"May I kiss your forehead, Crimson?" She doesn't recoil or say a word, so I press my lips gently against her forehead. It's a tender and fleeting moment, but it fills me with a warmth that I can't explain.
"Just because a relationship has an expirat...
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DREXEL GENESIS
"Okay kid, time to close up now," Uncle Danny's voice drifts into my ears.
I slide myself out from under the car with a grunt. "It's six already?" I wonder out loud. I place the wrench on the shelf nearby and wipe my greasy hands on a cloth. I make my way toward the office and see Uncle Danny's butt peeking out from under the desk.
"Uncle Danny? Sir?" I call out. I grimace when he hits his head on the desk with a painful grunt. "Are you alright?" I ask and move closer to the ageing man.
Holding his head between his hands, he shakes his head no and says, "There was a brown envelope sitting here somewhere. I can't seem to find it."
In the dimly lit room, my gaze wanders around taking in the chaotic scene before me. A sea of papers and documents blanketed the tables and chairs, and pens and pencils were scattered on the floor like fallen soldiers. The shelves looked like they were barely holding the weight of the numerous oil cans, toolboxes, and paint cans stacked haphazardly. Every inch of the room seemed to be stained with various hues of paint, giving the impression that it had been a while since any cleaning had been done. It was no surprise that he was struggling to find anything in this mess.
The distressed man continues to crawl like a five-legged spider on the floor trying to look under the shelves. I suppress my laugh at the sight and decide to help him search for the envelope.
"I've found it Boss-" Archer barges in, waving a brown envelope in the air, cutting himself off when he sees our boss hugging the floor. Unlike me, he immediately bursts out laughing which in turn makes me laugh too.
The man gets up with cobwebs entangled in his moustache, his eyes lighting up as he sees the envelope.
"Oh thank the heavens!" He takes it from Archer's grasp and hurriedly goes back to his desk.
"How about you thank me," Archer mumbles half-heartedly.
"Everything is alright now kids. I have to fill in these documents before I close up. Go back home now. Archer, you've got a paint job tomorrow," Uncle Danny says while skimming his pen along the papers. "You got it, boss. I'll be there," Archer says with a salute and we wish Uncle Danny a good night and head out of the garage towards my car that was parked behind the shop.
'Oil 'em up!' – Yes, that is the name of our workplace, we just call it The Garage- is a mechanic shop both Archer and I worked at after school or on weekends. I maintain and repair the engines of the cars, while Archer expertly revives the faded paint and gives them a vibrant new look. His spray job is unmatched and even my own car is a testament to his skills. It's not a secret to our boss that we're street racers, as some of our colleagues also participate in the races. After all, it was he who connected us with Terry in the first place.
"You coming to my place today, Arch?" I ask him while unlocking my Ford Mustang.
"I stayed away too long. I have to face the music someday. Might as well be today," he sighs getting into the car.
