As Fate Would Have It

Nine

Another day at work. Honestly, I love my job. I get paid a decent amount, I'm friends with some coworkers, and fixing cars is something that'll always come in handy. Not to mention all the cool vintage cars that come in to get repaired. Also, Randy is an awesome boss to have. He's understanding and is always fair to his employees.  But, today I'm sitting in the common room with everyone for a meeting.  Randy is talking about our work quota.  Lucky for us, the repair shop is doing good.  Lots of customers.  Big money coming in.  There's only nine of us, excluding Randy.  Six guys and three girls. 

     "Alright everyone.  Get back to work," Randy exclaims.  All of us hustle out of the common room.  Mitch and I head back into the main garage and start on a few of the automobiles waiting to be repaired. 

     "So, what were you doing that a chick had to call you in sick last week?" asks Mitch while checking out a Ford Escape's grille.  I then proceed to tell Mitch about how I was getting a drink with Geoff and how Courtney picked me up.  He laughs at what all I say.  "This Courtney gal...  She's a keeper, Duncan.  Don't lose her."

     "I lost her once, and trust me, I don't intend on ever losing her again..." I say, and I mean it.  Losing Courtney all those years ago was the one of the most stupid things I'd ever done.  I keep asking myself, Why did you cheat on her with Gwen?  Honestly?  I think it was because I was tired of all the rules and regulations.  Being my old self, I had to rebel against the system and well Gwen was just an easy target.  But, I never meant for it to go the way it did.  I screwed up back then and now, many years later, she has finally taken me back.  Courtney has put all that behind her and finally we just focus on us, not the past.  She's done so much for me and I plan on doing just as much for her in return.  "Courtney is definitely a keeper..."

     "Ya know," Mitch says.  "I've started dating someone myself..."

     "Really?!" I ask in disbelief.  Mitch finally got a girlfriend?  "Who is this lucky chick, then?"

     "You know the redhead that specializes on fixing up the motorcycles?" asks Mitch, twirling around a wrench in his hand. 

     "Cherry?"  She's one of the best mechanics here besides Mitch and I.  Goes to show that hiring should be based on talent not genders.

     "Yeah," he sighs.  Now he's the one sporting the lovesick look on his face.

     "How long have you two been going out?" I inquire.

     "Hmm.  About a week or two.  She's awesome, man.  I might," he answers.  "Now don't you judge me right now, bro."

     "Hey, no judgement here," I reply, holding my hands up. 

     "I might-I might...  I might be in love with her..." Mitch finishes.  Then his face changes to serious.  "That's not crazy, right?"  He grabs me by the shoulders and starts to shake them.

     "No, that's not crazy at all.  I mean just look at me!  I fell in love with a girl over a decade ago, did something incredibly stupid, and then managed to get her back!" I exclaim.  Mitch drops his hands from my shoulders and sighs.  "You being in love with someone is not crazy.  You deserve to be happy, Mitch."

     "Yeah you're right." he laughs nervously.  "We have some of the weirdest and most heartfelt discussions in this garage, ya know?"

     "That's very true," I say with a laugh.  I rub the back of my neck.  As if on cue, a girl with red hair starts walking towards us, towards Mitch.  She smiles and his eyes light up.  Is that what Courtney and I look like to other people?

     "Hey, boys." says Cherry, placing a hand on her hip and leaning against the Ford, Mitch was working on. 

      "Hi, babe," responds Mitch, seemingly regaining confidence and making his way over towards her.  Cherry wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him.  After a bit, I cough to indicate that I'm still standing here.  They stop and look at me, Cherry moving back. 

     "Sorry, Duncan.  Eh, Mitch, I'm gonna go on break now, wanna join?" Cherry asks him.  He nods and looks towards me, shrugs, and saunters off after his girlfriend.  I chuckle to myself and get back to my work for the remainder of my shift.

     After Mitch leaves with Cherry, I keep going over everything in my head and before I know it, my shift is over.  I get in my car and I just can't manage to get Courtney out of my head.  We've been dating for around a month by now.  Instead of driving home, I head downtown to the main mall.  I park and enter through the foodcourt.  I walk by Cinnabon and just can't keep walking before buying one of those miniature cinnamon rolls.  Their scent lingers in the air as I walk away from the foodcourt and take a bite out of the cinnamony goodness.  As I finish it off, I see the entrance to Hot Topic and simply just can't resist the urge to go inside.  I've always loved that store.  I look around at all the awesome t-shirts.  Movie logos, band logos, and many other logos.  So many things from my past and to be entirely honest, present.  My eyes settle on something on the far wall.  It can't be!  I walk towards it.  My jaw drops.  What I'm looking at is none other than a Der Schnitzel Kickers t-shirt!  I start chuckling.  I can't believe that is in this store, yet alone the fact that my old band was made into a t-shirt!  What're the chances of that?  I finally walk out of the store and go where I was planning on going when I drove here.  I go a little farther into the mall and there it is.  Radiant Fine Jewellers. 

     "Can I help you, sir?" asks the man behind the counter. 

     "Yes, actually, you can." I answer, eyeing the sparkling jewelry in the long glass cases.