Page 19 of Ripper
“No problem.”
I pulled my hair back into a low bun, tying my T-shirt so it sat right above my jeans, and made my way back out to the empty shop. I got to work on the Mustang so I could take some of the pressure off Uncle Axle when he got back. I did the oil change, rotated the tires, and replaced the broken headlight bulb. It still needed a lot of work before it was good enough to hit the road again, but at least it was in better shape than it was before.
I sat on the plastic chair near the garage door opening, basking in the sunset as the place finally started to cool down, when I heard a bike engine pull up in the front yard. It was spitting pretty badly, and I already knew that it had to be looked at. I watched as the woman hopped off her bike, taking off her helmet to let down her beautiful, long blonde hair. Her light blue eyes and long black eyelashes complimented just how stunning she was, and her lips were painted a lovely pink shade. At that moment, I felt pretty self-conscious about how gross and sweaty I was.How can a biker have such shiny tousled hair when it’s always up in that damn helmet?
“Hey, do you guys have any openings today to fix my bike? I really can’t get anywhere without it, and I’ve only just made it into town. I don’t even think this thing could carry me back to the motel I’m staying at,” she said.
“Bring it in, let me take a look.”
I could tell that she was desperate, and if there’s one thing I learned pretty quickly, it was how attached these bikers were to their rides. They treated them like their babies, and when they weren’t operating well or they broke down, it was like their whole world shattered.
“Thank you. Oh my God. Thank you! You’re a lifesaver.”
“Don’t mention it. This is why my uncle started this shop in the first place. There are always riders coming through here in need of a fix.”
“I bet there are,” she said with a smile.
I gave it a good inspection, realizing from pretty early on that it was going to at least be a day or so fix. I watched as the woman’s eyes darted around the shop, her arm plastered to her side like she was really worried she wouldn’t be riding out of here on her bike anytime soon.I’m afraid that’s exactly it. This thing’s been through the wringer,I thought.
“I really wish I could get this all done today, but I’m going to have to replace a few things, and I think you’re looking at around two days for it to be up and running again.”
“Oh, oh no. Maybe I can just ride it out until I get back home. I live a few hours—”
“I’m going to stop you right there. You know how you were worried about getting back to that motel in one piece, well, I don’t even think this thing will manage that. Much less hours of driving,” I said.
“Fuck,” she murmured.
“Which motel are you staying at? I can give you a ride back in the meantime,” I offered.
“Oh my God, would you? That would be amazing. I could definitely find someone to give me a ride to pick it up in two days. I’m Anna, it’s nice to meet you,” she said, outstretching her arm to shake my hand.
“Veronica, ah, you can call me, Ronnie.”
“Ronnie it is. I’m surprised that you’re the only one working in here. Where’d everybody go?” she asked, pointing to the cars that were practically undergoing heart surgery next to me.
“They took a late lunch, and my uncle, who owns the place, ran to go get a shipment of parts. One of which I’ll definitely be needing to get this bike here of yours all fixed up.”
“Thank you again, Ronnie. I’ve heard great things about this place.”
“So, you’re new to town, right? What brings you to Mascid?” I asked, trying to make small talk while I continued surveying her bike.
“I’m here to catch up with an old friend. I used to spend a lot of time here a few years ago, but after a bad breakup, I guess I just needed a fresh start.”
“Yeah, I get that.”
I watched as Anna pulled her blonde hair back into a sleek ponytail. It was like she wasn’t even fazed by the evening heat, even though it was much cooler than earlier. I could smell the scent of her rose-scented shampoo and how she seemed to carry herself so effortlessly. I was curious about her because, up until this point, the only bikers I’ve ever met had all been guys.
“How about I drop you back to the motel, and if you’d like, you can pass by tomorrow to see the progress. I can assure you I’ll take good care of your baby,” I said.
“That would be great.”
I got into my truck, and Anna slid into the passenger seat next to me. I turned the key in the ignition, pulling out of the lot, and we talked all the way to the Cornerstone Motel.The place was dark, dingy, and I was surprised it was even still in business. I could smell the cigarette smoke from a mile away even with my windows rolled all the way up. Anna and I chatted lightheartedly about all the little things we loved about Mascid, but it was clear to me that I didn’t know it like she did.Even I feel like a tourist in my own hometown sometimes.
There was something about Anna that made me feel like she was lonely, like she needed a friend. I didn’t know what it was that caused me to reach out to her and ask to hang out because it certainly wasn’t the kind of thing I did very often, but she seemed nice. There were moments I could’ve sworn I saw some of myself in her. She was hesitant, unsure of where she was, whether she was in the city to meet an old friend or not. It was the first time I really felt like we were going through different sides of the same thing.
“How long are you staying here?” I asked.
“A few weeks. I guess that depends on how things go with my friend.”
