The Long Road | ethma

2

I wake up to the sun shining through the thin pieces of dirty, white fabric taped over the windows of the van.

My eyes refused to open. Still tired from the day before I stayed lying in my bed that folded back up into a couch.

Suddenly though, I remembered I had a job to get to and my adrenaline started pumping.

And maybe the job wasn't the only thing I was excited about.

I remembered last night talking with Ethan and my heart beat fluttered.

I had finally learned his name and I was hoping I would get to learn more about him as time passed.

Sitting up and stretching, I reached over to where I had hung my wet overalls.

Danny handed me a bucket of water and a large scrub brush after seeing how my clothes had gotten dirty.

Taking my sweatpants off I slid the overalls on leaving the same light yellow, oversized shirt I had slept in on and pulling the denim straps over it.

I slipped on some white socks and my overly worn in black converse and left the van letting the door slam behind me.

I looked down at my watch hoping I wasn't early or late for work.

Perfect timing!

It was 5:40 so I was only ten minutes early before the shop opened.

As I walked down the road to the shop, even though I knew it was to early in the morning for him to be there I still checked to see if Ethan was standing on the sidewalk listening to music or reading a book.

To my suspicion he wasn't there. Though I wasn't surprised a frown still set upon my face.

Why? I barely even knew the kid and yet I wished he was there.

I noticed Danny standing outside fondling his keys as he tried to find the one that unlocked the two large garage doors.

"Morning." I said to him

"See you made it on time?"

"Yeah why wouldn't I be?" I said puzzled with a smile on my face

He looked to me as he backed away letting the garage door swing open barely missing the roof of the building.

"Seems to me a girl your age wouldn't be all that excited to work at a car repair shop." He finally answered

I laughed knowing in hindsight he was mostly right. But luckily my dad while on the road, repaired home appliances and other things to make money.

I would always join him on his work excursions and he would teach me how to fix a sink and things like that.

And when the van would break down time to time I would join him when I fixed that, mostly because there was nothing better to do.

But eventually I found joy in fixing things. Probably because I couldn't fix my messed up life so fixing non inanimate objects was the next best thing.

"I don't know Danny I guess I'm not like other girls."

I said as I unlocked the other garage door letting it swing open just like the other one.