Time Is The Hero

Ch-3 The Garage

"Take care of yourselves. Okay children?" Aunt Lucy's voice is filled with perturbation. Her tears are telling me that she is not ready to leave yet. She shared a very special bonding with my mother and shares an even stronger bond with us. 

"Yes. we will" Austin tells her. "Don't worry about us. We will be fine." I reassure her.

Uncle Sam pats Austin's back and kisses my head. Aunt Lucy hugs and kisses us with affection for the millionth time. She puts her hands under our chins and smiles. They turn to step down the porch to reach over the car in the driveway. We wave them goodbye. 

It is merely two minutes after they have left when the shrill sound of the doorbell reaches our ears.

Austin gets off the couch to fetch the door only to reveal our own Uncle Sam. He must have forgotten something.

He was panting. "Oh children. I forgot to take my cell phone."

I sprint into the guest room to bring his phone and hear Austin say "Keeping up the old habit, huh?"  Uncle chuckles.

I procure him the phone. He smiles. And before returning to a vexed Aunt Lucy he says." Oh I almost forgot " Now what this time?

"The Reports are in the study" Uncle filled us in. Austin and I nod in response.

"Take good care and remember we are just one call away." His solicidute laced voice tells us.

My head rests on the cushioned seat on the chesterfield as I sit on the floor. Contemplating whether I should resume going to school today or not, I consider on the first option to be righteous . Though I'm skeptical about this idea, the major reason being I am still in a state where conversation with other humans is the last thing on my agenda.

Austin is ready for school. He is sheerly determined towards studies. He looked upset earlier that couldn't  go back to the educational trip as it is already over now. He has always been the A-grade student. His keeness into astrophysics is exceptional.

He drives us to school. We take breakfast on our way.

"We have an issue in front of us" Austin says while driving.

"What? We are out of groceries? We'll buy today" I suggest.

"Yes, that and there is another thing. 'The Garage'."

"What about it?" I ask.

"See now that dad is gone, we have to do something about it."

"You are not thinking about selling it? Are you?"

"No, but do you think we can manage with school and all?"

"Its difficult but we need to find a way, Austin. There is not a way we are going to sell it."

Dad owned a renovation center for cars. It is named 'Stefen's Hub' after my grandfather. We all call it 'the Garage' as it is where and how he started and also because we all find it convenient. Austin and I have spent enough time with dad when mom used be away because of work to know about cars and a thing or two about repairing and painting cars.

"But I doubt that I can manage the time." Austin says.

"Try, at least." We have Joshua to help us. Joshua is the manager. He practically looks after every necessity. He was Dad's right hand.

"Okay, we'll see that after school" Austin ends the conversation.

At school, it is pretty much a normal day and uneventful. No serious drama. I have lunch with Jenna in the school cafeteria. She lectures  me how I should  think only positive things.

Many students and classmates came to me to showing they are downhearted for my loss. But at the end of the day, I think that, it won't harm society if they cut off some of their formalities.

After the school I text Austin to pick me up from Jenna's house at 7.

Jenna's elder sister Julia is very friendly. She is an aspiring historian and is in college. Julia here often becomes our tutor, and today is one of those days. History, in reality, is a good subject, only the teacher needs to be as engaging as Julia.

Around eight when the sky was dark and the surrounding started to become crisp, Austin comes to pick me up. "I have news. Now sit in the car fast." he states hurriedly as I reach for the car door. Austin for whatever reason seemed excited.

After 10 minutes of the car ride, I got to know that we are going to the Garage and not home.

I am hungry.

We reach the Garage and head to the counter where dad used to sit. I stand there and Austin goes to call someone. The photo frame on the desk catches my attention. My mother is smiling at the camera wearing a poised formal outfit with newborn me in her arms. Dad has an arm around mom's shoulders and one hand on the young Austin's head who looks sleepy and grumpy while standing between mom and dad. It was the first day of her job after her maternal leave. She used to work as an interior designer in a firm.

Austin comes back with Joshua. Few strands of his hair has become grey."Hey, are you doing fine Linda?" He greets me.

"Yes. I hope you are too." He smiles and nods in reply.

"So I've been thinking that as there are only three of us to look after the garage and.." Austin starts talking.

"Three? What about the two assistants? Ryan and Ben right?" I interrupt Austin.

"They left" Austin states.

"Ah...more likely, they fled, the day after the accident. They were nowhere to be seen. All their spare clothes and the small number of things they posses here are gone. And it has been four days they have not returned and I highly doubt the chances of that."Joshua explains. 

"So now?" I ask disappointedly.

"Ya, so as I was saying I think we need a new assistant " Austin suggests.

"Ya cool," I say while Joshua tells that he agrees with Austin too.

Austin picked up his phone. "Hey Boby, can you come with the boy."

'You already got a assistant ? That was fast."

Austin chuckles and while Boby was coming over with the boy yet to be introduced, Austin recites the tale of the discovery of this young boy.

"I went to Boby's after school. There I saw this boy with a frown on his face and was at a verge of crying. I asked Boby, he said that the young man just lost his job and it was his only source of income. He used to work in the repair shop near the restaurant which caught fire the other day so thought why not give him the job at the garage and he is ready to do full time, great right?" Austin grins.

"That is great" Joshua says.
"Uh, are you sure he is fit for the job?" I enquire.
"Don't worry. Boby knows him very well" Austin assures.

After a few minutes, Boby comes with a young boy. His black hair was long and messy. There were several bruises on his arms, so prominent that one can see that from a distance. He was giving me an impression of a hard working teenager.

"Hey, Jayson" Austin greats him.

"Joshua will show your job. we will discuss the salary later. Is that okay?"

"Fine by me." Jayson answers  in a calm yet keen tone.

Joshua takes him to the work station where there are four cars to be renovated.

We close a little late. I am extremely hungry. When we enter our home I ask Austin what do we have at dinner.

"Milk and cereal" was his answer.

We have had an exceptionally elegant and extravagant dinner.

A/N: I laugh when my mom, dad or anyone scolds me. I get a scolding for doing that too. Is laughing at serious situations like that normal?