Page 11 of Sweet Love From Saturn

Mccoy

“Everything is good. I can hear and see everything,” Saturn said as she stared at her phone.

I’d just installed the camera app and showed her how to set it up. She looked at ease and I was happy to be the cause of that. Just from how we were starting, I knew time wouldn’t be an impediment. This was our first day having meaningful conversation and it felt like I’d known her for a long time. I told myself I wouldn’t get my hopes up, but I found myself thinking about Saturn every chance I got.

“Good. Next on the list is gun safety. It doesn’t have to be now, but we need to get you to the range. Until then, do you have any mace or a pocket knife?” I questioned seriously.

One of the reasons I was so invested in Saturn’s safety was because I’d seen and heard a lot growing up in Gwendal. Gwendal was a beautiful place, but like any other big city, it had its flaws. I couldn’t count how many times I saw news reporters talking about a woman being robbed or held at gunpoint. I hoped like hell Saturn would never have to put her gun skills to use, but I’d rather she have them than not.

“I’m scared as hell to hold a gun, but I’ll go.”

“Why are you scared?”

“Because it’s a weapon that can kil?—”

“It’s the person behind the trigger that harms people. Weapons don’t operate on their own. My sister was scared the first few times too but you get used to it the more you go. With you, I think it’ll be more of the noise that you have to get used to,” I explained.

“That may be true. But how was the rest of your day? I don’t think I asked what you did for work.”

“My day was cool. I finally got around to unpacking my last box and the shit feels good. I can go home and chill instead of building and moving shit around. As for my career, I’ve recently gone in a new direction. I spent eight years as a business consultant and now I’m into cars.”

“Into cars? Like as in selling them?”

“Yes, ma’am, but a little more than that. I only buy vehicles that are considered old school. I go around to auctions, buy old cars, fix them up, and sell them. The good thing about this market is that I’m mostly dealing with people who have disposable money. Most of my clients are men and these cars are usually only driven in the summer. It’s not meant to be an everyday car, which makes it more of a luxury.”

“Oh wow. That’s interesting. Who taught you how to fix cars?” Saturn asked curiously.

“My dad. He worked as a mechanic, and naturally, it was something we bonded over. I never lost my passion for it, but I also wanted a degree in another field.”

“I understand. Before my grandmother passed away, I was in school to be a teacher. Early childhood education was what I had my heart set on,” she admitted.

“Have you ever thought about finishing?”

“It crosses my mind from time to time, but the shop is my first love and has my heart. I can’t see myself letting mygrandmother’s hard work go to waste. She got that shop in the sixties, when it was damn near impossible for a Black person to get a business loan. She put so much work and money into it that I can’t part with it.”

“I’m not trying to sound like an ass, but you know you can do more than one thing at a time, right? Rich people do it all the time. I’m not saying anything is going to happen overnight, but why don’t you look into hiring people who show you they’re capable of running the shop, then you can go back to school. You can still be involved, but now you don’t have to be in the field daily. You’ll own a business and fulfill your desire of being a teacher,” I suggested.

I was still learning Saturn, so I wasn’t sure if the look on her face was one of offense or if she was just in deep thought. Maybe she’d already thought about everything I said.

“Damn. I’ve never put that much thought into it. For whatever reason, I’ve always felt bound to the shop.”

“Don’t feel bound to anything. That takes the fun out of life. If being a teacher is something that crosses your mind often, I think you should work toward that.”

I was glad Saturn hadn’t taken offense to my words. She was a different type of woman than what I was used to, but I believed part of it was the small-town living. In my opinion, the people who grow up and stay in a small town usually liked life on the simpler side. Which was fine, but I wanted Saturn to step outside her comfort zone and realize life didn’t have to feel like a video on repeat. Anything was possible.

“I see your consulting skills are shining through right now.” Saturn smiled as she took a sip of her drink.

“Five dates, sweetheart. But no, that was only me giving you encouragement. If you need my consulting skills for the shop, I’d be happy to help with that whenever.”

“I think I’ll take you up on that offer. Not tonight though. You’ve done enough for me in one day.”

Saturn had no idea the hold she had on me. I’d go down a rabbit hole right now if she asked me to. One thing she’d have to learn about me was that I loved to help others. Bringing joy to other people was what made me happy, especially when they genuinely appreciated it. As the night progressed, we cooked together and had a few drinks. This time around, it was me explaining my childhood and how I grew up. Now, it was almost midnight, and I was getting ready to leave. We were in the middle of a movie when I heard light snores coming from Saturn. I was sure she had work in the morning, but I wasn’t ready to leave just yet.

“Can I ask you a question before I go?”

“Of course,” she responded as she stretched her arms.

“Where do you see this going? Do you only see me as a friend or do you think we could date our way to the next level? Please be honest with me. That way I know how to move.”

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