Into You

I ran, into you

He was tall from what I could see. his hair was light in colour, a honey blonde that any girl would pay hundreds to have. He looked strong with broad shoulders and long thick legs. He was dressed in navy overalls and from the sign on his truck that read "Andy's Motors" I guessed he was a mechanic.

I continued at a slowed pace as he walked towards me taking long purposeful strides. His face was much clearer now with his scruffy short beard, his long hair pushed back from his eyes which squinted to block out the blazing sun.

"Hey miss! Is that your car back there? I can give you a hand or a ride if you need." He spoke with a deep and friendly voice.

I was a little weary as he came closer. I held tightly onto Lily, an action he noticed. He stopped and raised his hands in a motion of surrender.

"Hey, hey, hey. I'm just tryna help. No funny business, I swear," he said with a lopsided grin revealing his straight teeth which were surrounded by two plump and rosy lips, "well not too much anyway."

I couldn't help but smile and release a small chuckle. He was charming I'll give him that. And from the colour of his hair and lack of green eyes, his were hazel, I decided he wasn't him and so I could trust the man. Or at least try to.

"Yeah...it's mine. The car. It erm, started to smoke up and just sort of stopped." I explained as he nodded his head.

"Well damn. That doesn't sound like anything good. Hey, how about I drop y'all where you're headed and I'll come back and get your car. I'll get it to the shop and take a look at it for ya."

"Oh, no don't worry about it. Its not that much further to Bramley, I'll just-"

"Bramley?" He cut in, " That's a good half hour drive from here and God knows how long that'll take walking! Come with me. I swear, I'm clean - no drugs, no alcohol, no criminal charges. I'm straight as a board."

I looked at him skeptically as he had his say. He looked at me and took a step closer.

"How rude of me, I've not even properly introduced myself. My name is Edwin Charles, but everybody calls me Eddie," he said as he reached his hand out to shake mine then quickly retreated as he realised my own were full with Lily. "And may the pretty lady please bless me with her name?"

I giggled at his childishness and humour. Maybe he would be okay to go home with. I'd get Lily home to Maggie safe and Eddie could fix up my car. Problem solved.

Hesitantly I replied, "I'm...Chelsea. I was just on up to visit a friend of mine up on Bramley Ranch; Maggie. Maybe you've heard of her?"

His eyes flashed with recognition when I mentioned her name. "Oh, so you're that Chelsea! Maggie's been rattling on about you for weeks talking about her granddaughters coming to visit," his eyes flickered to the sleeping beauty in my arms," And I presume this is your sister...Lily? I'm sure Maggie said something about her being named after a flower." 

I breathed a laugh, "Yeah that's definitely her. But err, Lily is my daughter, not my sister."

A number of emotions flashed on his face. First shock, probably because I was only in my early twenties and due to good genes, I looked even younger. Then disappointment. It was a look I was used to especially from the older ladies in the towns I'd lived in.

He must have seen the peeved look on my face as I straightened my back and pursed my lips.

"I-I  didn't mean anything. I was just-"

"Save it. I'd really appreciate that ride please. But that is all." I spoke with a bored monotonous voice.

Eddie looked apologetic as he ushered me to his truck. He tried to help push me up into the truck but quickly removed his hands when I looked to him with a glare.

He jumped in the drivers seat as I checked on Lily again, brushing her hair out of her eyes as she lay in a deep slumber in my lap.

Eddie turned the key and started the ignition. He drove safely following all the speed limits. After a few minutes of awkward silence he began speaking.

"Look, Chelsea. Before when I said she was your daughter, and...my face-"

I snapped, "You mean the look of disgust and disappointment you gave me. Its fine. I'm used to it."

"No. No. That's not what it was, I mean I was disappointed but definitely not disgusted."

I turn to him in shock raising my voice slightly, mindful of the sleeping child in my arms, "And that's supposed to make me feel better?!"

Eddie shook his head and started blubbering, "Maybe I'm not saying it right. What I meant was I was disappointed that you had a child because it meant that you've  already got a husband or a boyfriend at least," he breathed in heavily lowering his tone, " All I meant was that I'd missed out on a chance with you."

Now I felt like a right dick. I lowered my head in embarrassment.

"Oh...Well then I guess I'm sorry. Can we start over, and act like that never happened? I feel really bad. Its just, I have to prioritise Lily and sometimes that makes me forget about other people and their feelings," I looked over to Eddie, my dark locks falling back, "I'm really sorry Ed."

He smiled what I was finding to be his trademark lopsided grin, "Nobody's ever called me Eddie before...Cece."

We both laughed at the silliness of the situation.

"Oh and Ed. I'm not in any relationship. It's just me and Lily."

That grin of his returned to his face, "Brilliant."

Eddie carried on driving whilst chatting away with me. He told me about the garage he was working at, his dads shop. He said that it would be his in a few months right after his dad retired.

"Yeah I think I remember that shop, it's right across from the hardware store right?"

"Yeah. How do you know so much about the town?"

"Oh, I used to live here a few years back. With Maggie in fact. I rented the small farm house on the ranch. But thinking about it," I scrunched my face in confusion, "I don't ever remember seeing you around."

"That's because I was off in London."

That was a surprise to me and it was clear in my voice, "London? What were you doing there?"

He scratched his head shyly, "I err, was studying. I had actually just finished my degree in architecture. I had to do some interning but I'd graduated and all."

"Wow, that's really good. Well done. But, not to sound rude or anything, how did you end up back here and as a mechanic? It sorta doesn't add up."

He chuckled in reply. "Yeah, well we all sacrifice a lot for family."

"Don't I know it."

I'd given up a lot for my family. For Chelsea. Everything really. I'd changed my name, my home, my entire identity.

At least Eddie understood, even if he didn't fully know about me and Lily. At least I had someone else now. Someone other than Lily and Maggie. But I knew already that it wouldn't be long. Nothing ever lasted. And this was no different. All good things come to an end.