet me. I have four hours to kill and don’t really want to do it sitting in an airport bar.”

  “Alright, I’ll pick you up and maybe we can go to that Mexican restaurant you love.”

  “We have a few hours and you’re kid-free. We’re going downtown and not for Mexican as much as I love guac. Wear something cute and going out worthy. No exceptions,” and with that she hangs up.

  Not wanting Liz to spend more time in the airport than necessary, I race up the stairs and throw on a red blouse and black high-waisted shorts. To dress it
up, I throw on my black strappy 3-inch sandals. I grab my make-up bag, deciding to fix my make-up at as many red lights as I can, and throw it into my over-sized purse and race out the door.

  “Thank God, you’re here. I just checked and this storm in New York has just added another two hours to my delay. We could drive there in the amount of time it’s going to take to get a plane in the air,” she bounces into the seat and looks over my outfit, gives me a smile of approval once she sees my hot, fuck me heels, as she would call them.

  “I’m not driving to New York!” I look at her sternly making sure she knows that’s off limits.

  She guffaws at me, “As if I would ask you to take me to New York,” she says on a smile.

  “How did your meeting go?” I ask.

  “It went really good. If things go as planned I’m going to make a shit-ton of money,” she gleams.

  “You already make a shit-ton of money.”

  “This is a completely different caliber.”

  “Well then, let’s hope everything goes as planned.”

  “Amen!” she says dramatically.

  I find a parking spot on the street, which is usually virtually unheard of. Feels like luck is on my side. Liz and I walk arm in arm like we used to in college. We turn down the street that’s closed off to cars. Huge strands of lights hang over the street and crowds of people bar hop from one bar to the next. We walk the short street and stop at a high-end bar. It’s dark inside, even though the sun is still shining bright outside. We take a seat at the bar and immediately a man sends a drink over to Liz and me.

  She smiles at him and I shake my head. “Not even here for five seconds before the vultures start circling.”

  Liz and I laugh, and have a great time. A few guys come over to talk with us and the shameless flirting is fun. I limit myself to just the one drink since I’m driving and had a glass of wine earlier. Before I know it, hours have passed and I tell Liz we need to get her back.

  “You don’t have to drive me. It’s the opposite direction. I’ll grab an Uber ride since I know you have to get up early,” she says.

  “Okay, then walk with me to my car and we’ll have Uber pick you up there.”

  We leave the restaurant, no doubt with a bar full of eyes following Liz’s behind as we go and make the short walk to my car, only when we get to the spot where my car once sat it’s gone.

  “It was here, right?” I screech at Liz. I’m already panicking and look to Liz to confirm. “Yeah, honey it was.”

  “Oh, my God! I think my car was stolen.”

  “Shit,” Liz hisses, “I think you’re right.”

  “Freaking Cleveland, with your clean streets acting like it’s safe for me to park my car. No, some asshole is always lurking around here to rip you off. I see it every day at work. I should’ve known better.” I’m shouting at the street as I pull out my cell phone and dial 911.

  “911. What’s your emergency?” a shrill female voice on the other end asks.

  “I’m at Euclid and E 12th St., and my car is gone!”

  “Well, are you in a tow-away zone?” she asks.

  “No, I’m not in a tow-away zone. Listen, I’m telling you I parked my car here and it’s not here anymore. It’s gone. Someone stole it!” I’m a bit hysterical, but someone stole my car!

  “Okay, ma’am. An officer is on the way.”

  She takes down my name and contact information and I hang up with her. “Police are on their way. Fucking Shit! I can’t believe this happened. What am I going to do?” I semi-yell at Liz.

  “Oh honey, come here.” She pulls me in for a hug.

  “What am I going to do, Liz? I need my car.”

  “It’s going to be alright. You have insurance, right?” she asks me soothingly.

  I nod against her shoulder.

  “So what we’re going to do is; we’re going to give the police a report. Hope they catch the fuckwad who took your car and then you’re going to call your insurance. It’s going to be okay,” she soothes me until a squad car shows up.

  Two police officers pull up, double parking and step out of their car. The officer who exits the driver side is a tall intimidating black man and the officer in the passenger seat is an average looking guy with blonde hair sticking out of the rim of his hat.

  “June?” he questions like he knows me. I stare at the officer trying to figure out if I know him. “It’s Ed. Ed Harrington. I sat behind you in English Lit at Cleveland State.”

  I think when I had English Lit, and remember that I was in the beginning stages of pregnancy. I was always running out to pee and, “You took notes for me when I was running to the bathroom every ten minutes!”

  He chuckles, “That was me. Went a different route, though. So what happened here?”

  “My car was stolen. It was parked right here,” I say pointing to the spot a new car has since parked in.

  The police officer who was driving is harder with his posture and gets right to business, “Ma’am, my name is Officer Reynolds. We’ve put out an APB on your vehicle which means the local police will be looking for it. Often times, your car will turn up in a day or two. I suggest you go home and we’ll call you if we have any news.”

  Ed hands me his card and writes the case number on it. “Call me if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do for you,” he seems sincere. “It was nice seeing you again June, even if was under these circumstances.”

  I shake my head at the ordeal as the police car drives away.

  “I’m getting an Uber car for both of us,” Liz tells me and a minute or two later a car pulls up to take me home. I hug Liz goodbye and she makes me promise to call her tomorrow or if I hear anything.

  I call Daryn on my way home. It’s almost eleven so I know it’s late and he’s probably asleep. “Hello,” his voice sounds gruff and tired when he answers, “June?” he asks. “Is everything okay?”

  “Hey, Daryn, sorry to call so late. I was out with Liz and we were downtown. My car was stolen.”

  “Shit, June. are you alright?” his sleepy voice laced with concern.

  “No,” I answer and then change that, “Yes. I’m fine. I feel a bit shook up that someone would steal from me, but physically I’m fine. We weren't even in a dodgy part of town. We went to East Fourth Street. That’s like the “It” place. I can’t understand how someone steals a car right where everything is going on.”

  “June, that’s terrible. Where are you now?”

  “I’m on my way home in an Uber.”

  “Shit. Is there anything I can do?”

  “Can you take the girls to their game in the morning, while I call insurance and get a rental? I hate to ask because I know you’ve had them all day.”

  “Of course, I can. I can’t believe this happened to you.”

  “Yeah, you and me both. How were they today?” I ask knowing those two can get chatty.

  “I was glad to have Lily. You should see my yard. I finally think my homeowner's association won’t have anything to gripe about.”

  I let out a light chuckle. I can’t help it; he’s funny when he’s all sleepy. “Thanks, Daryn. Sorry for waking you,” I sigh.

  “No problem, June. Call me if you need anything.” We disconnect and it’s another ten minutes until the car pulls into my drive I lock up the house and quickly go to bed.

  I wake up to my cell phone blaring. A quick glance to the clock tells me it’s seven a.m.. I sleepily answer my phone wondering who the heck would be calling me at seven on a Sunday.

  “Hello?” I answer.

  “June, Ed Harrington. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

  I grumble and then lie, “No.”

  “Found your car. They caught a couple of seventeen-year-olds using it to run drugs. When they caught on that they we’re being followed they crashed it up pretty good. Took off on foot, but our guys caught ‘em.”

  Shit, fuckity, shit. “How bad is the damage?”

  “It’s not good. Listen June,
normally we have cars involved in stuff like this taken to impound, but seeing as I know you and I don’t want you to have to go through more hurdles than you need to, I’m having them tow it to a buddy of mine’s shop. It’s on 55th and Euclid. Same side of the street as the Agora. You can’t miss it.”

  I grab a pen and paper and jot down the name of the shop. “Thanks for helping me out Ed. I really appreciate it. Are they open on Sundays?”

  “Technically, they’re not open today, but my buddy said him and a couple of the guys came in to work on this hot-rod.”

  “You think I could stop there today to see the damage and get a few things out of the trunk?

  “Sure, I don't see why not.”

  “Alright, thanks again for your help Ed.”

  I disconnect and head downstairs to start a pot of coffee; I think I’m going to need it.

  ***

  By eleven, I am pulling up in front of a large garage with two identical tow trucks that say Stout’s and a phone number. This is the place. I rub my temples. After several hours of phone calls with insurance agents and then my parents, my head is killing me. My rental was delivered an hour ago and here I am.

  I swing my purse high on my shoulder and walk through a large gray metal door, even though there’s a closed sign in the window. The air smells like oil and gasoline. There is a reception desk that is empty and a small vinyl couch with outdated magazines covering a small coffee table.

  “Hello,” I call out.

  “Sorry lady, we’re closed,” A man with a salt and pepper beard and a backward baseball cap says sticking his head in through an open door to the garage bays.

  “Oh, I know,” I’m suddenly nervous. “My car was stolen last night and Ed Harrington had it towed here for me. I was hoping I could see the damage and grab a few things from the trunk.”

  “Ed’s friend, right?” he says looking me up and down, smiling. I wouldn’t go so far as to say Ed and I were friends, but if they’re helping me out more because they think that, who am I to argue? “Name’s Stout. This is my place. Car’s back here. Did you bring the keys?” he asks.