by Jamie Hill
“You told me you got a ticket for inattentive driving. Did you get one for no insurance? Those are costly, I’ve heard.”
Wendi looked down sheepishly. “I, uh, had the old insurance card that said I was covered. The cop didn’t look too closely at it, I guess.”
Jada stood and paced before the sofa. “No insurance, and the cop didn’t notice? I can’t believe it, Wendi! What are you going to do?”
Wendi settled back into the couch. “About what?”
“What do you mean, about what?” Jada practically screeched. “The guy at the dealership said my car has seven thousand dollars worth of damage! It’s almost brand new.”
Wendi whistled. “Wow, that’s a lot. Isn’t that something, considering new cars these days are made mostly of plastic instead of metal?”
“I don’t care if it’s made of cream cheese. I need my car fixed. Do you have that kind of money?”
Wendi chuckled. “Cream cheese…that’s funny, Jada.”
Jada planted her hands on her hips. “Well, do you?”
“Do I what?” The blonde woman appeared totally unconcerned about the whole issue, while Jada was about ready to blow a gasket.
“Have seven thousand dollars to pay for my car?”
“If I didn’t have the three hundred for insurance, what do you think?” Wendi stood, facing Jada. “Why are you getting so freaked? That’s what you have insurance for. They’ll take care of you.”
“After a two thousand dollar deductible, maybe. But I happen to know a little about insurance companies, considering my father has worked for one the last thirty years. They’ll come after you, with a lawsuit if necessary. If they can prove you lied about having insurance, you may see some jail time.”
“Whoa there, Nellie. Why do you have such a freaking high deductible?”
“Because my father understands insurance and he recommended it. I’ve never had an accident in my life until yesterday, and that wasn’t even my fault. Now you expect me to pay for it?”
“Of course not. I still say your insurance will pay. You might have to pay the deductible—”
“Wendi, you’re not listening to me. If my insurance pays for this accident, which is on record as being your fault, they’re going to come after you. I know they will.”
Wendi smiled and shrugged. “Let ‘em try. Can’t get blood out of a turnip, my granny used to say.”
“I can’t believe your attitude. You really don’t understand how serious this is, do you?”
“I think you’re making much too big a deal out of the whole thing. It’ll work out. These things always do.”
“Meanwhile I have to shell out two thousand dollars to have my car fixed. Then there’s the knowledge that my insurance company will chase you through hell and high water to get reimbursed. How am I supposed to feel about that?”
“I don’t know, Jada. I can’t tell you how to feel. I can tell that we’re probably done here today, and I'm really sorry about that.”
“Oh, I doubt it,” Jada fumed. Wendi’s cavalier attitude was like nothing she’d ever encountered. She’d grown up discussing insurance cases around the dinner table with her parents. Big companies took their claims very seriously. The other woman must be crazy not to realise that. Jada watched her go into the bedroom and return wearing her own clothes.
Wendi picked up her purse. “Well, it’s been fun. Sorry it had to end before it truly got started.”
“Wendi…” Jada didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want the woman to leave but knew she couldn’t stay.
The money issue—and Wendi's attitude about the whole situation—was between them now and it couldn’t be dropped that easily. Her father wouldn’t allow it to drop, and if he found out she was involved with the other driver, there’d be a real problem.
“What?” The woman paused before walking out the door.
“I wish things weren’t this way.”
“Me too.” Wendi smiled. “Last night was great. Too good to be true, in fact. I should have known it couldn’t last.”
“If we could work out some method of payment…” Jada grasped for straws.
Wendi shrugged and shook her head, and when Jada simply stared, Wendi walked out.
———
Jada ran through the emotions of denial and disbelief by eight p.m. Nothing that had happened seemed real. By midnight she was inconsolable, sobbing until there were no more tears. Her relationship with Wendi had been brief, yet more intense than anything she’d ever experienced. She cried, realising the other woman had been right, it was over before it truly got started.
By eight a.m., she was angry. She made phone calls. The dealership confirmed the quick estimate and agreed to put one in writing for insurance purposes. The police department gave her Wendi’s full name and address and alleged insurance company. She thought about telling the officer that the insurance was a lie, but couldn’t bring herself to do that yet. She would tell Sam, though, and see what he thought would happen.
“She’s in trouble.” He confirmed what Jada suspected. “Sure, we’ll fix your car, after you pay the deductible. Then we’ll sue her for the money, plus court costs and damages. It’ll end up costing her twice what the repairs will be. Thousands of dollars more than the three hundred bucks payment she missed.”
“And I’m out the deductible.”
“Take her to small claims court. You’ll win. The problem will be if she doesn’t have the money. She might end up in jail, while you’re holding a piece of paper with a judgment in your favour.”
“It would serve her right,” Jada said angrily, knowing in her heart she didn’t mean it. She didn’t want Wendi in jail. She wanted her in bed, but the chances of that happening again were slim to none.
“You should go ahead and do it. Try to talk to her one more time, and if she still refuses to pay, file the papers. You’re going to need that money to get your car back from the dealership.”
“Thanks, Sam. I’ll think about it.” She hung up the phone, more confused than ever.
Another call to her father confirmed her decision. He’d loan her the money to pay the deductible for now, and to get a loaner car. But he wanted to pursue the other driver as soon as possible. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d already pursued and caught the woman. He had a different kind of reprisal in mind.
———
After agonising over her decision for another night, Jada took off early from work Tuesday and drove her rental car to the Clip and Rub Joint in the mall. She took a chance by showing up unannounced. Wendi could be busy or not even at work.
She parked and entered the shopping centre, her pace slowing as she drew closer to the salon. It was an extremely uncomfortable situation, and she dreaded seeing the other woman, but she had to do it.
Moving out of the food court, she turned down the corridor she needed and ran smack into a brown-haired Wendi. “Oh!” she exclaimed, startled at both the encounter and the hair.
“Shit, you scared me!” Wendi chuckled nervously, shifting from one foot to the other.
“I was coming to see you.” Jada set her chin with determination. She couldn’t think about the night they’d spent together. Obviously it hadn’t meant as much to Wendi as it had to her. This was business, and she had to see it through.
“Really? I took off early. I was on my way to see you too.”
“I’m sure.” Jada forced a steely tone to her voice. “You changed your hair colour—planning on going into hiding? It won’t work. I got all your information from the police department and found out there was a witness to the accident. Remember that grey-haired guy at the scene? He’s a retired attorney. He’ll make a wonderful witness.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I came to tell you, if you don’t agree to work out some kind of payment plan, I’m going to have to file charges against you. It hurts me to have to say this, but I don't feel I've got much choice. My insurance company will come after you for damages, but I h
ave to file for the deductible and rental car charges.”
Wendi crossed her arms over her chest. “Somebody’s been watching too much Judge Judy. This is really all about the money for you, isn’t it?”
Jada hesitated. It wasn’t, but she couldn’t open that door again. She’d spent the last two days mentally forcing it closed. “It’s about doing what’s right,” she finally admitted. “I don’t want more than the cost to cover my expenses. I’m not looking to make anything off you.”
“What were you looking for, Jada?” Wendi took a step closer. “It seemed to me, in the middle of one long, dark night, you might have found it.”
“Don’t.” Jada stepped back. “I opened my heart and soul to you, before you showed what type of a person you really are. You know how much that night meant to me. But I could never be with someone who didn’t share the same moral code as I have.”
“Moral code?” Wendi laughed. “Well, I don’t know about that. You’re pretty high up on the horse, there. Not sure I’ll ever be able to live up to your exacting standards, no matter how hard I try.”
Jada blinked. “What are you talking about?”
Wendi pulled something from her purse and handed over a check.
Jada took it, and on closer examination discovered it was a certified money order for two thousand dollars, payable to her. “What’s this?”
“To cover your deductible. We’ll have to see what the balance due is, and figure out payments, if that’s okay with you.”
“I thought you said you didn’t have the money?”
“I didn’t. After some deep self-examination, I decided it was better to grovel in front of my mother and play her ridiculous mind games than to lose you. Unless of course it’s too late for that.”
Jada was stunned. “Your mother?”
“Yeah.” Wendi smiled sadly. “She’s nuttier than I am. But she had the money and gave it to me at the loving family rate of ten percent interest, plus whatever guilt trips she deems necessary to lay on me during the course of the loan. Notice it’s a money order, not a check, so it’s good.”
“I see that. I can’t believe you did that for me.”
“It wasn’t completely selfless. The idea of going to jail scared the crap out of me. Enough that I went to the police department and explained I was mistaken about my insurance coverage. I got another ticket, but at least I didn’t commit a crime.”
Jada blinked. “You were mistaken?”
“Give me a break!” Wendi exclaimed, smiling. “This moral code of yours isn’t going to come on all at once, but I’m trying. I’m doing my best.”
“I see that,” Jada repeated, nodding thoughtfully. “Must be important to you.”
Glancing around, Wendi lowered her voice. “You’re important to me, Jada Green. I’ve never met anyone like you before. I spent the last two days deciding what I wanted out of life, and frankly, you’re it. I want you.”
Tears threatened, and Jada wasn’t sure if she could hold them back.
Wendi rushed on. “It might not be easy. I’m going to have to make payments to you and your insurance company. I’ll sign whatever I need to, and I’ll get it done. But you’re going to have to put up with the fact that I’m a little quirky. I’ll never be perfect.”
“I like quirky. And I’m nowhere near perfect. We just need to be honest with each other.”
“Believe it or not, I’m nothing if not honest.” Wendi clutched Jada’s hand and squeezed. “I want you, Jada. I want to be with you and to try to build a relationship with you. I think together we could be damn close to perfect.”
Jada put the money order in her purse and snapped the bag shut. She wasn’t sure what she would do with it, but that decision was for later. She glanced up at Wendi with a smile. “I believe it. I spent the last two days trying to forget you, but it didn’t work. I want you now more than ever. The idea of building a relationship with you makes me happy. So…” She raised her eyebrows up and down. “We’re both off work for the day. Want to come home with me?”
“My place is closer.” The new brunette leaned in and said confidentially, “I have a waterbed.”
“A waterbed? Oh my god!” Jada laughed with delight. She grabbed Wendi’s hand and together they headed for the exit.
About the Author
Jamie Hill was born and raised in the Midwest, where she continues to live with her husband and two sons.
She juggles her spare time to include writing every day, freelance editing, reading as she finds time, tinkering on the computer, listening to country music, as many naps as possible, and watching movies (especially scary movies) with her family.
Email: [email protected]
Jamie Hill loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com/.
Also by Jamie Hill
Second Time Around
Convincing Cate
Unexpected Love: Nothing To Lose
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