He Was Mine, I Was His

If Fate Could Be Changed

    I pulled up beside the pump and turned my car off. On the other side, two guys were working on an old Beetle. Well, one was working. The other one was sitting on a cooler eating a candy bar. They both stared as I pulled up. I cranked my window down as one walked over.

    He was wearing a DX shirt unlike the other who was wearing jeans and a cutoff t-shirt. His name tag read "Sodapop" and I had to do a double take to make sure I read that right. He was cute, moviestar cute, but that was one hell of a name. 

    He bent over and rest his arms on the top of my car, "What can I do ya for, hun?" 

    "Go ahead and fill her up," I replied. His voice was smooth and sweet. Real dreamy.

    The one sitting on the cooler got up and started gawking at the car. He walked around it like a vulture circling its prey. I giggled a little.

    "This is some sweet machinery, Soda," he said as he passed the guy filling up my car. 

    "Florida huh?" Sodapop asked. 

    I set my arms on the window and set my head on them to look at the guys. "Yep," I replied.

    "That's a pretty long drive. Want us to take a look under the hood before you keep goin'? Make sure everything's running okay?" Sodapop offered.

    "Rain check?" I asked. I really just wanted to get home to Elizabeth.

    "You stickin' around?" Sodapop's friend asked.

    "Yeah," I started. "I will be staying with my aunt for a while."

    "Who's that?"

    "Elizabeth Berch"

    "Oh I know Elizabeth! She's a real nice lady." Sodapop smiled. That was the sweetest smile I'd seen in a long time. 

    "She really is," I replied.

    "Well there you go. She's full," Sodapop said as he returned the gas nozzle to the pump. I paid him and he stuck his hand out for me to shake.

    "Nice to meet you," he paused for my name.

    "Marilyn," I said, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you too."

    "Name's Sodapop. This is Steve," he introduced. I gave a quick wave to Steve and he returned it. "We'll see you around, Marilyn."

    "See ya."

    I made my way to my aunt's house. It was one of the nicest ones on the block. A white one-story with a nice porch. I parked in the driveway next to Elizabeth's Coupe. Her house was right across the street from a park with a nice fountain in it. 

    She had a nice paved path leading up to the porch steps. Her porch was decorated with wilting flowers and a hammock. I grabbed my bags and made my way up to the front door. 

    Elizabeth met me at the door before I could reach it. She wrapped me in a warm hug, "I'm so happy you're here!"

    "I'm glad to be here too!" I exclaimed, hugging her back. I swear, she gave the best hugs known to man. 

    I picked up my bags and we made our way inside. She showed me around the house. Inside, her house was clean, homey, and full of pictures. On the table beside the door, there was one of her, Ada, my dad, and I seven years ago when we came to visit. It nearly made me tear up.

    "I miss him too," Elizabeth said, noticing me staring at it. "I feel terrible for missing my own brother's funeral. I just couldn't afford the trip down there."