Well, I am back from Cambridge :) had a great time despite the rain.
As always thanks for the reviews and please keep them coming - I love to know what you think!
Chapter 2 - Car Trouble
She acts like summer and walks like rain
Reminds me that there's time to change
Lainey walked downstairs, feeling distinctly uncomfortable in her white dress. Funny that she was more than happy to greet the guests dressed in scruffy, dirty clothes, but couldn't bear the thought of being in a room with them in a dress…
Still, with Ellie in mind she walked into the dining room where an elaborate meal had been set out for the four of them and waited to be directed into a seat.
"Ah, Lainey," her Mother said, all smiles once again, "That's much better, do take a seat next to young Warren here."
Lainey obliged, sitting awkwardly down in the chair, fighting with the frills and decorations of her dress.
"You look as awkward as I feel," Warren said quietly to her as starter was served and their parents engaged in polite conversation.
"Is that good or not?" Lainey asked.
"Well, it makes me feel better," Warren said with a hint of a smile.
"You enjoy these stupid dinners as much as I do by the sounds of it," Lainey said.
"Then at least we have that much in common," Warren said, "It will make everything that follows this 'stupid dinner' a little more bearable."
Lainey grinned. Perhaps this wouldn't be as bad as usual.
Starter came and went without too much trouble. Lainey was just thinking she was in luck as pudding was served and still her Mother hadn't drawn any attention to her when it happened.
"Well, my Lainey had high ideas of getting a job!" her Mother laughed with Mr. Worthington, "I let her go to University in hope that it would not only discourage her fanciful tendencies, but that she would find a suitor while she was at it. Unfortunately, of all the boys in Oxford she couldn't find one who she deemed suitable! Of course, she's settled down a bit now, and is concentrating more on being a lady, like she should be – isn't that right, darling?"
Lainey put down her spoon and looked across at her Mother.
"Actually I was still hoping to start a career as a vet," she said, "I know I will have to work a little harder given that you wouldn't allow me to do a degree in Vetinary Science, but the Biology degree should count for something, and I'm not afraid to get my hands a little dirty and work my way up from the bottom."
The twitch was back on her Mother's lips and Mr. Worthington didn't look best impressed with her attitude. She would be in for it later, but for now Lainey revelled in their expressions. Hopefully this would be the last straw, and from now on she would be left to her own devices when it came to 'suitors'.
Ella woke up as the sun pushed its way through the flimsy curtains. Her head was a bit sore, but she had been worse. Dressing quickly she headed out to the petrol station to buy some breakfast and a bottle of water.
Breakfast was a BLT sandwich that she didn't really fancy, but ate anyway. The food in her stomach and the water made her head feel better with every passing second. She went back to the bar to pay for her room.
"Logan still around?" she asked the barman.
"He left early this morning," the barman said with a shake of his head.
Pity, Ella thought, she would have liked to have said goodbye.
She bought a litre of fuel in a carton, just to move her car as far as the pump. She didn't fancy pushing it without help. As she carried it back over to her car she noticed something and swore. She had left the parking lights on all night.
In the heavy rain and slightly tipsy state she hadn't noticed. Now the battery would be almost flat. She turned off the lights and poured in the fuel, then sat behind the wheel, praying.
"Bugger!" she cursed as the key turned and the engine failed to fire. She slumped back against her chair, wondering what she could do now, when she caught sight of a car arriving in the rear-view mirror. It was quite a beat-up old car, but that was just what Ella wanted to see.
"Hey!" she called out, waving them over as she stepped out of the car.
The car stopped and she walked over to the driver window.
"Hi," she said as the driver rolled his window down. He was a young lad, probably not even twenty. "Sorry to bother you but I've got no battery in my car – can you help me jump-start it?"
The boy looked embarrassed.
"Sorry," he said, "But I don't know how."
"Really?" Ella said with a smile, "Never thought I'd have to show a boy how to jump-start a car – I thought you were born with that sort of knowledge!"
The boy smiled sheepishly.
"'Fraid not," he said.
"Well, have you got jump leads? Because I can do it myself, I'll show you how to too, so if you ever need to in the future you'll know how."
"Er… I might, but this isn't my car, so…" the boy stuttered.
Ella rolled her eyes and walked round, getting in the passenger side.
"You steal it?" she asked as she rummaged through the glove compartment.
"No, it belongs to a friend," the boy said.
"He or she know you're driving it?" Ella asked, pushing through empty crisp packets and cigar boxes.
"Well no," the kid admitted, "He ran off – I'm looking for him."
"Here we go," Ella said, grabbing hold of two cables from the bottom of the glove compartment, "I knew this would be the sort of car to have the right cables. Right, turn off your engine."
The kid did as he was told, and Ella jumped out of the car, walking round to his side. She opened the door and put her hand through past his legs, feeling around under the steering wheel.
"What… what are you doing?" the kid asked.
Ella smiled at him as she pulled on a lever, popping open the front bonnet.
"What's your name, kid?" she asked as she walked round to the front of the car, clipping the negative cable to the battery and linking it to the battery in her car.
"Bobby," he replied.
"Well Bobby, jump start 101," she said, "With both engines off you attach the negative to the negative. Then you attach the cable to the positive on the car with a flat battery. Then you start up the car that will start before attaching the positive."
Ella pulled her long red hair into a messy ponytail and rolled up her sleeves as she attached the positive to the battery on her car.
"Start up the engine again," she said, "Your friend smokes cigars?"
"Yeah," Bobby said, firing up his car.
"His name Logan by any chance?" she asked as she carefully attached the positive to the battery in his car.
"Yeah," Bobby said with surprise, "You saw him?"
"He was here last night," Ella said, sitting in her car, "Now, give your engine a few revs."
Bobby obliged, lightly depressing the accelerator. Ella pressed on the accelerator in her car and turned the key. A little reluctantly it spluttered into life.
"And that is how you jump-start a car!" she said, stepping out to take off all the cables, "You can turn yours off now."
Bobby did so, parking it up and stepping out.
"Did Logan say where he was going?" he asked.
"Wherever the road takes him, I believe," Ella said, "Why you looking for him – he can take care of himself."
"It's a long story," Bobby said, "But he's kinda like a Father to my girlfriend Marie, and she's really worried about him."
"Well, you head back to wherever you came from and tell Marie that he's fine," Ella said, "He said he just wanted to get away from it all for a while, clear his head."
"Typical Logan," Bobby said with a smile, "I knew that would be the case but Marie was really worried. Ever since Jean died, Logan's just not been himself."
"Sorry, what was that?" Ella asked. She had been busy shutting the bonnet to her car and hadn't heard him.
"Never mind," Bobby said, "Thanks for the lesson and the news, I better head back."
"No problem," Ella said, "And thank you for your help."
"Anytime," Bobby called, heading back to his car.
Ella waved him off then got back in her car, driving it over to the petrol station to fill up properly.
Lainey was in her room getting undressed ready for bed when her Mother stormed in, furiously angry.
"And I suppose you think you are so clever?" she demanded, "Well, next time you decide to open your big mouth and say something so obnoxious consider that it is not just your life you are ruining, but mine as well. I don't want to be alone for the rest of my life thank you very much, no matter how much you might!"
Lainey just watched as she stormed out again, slamming the door on her way out. It's ok, Mother, she thought, because in two days time I have an interview for a job, and if I get it, I'm leaving home, leaving you to your own devices.
Lainey hadn't told her Mother of her plans yet. She wouldn't until she had the job and had secured herself a small flat somewhere. That way there was no chance that things could go wrong, giving her Mother further opportunity to gloat.
Lainey headed off to the bathroom to brush her teeth. It would be a bit of a culture shock, downgrading from a mansion to a one-bed apartment in the city, but Lainey couldn't wait. She was sick of the world where everyone was so judgemental, and only wanted each other for their money.
Lainey, contrary to her Mother's belief, didn't want to be alone all her life. But she felt very strongly, that even if she did hook up with and marry one of the people her Mother suggested, she would be no less alone than she was without them.
Sleepily she walked back to her room, wandering past the guest bedroom on her way. As she passed voices drifted out to her.
"Well, the estate is in good order, much as Jonathon would have wanted," Mr. Worthington was saying. Lainey recalled her Mother saying he was a good friend of her Father's.
"Elizabeth is as delightful as ever, but her daughter is a revolting, ungrateful girl," he continued, "Jonathon was always a soft touch with her, and Elizabeth is suffering for it now. The girl should learn some respect and manners, don't you think?"
"Actually, I rather liked her," Warren replied.
Lainey smiled at this. It was nice to have a kindred rebellious spirit.
"Well, don't go getting any ideas, son, you know that's out of the question," Mr. Worthington said with unusual coldness.
"I wasn't getting any ideas…" Warren said wearily, "And I know, 'out of the question'."
Lainey wondered what on earth they were talking about, and why Warren had changed from rebellious to completely dominated at the mere implication of whatever it was. Still, she was tired and it was none of her business anyway, so she headed back to bed.
With a full tank of fuel, Ella headed off down the road again. It was a long way cross-country from San Fransisco to New York. She was about two thirds of the way now. A few more days travelling and she would arrive. She still wasn't sure what she was going to do when she got there. For now, she was only thinking about the getting there.
She didn't know much about American geography, and armed only with a very basic map, she had probably taken the longest route possible across the continent. She wished now that she had come better prepared, done a bit of research perhaps, but her spur of the moment decision to come to the States hadn't left much time for research. Still, as far as she was aware, she was making good progress.
Two hours into her journey, Ella saw another petrol station. She wasn't about to make the same mistake twice, and pulled in. Her legs needed a good stretch anyway. These long straight roads were great for fuel economy, but her body was slowly falling asleep from the feet upwards.
The only other car in the station was a beat up old Hummer that absolutely dwarfed her little Fiesta. A couple of people were hanging around, but the place was next to empty.
Ella filled up her car and walked into the shop to pay. She picked up another sandwich for her lunch and strolled around the station as she ate it, stretching her legs out in preparation for the next leg of her journey.
She had just disposed of her rubbish and was walking back to the car when she felt the cold touch of metal against her neck.
"Car keys," demanded a gruff voice.
Ella felt a thrill of fear rush up her spine, but she wasn't going to let this guy know she was afraid.
"It's a hire car," she said, "You won't be able to make any money selling it on."
"I don't care, give me the keys," the man said. Behind her head was the distinct sound of a loading gun.
"This is just not my trip…" Ella said, slowly reaching down into her pocket for the keys.
Lainey woke up early the next morning and after another shower, threw on some comfortable clothes and a pair of walking boots. She planned to take Bo out for some exercise then head down to the river for some peace and quiet, where she could finish reading her book and listen to some music while enjoying the countryside.
She dumped some things into a small rucksack and headed downstairs to get breakfast before she left.
"Where you off to today then?" Ellie asked as Lainey came in the kitchen, helping herself to some cereal.
"Away from here," Lainey said, "I won't tell you where so you can be honest when my Mother asks you where I am."
"Fair enough," Ellie said. She knew the routine well by now, and had even prepared some lunch for Lainey already. She put it in her rucksack as she finished off her breakfast.
"You're too good to me, El," Lainey said with a grin.
"That's what friends are for," Ellie said with a shrug.
Lainey smiled and picked up her rucksack, heading back out to the stables. She spent a good hour exercising Bo, cantering round the riding paddock, jumping a few small jumps. Afterwards she removed Bo's tack and set her loose in the paddock.
She was just leaning against the fence, watching her canter round when someone walked up beside her.
"Someone's in a good mood," Warren said, nodding over at Bo.
"It's the first time she's been out of her stable for a while, the weather has been a bit bad lately," Lainey said, "She's just stretching out."
Bo reared up on her legs before bucking around, stretching out every muscle that had been dormant for the last week or so.
"Is she the only horse here, or are there more?"
"She's the only one that belongs to me," Lainey explained, "People hire out the stables for their own horses so there are usually five or six others around, but Bo is the only regular."
"Bo?" Warren asked with a smile.
"My Father made the unfortunate mistake of buying me a filly when I was five years old. Back then 'Bo' seemed like an entirely reasonable name."
Warren laughed.
"All things considered though, Bo didn't do too bad. I used to have a rabbit called Harley Davidson," Lainey said, picking up her rucksack and walking away from the paddock.
"Interesting choice," Warren said.
"I had a fascination with motorbikes when I was younger, much to the horror of my Mother who wanted me to like tea parties and dolls."
"I suppose motorcycles are a bit reckless for a young lady of such a refined and esteemed household."
"You can see why my Mother and I don't get along," Lainey said with a grin.
They walked in silence for a moment until they came to a path that led either back up to the house or down further into the grounds. Warren stopped when they reached the junction and turned to her.
"Miss Goldstein, I have a favour to ask of you," he said.
"Go on," Lainey said.
"Well, I was wondering if you would allow me to accompany you to wherever you are going – I'm as keen to avoid my Father as you are to avoid your Mother, I hoped you might show me a few good places to do so."
"Sure," Lainey said, "on one condition."
"And what's that?" Warren asked.
"You stop calling me 'Miss Goldstein', my name is Lainey."
Warren nodded and Lainey turned to walk down towards the river. So much for peace and quiet, but perhaps he would prove to be better company than she had at first thought.
The lyrics in the break are from Drops Of Jupiter by Train.
Next Chapter: Animals and Motorbikes
