Dear Diary

Chapter 45

"Good grief," Leia thought to herself as she was sitting in the office at the shop grabbing a bite to eat, "has it really been three months that I've been here and that Danny and I have been back together?"  She smiled to no one but herself.  Tony and Danny had to leave the shop for a meeting with some bank people.  They were trying to see if they could get a financial approval on expanding the shop, or relocating to a larger space.  Leia was at the shop by herself (the other mechanics were out to lunch as well), which was no big deal.  The girl that usually manned the front desk had called in sick so Leia was spending her day between the office and the counter.  "That's why man created bells," she thought.  And no sooner did she have that thought, but she heard the bell go off.  "Okay, here we go.  At least Tony and Danny will be back soon."  She walked out to the front counter to find a woman standing there.  She was about five-foot-four, dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and of average build.  "Hi there.  Can I help you?" Leia spoke.

"Hi.  Yes.  I hope so.  I need to get my car looked at.  It's making some weird hissing sounds.  And I don't need to have it break down on me."

"I get that," Leia announced and she heard the back door bell.  "Oh, would you excuse me one moment while I get that.  I'm sorry, you caught us at lunch so I'm pulling all duties."

The lady smiled and said, "No worries.  Please, take your time."

"Thank you.  There's coffee and water right over there.  Please help yourself and have a seat.  I will be right back."  As Leia looked over her shoulder, she looked into the driveway of the shop but didn't see any other cars there.  She shook her head and thought that maybe the woman parked along the side of the building as some folks do so they're not blocking the bays.  Leia took care of the UPS delivery that came to the back.  She dropped the box in the garage, put the bill of lading on her desk, then was back at the counter.  "There we go.  Again, I am so sorry.  But I appreciate your patience."

"Oh it's no worries," the lady said quite politely, "not your fault that Tony and Danny left you here alone."

"Oh.  Have you been here before?"  Leia asked.  "Well duh," she thought, "of course she has.  How else would she know their names."

"A time or two.  I just always seem to get the best work done here, so I don't go anywhere else."

"Oh, well, that is something that we certainly like to hear," and the phone rang.  "Oh geez, excuse me."  Leia answered the phone and gave the person on the other end an update as to when their vehicle would be ready.  She said, "we'll be here.  Thank you," and hung up.  Turning her attention back to the customer at the counter, Leia again apologized.

"Really, it's no worries.  You have a job to do right?"

"That you for understanding.  Now, you said you've been here before.  Let's see if I can find your information.  Is it the same vehicle?"

"Oh gosh, no.  Although, I do miss my truck."

Leia giggled.  "Yeah, I've only had mine about a year.  If I ever have to part with it, I'll probably cry.  There's just something about a truck."  

"Yes there is."

"Okay, let's see if I can find you by phone number.  May I have your number?"  

"Only if you're buying me a drink first," commented the customer, and the she laughed, as did Leia, and the lady rattled off her number.

"Hmmm, that doesn't seem to register.  Could there be another number it would be under?"

"No, I don't believe so."

"Hmmm, okay.  Have you had work done here in the last two years?"

"No, probably more like five."

"Shoot, then you won't be in this system.  Sorry, we just got this stuff upgraded like a month ago.  What's your name darlin'.  I can see if we have your file in back."

"Uh, Heeler.  Lacy Heeler," the woman said sweetly.

Leia froze.  She didn't know if her face had any expression, and she was afraid to look up at the woman to find out.  "Lacy!" ran through her head.  "Fuck, what do I do now?  Danny's not here, and this psycho is!  She's not supposed to be here!  She's not supposed to be here.  Cops!"  Leia broke out of her trance, cleared her face of any expression she may have had, and became completely professional again.  "Let me go take a look in the cabinet in the office and see if I can find you.  I'll be right back."

"No problem."

Leia walked into the office, and very quietly  locked the door.  She pulled her desk phone down under her desk with her and dialed 9-1-1.  "Yes, hello.  I need officer assistance immediately.  There's a woman here that my boss, who is also my boyfriend, has an order of protection on, this address and I are both on it as well."

"Is she out of control?" the operator asked.

"Not at present, but she has hung a gutted squirrel outside my back door, and smashed and spray painted my boyfriend's truck.  Please send someone.  I don't know how long I can distract her, and I'm here alone."

The operator took the address and told Leia she had units on the way.  "Jesus Christ, what the hell am I supposed to do?  Where the fuck is Danny?  How long can I stall this bitch?"  She had an idea.  Leia got up from under her desk and opened then slammed the drawer on the filing cabinet.  She did that again, and then text Danny.

L:  Are you on your way back?  Hurry please.  I need you.

She opened the drawer again and slammed it shut, pretending that she was looking for Lacy's paperwork.  Danny was not answering her.  "What the fuck?  Answer me asshole!  I need you!" she whispered.  She peered out the blinds that were over the office door window quickly, and she saw flashing lights which made her feel better, she quietly unlocked the office door and began to slowly open it.  She noticed that Lacy had sat back down; she hoped she really wasn't paying attention as to the officer walking in the door.  As he made his way to the counter, Leia walked out of the office and looked at the officer with fear in her eyes.  She motioned to the officer as to where Lacy was sitting.

The officer approached her, "Ms. Heeler?"

"Yes."

"May I ask what you are doing here?"

"Oh, I'm just trying to get my car looked at.  The lady is looking for my records.  How did you know my name?"

"Ms. Heeler, do you know there is an order of protection against you?"

"Yes."

"And are you aware that you are not supposed to be on these premises?"

"Yes."

"So why are you here?"

"I told you, to get my car looked at.  My fiancée owns this shop, so that order is bogus."  Lacy rose out of the chair she was in.

Leia's eyes widened to no end.  "Her fiancée?!  She still thinks her and Danny are engaged.  Oh give me a break!"  Leia's mind was going a million miles an hour with things to say, but she kept quiet.

"And who is your fiancée?"

"Danny Johnson."

"Miss, you do know that he is the one that has the order against you."

"He doesn't mean it."

The officer looked at Leia as if giving her permission to speak.  So she did.  "Oh but he does darlin'.  He does.  You can't just smash his truck in our driveway, or gut animals and hang them from our back door and think he doesn't mean it.  Not to mention he broke up with you like five or six years ago."  Leia emphasizing "our" in her statements was her polite way of saying "you crazy bitch, he lives with me."

Lacy realized she was in Leia's presence.  She gave Leia a hard stare, then looked down.  For a moment, all in the building thought she was just going to turn and walk out.  Instead, she brought her head up, and began to charge the counter.  Leia quickly moved backwards, and the officer put himself in front of Lacy, catching her in a manner of speaking.  "Bitch!  He is mine!  He loves me!  Not you!  I'll kill you if you don't leave him!"

The next thing Leia knew, the officer was cuffing Lacy and reading her her rights.