(LSWC) Priceless

"Well, " I said, looking up at Grey, "think the insurance company will call this an 'act of God'?"

Full lips curled briefly, revealing her ivory teeth.

"Not funny, Gabe. This is my only sister's wedding we're gonna be late for."

I stared at the tires of my tired old Jetta, and nodded.

"I know."

I walked another circle around my Methuselan hatchback, trying to keep the pale Tennessee dirt off my dress shoes. All the tires were done, the rims totaled.

"Asshats who did this coulda killed us, you know."

Grey nodded.

"There anything you can do, Gabe?"

"Change a tire, maybe. But we're not going anywhere on one."

She rolled her eyes, cracked her cell and wallet, and started looking for her AAA card. The car radio was still going and so was the engine. I was so rattled I had forgotten to turn them off. I reached in the driver's side window, turned off the engine but not the battery. Took a few deep breaths, listened to the music.

Do you really think I'm made of stone baby?
C'mon!
That we only love the things we own?
Baby you're wrong

Grey nodded a few times. I watched her quietly. She wiped the sweat off her brow, kept shaking and pacing. She was gorgeous, of course. All done up for baby sister's big day- high heels, fancy red dress, purple hair short and immaculate, pearl earrings I got her for Christmas in her ears. I smiled, paced a little myself before reaching for a Marlboro.

"So..." she said, trying to fill the gap between us the music was trying to fill, "What's the plan?"

"Wait for a tow, I guess. Enjoy the scenery?"

I had to admit, it was gorgeous. Sunset over fields in every direction. Barbed wire, sage, gently swaying grain. The sky bright orange, the wisps of clouds going purple with the departing light. Grey was beautiful, standing there in the fading light. She turned around, looked for a moment. I stared, wished I had a camera. It was a Kodak moment.

She turned back towards me.

"What?"

"Nothin'."

She smiled, sat on my lap. She felt like she barely weighed anything, and I wrapped my arms around her as we sat on the hood of my car. Resting my chin on her shoulder, I sighed.

"Here. let me call your mother. Explain we'll be late. "

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

She opened her little Razor, hit the speed dial, handed it to me. It rung a few times, before I heard that voice.

"Hallo?"

"Hello, Margaret, it's Gabe."

"Ooohh. This is gonna be good. Lemme guess- you're gonna be late. Naw! Not even coming!"

"Well, I'd say we're lucky to be alive. Some jackass left nails all over the road here, blew out all my tires."

"Oh my Gawd!"

"We're okay, a few bruises. But we're not going anywhere soon."

"Right, right. Can I talk to my daughter?"

"Sure."

I handed the phone to my wife, shook my head. I did my best. She rolled her eyes, got off of me, and took the phone. I sighed and loosened my tie, looked down and up the road looking for the tow truck. Grey tried to keep her voice low, before finally hanging up the phone and shaking her head.

"Why does she always do this?"

"No clue, darling."

She hugged me. I watched the sun dip further towards towards the horizon. I held her a little tighter. The wedding was in two hours, and we still had three or four to go. It was important enough to her that we were willing to drive from Stowe, and to have it snatched away from her like this was just cruel.

I watched the road ahead for ten minutes with her before we spotted a car. It was a Crown Vic, local black and white. It stopped about a hundred feet from us, and a bear of a man stepped out. He adjusted his Smokey the Bear hat, and started walking towards us.

"Evenin', folks. Wouldn't happen to be the Ramseys, wouldja?"

"Yes, officer! We stuck some nails back there, blew our tires. We're on the way to a wedding..."

He nodded.

"Nice get-up. Don't suppose you could show me your license and registration, sir?"

"Of course, officer."

My heart sunk. I really didn't think it would end well- I had read Desperation last month. I got the papers for him and he looked them over, staring at us from under that hat. He must have been 6'4 and 245 if an ounce. He looked at us, and spoke slowly and carefully. I was wired tight, and he had barely said a thing to us. But then again, I don't think there's anyone who feels comfortable around cops.

"This wedding is where?"

"Crossville, officer."

"It's on the edge of this county, so maybe I could give you a ride, if you're willing to help me clear this crap off the road."

"That'd be much appreciated, officer."

It only took about twenty minutes to sweep the nails into the ditch, and the officer was good as his word.

Plus, the look on my mother-in-law's face when we stepped immaculately out of the back of a cruiser and into the wedding reception was absolutely priceless.



DE

[edit on 27-7-2008 by DeusEx]

I loved the story, but I really figured they would sneek in a quickie since, well you know she looked SO good in that red dress in the fading afternoon sunlight.

Lawl, maybe they snuck a quickie in at the wedding. Glad you enjoyed the story, though. Thanks for leaving a comment.

DE