Maybe Happily Ever After✔️

31. Jonny

The bright blue neon sign read: Crosby's Auto Shop. The sign was blinking so it looked like it was open.

"Do you think they're open?"

Gen and I stood across the street at the bus stop just staring at the old auto shop.

The main garage doors were closed and only two cars sat in the front lot. The small stores around the shop were all closed for today.

"We better hope so."

We crossed the street and walked up to the side door. Gen knocked on it while I stood behind her.

I pulled the paper out of my pocket and read it again.

I wonder who Jonny was. Maybe he was related to me or something. Or maybe this was just a clue 1 of many to lead me somewhere else.

I was 4 years late. How would even know what I was looking for was even still here?

Gen knocked again and the door whipped open.

A middle-aged white man with a mechanic uniform on stood in the doorway with a snarl on his face.

"Is your car broken down? Is this an emergency?" His voice came out hoarse and thick, almost like how a smoker would sound.

"No. We're actually—"

The door slammed shut and Gen looked at me stunned.

We both knocked on the door this time. "Hello!"

He opened the door again. "Listen, kids. It's Christmas and we're taking emergency calls only. Come back again tomorrow."

He moved to close the door but Gen put her arm out to hold it.

"We're looking for a Jonny!" She was using all of her strength to hold that door open.

I lifted the paper up and he let go of the door. "Jonny?" He asked in suspicion.

I handed him the paper. "Yeah. My mom said to come here and to ask for Jonny."

He opened the paper and skimmed over it.

"I was supposed to come here on my 18th birthday. But I'm late. I just found this note." I said calmly.

"Is he still here?" Gen asked.

He looked at me and scanned my face. "Are you Maya?"

Gen and I both exchanged a look. "Yes."

The snarl on his face dropped and slowly a smile formed. He opened the door wider.

"Come, come in. Sorry for my behavior, I didn't know it was going to be you." We both walked into the shop while the man closed the door behind us.

The garage smelled of oil and grease. There were cars lifted on these machines and tools sat on racks with some were scattered on the floor.

"I can't believe it's really you." He said looking at me. "You're all grown up now."

I smiled nervously. "You are....?"

"My name is Benny. I was a friend of your mother's."

My stomach dropped. He wasn't Jonny.

"I'm Gen, Maya's cousin and I have to ask, was this clue supposed to lead us to a Jonny or something?" Gen asked curiously.

He chuckled in response and I stuffed my hands back in my pockets. I fiddled with the key in my pocket.

"Does this clue happen to deal with a key?" I said hopefully.