Amelia (L.T)

Ameliorate

The car wouldn't start. The chuffing car would not start.

"Shit," I hissed as I gave the leather steering wheel a well-deserved strike. Almost immediately, a tiny giggle erupted from the backseat. I looked in the rearview only to find Amelia with her tiny hands placed over her lips.

She chided me, "Mummy, bad word."

"I know, Mummy's sorry." But you have got to be fucking kidding me! I did not have time for this. But...hold on a second,

"Emmy?"

"Huh?"

I swivelled around slowly. "Where's your ice cream?"

"I sit it down, di'nt want no more." She was so casual about it. Like that time she simply placed her unwrapped lollipop in her tiny little Hello Kitty purse, saving it for later.

My eyes flicked hither and thither until they landed on the ice cream cone, leaning against my gunmetal gray cloth seats. The dairy treat dripped slowly in chocolate clots, taunting me and my inner clean freak.

"Amelia!" I jumped out of the front seat and went to the back in order to retrieve the cone before it got any worse. After throwing it out, I searched for napkins but came up short. That's when Amelia began to cry.

Frustrated and bewildered, I brushed away her tears with my thumbs. "What-is-wrong?"

"You threw 'way my ice queem!" she blubbered.

So there I sat, in the shopping center car park with Amelia sobbing, a stained interior, a shitty idle car, and late for work.

Until I heard a tapping against the window. I looked right, sighed at the sight, but rolled down my window regardless. Surly I asked, "What?"

"Need some assistance?" He was so smug and stupid.

And again, surly I answered, "No."

But then Amelia decided to quiet her sobs and speak up, "Mummy car no work." I proceeded to send my two-year old a dirty look. I thought she was on my side.

His sharp teeth appeared as he smirked. "Want me to have a look?" I didn't need him to do me any favours.

"No, I don't have time for that."

"It'll just take a sec, pop the bonnet." He batted me away and walked to the front end of my Ford.

"Louis, leave it. 'S not-"

"Shut the hell up and pop the bonnet."

I sighed and listened. He pulled it up and used the prop. A wave of worry swelled through me as I witnessed clouds of smoke billowing above Louis' head. As a sort of distraction, I flicked on the stereo and listened as one of Amelia's CD's began playing. She started mumbling incoherently along with the music as I got out of the car.

"D'you know what's wrong?"

"Overheated. How old is this piece of shit anyway?" He was leaned over the bonnet, checking the oil, the engine, and the transmission.

"1993."

He came out and looked at me, then looked away almost instantly. "Got some cool it?" I hummed in the negative. "Some water or summat?"

"No."

He sighed then wiped his hands down the front of his jeans. He looked anywhere but me and I noticed how the sinking sun cast golden shadows in his blue eyes; not that he had nice eyes or anything.

"You could go buy something really quick. I mean, we're in a shopping center anyway... But it'd only be a temp fix, you know?"

I looked back into the car to make certain that Emmy was still in good spirits; she was delightfully singing about swimming ducks as she danced in her carseat. I glanced at the time on my cell. I was way late.

"No, I've not got the time. Just... I..."

"Then leave it here and I'll have someone from the shop come round for it." He put the bonnet down as he gave me instructions. "You need a lift somewhere?" His hands stayed on the metal as he supported his weight, his back toward me. I couldn't help but to marvel at the splashes of color that licked against his skin, dark swirls fisting his biceps and tasting his neck and back. Not that I was staring or anything.

"Like what you see?" I was brought out of my not-staring reverie only to pick up on Louis' stupidly conceited grin.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up", as I went to the driver's side to take the keys out of the ignition.

"That's no way to talk to the person that just offered you a lift." He leaned up against my car. He did a lot of leaning.

"I never actually agreed to that, 'ave I?"

"Coulda fooled me, what with the fact that you're currently collecting your daughter." And I was actually getting Amelia out of her seat. "Which by the way you should know, I can't fit that seat in me car."

"What?" He then pointed to his black Acura RSX sporting a fresh coat of black paint with a purple trim and all the flashy fixings.

"As you can see, s'only got two doors." I huffed as Amelia tugged on my jeans, trying to get me to pick her up.

"Come on, Mate! Don't tell meh ya can't fitta carseat." As I scooped Amelia up into my arms I noticed how Louis stared between us before turning abruptly and getting near his car.

"What's the big deal? Just hold her in your lap."

"With the way you drive? Please, you're lucky I'm even agreeing to ride with you."

"Oh yes, I'm truly honoured. Tis such a privilege to be able to give ya'a lift, Your Highness." Like the ass that he is, he bowed in front of me. What a prick!

"Arse," I mumbled just loud enough for him to hear. He winked in response.

"Best ass in class of '07... Now seriously, get in the car 'fore I change my mind."

Despite my deep concerns, I had no choice but to get in the car and strap Amelia to my chest for dear life. "I cannot believe I'm in this death trap," I muttered, kissing the small curly hairs that hung around Amelia's head. She held her pink backpack to her chest as I held her to mine.

"At least it runs. That's more than I can say for the piece of shit metal you got."

Immediately I replied, "Don't swear in front of me daughter!"

"You're one to talk," he mocked.

I rolled my eyes. "Just drive."

"You haven't told me where to take you yet, Princess!"

Underlapping me, Amelia began to assert how she was a princess and I was the queen. "I have to drop her off at me parents. Do you know whe-"

"Yeah, I know," he replied briskly.

Amelia began to speak about how, as a princess, she owned all the best dresses in Bradford. And how her crown was made of sparkles and chocolates. I was listening intently to her little story until Louis decided to flick on the radio. Automatically I recognised the loud music as Wiz Khalifa but I was more than angry because Amelia proceeded to turn to me with her hands covering her ears, her facial expression and her tense body language told me she was distressed by the volume.

I took it upon myself to adjust the volume then turn it off completely as words like 'baggin bitches' sounded through the car. "Prick." I didn't feel the need to mumble it. And we stumbled into silence, well other than the fact that Amelia felt the need to shout out every time she saw a dog rolling past.

Eventually though we got to me parents' place. "Thanks for the lift, appreciate it." I offered through my teeth.

"Fank you!" Amelia sang as we got out the car.

"Yeah uh, how'm I gunna let you know when your car is ready?"

I placed Emmy on her feet before turning to answer, "Just find me, 's small town."

"I'll let your brother know and he c-"

"No, that's... Don't do that. Just..." I sighed. "Stop by the petrol station... I'm there every night Wednesday to Sunday."

He nodded, "yeah, alright." In matter of seconds he was backing out of the driveway, his music turned up to some god awful level and dispersing as he sped down the street.