Synopsis:  This story was written as a bit of fluff at a request of a dear friend of mine.  It has no sex but does have the beginnings of a new relationship.  I hope you enjoy the tale.  For the readers of the Sandbox 101, Happy Anniversary.

Feedback can be given to Shadylady

Ida Mae, who preferred to go by Mae, moved her sluggish body from the bed as the telephone continued to ring in the background. 

“Hold your god damn horses.  I’m moving as fast as I can,” she yelled aloud as if the phone was listening to her words. 

She stumbled as she attempted to rise, her foot catching in the trailing covers hanging over the side of the bed. She heard a rip under her arm as she reached out quickly to slap her hands against the wall to keep from falling.   

“Well fuck,” she screeched aloud as finally was free of the grasping covers. 

The phone continued to peal loudly while she hobbled out of her room and waddled toward the kitchen.   

“I have got to start dieting….today.”  Mae spoke aloud as she finally reached the kitchen and snatched the receiver off the phone. Recognizing her sister Evelyn’s number on the caller ID. 

“What the hell you want this damn early?”  She screamed into the phone. 

“Shut your loud trap up and listen,” Evelyn yelled back. 

“Oh fuck, I nearly broken my friggin neck to rush in here to answer this damn phone.  I ripped my jammie top and it’s all your fault.”  Ida Mae growled into the phone. 

“Will you just shut your fat mouth and listen to me for a change.  I need your help.”  Her sister interrupted Mae’s tirade. 

“Bitch.  Just cause you are Twiggy skinny, ain’t no reason to be calling me fat.”   

“And what the hell do you think you are?  You sure’s hell are not thin.” Evelyn replied. 

“You want my help or not?  If you do, shut up and tell me what the fuck you want.”  

“I am sitting down here in the god damn jailhouse with some kind of charges about me stealing a car.  I repossessed one last night and musta got the cars mixed up with the one I was after.   The two cars were identical and I thought I hauled the right one back.”   

“OH gawd….leave it up to you, you brainless wonder.  Hehehehe.  That is just too fucking funny.  Did you call Pop?”  Mae asked. 

“Hell no.  Last time I got locked up and called him he threatened to beat my ass if it happened again.  You know that mean ole bastard will do it too.”  Evelyn moaned as she thought of the strap that would cover her tender ass in red whelps. 

“Let me call him.  I want to see you wearing stripes.” 

“You bitch.  You gonna help me out or not?” 

“What do you want me to do?  I ain’t got the money to bail you out this time.”  Mae answered.   

“All I need is for you to do a pick up for me tomorrow.  There’s a sweet black low rider Harley Davidson that I am supposed to pick up tomorrow night.  The buyer reneged on the last three months of payments.  Seems the buyer states all payments were made, plus an extra month too.  The owner says he never got a damn cent and he is being ripped off.  He’ll pay us $500 bucks to recover the machine…..” 

“Five hundred bucks?  For a two wheeler?  No kidding.”  Mae squeaked. 

“Hey….shut up…..he’ll only pay that if you bring it in without any damage.” Evelyn instructed.  “And don’t you be trying to put your lard ass on it before you turn it in.  Last time you did that, you wrapped that pretty little Gold Wing around that damn pecan tree.” 

“Hey…that was not my fault and you damn well know it.  That tree had limbs that swooped down onto the road and pulled me into its trunk.  I know none of ya’ll believe me but that is God’s truth.”  Mae clasped her crossed fingers behind her back as she talked with her sister. 

“Anyhow, looks like I’ll be locked in here till I come up with the bond or Deputy Dog decides to let me out.”  Evelyn signed loudly. 

“Why don’t ya just marry the Pig and get it over with?  Then he might stop locking ya up?”  Mae commented as she reached across the counter and snagged a piece of bacon that Pop had cooked earlier. 

“I ain’t ready to have no babies and he doesn’t want me working in the garage anymore.  Says it gets my hands too dirty.”  Evelyn whined. 

“Well shit.  Dump his ass and fish some more.  Hey ‘fore ya hang up, where the hell is this bike?” 

“Oh…Ralph said it’s at 122 Southland Park on the East side of town.  Gets parked in the drive, as the carport is too full to hold it.  You’ll see the name Bird on the mailbox.”   

Mae could hear more muffled voices in the background as she waited for Evelyn to say more.  Finally, Evelyn came back on the line. 

“Gotta go.  There’s a waiting line for the phone and they’re bitching ‘cause I’m doing business ‘stead a hunting for a way outta here.  Take care of Pop and I’ll see ya in a couple of days.  Oh…one more thing, that bike belongs to one mean dyke.” 

Click!   

The phone line was dead as Mae sat it back in its cradle and finished getting her breakfast.   

“Oh shit sister, what have you got me into now?”  She said to the silent room. 

She chuckled to herself at the thought of Evelyn holding out and staying in jail just to spite Tom, her boyfriend.  This had been the third lockup in as many months.  Every time Tom asked Evelyn to marry him and she turned him down, she would end up in jail on some kind of trumped up charges.   

Tom needs to learn quickly just how stubborn Evelyn can be, Mae thought as she sat down at the table.  As she reached out to pick up her milk, her torn sleeve cuffed her arm and stopped her forward movement.  Reaching across her chest she latched onto the sleeve and ripped it the rest of the way off.  She let it drop over her hand onto the table before once more reaching for her milk and picking it up. 

After breakfast, Mae dressed while making plans to drive into town to scope out the house for the repo of the bike.  It never hurt to plan ahead and usually make the job run a lot smoother.  She looked in the mirror just as she left the room.  A gamin faced woman with a taunt trim body stared back at her.  Black hair lay haphazardly over her scalp as if the wind had tossed it around.  Her dark nearly black eyes moved over her body from head to toe.  She like what she saw.   

Mae was slightly overweight but carried it well.  Doughnuts were her failing temptation.  The gain of ten pounds and the extra little tire around her waist was the ongoing argument between her and her last girlfriend.  She was happy with herself, her girl wasn’t.  So, they split up.   

Life was too short to fight over the small things.  When she was ready, she’d drop the weight just like she had many times before.  On the other hand, maybe this time she wouldn’t.  She just didn’t really care one way or the other.  She was happy with her looks and felt really good all the time.  It was nice to not to have to worry about every little bit of food that went between her lips.  Evelyn drove her nuts with her carb counts and calorie intake.  She hated to eat with her because every bite that went into her mouth had a number attached to it.  Of course, Evelyn was thin and sexy as hell but if that is what she wanted to look like, more power to her, Mae recollected as she walked out of the house. 

She ambled toward the old truck, hoping Pop had left enough gas in it to make it to town.

Mae climbed in and looked for the keys.  Not seeing them, she leaned down under the dash and pulled the two red wires out of the ignition, crossed them and listened to the engine fire.  Sitting back up quickly gassed the engine, pressed in the clutch, slid into first gear and took smoothly, leaving a puff of dust rising behind her.  The rearview mirror showed Pop running out of the garage with his fist raised in the air as if trying to call her back.  She tooted the horn and continued driving down the dirt lane. 

Mae lived out in the country, several miles from the edge of town.  It wasn’t just being in the country that isolated her family but the route to the house.  The road was nothing but a dirt track.  Within a mile of the house the road came to an abrupt halt blocked by a moderately deep creek.  The only way to cross to the other side was to line the tires along two narrow beams and pray that the tires stayed in line.  They had fished many a prospective client out of the creek when the customers were bringing their vehicles to be repaired.  Most of the time, the customers would stop on their side of the creek and simply honk the horn until either she, Pop or Evelyn can to see what they wanted. 

Mae never slowed down at the creek but gunned the motor and raced over the rickety bridge.  She grinned as she felt the weight bow and wondered how many more trips they could make before having to replace the beams of timber.  Maybe she could talk Pop into letting the county come in and put in a real bridge. 

Within five minutes, Mae peeled onto the paved road and headed toward town.  She wanted to spend the day spying….ugh …observing the house where the bike was kept.  She needed to learn a little about the owner’s activities in order to know the best time to nab back the bike.   

Driving slowly she finally spotted the house.  She pulled up and stopped the trunk one house back on the opposite side of the street.  That would give her the perfect spot to watch the house.  Looking out the driver’s window, Mae noted the location of the house, carport and equipment in the carport.  She could see a partially rebuilt motorcycle propped up on blocks sitting under the cover of the carport.  Beside it was some kind of vehicle covered by a tarp.  It looked like it could be a truck from how high it set off the ground.  She could see part of the tires and the off road tread was visible even from her distance.   

Mae did not see any signs of the new motorcycle so she assumed its owner must have driven it to work.  She recalled what Evelyn had told her about the bike belonging to a dyke.  It had been some time since her last run in with someone classified as a dyke.  She never considered a label for herself but if someone were to ask, she would have to say she was close to being a dyke too. However, she still loved for a big strong woman to sweep her off her feet and make love to her all night long.  She was jealous of her sister and Tom, knowing they were getting nookie whenever they wanted it.   

It was not easy in an old Southern town for her to go prowling without everyone staring, pointing and calling her lesbo to her face.  She did her best to ignore them since she lived and worked in the same town they did.  Yet sometimes the name calling hurt and made her uncomfortable to date anyone in town.  Mostly she stayed to herself and went over to the next town whenever she felt the need for love.  It wasn’t all that often she went roaming for love however. 

Mae sat in her truck all afternoon and watched cars and trucks come and go up and down the road.  She watched as the mailperson delivered the mail.  As the carrier walked toward her target’s house, a large shepherd raced out from under the carport.  Before it had a chance to bark, the carrier tossed an item that looked like a dog biscuit which the dog caught in its mouth and promptly carried back beneath the carport.   

So much for a watch dog, Mae noted as she saw the dog lying back down in the sun.  She grabbed a scrap of paper and the stub of a pencil and jotted down, dog treats.  So far it looked like easy access with little to impede a quick take off once she nabbed the bike. 

She left one time only to run up to the local hamburger joint to grab a bag lunch and quickly returned to her surveillance.   By five her ass was hurting and she had one terrific headache from trying to stay awake.  She had to pee badly and knew if she didn’t leave soon it would be too late and she have more than left over lunch to clean up.   

Just as she was getting ready to fire up the truck, she heard the roar of a motorcycle in the distance.  A low back shiny black bike came around the corner and turned into the driveway.  It eased slowly toward the carport before coming to a quiet stop.  

Mae watched as the rider swung her leg over the saddle and dismounted.   

“Damn, she is tall,” she said aloud.  Mae was only five feet six inches and envied anyone that was taller than she was. 

The rider glanced back over her shoulder as if she had heard her voice.  Mae ducked down onto the seat, hoping she had not been seen.  After waiting several minutes, she rose slowly and peeped over the window seal.  The rider had removed her helmet and was ruffling her long blonde hair with her hands.  Her body was exquisite.   

She was tall and muscular.  Jeans covered with leather chaps hugged her thighs.  A white snug tee shirt covered her torso and displayed her flat abdomen where it was tucked into her jeans.  A leather jacket hid her arms but she looked slick in the entire outfit.  Ida Mae wished she had not been wearing the jacket. She would have given her left tit to see what muscles the rider had in her arms.  

Watching from her sunken position, Mae saw her pocket the keys, call the dog and head into the house.  The bike would be easy to recover.  If she parked it in the same spot tomorrow evening, it would be just a matter of rolling it out of the yard, taking it a short distance down the street and quickly firing it up to load it onto the truck.  Mae would carry it back to home to be delivered to the dealer the following morning and then the five hundred dollars would be in her pocket. 

After seeing the door close, Mae sat back up, crossed her ignition wires and headed back home.  She stopped on the way and pumped ten bucks of gas into the truck.  She knew Pop would swear up and down that she was the one that left it on empty if she didn’t.  On the way out of town, she stopped by the Piggly Wiggly grocery store and bought a beef bone from the butcher.  With her purchase tucked beside her, it wasn’t long before she was home.  

“Where the hell you been all day?”  Pop snarled as she walked through the door.   

Before she could say a word, he continued.  “I want to know where that sorry assed sister of yours has gotten off to.  She left a bundle of work on that Mustang that needed to be done by today.  I had to ask Smitty to give us another few days. Shit, this is gonna cost us.  He told me he wasn’t paying the full price since we didn’t meet the date.  God damn that Evelyn.” 

“Pop, you could have finished that job.  All it needs is plugs and points replaced and the timing set.”  Mae began.  She avoided mentioning Evelyn’s name. 

“Don’t tell me what I coulda done.  And just where the hell have you been today?  Can’t trust either of you bitches to help out an old man.  You live in my house and eat all my damn food but don’t do a lick of shit around here.  Left me starving, no supper and no lunch.”   

“Pop, you know how to cook.”  Mae said. 
”Shut your trap, get in here, and rustle up some grub.”  He ordered her as he stomped through the room and slammed back inside the kitchen.  She followed quietly, walked to the refrigerator where she placed the dog bone, pulled out some thawed hamburger and eggs.  Tonight it was going to be hamburger gravy mixed with eggs and served over biscuits. 

Dinner was over and Pop had fallen asleep in front of the television.  Mae walked back out to the garage to finish the work on the Mustang.  In less than two hours, she slid behind the steering wheel and cranked over the engine.  It purred to a quiet roar as she gunned the motor.   

“Slick, man, slick.”  She cut off the motor and pulled her cell phone from her pocket.  With a quick punch of the keys, she could hear ringing on the other end of the phone. 

“Hello.” 

“Hey Smitty.  Mae here.” 

“Hey brat.  How’s life treating you?” 

“Not bad. How about you?” 

“It would be better if I had my car back.” 

“Good news, Smitty.  It’s running like a top.  I finished it up this evening.”  

“Great…great.  Your Pop said he had no idea when it would be done.” 

“Well let’s see…it’s nine pm.  If you want to get someone to run you out here, I’ll meet you on your side of the creek and turn the car over to you.” 

“You’re kidding.  Really?”  Smitty asked in an excited voice. 

“Sure, Smitty.  Come on out and get it.”   

“Give me thirty minutes to line me up a ride and I’ll be there.  Your Pop should be proud of you, girl.”   

“Thanks, Smitty.  See you in a little while.” 

Mae delivered the car and received a check for the full amount agreed upon earlier in the deal.  As she turned to walk the mile back to the house she could hear Smitty pealing rubber down the highway as he tested out the new fuel injector she and Evelyn had added.  They had turbo charged the motor, installed a set of glass pack mufflers, and replaced the tires with a set designed to hold to the road when Smitty drag raced with the rest of the locals.  She heard the roar of the mufflers fading off into the distance as she neared the house.   

The lights were off in the house and everything was dark.  Mae quietly tiptoed into the kitchen, removed a beer from the fridge and slipped out the backdoor to sit in the porch swing.  As she sipped her beer, images of the rider popped into her mind, causing her to wish she was with someone tonight.  Quickly finishing her beer, Mae went to her room and to bed.  It had been a long day and tomorrow was probably going to be even longer. 

******* 

“Someone done stole the goddamn car right out from under our noses.” Pop yelled as the front door banged open.  “Ida Mae, git your sorry ass down here.”   

Once more for the second day in a row, Mae stumbled from bed before she was ready.  With her eyes half closed she reached out and pulled on a pair of jeans.  She had slept in a tee shirt so she didn’t take time to pull it off and put on her bra before she raced into the kitchen where Pop was pouring a cup of coffee. 

 “What’s wrong, Pop?”   

“Smitty’s car’s gone.  Clean gone and there ain’t no tracks of another vehicle coming to haul it off.” 

“Here Pop.”  Mae pulled the check from Smitty off the counter and handed it to her Pop. 

“What’s this?”  He asked as he saw the amount on the check. 

“I finished Smitty’s car after you went to bed, gave him a call and he picked it up.  The car’s not stolen just returned to its rightful owner.”   She walked over to the cabinet and got a coffee cup.  After pouring her coffee, adding creamer until the coffee was light brown. 

“I see he didn’t deduct no money from the bill.  You did good girl.  Now that sorry sister of yours better git her ass home today or she can be looking for another place to lay her head.”   

“Hummm…not sure she’ll be home today.”  Mae replied. 

“You not telling me something little sister?”  He asked as he leaned into her face. 

“I haven’t heard from her recently so I am not sure when she’ll be coming home.” Mae answered trying her best not to lie directly to him.  It was true she had not heard from Evelyn since early yesterday morning. 

“Probably shacked up with that Deputy.  Don’t know why she don’t go ahead and marry him.”  He grumbled as he sank back in his chair. 

Mae quickly finished her coffee and escaped back into her room to dress for the day.  She did not want to have to answer any more questions if she could avoid them.  She pulled off her tee-shirt, slipped into her sports bra before reaching out and rifling through her closet to pull out a well worn flannel shirt.  Tucking it into her pants she walked over to the dresser and retrieved a pair of socks.  She slipped into her work boots before standing and flipping the covers back over the bed.  That was about as close to making the bed as she was going to get.  After all, she just used it to sleep in and she’d be unmaking it in just a few hours so why bother being perfect with it, she reasoned to herself as she left the room. 

All morning was spent tinkering in the shop.  Mae reconnected the starter wires to the ignition so that Pop wouldn’t be raising holy hell when he got ready to drive into town.  Every day he spent the afternoon at the local park playing checkers with a group of his cronies.  It was a great reprieve for her and Evelyn, as he tended to get way too bossy and tell them how to do the jobs they were working on.  She had to admit, he had done a good job of teaching them how to be class A mechanics.  No one in town could compete with the custom work they did on most of the muscle cars.  The men even overlooked the fact they were both women in their desire to have the fastest car on the highway. 

By early evening, Evelyn had not called.  Pop called and stated he was having dinner with one of his cronies.  He said not to wait up for him.  Mae laughed knowing it wasn’t a crony he was visiting but Sally’s parlor.  He had been having a steady relationship with the widow for the past fifteen years.  When the hankering hit him, he would stay in town and not return until late the next day.  This was working in perfectly with her plans to repo the bike that night. 

Night was falling as Mae changed into darker clothes.  She needed to blend into the background in order to not attract attention to her actions.  Before leaving the house she walked through the kitchen and retrieved the soup bone she had bought to stave off the dog this evening.  Hopefully, she would retrieve the bike without a problem and be back home within the next couple of hours.  She cut around behind the garage to the wrecker.  It was black and would blend in well with the moonless night.  Within minutes, she was headed down the lane toward town.   

As Mae drove over the shaky bridge, she once more felt the beams sag from the weight of the truck.  She knew from experience it would not take too many more crossings before the beams snapped in two.  She again made a mental note to talk it over with Pop tomorrow when he got home. 

The wrecker continued into town without any problems.  It was late, nearing midnight by the time she pulled onto Southland Park.  She cut off her lights and quietly glided past the biker’s house.  She noted the name Jay Bird on the mail box and couldn’t help snickering to herself about the ribbing the biker must take with a name like that.  It took her only a few minutes to set up the loading track on the back of the wrecker.  Now all she had to do was wait for the lights to go off in the house and the bike was hers. 

From the pale light shining from the front window, Mae could see the bike was once more parked in the driveway.  She turned and climbed back into the truck until Jay Bird settled down for the night.  Jay Bird, now that’s a good one.  Wonder how many fights she’s gotten into over that name?  Once more the biker’s physical image flashed through her mind.  I wouldn’t mind sprinkling a little salt on her tail and catching her she thought to herself.   

Mae beat out a tattoo on the steering wheel to an unknown tune floating through her head.  She knew timing was important when heisting…picking up…repo vehicles.  She had less than a fifteen minute time frame to grab the bike and be out of the neighborhood before she might be discovered.  It was much easier to grab at night when few people were stirring.  The fact that Jay Bird parked it outside the carport made it easier to snatch.  She was really doing what is called a “legal steal.”  After all possession is nine tenths of the law and would go into affect just as soon as she had the bike off of Bird’s property. That is why she was parked in front of the lot next door. 

Finally shortly before midnight, Mae saw the front door open one more time and the dog amble out to disappear beneath the carport.  The lights went out in the house and silence once more fell over the neighborhood.  She waited for another fifteen minutes until the night remained still.  She reached down and cut off the switch to the inside lights and then quietly opened the door.  As she slid off the seat she reached back and grabbed the package with the dog bone in it.  She removed the paper and tossed it back into the truck.  She left the door slightly open in case she needed to make a quick getaway.   

Moving briskly and silently, Mae strode up the drive, walking slightly past the bike.  She heard the scrape of the dog’s nails as it ambled out from under the carport.  She could hear the soft growl beginning under its breath.  Quickly she tossed the bone where it rolled and landed next to its paws.  The dog’s head dropped as it sniffed the bone.  The dog quickly picked up the bone and trotted back into the carport, leaving Mae alone on the drive.  She smiled as she turned toward the bike.  Pulling it quickly upright she straddled the seat as she kicked up the stand and slid the gear into neutral.  She scuffed her feet backward as she started the bike rolling toward the street.  Within minutes she had the bike lined up with the loading rail.  She hooked the wench to the front fork of the handle bar and held it steady as the low whine of the motor began to pull it onto the truck.   

This was the most dangerous time, the most vulnerable time.  She was unprotected as she manipulated the wench while holding the bike in place.  Although the sound was nearly silent, it disturbed the dog.  It began barking as it ran up to the truck.  The bike was on board and Mae jumped up to strap it in place.  She was applying the last strap when she noted the lights flash on in Bird’s house and the front door opening. 

“HEY YOU!  What the HELL are you doing with my bike?”  Jay Bird yelled across the yard.   

Mae saw her as she jumped from the front porch and headed her way.  With a fast leap of her own, she jumped off the truck bed and rushed to the cab.  She was in before Bird reached her drive. As she cranked the truck she looked in the rear view mirror and watch as Jay Bird rushed to the carport, whipped the tarp off the vehicle and uncovered a huge off road, chrome loaded, big wheeled pickup truck.   

Mae let in the clutch and peeled away down the road.  She could see the truck lights blaring behind her as the pickup pulled out onto the road in hot pursuit.  Thank god she had the advantage of knowing exactly where she was going.  Now, if she could shake the truck, she would be home free.   

As she neared the grocery store on Fifth, Mae whipped into the parking lot and cut off her engine.  She knew she was taking a chance but no one would have expected her to stop while being chased.  Holding her breath, she could hear the pickup racing down the road looking for her wrecker.  Mae watched as the pickup flew by the parking lot without even hesitating.  It turned on Fifth and headed back toward town.  

Mae watched until it was three blocks away from her hiding spot.  She re-cranked her trunk, eased out on to Fifth and head quickly in the opposite direction.  She kept her eyes peeled to her rearview mirror, watching for the truck lights to turn back toward her.  So far the coast was clear.  Wasting no time, she head straight back toward home.   

As she neared the turnoff onto the dirt lane, she caught the glimpse of lights behind her. 

“SHIT!” Mae screamed aloud as she whipped onto the lane and raced toward the house.  Still watching the mirror, she spotted the exact time that Bird turned her pickup onto the dirt road.  Plumes of dust flew out through the glare of the lights as Bird gunned her motor, hoping to close the gap. 

Mae stepped hard on the gas and fought the unwieldy truck as she neared the rickety bridge.  With only a slight hesitation, she lined up the tires and screamed across the bridge.  She heard the beams cracking as her back tires passed center.  The truck dipped but she was able to hold it in line just as her front wheels cleared the other side and propelled the truck forward off the bridge.   

The beams splashed heavily into the water as Mae slowed down for the first time since grabbing the bike.  She turned the truck slightly as she watched the pickup stop on the opposite site.  She could almost see the angry glare from Bird’s eyes that she knew must be staring at her.  As she turned the truck back around and slowly headed toward the house, her level of comfort changed to one of surprise. 

She heard the pickup’s transmission clang as it switched into four wheel drive.  With a heavy splash, the truck entered the water and slowly made its way toward her side of the creek. 

Mae stepped on the gas again and raced toward the garage.  Once inside she could safely lock her catch away until tomorrow.  Quickly she pulled into the garage, jumped out of the truck and raced back out to close the huge metal doors.  The first one slammed shut with a noise loud enough to wake up the dead.  Lights came on in the house. 

Pulling hard, Mae managed to get the second door closed as the pickup screamed into the yard.  It skidded to a stop inches from where Mae was struggling to fasten the padlock.  As she hooked the hasp, hands reached out, slamming her face first into the metal door.  It sounded like cymbals striking together as her skull met metal.   

Mae kicked backward and heard the grunt of pain as her boot connected with a firm kneecap.   

“Were the hell is my bike?” the angry voice demanded as once more Mae was slammed against the door. 

All she could do was grunt and push backward hoping to topple the woman that was pressed firmly against her back as she held her prisoner against the rough metal.  Once more she was pushed against the door, causing her nose to start bleeding.  She was breathing hard through her mouth while twisting and turning trying to get out of the strong grip that was holding her prisoner. 

“Come on, bitch.  WHERE THE FUCK IS MY……ohhhhhhhhhhhh.”  For the fourth time, Mae found herself first slammed against the cutting metal before being forced to the ground by the limp weight of the woman that had been pounding her into the building. 

Mae fell flat on her face, making the injury to her nose worse as Bird’s body fell on top of hers, pinning her effectively to the ground.  She lay dazed as she saw a pair of feet standing beside her head.  A baseball bat dangled in front of her face. 

“Mae…god damn it, Mae.  Are you all right?”  Evelyn’s panic-filled voice boomed through the now quiet night. 

“Yeah, but I can’t breathe.  Get her off of me.  Hurry!” 

Evelyn threw down the bat before reaching out and grabbing the back of the woman’s jacket. She tugged and pulled until she was able to get the woman’s unconscious body off of Mae.  She let her lie face down in the dirt.   

Mae slowly sat up.  She reached up and tenderly moved her nostrils back and forth making sure that the bones had not been crushed.  She took the edge of her sleeve and wiped the tickling blood from her nostrils.  Finally, looking beside her, she saw Bird lying crumpled on the ground.  Blood from her right temple pooled onto the dirt.   

“Is she still alive?”  Mae asked as she climbed to her knees and crawled closer.  “You didn’t have to hit her that hard, did you?” 

“She was beating the shit out of you.  I couldn’t very well walk up and say, ‘Evening, may I help you?’ Now could I?”  Evelyn asked as she looked down at the injured woman. 

“We have to get her into the house and get that wound taken care of before she bleeds to death.  Here help me up.”  Mae said as she stretched out her hand in order for Evelyn to help pull her to her feet. 

She walked over beside Bird and rolled her over onto her back.  Blood had run under her cheek, making the situation look even worse.   

“Evelyn, grab her feet and let’s get her in the house,” Mae said as she slipped her arms under Bird’s shoulders.   

Evelyn stood at the woman’s feet, bent and lifted her legs into her arms.  Mae grunted and managed to lift the still woman several inches off the ground.   

“Fuck it.  She is too heavy.  We’ll never be able to carry her that far.” She and Evelyn let Bird’s body gently back onto the ground. 

Fumbling in her jeans pocket, Mae pulled a set of keys from her pocket and reopened the door to the garage.  She pulled one side open, being careful that the heavy door didn’t hit Bird on the way open. 

“Come on Evelyn.  Help me drag her over to the cot.  Then we can get her up on it and find out how bad she’s hurt.”  

Mae and Evelyn reached down and lifted an arm each.  Hooking their arms under Jay’s armpits they were able to drag her over to the cot without bumping her head again on the ground.  Together they tugged and lifted until Bird was lying flat on her back.  Her eyes remained closed but her breathing appeared to be steady. 

“Run get the clippers, will ya Evelyn?” Mae asked as she turned and walked over to the workbench.  She reached up and lifted down the large first aid kit that was kept well stocked due to the number of accidents she and Evelyn had while working.   

Evelyn turned and ran back to the house.  Mae heard the screen door slam once as she ran inside and then again as she made her way quickly back to the shop.  Evelyn raced up to the side of the cot.  Mae had managed to pull off Jay’s jacket while Evelyn was gone.  Jay’s tee-shirt was streaked with bright red blood.  It continued to trickle from the side of her head. 

“Hand me the clippers,” Mae instructed as she sat on the side of the cot and held out her hand.  Evelyn plugged the clippers in and handed it to Mae.  With several quick clips, Mae effectively cut the hair close along Jay’s temple.   

“God damn she is going to kill us,” Evelyn exclaimed as she looked down at the long blonde locks that had been shaved off.  “She sees that in the mirror and she’ll break both our noses.” 

“You’re right,” Mae answered as she stood and walked around to the other side of the cot.  She proceeded to shave the other temple in the same manner.  “Now at least it matches.  When she sits up, we’ll finish trimming it on top and she’ll have a nice new mullet hairdo.”   

Mae handed the clippers back to Evelyn and turned to the first aid box.  She pulled out sterile water, cleansing soap, several four by four sponges, a roll of gauze and a roll of tape.  In no time she had cleaned the jagged cut, realizing it was only skin deep but bleeding heavily like all head wounds.  She made steri- strips out of the gauze and pinched the cut closed, lying the thin strips across the wound to hold it tightly shut.  The bleeding stopped and only a slight trickle oozed from the lower end of the wound.   

“Hold her head up,” Mae finally said as she laid two pads together over the cut.   

Evelyn lifted Jay’s head while Mae wrapped the gauze several times all the way around her head before cutting the remainder loose and taping the loose end in place.  Evelyn gently lay Jay’s head back down onto the cot.   

Mae once more moved toward the bathroom in the back of the shop where she removed a towel, wet one end of it with water, and returned to Jay’s side.  With gentle hands she washed the old blood off of Jay’s face and neck.  The rest would have to wait until she woke up and could move around on her own. 

“What now?” Evelyn asked as Mae closed the kit and returned it to its slot on the bench.   

“We sit and wait until she wakes up.”   

“Can’t we take her in to the hospital?”  Evelyn asked. 

“We could have before tonight.  The bridge collapsed when I drove over it with the wrecker.”   

“How did she get here then?” 

“She and that damn pickup of hers ploughed right through the creek on my tail.  Damn she scared the shit out of me.”

“What are we going to do with her?”  Evelyn asked.

“We are going to wait until she wakes up, if she wakes up.  We’ll figure out something from there.”  Mae said as she pulled a chair over toward the cot.

“Why don’t you go on back to bed?  I’ll stay here with her to make sure she’s okay.” 

“Are you sure?  I don’t mind staying with you.”

“Naw, no point both of us missing sleep.  You can come relieve me in the morning.”

“If you are sure?”

“I am.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in the morning.”

Evelyn turned and slowly walked back toward the house, praying that no permanent harm had been done and that Jay Bird would be fine by morning.  She really hadn’t meant to hit her that hard but she panicked when she saw blood coming from Mae’s nose.

Mae settled down beside the cot as she watched Jay’s chest rise and lower with each breath she took.  Several hours rolled by with little change in Jay’s condition.  The dressing remained dry.  While Mae sat watching Jay, her eyes slowly closed until her chin dropped to her chest and she fell asleep sitting in the chair.  The evening continued to pass with no change inside the garage and none to Jay.  At least she remained stable.

***************

Jay opened her eyelids to the blinding stream of sunlight hitting her directly in the eyes.  Her head was killing her and felt as if it had been run over by a Mac truck.  In fact, her entire body ached.  She felt the unyielding canvas beneath her body and wondered where in the hell she was.  She could feel the compression of some material wrapped around her head.  She lifted her hand and felt the soft fabric that was cloaked snuggly around her scalp.  Sliding her hand lower, she touched the painful area over her temple and felt the thick bulge of material covering that area.  Looking to the side of where she was lying, she could see a person sitting in a chair.  The sun shining in her eyes prevented her from making out who was in the chair.

Jay attempted to turn toward the person but nearly rolled completely off of the thing she was lying on.  It was so narrow there was barely room for her to move.  Slowly she shifted her legs off the side until her feet touched the floor.  Next she braced her hands on either side of her hips and lifted her head until she was in a sitting position.  Damn what a mistake, she thought as nausea rolled to the surface.  She broke out in a cold sweat.  The room began to spin until she was forced to lie back down. 

Jay groaned loudly as her head once more thumped against the object she was lying on.  She finally decided it was a canvas cot of some kind.  It was one of the most uncomfortable objects she had lain upon in a long time, including the floor.

A hand reached out and touched her shoulder making her jump.

“Good morning.  How are you feeling?”  A soft melodic voice asked in a sleep filled tone.

“Where the hell am I?  What happened?”  Jay uttered through clinched teeth as she tried to hold her pain at bay.

“Ughhh…..you had an accident last night.  Seems your head ran into a solid object.  It knocked you out cold.  You have a cut on your temple too.”  The glare-shrouded figure answered.

“Accident?  Injury?  What the fuck?  Where the hell am I?”  Jay asked once more becoming more agitated with the confusion and loss of memory she was feeling.

“You’re at our garage.  You got here around one in the morning.”  The voice paused not offering any more information.

“Help me up.  I can’t talk lying here not seeing who you are.”  Jay commanded.

Mae stood up.  Before moving toward the bed she bent her body and slung her arms up over her head, stretching the tight kinks out from having slept in the chair all night long.  With slow movements she walked to the side of the cot, effectively blocking the blinding sun that continued to shine through the open door.

Jay looked up at the diminutive figure standing over her.  She looked familiar but she knew that she didn’t know her.  Running her eyes over the woman’s body she saw that she was wearing dark jeans, boots, and a black tee shirt.  Short black hair lay ruffled over her head as if a wind had blown through it.  Jay could see bits of leaves and some twigs along one side and wondered what she had been doing to get trash in her hair.

Jay looked into her face and caught the twinkling black eyes staring down at her through two raccoon colored eyes.  Somehow she had blackened both her eyes.  Her nose was also puffy. A gamin grin crossed the woman’s face, making her look years younger.

“Boy, am I glad to see you are awake,” the woman said.

“I think I must be having a nightmare.  I have no idea who you are, where I am or what in the hell I am even doing here.  Last I remember, I let Sam out for the night.”

Mae stepped back startled over this new turn of events.  It seemed that the blow to Jay’s head was leaving her without any memory of the events that took place last night.  Now she had to figure a way to get out of the jam she was in without causing Jay more harm.

“What happened last night and why am I…” Jay paused and looked around the area, “…in a garage?”

Jay saw the wrecker that was parked next to where they were.  Looking down its body, she noted her motorcycle on the back on the wrecker.  She quickly turned back toward Mae.  “What the hell is my bike doing on that damn wrecker?  Who the fuck are you?”

“Settle down and I’ll explain it all to you.”  Mae said in a quiet voice.  She reached out and pushed against Jay’s shoulder forcing her to sit back down just as she was trying to stand up.

“This is our shop, Joe’s Repair Shop.  Pop owns it.  My sister, Evelyn, and I do most of the work when we can get customers to come out this far.  My name is Ida Mae but everyone calls me Mae except for Pop, who always calls me Ida Mae.” 

“Oh, I know of Joe’s.  You customize cars and trucks, adding turbo thrusters, nitrogen bursts and special equipment.”

“That’s right.”  Mae said, as she stood even taller with the knowledge that their work was becoming more widespread.

“Oh yeah, I know it real well.  I am forever having to pull over some dragster and it is always the same, customized by Jones.  Okay. Why am I here?  Why is my bike here? And once more, what the fuck happened to me.”

Mae paused as she racked her brain trying to decide how to cover up what had really happened.  Now that she realized Jay Bird was a police officer, she wasn’t sure what to tell her.  She was beginning to think she and Evelyn had made a mistake in nabbing...no repossessing her bike.

“First, you are here because you passed out last night.  The blow to the side of your head knocked you out cold.  I patched the cut and wrapped it the best I could.  We couldn’t get you back across the creek.  The bridge collapsed last night when I drove over it.”

Jay blinked as visions of spraying water flashed behind her eyelids.  She shook her head in confusion as the memories stayed hidden.

“That explains the terrific headache I have but what exactly happened to my head.”

“Ugh…you hit your head against a hard object.”  Mae said haltingly.

“Did you fall with me?”

“Why would you ask that?”  Mae asked in a surprised voice.

“You have trash in your hair and your face is as banged up as my head feels.”

“Sure, that could have happened,” Mae mumbled under her breath.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.  What was it you wanted to know/” Mae asked as if she didn’t remember the questions.

“Why is my bike on the back of the wrecker?” 

“Uhhhhhhhhhh….well you see…..” 

The metal door slammed opened and banged against the tin wall, sending a reverberating sound echoing throughout the garage.  Jay grabbed her head in her hands and held it tightly as the noise thundered through her skull like a sledgehammer.

Evelyn quickly walked over to stand beside Mae.  She tentatively looked at Jay Bird and gasped.

“My gawd. I’m glad to see you awake.  I thought I had killed you last night.  Thank goodness the bleeding has stopped.”  Pausing for a short breath Evelyn continued.

“How are you feeling this morning?  Damn if you don’t look like shit.  Why don’t you come on back up to the house and have some coffee and breakfast while we figure out what to do.”

“Hit me?  What the hell is going on?”  Jay demanded as her face began to turn red in anger

“Calm down.  We can explain it all.” Mae reached out once more and placed a hand on Jay’s arm to keep her from jumping up.  “Here, let us help you walk up to the house and we’ll tell you everything that happened.”

Evelyn stepped closer and moved to the opposite side of Jay, away from Mae.  She reached out and grasped Jay’s other arm as between them, they stood Jay on her feet. 

Jay suddenly paled from the flaming red to a white complexion as she stood with her knees feeling like jello.  

Nausea reared its ugly head as Jay stood trying to find the strength to step forward.  Finally, she began walking held up by the women on each side of her.  Each step felt like a mile.  Her head ached and worsened as the strong sunlight hit her in the face, making her eyes burn.  Her skin was saturated with thick perspiration as she constantly struggled to continue moving forward.

Mae blinked as tears streamed down her face from the sun hurting her swollen eyes.  She had not realized how bad they were until faced with the penetrating white rays of sunlight as they walked across the yard supporting the increasingly heavier woman between them.

Jay looked up as they trudged along and noted her truck in the yard.  Its wheels were covered with thick red mud and drying mud had been kicked up on its gleaming black body.  She gasped aloud at the condition of her prize vehicle and once more wondered what had been going on.

“We are almost there.  Hang on just a little longer.”  Evelyn said as she realized that Mae was also having difficulty walking toward the house.  They walked up the stairs and entered the back door.  Evelyn guided them toward the den while she listened to their feet shuffling behind her. 

With care, Mae and Evelyn eased Jay down onto a tall recliner.  Jay leaned back and nearly sighed aloud at the softness she felt behind her back and head. 

“Can you sit here for a few minutes alone?  I am going to run up, shower and change. I’ll be right back down.”  Mae said as she pulled the lever on the recliner, pushing Jay back into a semi reclining position

“I’ll be out in the kitchen making coffee and can keep an eye on her.”  Evelyn offered.

“Sure…sure go ahead.  Then maybe one of you will help me out too.  I need some answers.”  Jay spoke softly. 

Jay lay back and closed her eyes, hoping the pounding in her head would slow to a dull throb.  She rubbed her hand over her forehead and wiped away the layer of perspiration that had gathered there during the walk to the house.  It had been hard to remain stoic and lean on both women when she was used to doing everything for herself.  However, she knew if she had tried to walk on her own, she would have been flat on her face.  As she sat in the quiet, cool room, she drifted into a light sleep.

Jay began to dream.  She could see her front yard.  It was the middle of the night and she was startled by unfamiliar sounds coming from the end of her drive way.  Stepping out side, she watched a short figure dressed in black hoisting her prize bike onto a wrecker.

She stepped off the porch and yelled “Hey you. What the hell are you doing with my bike?”  She watched as the wrecker roared to life, taking her bike with it.  She ran across the drive, pulled the tarp off her truck and quickly backed out of the yard.  She could see the wrecker in the distance without any running lights on.  It turned several blocks in front of her but she was confident that she would catch up with it.  Boy, was she mistaken as she turned the corner headed toward Fifth Street.  There was no sign of the wrecker.  She turned on Fifth, heading back toward town, hoping that she would run into it again. 

She did not see the wrecker after several blocks.  Cussing loudly she turned the truck around and headed back down Fifth out of town.  She roared through the deserted street hoping to make up for any lost time looking for her bike.  Several miles out of town, she once more caught a glance of the wrecker in front of her.  She sped up.  So did the wrecker.  She watched as it turned quickly onto a side dirt road.  She followed, eating dust as she stepped harder on the gas, trying to catch the wrecker. 

Nearing a creek, she was in time to see the wrecker cross before the frail bridge under it collapsed.  Fuck!  She watched as the wrecker turned slightly and stopped.  The moon finally crept over the treetop and shone into the wrecker window.  Jay could see a pixie face looking back at her.  She reached out, flipped the transmission into four wheel drive, and drove directly into the creek, never taking her eyes off the wrecker.  She watched as the driver cranked the wrecker and took off again.  Within minutes she was once more behind it, giving chase. 

As she drove closer, she saw the wrecker driven into a shed.  The person leaped out and ran back out through the doors.  As Jay drove closer she could see the person was trying to lock the wrecker inside the building.  She pulled to a stop and raced toward the driver. She slammed the person against the building demanding her bike back.  Once more she pushed her face against the building.  As she pulled her back toward her again, she looked into the bloody face and saw…. Suddenly something heavy slammed into the side of her head. As she feel to the ground she caught one more look and realized it was a woman that had stolen her bike.  It was……MAE.

“Mae….Mae?  God damn it.”  Jay cried out as she awoke from her dream.

“Shuu…it’s all right.”  Mae crooned as she hovered over the sleeping Jay.

“The fuck it is!  I remember what happened.”  Jay said as she pushed Mae back away from herself as she righted the chair to the upright position.  “Why in the hell did you steal my bike?  Who the fuck hit me?”

Evelyn walked in with two cups of coffee just as the last question was asked. 

“I hit you.  I thought you were going to kill Mae.  I hit you with a bat.  I only meant to make you leave her alone, not to knock you out.”

“Christ, what have I walked into.  A looney bin?”  Jay mumbled aloud as she took the offered coffee.

“No.  Not really.  We are just trying to make a living.”  Mae answered for them both.

“How?  Stealing vehicles.” 

“No, not at all.  We needed the money from the repo company so we took on the job to repossess your bike. I have the collection order right here.”

“WHAT!”  Jay grabbed her head as her raised voice caused more pain. “Let me see that.”

Mae handed the papers over to Jay and stepped back.

The document was standard, similar to the hundreds that Jay had seen in her police career.  Turning to the back page, she read the signature of the requestor.  It was Tom Morris. 

“God damn it to hell.”  Jay said as she crumpled the paper in her hand.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you ok?”

Both Mae and Evelyn jumped up moved closer to her chair.

“That fuck…Tom Morris.”  Jay stuttered as she tried to get the words out.

“Sheriff Morris?  Mae queried.

“The bastard bought my loan.  He is trying to claim my bike in any means that he can.  God damn his ass.”  Jay groaned as her headache returned in full force.

“Why would he want to do that?”  Mae asked as she sat back down. 

Evelyn left the den once more and returned with a bottle of aspirin and water.

“Here, take some of these.  It’ll make your head feel better.”  Evelyn felt remorse after seeing how uncomfortable Jay was.

“Thanks.” Jay said as she shook out four aspirin and quickly downed them.

“You asked why?  He has been racing against my bike for the past year.  Not one time has he come close to reaching the finish line before me.”  Jay smiled tightly.  “Morris has offered me three times what my bike is worth.”

“Why didn’t you just sell it to him?”  Mae asked

“I spent way too many hours modifying my bike.  It isn’t a matter of money at this point but what it means to me.  Jay paused and sipped her cooling coffee.  “I’ve made all my payments.  He is trying to steal my bike away.”

Evelyn reached over into a laundry basket next to her feet.  She dug around for a few minutes until she pulled out a sweatshirt and pant.  “Jay, would you like to bath and clean up a little before we try to figure out what to do next?”

“I thought you needed my bike?”

“No.  Well yes but not done illegally.  Mae and I are trying to get enough money together to open a shop in town.  It is just too far to drive out here for most of our customers.”  Suddenly she burst into tears and ran out of the room

“Did I say something?”  Jay turned toward Mae with a perplexed look on her face.

“Not really but that paper you held in your hand did upset her.  Tom Morris has been chasing her for months now.  He locks her up when ever he can.  He’s been trying to get her to marry him. She’s just disappointed that it looks like he is the crook.”

“Come on upstairs and I’ll help you get ready for your shower if you want me to.”  Mae stood and waited to see what Jay wanted.

“That sounds good.  I feel really grungy right now.”  Jay stood, feeling much better than she had when she awakened early that morning.

Mae walked Jay to the bathroom and entered.  “Would you like me to help you undress?”

“Humm… if you can help me get my shoes, socks and pants off I think I can handle the rest of it.”  Jay blushingly answered.

“Sure.  I can do that.  Sit down on the commode seat and I’ll take your boots off first.”

Jay sat down and waited as Mae knelt at her feet and unlaced her boots.  With quick efficient moves, Mae slid Jay’s boots from her feet and quickly pulled off her socks.

Meanwhile, Jay reached up and unwrapped her dressing.  She intended to wash the dried blood and trash out of her hair while she was in the shower.  First she’d check her wound to make sure that the water would not cause any more damage.

“Can you stand and I’ll slip your jeans off?” Mae asked still on her knees. 

Jay stood and found that she had to reach out and rest her hand on Mae’s head to keep her balance.  Mae looked up and smiled.  Jay grinned back as the raccoon eyes gleamed back at her.  Mae reached up and unfastened the button of Jay’s jeans.  With slow movements she slid them down her legs.  She watched as more skin was revealed to her eyes.  She could see Jay’s strong well defined thighs as they appeared before her eyes.  Her fingers brushed against the warm skin as she pulled them lower.  She didn’t dare turn her eyes back up because Jay’s crotch would be right in front of her eyes and she knew she might do something really stupid if she liked what she saw. 

Yet, Mae couldn’t stop her eyes from moving back up to look directly in front of her.  She saw the snug black jockeys covering Jay’s mound before Jay sat back down on the commode. 

“Ahem.   Do you want to slip my jeans over my feet for me?”  Jay asked as she interrupted the stare to her crotch.

Mae looked back down, finished removing Jay’s jeans, and tossed them into the corner of the room.  She knew Evelyn would come and get them after Jay was done bathing.  She put out her hand and grabbed the edge of the tub as she rose from her knees to stand once more in the doorway.

Jay stood and turned toward the mirror.  She looked into the mirror and saw red.

“WHAT THE BLAZES HAVE YOU DONE TO MY HAIR?”  She yelled as she lifted her hands to both sides of her scalp.  Her long blonde hair had been clipped on each side of head.  Now she looked like she had a mullet haircut with a longer style on the top of her head. 

“You were bleeding pretty badly.  We…no I decided to shave the side with the cut to see if we could stop the bleeding.  Evelyn told me I couldn’t leave it uneven like that so we trimmed the other side to match.  Sorry but there wasn’t anything else we could do under the circumstances.”

“You two are frigging nuts…god damn nuts.  How in the hell did I get mixed up with these two.”  Jay looked up in the sky asking for answers that were not forthcoming.

“It won’t look too bad.  After you bathe, we can trim it on top and it’ll be just like a finished cut from town.  Evelyn knows how to cut hair as well as working on cars.  She does both equally well.”

“God, let’s hope so.”

“Do you need any more help to undress?”  Mae asked as she turned and laid two towels on the commode.

“NO!  I think you and Evelyn have done enough for me.  I’ll be out as soon as I bathe.”

“All right.  I’ll be just down the hall if you need me.”  Mae left the room, pulling the door behind her.

Thirty minutes later, Jay walked out of the bathroom dressed in sweats that were two sizes to large and high jacking up her shins.  She wasn’t complaining.  At least she was clean and dry.  Moving slowly, she walked down the hall to see if she could find Mae.  She peeked into the first room and realized that must belong to the elusive “Pop”.  She could see the unmade bed, the khaki slacks thrown across the foot of the bed, the flannel shirt on the floor, and well worn boots next to the dresser.  She stepped back and closed the door.

Walking further down the hall, she could hear soft snoring coming from the last room.  As she entered the room, she could see that Mae had lain across the bed while she was waiting for Jay to finish.  She had fallen asleep.  Her shirt had hiked up and her soft pink abdomen was showing.  It moved softly up and down as she breathed.  Jay walked closer to the bed.  She reached out to feel the softness of the skin beneath her fingers.  With light stokes she touched Mae’s stomach. 

Mae’s stomach rippled from the pleasurable feelings of strong fingers running across her sensitive skin.  The feeling caused Mae to open her eyes.  She looked directly into Jay’s face.  She lay still, waiting to see what was going to happen. 

Jay moved her hand back as if afraid to continue. She looked at Mae’s face and saw the coal black eyes staring back at her.  She smiled but didn’t say a word.

“Do you feel better now?” the sleep laden voice asked as Mae sat up on the bed.

“Much better," Jay answered in a raspy passion filled voice.

“Hey you two.  Is everything ok?” Evelyn yelled up the stairs.

“Just fine.” They answered in unison as Mae climbed off the bed.

“Come on.  Let’s go back down and maybe between the three of us, we can decide what we need to do.”  Mae said as once more she lead Jay out of the room and back downstairs.

********

Evelyn circled the chair as she snipped the top of Jay’s hair.  She was carefully not to pull the hair and cause any more discomfort.  In a very short time, Jay looked more human.  The top of her head now matched the sides, leaving a long layer of hair hanging from the back.  It didn’t distract from her strong looks but rather drew attention to her strong angular face and her expressive eyes.  Mae couldn’t do anything but stare as she twirled her spoon around and around in her cup of coffee until it was too cool to even drink.

“Tell me again what you did while I was bathing,” Jay asked as she waited for Evelyn to finish.

Evelyn began talking. “I called Uncle Cliff to do a little investigating for us on the papers Morris gave me.”

Cliff Jones, the criminal lawyer.  “He’s your uncle?”

“Yes and so is Judge Jones.”  Mae answered for Evelyn.

“Is there anyone you are not related too?”  Jay asked in amazement.

“Not too many considering our family has lived here since God created the earth.”  Evelyn responded.  “Uncle Cliff said that he has been waiting for months on some kind of proof that Morris was using his position for his own personal gain.  This is the proof he needed.  He is checking out your financial information to be sure that what you claim to have paid is valid and recorded at the bank.  If it is still recorded then he has him cold.”

“I hate to get you two mixed into this ugly business.”  Jay began.

“No, please don’t say that.  You got hurt because of wrongful information.  I could have killed you even.”  Evelyn said as tears began to well up again.

“I don’t hold either of you to blame.”  Turning to Mae she looked at her face again, saw the bruised nose, and blackened eyes.  “It is I who should be asking for you to accept my apology.”

“Let’s forget it.  It is one huge mistake.  I’ll take your bike back to the house as soon as the county puts in a bridge in for us.  I refuse to let Pop put up another damn set of beams to have to cross.” Mae answered indignantly.

“May I ask you ladies something personal?”  Jay began nervously.

“Sure, as long as we have the right not to answer if we don’t like the question.”  Mae answered.

“Deal.  How short are you both in reaching your goal to open the shop in town?”

Mae looked at Evelyn and nodded.  “We need about five grand more and the building is ours.  Most of the tools we can bring with us as they are ours and not Pop’s.  He only tinkers when he wants too but we do the majority of the work.  Why?”

“I have been trying to find someone to open a customization shop with but there is no one with the skill that can handle it.  I never thought of you guys until now since I knew you had a shop already.”  Jay paused as she looked at the two eager faces.  “Would you be willing to take on a third partner?” 

Mae and Evelyn looked at one another in amazement.  They couldn’t believe their luck.  Here they were, stealing…no repossessing, from the very woman who was willing to help them open the dream of their lives.

Evelyn jumped up and ran around the table.  She reached out and hugged Jay tightly.

“Oh my God.  You don’t know what this means to us.” 

Jay smiled but didn’t speak as Mae walked toward her.  Mae stepped right between Jay’s spread legs and leaned down.  Looking her right in the eyes, she said, “Yes, we’ll take you up on your offer.  Thank you so much.”  She leaned closer and sealed the deal with a soft kiss against Jay’s still closed mouth.  She could feel the warmth of her lips, the firmness, yet smooth texture as she kissed her. 

Mae felt when Jay’s hands moved to her hips and pulled her closer.  Jay opened her mouth and accepted the kiss.  In fact, she returned the kiss and nearly caused Mae to swoon.  The rush of sexual excitement roared through Mae’s body as she felt Jay’s inquisitive tongue touching her lips.  She drew back and took a deep breath.

Jay slowly pulled her hands back, letting them slide from Mae’s waist until she was no longer touching her.  Mae moved back and stood next to Evelyn.

“We don’t know how to say thank you.  I promise, we’ll work hard and you won’t have to worry about us not giving it everything we have.”

“I know. In the short time that I have known you, you have reached out and accepted me faster than anyone has in town over the last five years I have lived here.  This will also allow me to leave the force and join you full time.  I’ll work on bikes while you two work on the cars.”

“It’s a deal.”

Jay stood and looked around.  She saw her keys and wallet lying on the kitchen table.  Walking over she picked them up while she turned back toward the sisters.

“I need to head home now.  I left a very angry dog home last night.  He must be wondering where I am.” 

“I promise I’ll have your bike back as soon as I can.”  Mae stated as she walked out of the house with Jay.

“I know you will.  There is no rush.  I still have my truck, mud and all.”  She grinned at Mae.

“True…true.”

Mae walked with Jay to her truck.  She stepped back as the truck roared to life.

“I’ll see you later, ladies,” Jay called out as she put the truck in reverse.  “Oh yes, I’ll see you later, Mae.”  Jay said as she watched in the rear view mirror until she could no longer see the women.

“Kind of like her, don’t ya sis?” Evelyn punched Mae on the arm as they walked toward the shop.

“Yeah, guess I do.”  Mae answered finally.  “I think we’ll find we have a lot more in common than work once we are around each other.”

“Oh I am sure of it after watching the sparks fly with that one simple kiss.”

“You can kiss my ass,” Mae grumbled as she pinched Evelyn on the ass.

Just as they began to enter the shop, they heard several loud honks coming from the edge of the creek.

“Pop’s home.” They said in unison as they climbed into the wrecker to drive to their side of the creek to listen to Pop complain about not being able to come back home.  That would give him more incentive to have the county put in the bridge.  Mae knew that Pop was not going to be happy over their plans but with him on one side of the creek with Mae and Evelyn on the other side, he would have plenty of time to become used to the idea.

“You know Mae.?”  Evelyn asked.

“No what?”

“I am no longer in the repo business.”

“Me neither.”

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