Saturday, January 22, 2011

Chapter 8

The morning passed quickly with Richie and Annie both busy at work.  Richie soon came to understand what Eddie had said about having a steady flow of Saturday customers.  He hardly had a break to help Eddie work on the cars in the shop, he was so busy pumping gas and cleaning windshields and checking oil levels and airing up tires. 

Richie also soon learned that working in a small-town service station required conversation skills.  Every patron asked him at least ten questions about his identity and his background.  By lunchtime Richie was convinced people were stopping by the Texaco just to satisfy their curiosity about the Town Stranger.

But he didn’t mind.  It felt good to be busy, to in some small way repay the debt of kindness Eddie had shown him.  He found himself enjoying the customers’ gentle interrogations, smiling as he patiently repeated his story over and over.

After a morning of honest work Richie felt almost as if he belonged in the little Georgia town.  It's citizens had certainly done their part to make him feel welcome.

*****
Annabelle sighed out a long breath and leaned back against the counter, taking a gulp of Coca-Cola from the frosty bottle.  This was the first break she’d had all day.  

Tillie’s Restaurant had a line out the door when she arrived this morning, and every seat had been full from breakfast through lunch.  Though the little diner usually did steady business on Saturdays, today there had been a lot of folks out and about thanks to a bass-fishing derby and a Rotary Club community yard sale.  It seemed as if everyone in the county decided to eat at Tillie’s today.

Annie watched Otis flip the hamburgers sizzling on the grill, then adorn each patty with a yellow square of cheese.  “You got extra there,” she commented.  Now that the lunch rush had settled there was only one occupied table in the little restaurant.

“Well, you gotta eat sometime, Girl.”  Otis chuckled.  “Can’t live on soda-pop.”

Annie grinned.  Otis was always teasing her about her affinity for Coca-Cola.  “But I ain’t gonna eat three burgers,” she objected, nodding at the grill.  “You got six on there, and my table only ordered three.”

“Guess I can’t count.”  Otis winked and turned to pull a basket of onion rings from the fryer.

Annie chuckled and moved over the counter next to the grill, setting out three paper-lined plastic burger baskets.  When he was ready she passed the baskets to Otis, who dumped a generous helping of rings in each.  She waited while he added cheeseburgers to each basket, then picked up the three meals.  Annie gave Otis a sweet smile as she backed through the swinging kitchen doors.

She paused for a moment, chuckling as she listened to the giggles and comments coming from her customers at the front table.  The three teenage girls were captivated by what was going on across the street.  

With a glance out the window Annie confirmed her suspicion.  Her young customers were engrossed in watching Eddie’s handsome new Helper.  Annie grinned and shook her head when a giddy little squeal emitted from one of the girls as Richie bent over to check the tire pressure on the sedan at the pump.

“Now Sarah, Hannah, Emma-Claire…”  Annie’s tone was warm but firm.  “What do you think your Mamas would say if they heard you giggling over that boy over there?”

Emma-Claire gave Annie a cheeky grin.  “I think she’d say I have good taste.”  She giggled at her smart response.

Tsking softly but unable to contain a smile, Annie set a burger basket in front of each of the girls.  “Y’all need more Cokes?”

“Yes, Please!” the trio chimed together.  Annie gathered up the girls’ plastic cups and carried them behind the counter for a refill from the soda fountain.  When she returned to the table the girls were still tittering over Richie.

“Gawd, look at his hair!”  Hannah sighed.  “He don’t look like none of the boys ‘round here.”

“Yeah, he’s… like, exotic, or somethin’,” Sarah agreed.

Annie bit back a laugh at the girls’ dreamy appraisal.  “He doesn’t look like the boys from ‘round here because he’s not from ‘round here.”  She chuckled softly as three sets of wide eyes turned toward her.

“Annie, what do you know about him?”

“Yeah, what have you heard?”

Annie laughed and smiled coyly.  “Sorry to disappoint you, Girls, but he’s just passin’ through.  Eddie’s fixing his car.  I guess he’s just helping out at the station while he’s waiting.”

“How do you know?”  Emma-Claire’s eager challenge made Annie arch a brow.

“I hear things.”  Annie winked at the girl and gave her a smug grin.

“Annie!  Order up!”  Otis’ voice boomed out, interrupting her playful taunt.

“What?”  Surprised, Annie turned to look toward the kitchen.  She saw two brown paper bags sitting on the pickup counter, and Otis’ grinning face in the window.

“To Go.”  Otis tipped his head toward the service station across the street.  “Special Delivery.”

Annie smiled as she realized what he was telling her.  “Miss Tillie back?”  She tugged at the strings of her apron as she slowly wandered around the end of the counter, toward the pickup window.

“Don’t you worry ‘bout that.  I got things covered here.”  Otis reached up to nudge the bags of food toward Annie.  “Go on, now.  Hippie Boy’s been workin’ up an appetite over there.  Got a bag for Eddie, too.”

Annie laughed softly and took the bags from the window.  She paused beside the cooler to pull out three bottles of Coca-Cola, popping their caps off before twining her fingers around their necks.  “Thanks, Otis.  I won’t be long.”

“Take your time, Girl.  And be sure you eat somethin’.”  Otis gave Annabelle a warm smile.  “It’s a pretty day.  Enjoy it.”

Annie nodded and gave him a grateful smile before heading for the door.  “Bye girls.  Y’all behave.”  Annie chortled softly at the wide-eyed stares from her speechless customers.  She knew Sarah, Hannah, and Emma-Claire would be watching her every move with Richie, and their embellished observations would rapidly travel the town grapevine.  Not much stayed quiet for long in a small town.

*****
Richie wiped his forearm across his sweaty brow, then dragged a hand through his hair.  Relieved to have a break, he wandered into the cool shade of the service bay.  Not seeing Eddie, he moved over to the office door and peeked around the frame.  The station proprietor was just dropping the telephone receiver into its cradle.

“Good news,” Eddie announced, spying Richie at his door.  “Chick found you a thermostat.  He’ll bring it by after he finishes up.”

Richie nodded.  “Great.”  His stomach tightened as he wondered how much the part would cost.  “Can I help you put it in when it gets here?”

“Sure, but don’t think we’re gonna get ‘er done today.”  Eddie smiled apologetically.  “Chick’s gotta come down from Jesup.  He ain’t gonna get here ‘til close to five.”

“Oh.”  Richie paused then shrugged.  “S’Okay.  I ain’t in no hurry to go nowhere.”  He heard the hint of irony creep into his voice. 

“I ain’t open on Sunday, so it’ll be Monday before we can get to work on your car.  But I’ll put it at the top of the list.  First thing Monday morning.”  Eddie tipped his head toward the door.  “Should be able to get you back on the road by noontime.”

“Okay.”  Richie ran his hand through his hair again, sweeping it away from his forehead.  Monday.  That meant he had to spend two more nights here in Darien.  It also gave him a little more time to figure out how to pay Eddie for the repair.  Richie frowned slightly as he wondered if Annie would extend her invitation to sleep on her couch.

“Well, my goodness.  Y’all have been busy today.” 

Richie’s frown immediately gentled at Annie’s sweet drawl.  He turned to find her standing outside the office door, holding two brown paper bags.  The delicious aroma seeping from the parcels made Richie’s stomach rumble.  “Hey,” he greeted her softly.

Annie smiled at Richie and held out her hand, the three bottles of soda laced between her fingers.  Richie quickly took two of the bottles, careful not to make her drop the third.  Annie stepped past him into Eddie’s office, setting the third Coke on his desk.  “Here ya go.  Otis said you boys looked like you needed to be fed.”  She placed one of the bags beside the bottle. 

Eddie barked out a laugh and wiped his greasy hands on his shirt.  “He was right.  We been so danged busy this morning we ain’t had time to spit, let alone eat.  Right Richie?”  Eddie reached for the soda bottle and took a long drink, then leaned back in his chair.  He propped his feet up on the edge of the desk and pulled the bag onto his lap.

“Yeah, it’s been like that at Tillie’s too.  I've been hoppin’ all morning.   Lots of folks in town for that fishing tournament.”  Annie chuckled as she heard Richie’s stomach growl.  She turned to smile at him.  “Sounds like you’re hungry too.”

“Yes ma’… Yeah.” Richie grinned guiltily as he recalled the scolding Annabelle had given him yesterday when he had called her “ma’am.”  “I didn’t realize until just now.”

Annie looked over her shoulder at Eddie, who was grinning as he peeled the tinfoil wrapper away from his cheeseburger.  “Can you spare your Pump Boy for awhile?  Thought maybe we’d go down to the park for a quick bite.”

Eddie gave Annie a mischievous grin.  “Sure, I can spare him awhile.  Don’t bite him too hard, though.  The Boy already don’t know what to make of you.”  He laughed when Annie stuck out her tongue in response to his tease.  Eddie also noticed a slight blush creep to Richie’s cheeks at his joke.  “Yeah, you two go on.  And you tell Otis thanks, ‘kay Honey?”

“You got it.”  Annie turned back to Richie and tipped her head toward the garage bay.  “Feel like takin’ a walk?”

“Sure.”  Richie nodded, breaking into a smile.  “Uh… Eddie, when I come back I can help out with that last oil change.”

“Yep.”  Eddie’s reply was muffled by his mouthful of cheeseburger.  He waved a hand at the door.  “Go.”

Annie chuckled and took one of the soda bottles from Richie’s hand, taking a sip before she turned for the door.  Richie followed her, taking his own long drink of the cold beverage as they strolled out into the sunlight.  “Park’s a block over,” Annie announced quietly.  “There’s picnic tables.  I thought since it’s a nice day you might want to go there instead of eating out back of the garage.”

“Sounds good.”  Richie agreed.  Together they crossed the street and kept walking down the alley that ran beside Tillie’s Restaurant. 

In just a few short minutes Annie and Richie reached the edge of the park.  Richie’s smile broadened as he looked around the big space, taking in the playground equipment, picnic tables, fountain, and big white gazebo, all of which were surrounded by huge pine trees draped with Spanish moss.  The park was empty except for two women and three small children who were gathered around the jungle gym at the far end.

Annie led Richie to the closest table and laid the bag of food on its top.  Together they settled onto the bench seat, Richie folding his long legs under the table and Annie straddling the bench so she sat facing him.  “Go ahead.”  Annie nodded at the bag when Richie gave her an inquiring look.

Richie grinned as the heavenly scent of deep-fried onions hit him in the face when he opened the bag.  “Damn, those smell good,” he mumbled.  He couldn’t resist popping an onion ring into his mouth as he reached in to extract two foil-wrapped sandwiches.  He laid one on the table in front of Annie before tearing open the grease-spotted bag to free the huge heap of onion rings.  He picked up his burger, slowly pulling at the foil.

Annie laughed softly at Richie’s hesitation.  She could see he was torn between trying to be mannerly and giving in to what must be ravenous hunger.  She had heard his stomach grumbling the entire walk to the park.  “Richie, go ahead.  Eat. I know you’re starving.”

Richie smiled sheepishly and quickly unwrapped his burger.  Raising it to his lips, he took a big bite then groaned happily as he chewed.  “Oh, Mannnn…..” he mumbled.

Annie smiled and took another drink of her Coke, then reached for an onion ring.  She took a small bite and chewed slowly as she watched Richie wolf down his burger.  “So, from the looks of things you met most of Darien this morning.”  Annie chuckled softly when Richie nodded.  She waited as he chewed and swallowed.

“Umm… Yeah.  Friendly people down here.  They want to know your life story in five minutes.”  Richie turned his head to give Annie a grin.  “Nice folks, though.”

“So what did you tell ‘em?  What’s your life story?”

Richie shrugged and stuffed an onion ring into his mouth.  “Nothin’ much.”  Again Annie waited while he chewed and swallowed.  “Just pretty much what I told you.  I came South for a job, it didn’t work out, heading back home and my car broke down.”  He paused and smiled at Annie.  “But I didn’t have to tell ‘em you picked me up and brought me to town.  Everybody already seemed to know that.”

Annie grinned and chortled softly.  “Oh, I’m sure they did.  News travels fast in a small town.”

“Who told ‘em?”  Good table manners forgotten, Richie shoved another onion ring into his mouth.

Annie shrugged.  “Coulda been anyone.  Somebody coulda seen me walk you over to Eddie’s last night, maybe a customer of Tillie’s.  Or maybe Eddie told his wife or his neighbor or his buddies at the Tavern.  Or maybe Miss Tillie told someone.”

“Why would anybody care?  I mean, it ain’t like I’m somebody famous.  You must have people come through here all the time.”

“Not exactly.”  Annie smiled when Richie turned his head back to look at her.  “There ain’t much exciting about life in a small town, Richie.  And when there’s a good-lookin’ young guy pumping gas at the local Texaco, it makes people nosy.”  She chuckled.  “Hell, wait ‘til they find out you slept on my couch last night.  We’ll have ourselves a regular ol’ scandal.  I’m gonna have to answer lots of questions at church on Sunday.”

Richie blushed at Annie’s compliment.  She thinks I’m good looking?  He felt a little flutter of excitement in his groin at the thought.  His eyes dropped to the table, avoiding her gaze.  “Umm… you gonna eat that?”  He nodded at Annabelle’s untouched hamburger.

Annie shook her head.  “Naw.  You go ahead.  I’m not that hungry.”  She watched Richie as he unwrapped the sandwich and raised it to his lips, this time taking a smaller bite and chewing more slowly.  Her eyes traced over his profile, along his nose, over his softly-stubbled cheeks, and along his jaw to his lips.  She smiled as his hair ruffled gently with a puff of magnolia-scented breeze.

Annie chortled quietly as she remembered the view that had greeted her this morning.  Richie had looked so sweet and relaxed, lying there half-naked on her couch.  Well, most of him had been relaxed, anyway.  Hell, if I’m gonna cause a scandal, there are definitely worse-looking guys do it with.

“So, Eddie have any luck fixing your car?”  

Richie shook his head and took a drink of Coke to wash down his bite of burger.  “He found the part, but his buddy is bringing it from… somewhere.  He won’t get it until late this afternoon.”  He hesitated, wondering if he should ask Annie if he could extend his stay on her sofa.  “Umm…I’m gonna help him put it in, but we can’t do it until Monday.”

Annie felt a little surge of excitement at Richie’s news.  He was staying the weekend.  All morning as she had watched him through the restaurant window she had secretly hoped Richie’s auto repair wouldn’t be completed by closing time.  She wanted to spend more time with Richie, get to know him better.  To solve the mystery of the sadness behind his smile.

“So I guess I’m stuck with you for a few more days, then?”  The sparkle in Annie’s blue eyes betrayed her excitement through her tease.  She immediately cursed her choice of words when Richie froze.

“Uh…. Annie, you don’t have to… I mean, I can find somewhere to stay…”

“No!”  Unconsciously Annie reached out to squeeze Richie’s thigh.  “Richie, I didn’t mean… I want you to stay with me this weekend.  I...”  She took a deep breath and smiled sheepishly.  “I like having you around.  You’re good company.”

Richie sucked in a breath at Annie's words and at the feel of her hand on his leg.  She wanted him to stay with her… not just out of some old-fashioned notion of Southern hospitality, but because she liked him.  He felt his pulse kick up as a warm flush crept across his body.  

Richie turned his head to look at Annie, his rich chocolate eyes meeting her summer-sky blue.  “I don’t want to impose.  You’ve already been so kind to me.”  His voice was soft, almost hoarse.  He needed to hear her say the words again.

“You’re not imposing.  I want you… to stay.”  Annie’s smile gentled as she saw the hopeful flicker in Richie’s deep brown eyes.  “I insist.”  Her hand moved from Richie’s thigh to his face, gently wiping away a dot of ketchup from the corner of his mouth with her thumb.  She almost sighed at the softness of his skin under her touch.

“Okay.”  Richie stared at Annie for a moment, then smiled.  “Annie, thank you.  I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along.”

It was Annie’s turn to blush as she pulled her hand back to reach for her Coke.  She looked down at the picnic table’s wooden plank seat.  “You would have been fine, Richie.”  Her eyes sparkled as she looked back up at him.  “But I’m glad I came along, too.”

They gazed at each other for a moment until Richie fidgeted nervously and turned back to his meal.  A little smile still curved the corners of his mouth as he took another bite of cheeseburger.  “Umm…  So.  What’s there to do in Darien on a Saturday night?”  Richie winced as he asked the question, hoping he didn’t sound too awkwardly cheery.

“Not much.  If you want night life you have to go to Savannah.  This town rolls up the sidewalks at sundown on Saturday night.”

“That what you usually do?  Go to Savannah?”

“No.  I don’t go there much at all.  If I’m not working I usually either stay at home and watch TV, or…”  Annie chuckled softly.  “Well, there are a couple places around here to get into a little mischief.”

Richie chuckled, recalling Otis’ comment of the previous evening.  He popped the remaining bite of cheeseburger into his mouth and swiped the back of his hand across his lips.  “Ah.  Would that be where you go ‘gallivanting’?”

Annie laughed, then gave Richie a coy smirk.  “Perhaps.”  She paused, her eyes twinkling merrily.  “Well, one place is Bud’s Tavern, out on Route 99.  That’s where most of the locals go to play pool and have a beer or two.  But the other place… Well, not a lot of people go there.  It’s kinda… well, unofficial, I guess you’d say.”

“Unofficial?”  Richie’s curiosity was piqued.  He gave Annie a mischievous grin.  “Is that another word for ‘illegal’?”

“Well…. not exactly.”  Annie smirked.  “It’s hard to explain.  But if you want… well, I like to go there on Saturday nights.  It’s someplace where I can just let my hair down and be whoever I wanna be.”

Richie smiled and rubbed his palms together.  “Sounds like my kinda place.”

Annie laughed softly.  “Yeah, Richie, I think it just might be.”  Her eyes sparkled with excitement.  “So, whaddya say?  Wanna go out tonight and see what kinda mischief we can make in the moonlight?”

Richie’s heart flipped at her words.  His dick jumped eagerly at the thought of him and Annie sitting close together under the big silver moon, like they had last night.  He grinned and nodded. 

“Yeah.  Hell Yeah.”

3 comments:

  1. Hmmmm, I wonder if she's gonna make hm play for her at some point...

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  2. Mischief in the Moonlight - sounds like the title to a story in itself. I'm hoping that she is taking someplace where he can be who he wants to be and will feel comfortable enough to play.
    I am really enjoying this story - Young Richie is just so sweet and unsure, it's touching.

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  3. I've never been so glad for it to be Sunday again.I can't get enough of this! Can't wait to see what kind of mischief they get up to

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