Notes: Mari and Sammy – thank you for the AWESOME feedback and encouragement on this one . . . and every one! You are the very definition of bestest.
Esther – You have the win with just two guesses for the flashback. Thanks for always listening!
Readers and REAL McRollers – I continue to be amazed and grateful for your INCREDIBLE support! A special thank you to everyone who wanted to see Steve and Cody driving.
This one went about twice as long as I expected when I started writing. Hope you enjoy!
Changing Gears (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
The morning after their go-kart outing with Jacob, Steve and Cody exited the door of the Allens' apartment building and headed toward Steve's truck just as Danny was pulling up in the Camaro. They stopped in the parking lot to wait for him.
"So it's true," Danny said after getting out of his car.
"What's true?" Steve asked, and Cody looked between the two men.
Danny walked over to them, a sparkly purple folder in his hand. "Jenna told me yesterday when I dropped Kaitlyn off . . . well, actually Jacob told me, and Jenna elaborated. But I had to see it to believe it."
Steve rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on."
"You are actually handing over control of a vehicle . . . your vehicle, I might add . . . to someone else."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Steve said, folding his arms. "Catherine drives my truck all the time."
"Catherine is a special case."
Steve nodded at the teen. "So is Cody."
Danny smiled and patted Cody's shoulder.
"That he is." He threw a wry look in his partner's direction. "Though I don't even want to know what that makes me."
Steve smirked.
Heaving an exaggerated sigh, Danny said, "Well, at least promise me you're not going to teach him how to drive onto a moving freighter before he gets his actual license."
Cody looked at Steve in surprise.
"Wh–" he started.
"Ohh, come on," Steve groaned.
Danny held his arms out with a grin. "I forget nothing, my friend."
Steve motioned to the folder in Danny's hand. "You know, I get that purple is your new color, Danno, but the sparkles might be a bit much."
Danny waved the folder. "For your information, Grace was helping Kaitlyn with her homework yesterday after the competition, and Kaitlyn left one of her folders in the car."
Cody nodded and said, "She's been kinda frantic. Thanks for bringing it over early."
"Of course," Danny said. "Can't have a frantic munchkin on our hands." He looked between the two before settling a hand on Cody's shoulder. "Well, I know you have a good head on your shoulders, so that should mitigate any . . ." He waved the folder in Steve's direction. "Unorthodox driving advice you receive today."
Steve shook his head, rolling his eyes again.
Danny headed toward the building. He looked back over his shoulder to say, "And when you're ready to drive a stick? You let me know."
A smile appeared on Cody's face as he glanced over at the Camaro, then he and Steve watched as Danny disappeared into the building.
Cody turned to Steve and asked, "A moving freighter?"
Steve started to speak, then sighed.
"I don't know that I'd say it was 'moving.' "
Cody let out an impressed chuckle, and Steve tossed him the keys to the truck.
"Let's go," Steve said.
They walked to the truck, and Cody stepped up to the driver's door. Steve watched from the passenger side as Cody pressed the button on the keyring to unlock the vehicle and paused, taking a deep breath before opening the door and climbing into the driver's seat.
He settled in the seat and looked out the window.
"Wow," he said.
"What?" Steve asked as he got into his own seat.
"It's so high up," Cody said, turning to him. "Even higher than my mom's van."
"Yep. And it's longer and wider, too. So you gotta take all that into account when you change lanes, when you turn, when you park."
Cody nodded, listening intently.
"Okay," Steve said. "First things first. Adjust the seat. Adjust your mirrors."
"Right," Cody said, turning to do so.
"Yeah, you're tall, but I still got a few inches on you," Steve teased, moving the passenger seat back from its usual position to accommodate his longer legs.
He fastened his seatbelt and watched as Cody took two tries to get his own fastened.
"Hey," Steve said.
Cody looked at him.
"You're gonna do fine. All right?" Steve said, holding Cody's eyes. "It's okay to be a little nervous, it's bigger than you're used to. But you're gonna do fine."
Cody's shoulders slumped. "It's just . . . we had cars in driver's ed. And my mom's van is bigger than a car, but . . ."
"I get it," Steve said with a nod. "But you're gonna be fine." He shook his head. "I wouldn't let you drive my truck if I didn't think you could."
Cody paused, his eyes searching Steve's, before he finally nodded and straightened in his seat.
"Okay," Steve said as Cody placed his hands on the steering wheel. "Something to remember . . ." He waited until Cody looked at him again. "Don't be over-cautious behind the wheel. You'll cause as many problems as if you're out there like a hot-rod. Okay?" He raised his eyebrows. "Drive smart, not scared."
Cody nodded. " 'Drive smart,' " he echoed and looked forward. He took another deep breath and exhaled slowly, adjusting his grip on the wheel. "Okay."
"Okay," Steve said. He smiled. "Let's see what you can do."
They stayed on side streets until Steve was sure Cody felt ready to drive on the main roads. After an hour of driving, he directed Cody to a parking lot he was confident would be empty at this time on a Sunday. Cody pulled into the lot and stopped the truck in between the rows of empty spaces, looking at Steve for instruction.
"Okay, let's practice parking," Steve said. "Remember, you're not going to be able to make a tight turn with the truck. How are you going to compensate?"
"Swing out a little first in the other direction?" Cody asked.
"You asking me or telling me?"
"Telling you?"
Steve raised an eyebrow.
"Telling you," Cody said.
Steve nodded. "Okay, give it a try."
"Right side or left side?"
"Doesn't matter. You're gonna do both before we leave." He nodded his head forward. "Pick a spot and pull it in."
"Okay."
Cody drove forward several feet and swung the truck wide to the right before turning left into a space. He put the truck in park and looked out the open window at the ground.
"I'm inside the line," he said, turning back to Steve with a smile.
Steve nodded. "Yeah." His lip quirked up in a half smile, and he motioned behind them with his thumb. "But you know normally there'd be cars in those spaces back there, so you wouldn't be able to swing quite so wide."
Cody winced, looking behind them.
"Right."
Steve smiled. "It's all right. That's why we started in an empty lot. Back it out and give it another try."
Cody nodded. "Okay."
After backing out of the space and reversing for several feet, Cody tried parking again.
Both he and Cody checked out their windows.
"Too much room on this side," Cody said.
"Yeah, your passenger's gonna have a hard time getting out if anyone's parked next to you."
Cody sighed, slumping slightly.
"You're all right," Steve said. "Do it again. You got this."
Three attempts later, both were satisfied with the truck's position.
"Told you," Steve said, smiling.
Cody nodded, his own smile wide.
"Now try parking on the other side," Steve said.
Cody gave him an incredulous look.
Steve laughed at his expression. "I told you."
Cody sighed, but he was also smiling.
"And hey," Steve continued. "Once you master parking the truck, imagine how easy parking a car'll be."
Cody nodded, his look more confident.
It only took two attempts for him to park successfully on the right side of the lot.
"See, look at that," Steve said. "See how much faster you got it?"
Cody smiled proudly.
"Now try backing into a spot," Steve said.
Cody let his head fall back against the headrest with a groan, and Steve laughed.
"Come on," he prompted.
"Okay," Cody said, sitting up and grinning.
Cody reversed the truck out of the space and prepared to back into another. He looked over his shoulder as he began turning the wheel.
"Okay," Steve said. "Now use your side mirrors. That's what they're for."
Cody's gaze darted between the mirrors as well as over his shoulder as he backed up.
Steve winced slightly a second before the back wheels hit the curb, and they were jostled in their seats.
Cody looked at him with wide eyes.
Steve fought a smile. "You think you went a little too far?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah," Steve echoed. He looked out his window. "You're also taking up two spots." He smiled at Cody. "It's okay. Try it again. Find something to use as a reference so you know when to stop."
"Okay."
After three attempts, Cody was still struggling to get the truck completely in one space.
"It's okay," Steve said. "We'll keep working on it. Let's do a couple more head-in attempts. Make sure you've really got that down."
"Okay," Cody said with a nod.
"Then we'll get back on the road. There's one more stop we gotta make before we call it a day."
Following Steve's directions, Cody drove them to the beach house.
"What are we gonna do?" he asked as they walked toward the garage.
"We're gonna change a tire," Steve said.
Cody straightened, a smile growing on his face.
"Yeah?"
Steve nodded. "Yeah."
He opened the garage door, and Cody followed him inside.
"Whoa," Cody said as he saw the Marquis. "Sweet."
Steve smiled softly.
"This car was my dad's," he said quietly.
Cody looked at him.
Steve nodded toward it. "He was fixing it up. So I've taken over."
Cody's eyes widened slightly.
"We're gonna change one of these tires?" Cody asked.
"Yep."
Cody glanced back toward the door.
"Why aren't we using the truck?" he asked.
"Changing a tire yourself is a quick fix," Steve explained. "It's for a flat or a blow-out. It's to get your vehicle to the point where you can drive it safely to a mechanic with the right tools who can install the proper tire securely."
Cody nodded, listening intently.
Steve gestured back in the direction they had come.
"I drive the truck every day. And in some high intensity situations. It's gotta be in peak condition so I don't want to take the tire off."
"Okay."
Steve motioned to the Marquis. "Plus these tires will be closer in size to what you might have to change."
Cody nodded.
"All right," Steve said, putting his hands on his hips and turning to face the teen. "Before we start, some basics." He motioned with one hand. "You get a flat or blow a tire while you're driving, the most important thing is to get yourself to a safe location. If you're on the highway, get off if you can. Get to a side street or a parking lot where you can safely change the tire."
Cody nodded, his eyes locked on Steve as he listened.
"Make sure you're on level ground," Steve continued. "Set the parking brake. Turn off the ignition. You're gonna turn on your hazards. You know what those are?"
"Yeah, the red triangle symbol."
"Right," Steve said. "Next, get any passengers out of the car. You're not gonna jack up the vehicle with people inside."
"Okay."
"Whatever vehicle you're driving, make sure you know where the spare tire is. Most cars, it's gonna be under the mat in the trunk. And make sure the vehicle has the proper tools you'd need."
He opened the trunk of the Marquis and pointed as he continued.
"Jack. Jack handle. Wheel wrench." He picked up two blocks and handed one to Cody. "Ideally, you'll also have wheel blocks to provide extra stability. These go at the front and back of the wheel diagonal from the one you're changing." He motioned to the car. "We're gonna change the front wheel on the driver's side, so we'll place these back here."
He showed Cody how to wedge the wheel blocks around the back wheel on the passenger side of the car.
"Then we use the jack?" Cody asked.
"Not yet," Steve said. "First you want to loosen your lug nuts."
Cody's brow knitted.
Steve folded his arms and asked, "Why do think that is?"
Cody looked at the wheel as he thought.
His forehead smoothed and he said, "The tire'll spin if it's up in the air."
Steve smiled at him. "Exactly. You'll never get 'em loose."
Cody smiled.
Steve nodded at the trunk. "So grab the wrench." He picked up the jack and the handle. "And let's do this."
As they worked, Steve continued to explain exactly what they were doing and why with each step as well as how to handle a vehicle with a flat or a blow-out.
After they had successfully removed and replaced the tire, they lowered the car and sat back against the cabinets. Steve had retrieved a couple water bottles from the garage's fridge and passed one to Cody.
"How old were you the first time you changed a tire?" Cody asked.
Steve swallowed a drink of water and wiped his mouth on his forearm.
"A couple years younger than you," he said.
"Were you with your dad?"
Steve paused.
"No," he said quietly. "Actually, I wasn't."
1990
Steve was riding in the passenger seat of a jeep after hiking the Koloa Gulch.
"How much longer is your leave?" the thirteen-year-old asked the driver.
"Two more days," Joe White said, glancing briefly at him and flashing a smile. "Think you can put up with me for that long?"
Steve smiled. "Yeah. It's great when you come. I get to hear you and Dad's stories, and we go hik–"
There was a sudden loud noise, and the jeep veered to the right. Steve's arm flew to grab the frame as his head whipped around in confusion. Joe kept his foot on the accelerator and got the vehicle under control before slowing and carefully pulling to the side of the deserted road.
"What happened?" Steve asked when they had finally stopped.
"Must have blown a tire," Joe said, unfastening his seatbelt and getting out of the jeep.
When Steve started to do the same, Joe said, "Stay put until I call you."
Steve sat back but continued to look around.
Joe walked slowly around the vehicle, surveying the surrounding area with well-trained eyes.
When he was satisfied they weren't in danger, he called, "All right, Steve."
Steve climbed out of the jeep. His eyes widened as he looked at the rear of the vehicle where Joe was kneeling.
"Whoa," Steve said, squatting and taking in the ruptured tire. "How did that happen?"
"It didn't look low," Joe said, his hand on the tire. "But coulda been it was already starting to lose pressure and hit a rock or something just right . . ."
"Or just wrong," Steve said.
" 'Or just wrong,' " Joe agreed, cracking a smile. He stood. "At any rate, now we gotta fix it."
Steve stood and followed him around the jeep.
"And I can help?" he asked, excitement clear in his voice.
Joe opened the driver side door and slid in to set the parking brake and turn on the hazard lights.
"Well, you're not gonna sit in the grass and do nothin'," he said.
"Is your buddy gonna be mad about the tire?" Steve asked.
"No," Joe said, walking to the back of the jeep. "He'll be glad no one was hurt." He looked at Steve and grinned. "I mean, he may never let me borrow it again, but mostly he'll be glad no one was hurt."
He looked in the back and, after a moment, pulled out the jack and wheel wrench.
"Can I use the jack?" Steve asked, reaching for it.
"Slow down there, partner," Joe said with a chuckle. "We've gotta loosen the lug nuts first."
"Wh–" Steve began but paused, studying the jeep. He nodded slowly. "You have to loosen them while the tire is on the ground, so it won't spin."
"Exactly right." Joe held out the wrench. "But first, we've gotta get the spare tire off the back here. You ready to learn something new?"
Steve straightened and took the wrench with both hands.
"What's the first step?" he asked.
Leaning his head back against the cabinets in the garage with his arms propped on his knees, Steve sighed.
"It wasn't the first thing he'd taught me. And it definitely wasn't the last."
Cody paused, looking at Steve's profile.
"He was like . . . family?" he asked.
"He was," Steve said quietly.
"What happened?"
Steve paused for a long moment.
"He kept things from me," he said finally. He glanced at Cody. "Big things." He focused on the bottle in his hands. "He's still keeping things from me."
Cody waited a moment before asking, "So . . . he's not family anymore?"
Steve's pause was even longer.
"I don't know what he is."
After several minutes, Steve checked his watch.
"We better get going," he said. "You ready to drive home?"
"Yeah," Cody said as they both stood.
Steve took Cody's empty water bottle, placing both on top of the cabinets.
"Thanks, Commander," Cody said. "For driving with me . . . and for showing me how to change a flat and everything."
Steve pause, looking at him.
"I think it's time for another change," he said.
Cody looked confused. "You want me to change the tire again?" he asked, glancing at the Marquis. "I thought you said we–"
"No, a different change," Steve cut in.
He waited until Cody looked back at him.
"I want you to call me Steve."
Cody's eyes widened. "But . . . I . . ."
"I know," Steve said, nodding. "Your mom raised you to be respectful, and you've been that." He held Cody's eyes. "And now I'm asking you to call me Steve. It's time."
Cody looked down, swallowing hard.
When he finally looked back up, he said, "Okay . . . Steve."
His eyes continued to search Steve's face as if looking for an indication he should take it back.
Steve smiled slowly and nodded once, watching as the teen relaxed.
He put a hand on Cody's shoulder as he guided him toward the door.
"And you are gonna change the tire again," he said. "And again. Until you can do it on your own while I sit back and watch."
"I don't think you'd ever just sit back and watch," Cody said with a small smile and a sidelong glance.
Steve laughed.
"Yeah, you're right about that." He closed the garage door behind them. "Come on. Let's go see Cammie real quick before we head back."
Later that afternoon, Steve was sitting out back in a chair near the sand.
Cammie woofed and ran toward the deck, and Steve looked over his shoulder to see Catherine stop her approach to greet the happy dog before continuing toward him.
"Hey," she said when she reached the chairs.
He smiled at her. "Hey."
She leaned down and kissed him briefly, then offered him the beer in her hand.
He took a drink as she sat and handed it back to her.
"What'd you end up doing with Jacob?" he asked.
"We went to the library. I figured a quieter outing was in order after all the excitement yesterday."
He smiled and nodded at that.
She grinned. "I think we looked at every book on race cars they had. And I got to hear all about the final race between you and Cody." She took a quick drink. "Speaking of . . . how'd it go this morning?"
"Good," Steve said, nodding. "He's a good driver. Smart. Just needs a little more practice and little more confidence."
"Which he'll get with you."
He nodded.
They were quiet for a moment, and she offered him the bottle again.
After taking a drink, he said, "Taught him how to change a tire on the Marquis."
"Yeah?" She smiled. "Good. That's a good thing for him to know."
He passed the bottle back to her.
"Got me thinking about the first time I changed a tire," he said.
"Were you with your dad?" she asked, placing the bottle on the table between them and focusing on him.
"No," he said. "With Joe."
She looked surprised.
"I was thirteen," Steve said. "He was on leave, and we were coming back from a hike. Tire blew out, and he taught me how to change it."
Catherine paused, and her gaze drifted to Steve's phone on the table.
"You haven't talked to him in a long time," she said quietly and looked at him.
Steve was quiet, now looking at the phone.
"Yeah," he said finally.
After a long moment, he said, "That's not gonna be me and Cody. I'll never keep anything important from him."
Catherine exhaled. "Steve, it's not the same situation. What Joe knew . . . what he didn't tell you . . . it was–"
"I know," he said, looking at her. "The circumstances are different but–" he stopped and licked his lips. He shook his head. "I won't. I'll always be completely honest with him." He swallowed. "And I'm gonna make sure he knows that."
Catherine nodded slowly.
"And are you gonna call Joe?" she asked.
He paused and reached for her hand, loosely entwining their fingers.
"Not today," he said. "Today I want to think about the future. Not the past."
Hope you enjoyed!
Note: Thanks to sue2556 for Danny's "moving freighter" line!
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