Finding Harry

14. Finding Eddie

I walk side by side with Ray until he stops by a red pick-up truck that's splashed with dried up dirt. 

"Meet Eddie" He says walking round the front of the truck to the drivers side giving 'Eddie' a small pat on the hood.

Raising my eyebrows, I give him a quick look questioning his sanity before opening the passenger side door and jumping up into the seat.

I don't know what kind of guy Ray is, but he did not seem the type to name his truck.

Looking up in the rearview mirror I spot Ray chuck his backpack into the bed of the truck to be with his surfboard, wetsuit and a few other bits and bobs already sitting in the back there.

"Aren't car's meant to be named after girls" I state really more than ask as Ray gets into the car.

"Eddie is a girls name" He shrugs and starts up the truck, struggling slightly with the ignition "I'd expect you to be more open minded Harry".

He exaggerates as much as he possibly can when saying my name to prove his point, earning a nod from me, admitting my small defeat I sigh and roll down the truck window. As he drives away from the beach I watch the pier, sand and waves fade in the distance.    

Thanks to my sunglasses I can lean out the window with my eyes wide open without the wind bothering me, so I do. Ray's truck is sputtering loudly throwing me off from losing myself in the white noise of the wind hitting my face and curving round my ears.

With another sigh I lean back inside the truck and flicker my gaze to Ray,

"When was the last time you checked your spark plugs?" I ask him, thanks to my Dad and his car obsession phase he had from when I was eight to twelve I know my way round an engine and by the sound of this one, it's been badly neglected. 

When I was younger he was always like that, sticking with one thing for a few years, getting really invested in it and moving onto something else when it grasped his attention. And as a result of how close we were I would end up loving them too, Bowling, woodwork, cars, and unfortunately for me I don't think I'll ever forget those dreadful nine months of eighties disco.

A small smile appears on my lips as I think back to me and my dad dancing round the penthouse in our matching sparkly Elvis style jumpsuits, Mom was absolutely mortified. 

We stopped hanging out so much after I turned thirteen, I don't know why. Actually I do. I grew up, I wasn't his little girl anymore and through neither of our faults his obsessions, well they just became his and not ours.

"I dunno few months back maybe?" He replies keeping one hand on the steering wheel and using the other one to take a stick of gum from his pocket, unwrap it and pop it in his mouth.

"Well you need to get them checked" I slump back into my seat and turn my Mom's camera round in my hands.

Maybe we would've gotten along better if she had any hobbies besides work and acting like a pretentious twat with her rich colleague's wives.

"You know stuff about cars?" Ray asks and I shoot my head up in his direction after being brought out of my thoughts.

"Dad taught me" I smile at him then lean my head on the window frame.

I watch as Ray presses play on the trucks built in radio system and my eyebrows raise In shock at the music that starts flowing through the space around us.

"What in the ever loving fuck is this?" I say my face frozen in shock.

"Real music" Ray responds a huge grin on his face.