Oh Tacoma
SOA Fan fiction
By: froggy411
Chapter 1"Hey beautiful; Got that invoice for me?"
"Yeah Koz," Not bothering to look away from my computer screen, I pick up the invoice laying on top of my inbox and stretch out my arm in his general direction. "Had it ready two hours ago when I called you out in the garage."
"Hey babe," He says entering the office, leaving the door open behind him. His dark brown hair is a spiky mess, his shirt grease stained, and his smile charming. He's one of the 'prettier' guys here. His summer sky blue eyes are enough to make any girl melt. It's unfortunate that he's got the libido of a dog in heat. There isn't anything that he wouldn't hit, and most of the time, the girls are willing to line up. "Don't get mad at me, the Boss had some shit that need to be taken care of. Got here as soon as I could," He crosses the small, cluttered office and sits on the corner of my desk, not taking the invoice.
"Not mad," I say still ignoring him. There's a mountain of work to get done before closing tonight, and I have to be out of here on time. It's my 4 year anniversary with my boyfriend. Things haven't been great between us for a while, but tonight I have a plan to get us back on track. "Busy, take it and go," I waggle the invoice at him.
"Busy with what?" He asks rising and leaning over my shoulder to see my computer screen. "You know Murph," He sighs straightening up "You really need to get a life."
I ignore this comment and concentrate on entering the repair orders on the computer. Only twenty three more to go, then I can go home. I glance at the clock in the corner of my computer screen. 3:30. Shit.
"You sit in here every day, all day, and enter shit on that thing, answer phones, nag mechanics," He wonders over to the filing cabinet, examining the spines of the log books on top.
"That's my job," I say, the steak is marinating in the fridge, I hid the hickory pellets for the charcoal grill in my sewing chest, some red wine for me and Sam Adams for him. Candles, going to have to set the table, set the mood in the bed room, shower, start dinner, do hair, makeup, get dressed. "Will you take this damn thing? My arm is going to fall off,"
"Well you could at least play solitaire, dirty talk in some chat rooms, look at porn, something."
I sigh and look up at him "I really have a lot to get done today, is there some kind of point to this or are you just rambling?"
"I don't rabble," He says "My point is sweet cheeks, that…"
"Koz, what the fuck is taking so long?" A gravelly voice calls from the yard.
"Take it and go," I say waving the invoice at him "He's just going to get mad if you..."
"He'll hold for a minute," he waved off the man outside "Now as I was saying you are way too..."
"Koz," the voice has moved to the door way of the office, and it is not happy. "Let's, fucking, go,"
"Yeah, man in a minute," Koz replies, before he has a chance to realize who he is talking to. "You are way too hot to be hold up in..," a large tan hand closes over his shoulder and pulls Koz backwards, away from where he's been leaning on my desk. The other hand snatches the invoice from me and slams it into Koz's chest, knocking the air out of him slightly.
"Whoa man sorry, didn't know you were standing there," Koz says raising his hands in surrender. "I'm ready. Later sweetie," he says to me over the shoulder of the man with the gravelly voice, who is staring him down.
"Uh-huh," I say still trying to ignore the little scene. "Oh Happy," I call out as the tall tan man starts to exit the office. He turns chocolate brown eyes in my direction and I get the same shiver I always do.
"Uh," I start to fumble through the papers on my desk looking for the message that was left for him. I don't know why I'm so clumsy around him. He makes me nervous, even though we have barely spoken in the 6 months that I've worked at Tacoma Cycle and Auto Repair. "Here, Mary called," I say handing him the message.
"Why can't she learn to call the cell?" he asks no one, while scowling down at the piece of paper I held out to him.
"She said she didn't want to bother you, that it wasn't important," I shrug turning back to the computer screen.
"Next time she calls come and get me," He says "I don't care if she says it isn't important, come and get me" he pulls his cell out of his pocket and dials his mothers phone number.
"Okay," I sigh, digging back into my work. Twenty two more orders to go and there's only hour until closing. Shit.
"Hey honey," Sara says breezing into the office, her blonde hair wound into a French twist, bangs hanging dangerously close to her moss green eyes. She flings her waist length leather pea coat over one of the chairs and flop's her petite frame into its partner. The shoddy cracked yellow leather, chrome arms and legs not detracting from her beauty. At forty five she's still a knock out. Creamy complexion, large, naturally perky breasts, tiny waist, trim thighs and calves. I can't help but think 'God I want to be you when I grow up' as I look up from my screen.
"Hey," I smile.
"What are you still doing here?" She asks.
"Finishing up these repair orders before I head out," I say, looking back at the screen, almost done, only fourteen more to go.
"Isn't tonight your anniversary?" She asks raising a perfectly sculpted blonde brow.
"Yeah," I bite my lip and take up my typing. Sara has become a surrogate mother to me, since mine was on the opposite coast. I had come to depend on her and considered her a friend, hoped that she considered me the same. She knew what kind of trouble Max and I had been having lately and it was her idea to go a little over the top tonight to show him how I felt about him.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" She asks.
"Gotta get these done first," I say shrugging, "Boys will be pissed if they don't have enough to do tomorrow,"
"Oh I'm sure they can find things to amuse themselves with," She draws a cigarette out of her purse and lights it, offering one to me.
"No thanks," I decline the smoke, even though it would go down so smooth, would settle my jittery stomach.
"Okay," She exhales, and stands, coming around the desk. She grabs the arm of my swivel chair and spins me to face her, cigarette dangling from her lips. "Go home," she says around it.
"But I..." I start to object. She removes the smoke from her lips and exhales, turning her head so that she didn't blow it in my face.
"Go home. I'll finish up here,"
"Are you su...?"
"Go, seduce your man and fix this shit between you," She pulls me out of the chair by my hand. "I hate seeing you unhappy," She takes my other hand in hers and smiles at me "So do they," she says tilting her head towards the yard.
"I know," I sigh "I love you guys too, there's no way I could ever repay..."
She cut me off with a look. "We've had this discussion. You haven't been given anything that you haven't earned. Now go, before I realize that I just agreed to sit that that machine and do paperwork." Giving me a big hug, and eyeing the computer dubiously, she all but pushes me out the door after shoving my jacket and purse into my hands. "I want a full report tomorrow," She winks at me before closing the office door in my face. I can't help but smile as I hear the lock slide into place.
Setting my purse on the railing, I shrug on my coat against the February cold, and start the trek across the parking lot to my car. Betsy, my trusty 1999 Hyundai Elantra Station Wagon with 115,000 miles on it, sits on the other side of the lot, leaving plenty of room for customer parking near the office. Her miss matched head lights wink at me as I hit the remote starter, a gift from the shop for my birthday in October. The great thing about working at a garage and driving a beater is that I get parts whole sale and the guys usually cut me a deal on the labor.
I chuckle remembering the last time that they pulled Betsy in for an oil change. Ant, aptly named for his tiny 6' 6" status, somehow managed to fold himself inside my car. Not an easy feet in its self. But getting him out had proven to be much harder.
They'd had to remove Betsy's door and steering column to get him out. Imagine my surprise and dismay at finding my car torn apart and the Jolly Green Giant wedged into my driver's seat. After several attempts at explaining why my door was resting against the hydraulic jack and my steering wheel was on the roof of my car instead of inside it, I tuned out. At the mention of a blow torch I threw my hands in the air and told them to fucking fix it or they would all be eating pastrami on rye with horse radish mustard and drinking Rolling Rock Beer until I could drive it home in the condition I brought it in. With the oil change and I was not paying for the extra time and materials that their stupidity would cost the shop. It had taken them three hours to get him out without cutting into the frame of my car, and put it all back together.
I spent that time explaining to several very angry customers why their cars weren't done. I was dealing with one such gentlemen when Happy had come in the office.
"Look lady I just want my car, I don't fucking care if it's done or not," He leaned on the counter, one palm flat on the top and the other pointing a finger at me. "You told me that it would be ready at noon. That was three hours ago," he said through clenched teeth. "I need my car, I was guaranteed that it would be ready on time,"
"It'll be just a little longer sir," I said trying to maintain my patience. He'd been a real prize when I had spoken to him at eleven to let him know that it wouldn't be ready. Now he was in my face, all over a brake job and tire rotation. "Your car is on the lift now, I can tell them to stop but, well, you might as well let them finish, right?"
"Yeah," he sneered at me "Its' on the lift, that's convenient. How long is it going to be on the lift sweetheart?"
"I don't know. I could..." I start.
"Yeah why don't you go do your fucking job and check?!" He spat as he turned away to answer his cell phone, one hand thumping the counter in frustration.
I turned to walk out the door when I saw that Happy had been standing in the door way watching. His eyes locked on to mine as I noticed him and I think I jumped. Some kind of jolt went through me as our eyes met.
"Donaldson, Chevy Magnum," His deep voice rumbled, eyes shifting to the man ignoring him as he eviscerated the person on the other end of the line.
I nodded. His countenance never changed as he strode over to the guy on the phone, spun him around by the arm and tucked the invoice in the handkerchief pocket of his blazer.
"Pay her," he motioned towards me with his thumb, "Take your car," He slapped the keys into Mr. Donaldson's free hand "and don't come back," and he walked out. Mr. Donaldson nearly dropped his cell phone as he tossed several bills at me before stumbling out the door and running across the parking lot. I sighed moving around the counter to pick up the cash and enter his bill as paid. Hap made a fifty dollar tip that day.
That evening at closing I had gone outside only to find the garage locked up, all the bays closed and not a bike insight. 'Great' I thought as I turned a circle and looked for someone, anyone to help me bust my car out, but the place was deserted, and I was stranded.
Sighing I pulled out my cell and dialed Max my boyfriend, we'd moved to Tacoma from New York in August and he'd gotten work at a local distribution center. Not sure that he would be around I was not surprised to get his voice mail. I explained my situation and the route that I would be walking home. Thanking god it was November and not very cold yet I struck out towards the side walk, nearly getting run over as Betsy swung into the lot.
I stared in disbelief as Koz, Tank and Mikey climbed out of my little station wagon.
"Have a good ride?" I asked catching the driver's side door as it swung open.
"Yeah, I can see why you like this little thing," Koz said smiling at me. "Handles like a sport car,"
"Run any red lights, any speed traps?" I ask standing back, trying to control my breathing as my ears start ringing.
"Nope, we were careful doll," He said letting me move in between him and the car. "Just taking it for a test spin, making sure we put it back together right," I turn to face him, leaning on the open door frame of the car, while he leans one arm on the open door and one on the roof behind me.
"And?" I ask
"Purrs like a kitten," He says stroking a piece of hair behind my ear "I'd like to make you purr, kitten," he leans in "You know I can,"
I put my hand on his face to keep him back. "Does that line really work on women?" I ask.
"Usually," He mumbles through my hand. He circles my wrist between his index finger and thumb, and pulls my hand back a bit. "I've got others I could try if that didn't do it for you,"
"I'll pass," I said trying to pull away, but his grip tightened. "It's bad enough that you convinced Ant it was a good idea to climb into my car, then you threaten to cut it apart with a blow torch," I yank my hand free, and push him back a step. "Then I get to spend the afternoon with irate assholes that want their cars, but can't have them because you were fucking bored had to take mine apart! How do I spin that to the customers Koz?" I ask as he stares at me. Obviously this is not how he thought this conversation would be going.
"Have you ever said to somebody 'oh sorry you can't have your car because Koz didn't think your problem was interesting enough to be dealt with, so he had to create one that suited him?" I ask glaring at him.
"Well actually..." He runs a hand through his hair sheepishly, and flashes that little boy smile that usually gets him exactly what he wants.
"Shut up! Then you have the nerve to take my car for a joy ride?"
"Yeah well look, we didn't mean any harm," He begins, the smile wiped from his face and the gleam gone from his eye.
"I know," I sigh, "I know, it's….sigh; it's alright, just... if you need to borrow the car let me know okay? It's fucking cold and I hate walking." Deflated I climbed in the car and went home, only to find that Max was out, and the note he'd left didn't say when he would be back.
The next day Happy had come into the office to drop off his paper work and pick up the next round. "Oh hey, here," I said handing him the envelope with the extra fifty from Donaldson.
He raised an eyebrow at me, and turned the envelope over. "What's this?"
"Tip from Donaldson," I said sorting through the pile of work orders on the counter, Koz was getting oil changes and lube jobs for the foreseeable future.
"Keep it," He said laying the envelope on the counter.
I shook my head and slide it back towards him. "You took care of Donaldson yesterday, not me,"
He nodded and took the money before heading back to the garage. That was the last said about it.
Betsy's only had a couple of minutes to warm up and I've just put her in gear when the tow truck pulls up and parks next to me.
"Told you I'd be back beautiful," Koz says as he comes up to my window.
"Too late Casanova I'm headed home," I say.
"Nah, come in and party with us, it'll be more fun," he says leaning in my window.
"Can't hot date," I say, and smile when he pouts. "You know Koz if I thought you were even half serious about it, I might be interested," I say laying a hand on his cheek.
"Oh, I'm more than half, Murph," He say, smiling as I slap him lightly on the cheek.
"Dream on Perv,"
"You bet. Who are you going out with tonight?"
"Staying in with, and it's the same guy it's been for the last four years," I say "It's our anniversary tonight,"
"Oh," He says, his smile suddenly becoming fake, the gloss put over it nearly invisible. "Have fun,"
"Thanks, good night," I say nodding to Happy who stands behind him.
The house is dark when I pull up and park in the drive way. 'Perfect, he's not home yet,' I think as I unload the rest of my anniversary present from the trunk. It's going to be a great night. Dinner, movie, desert in bed, just the two of us.
I unlock the door and climb the stairs to the apartment we've rented on the second floor, grabbing the mail on the way. Once I'm inside the apartment I relock the door and set the groceries I'm carrying on the counter as I go through the mail and hang my coat and purse on the hooks.
After washing my hands I start to chop the fresh carrots I've picked up to go in the pan with the steak working my way through the onions, mushrooms and garlic, before I turn on the water to boil the potatoes. Rinsing my hands again I grab the plates and flatware for the table I have planned. Spreading the dark blue table cloth over the little round table in the kitchen, I arrange the plates and silverware, placing a vase of grocery store pigmy roses in the center. Flanking them with the taper candles I picked up, in their clear glass holders. I step back to examine my work.
It's quaint, romantic, and simple. I hope that he likes it. The water has started to boil so I put the chopped potatoes on before heading into the bathroom to shower. I notice it on my way through the living room. There's something wrong. Things are out of place, the T.V.'s gone. Oh my god we've been robbed.
I rush into the bed room to grab the phone and call the cops when I see the note, propped up against the lamp on his side of the bed. KIRA stares back at me in his block hand writing, and I know that I haven't been robbed.
My trembling hand picks up the letter and slides the sheet from the envelope. A single sheet, saying in a few simple sentences that he didn't want to be with me anymore and that he was going back to New York. He didn't want a big scene and knew that deep down I understood his decision. He couldn't raise a family with me, my priorities and loyalties would always lie elsewhere. He took what he wanted; I was free to do as I pleased with anything that was left behind. Folding the note I slipped it back into the envelope with my name and curl onto the bed we had shared since we'd moved here, to numb to cry. I burned the potatoes.