Hello Loved Ones (15 page)

“Then I’d imagine you’re not supposed to ask people to drive you to different cities, either.”

She scowled at him. “What’s it matter to you?”

“It doesn’t. I’m just making an observation.”

“I’ll worry about myself.”

A car drove up, and the bell in the station clanged. He straightened.

“You don’t have to lie, you know. Everybody knows about your dad.” And he walked out.

Sally’s face burned.
Everybody?
Even kids from different schools? What was there, some kind of extensive telephone tree designed to protect all the cool kids from the losers? Those Van Sloetens, from Holland High?
White trash.

No. Of course Cash would know about her family because of Lenny. He had gone and made another enemy, and now Sally had to suffer the humiliation of it. It wasn’t the first time.

When he walked back in she thrust her chin out. “Do we have a deal?”

He rubbed his hands together and made a tragic face. “It sounds pretty flaky to me. I mean, you just mentioned mental hospitals. For all I know you could be an outpatient. Your brother is crazy enough.”

Sally sighed.

“Plus, this thing about gas stations. That’s troubling. If I were to give you a ride in my car, we might need to stop at a gas station. It’s sort of hard to avoid.”

She gave a little stamp. “Stop it. I’m serious. I need to get to Kalamazoo.
Today.
”

He frowned. “Well, Queenie. In case you didn’t notice, I’m working.”

“I’m offering to pay you. You could use ten bucks, couldn’t you?”

He stepped around her and his arm brushed against hers. Sally stiffened. Had he done that on purpose? There was plenty of room in the station. He didn’t need to be bumping into her.

“It’s a fucking inferno in here,” he said, lowering a flimsy plastic shade. “Look at you, all sweaty.” His eyes shifted to the front of her blouse. She didn’t like the way he was looking at her. She didn’t completely hate it, either.

“How old are you anyway?”

“Sixteen,” she said. Old enough to handle herself. Maybe if she didn’t have an older brother, she might be more wary of him. Imagine her friend Frannie here, talking to Cash like this! She’d probably pee her pants. Not Sally. She knew this mean-like-James-Dean act.

“Kalamazoo is a long way, you know,” he said.

“Only an hour. Haven’t you ever been there?”

He nodded. “Sure, I toured the Kellogg’s factory in 5th grade. Didn’t you?”

“Of course. But besides that. Have you driven there by yourself?”

“No. Why would I?”

“How am I supposed to know? What I’m asking is if you can get us there. Can you follow a map?”

“I’m not a moron.”

So he’d do it! “How soon can we go?”

He cracked his knuckles. “It just so happens I’m off tomorrow. I have every Tuesday and Thursday off, in case you’re interested.”

“Not today?”

“Like I said, this here’s what’s called a job.” He said it like she was retarded.

She sighed. She hated to wait, but it was her only chance. She had to take it.

“Okay, tomorrow then.”

“You still paying me ten bucks?”

“What do you need it for? Since you have a job.”

“I don’t like to waste my days off.” He started thumping his hand on the counter, as if suddenly bored with her. “How long is this going to take, anyway?”

“I don’t know. It depends if my dad is home.” It was a big IF. A gargantuan one. Ignoring it was like ignoring an elephant.

Cash examined his fingernails, which were filthy. Seemingly satisfied with their condition, he turned his eyes on her.
All
of her. “I might be persuaded,” he said.

Sally crossed her arms in front of her and gave him the most level look she could.

“Cash. Whatever your name is. I’m serious about this. No funny business. I’ve got to see my dad. What do you say?”

He gave her a slow smile. “I say a test drive is in order, see if we’re compatible. The owner will be in soon. Wait ten minutes and I’ll drive you home.”

“What does it matter if we’re compatible? We don’t have to talk, long as you get me there.”

“If we’re compatible I won’t charge you the ten bucks.”

She might need that money. In case of emergency. “Oh, all right. Only you can’t take me home. I’m supposed to be at Bible School all day.”

“Whatever you say,” he drawled. “You’re the boss.”

That’s right. She tried to act boss-like as she walked outside to wait by his car, but her insides had gone all jittery. Was she really going to drive away with this guy? It hardly seemed possible, yet here she was, leaning against the black hardtop of his Chevy. She looked it over. How did he ever get a car? Did his parents give it to him? Maybe he saved up. He must be more responsible than he looked. She felt a twinge of admiration. And relief. She’d be fine with him.

Still. If they didn’t get moving, she might lose her nerve. Ten minutes was an eternity. Plenty of time for Lenny or Nell to come over here. Lenny would read the situation all wrong. He wouldn’t realize that Cash’s Chevy Impala was all that mattered to Sally. He’d assume something else. His chest would puff out, he’d stare at Cash and say in that overly incredulous way
Are you
kidding
me? Are you
trying
to mess with me?

Well. She was free to have her own friends and form her own opinions. About Cash and about her dad.

Finally she heard the door clang and voices inside. A moment later the owner came out with Cash. He was a burly man with a gray bristly mustache that stuck out over his upper lip. He looked at her and said something to Cash. Certain assumptions were being made, she could tell. She should explain herself,
it’s not what you think
, but how many times could she say that? Maybe she wasn’t a boy-crazy, hormone-charged teenager, but was the truth much better? The man looked at her sideways before disappearing.

“Hop in,” Cash said, coming around the car and opening the passenger door. With his free hand he pulled the rubber band from his ponytail so his hair hung loose, just touching his shoulders. Ready for adventure. That’s what that movement says. She felt an unexpected thrill.
Ready or not. Here we go.

No sooner had she climbed into the car when he leaned in the open window and planted a quick kiss on her cheek.

She jumped. “Well! I hardly know you.”

He grinned. “What better way to get to know a person?”

“But...” He’d got it all wrong. He actually thought she was that kind of girl! He shut her door and went around to the driver’s side. Should she get out? She put her hand on the door handle.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, slamming his door behind him. The noise startled her and she jumped again. “You’ve been kissed before, haven’t you?”

She felt her face burn as the realization sunk in. Every other sixteen year old girl in the history of the world had been kissed, except her. Could he tell? He must have noticed her frantic look because he laughed and said, “Just a quick kiss like that don’t mean nothing. It’s like a friendly hello. Like in Europe. Hell, I kiss everyone like that.”

“Oh. In Europe,” she repeated stupidly. Calm down! It was just a peck on the cheek. But it was real! She touched her face. A boy’s lips had touched her face!

“That’s what they do in Paris and Spain and places like that,” he continued. “Everybody’s kissing everybody. All the time.”

Maybe
she
had got it all wrong. “It’s just that you weren’t very friendly in there,” she stammered.

Cash continued to grin at her. “I can be real friendly.”

She tried to breathe normally but it was hard with him looking at her. Maybe ugly was too strong a word. If you looked past the purple swollen nose and underneath all that horrible stringy hair, there was a decent enough face. Bad skin, but if he washed a little that might go away. And when he smiled, well, it was a little like flipping on a light. His mouth went crooked but his teeth were shiny and straight. And was that a dimple on one cheek?

Not that she was noticing. She folded her hands primly. “I hate to mention this, but well, Lenny looks out for me pretty good.”

His smile slid away. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means this is just a ride. That’s all.”

He snorted. “Well, Jesus! Is this a problem or not? Never mind Lenny. That’s what you said.”

She stared out the window. “I’m just saying, if anything happens to me…”

“You want a ride, or not?”

“Of course.” She kept her hand on the door handle.

Cash started the car and revved the engine up a few times. Exhaust blasted loudly from the tailpipe. It may as well have been a bullhorn.
Hey, look over here! This girl’s headed for big trouble!

“Can you just
drive
!” she said, looking around. She figured Nell was over in the church basement acting all bossy and in charge, but she still expected her to come looking for her if she stayed away too long. Nell lived for moments like this, when she could call Sally young lady and drag her by her ear.

Cash glared at her before beginning a variety of driving activities that Sally didn’t quite follow. He straightened the mirrors, polished the chrome center of the steering wheel with his shirttail, adjusted the radio knobs and squinted at the gauges.

She tried to relax but her foot was tapping wildly. A test drive! What a stupid idea. More like a chance to blow everything.

“Come on,” she whispered between clenched teeth.

“Ready?” Cash said.

She rolled her eyes. She was more than ready. She would never be ready. She didn’t know which and she didn’t care.
Just make it happen.

They pulled out of the lot and headed toward downtown. Cash didn’t say a word. Confined to the car seat, with both hands on the wheel, he seemed suddenly self-conscious. It was just as she thought.
Harmless
.

“Why do they call you Cash?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I got to be a bat boy one time at a Tigers game. Met Norm Cash face to face.” She heard the pride in his voice.

“You’re called Cash just because you met Norm Cash? That’s weird.”

“Well, I play ball too. Same position.”

Sally nodded, but she didn’t understand. The way boys mooned over ball players was a mystery to her. She had nothing to compare it to, unless she counted the way she imagined her dad. Meeting him would change her life too, the way Norm Cash had apparently changed Cash’s. Maybe they had something in common. She stole a glance at him and he had a gentle, pleased look on his face, probably remembering his moment at Tiger Stadium.

He wasn’t so bad. Better than a Greyhound bus.

He turned to her. “You ever get stoned?”

She nearly choked. “No! Why? Do you do that?” God, he was a drug dealer! He’d force her to get high, then they’d be arrested and she’d be sent upstate to some juvenile hall!

“No,” he said, making a face. “I don’t touch the stuff. I was just wondering.”

“Why would you wonder that?”

“Hey, chill out.” He put a hand on her knee.

She slapped it away. “What are you doing?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“How about drive?” She looked around. They hadn’t gone far. She could easily walk home.

“You know the great thing about having wheels?” he said. “Is I could probably go right now and find half a dozen girls who’d like to take a ride. That seat you’re in is in demand.”

She didn’t buy that for a second. But. His car was awfully important to her. Without it she’d be waiting at the bus station. And who could say what kind of sexual pervert might accost her there?

“I’m sure you’re a real Casanova. What’s your point?”

He looked at her quickly, then looked away. “You’re not bad looking.”

She couldn’t help it. She was flattered.

“What I mean is,” he said, “I like your style. You’re easy to talk to.”

“You call this talking?” If he thought she’d get sucked in with a little flattery, he was wrong. This was no joyride. And it wasn’t about
dating
. She was on a mission to get to her dad, to bring him to the banquet, to sit with all the other girls and listen to Pastor Voss talk about dating and—oh, so it didn’t make much sense! Here was that dumb old cart rolling ahead of the horse again. See how behind she was? See how desperately she needed a dad?

Cash gave a weary sigh. “O-
kay
,” he said, like he was resigning himself to a
conversation
. “So what’s this business with your dad all about?”