THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ALL CHARACTERS ARE LIKEWISE FICTITIOUS, AND OVER THE AGE OF 18. ALL SEXUAL ACTS ARE CONSENSUAL.
ROADSIDE RESCUE
The rain is relentless, my tow truck slogging through a veritable sea of brakelights, holiday traffic backed up until maybe the end of time. It's taken me the better part of an hour to reach you, but there, ahead, your blinkers in the emergency lane. I pull in front of your stranded hybrid, tug on my slicker, and exit the truck, into the cold downpour.
"Took you long enough," is your cheery greeting through the window you've just lowered. For some reason you are soaked, your hair - brown, auburn? - in clumped strands about your neck and shoulders.
"Traffic doesn't part for tow trucks," I murmur.
"What?"
"Never mind. Right front, correct?"
"Yes."
"Spare?"
"No."
"Why are you soaked?" I ask.
"I got out to see if I had a spare."
"I'll apply a patch if I can, otherwise I'll have to tow you somewhere." You raise your window by way of reply.
It's immediately obvious the aerosol patch is not going to inflate the tire. I run my flashlight over as much as I can see, though the location of the puncture is not visible. A tow is inevitable. I suspect this news will not thrill you.
"You can't fix it? You're sure? Fuck."
"I'm sorry."
"So now what?"
"I tow you wherever you want to take the car. Mechanic's, your home, wherever you say."
You swear again. "So much for my party."
"Have you got a raincoat in there?"
"Just a shawl."
"Let me get your side of the seat ready and we'll make a dash for it."
"Fuck." You look up at me. "Guess I said that already."
"Give me a minute."
From behind the console seat of the truck I pull a folded wool army blanket and try to arrange it on the seat. Hopefully it will help keep you warm.
You lower your window again as I approach. "There's a blanket in the seat," I say, trying to keep runoff from my slicker from dripping on you. "I'll help you onto the running board and then the seat."
You watch me as your window slides up, obscuring you. Then you open your door and scoot out, quickly becoming drenched. "Fuck," you half-shout. I grab your hand and lead you toward the truck. "I'm in heels, not so fast!" More than a half-shout.
I help you onto the running board and then into the seat. Your black sequined party dress clings to you and as you climb in, the pale white of your upper thigh and rise of your ass cheek flash. You turn to see if I've caught a glimpse. Did I look away in time? I might be busted. I quickly pull off my poncho and stuff it behind the seat.
I set the signals and raise the front of your car...and...I'm definitely busted, because you sit glaring at me from the far edge of the seat. But you say nothing other than to more or less order me to turn up the heat. I oblige, then slowly ease into this nightmare of traffic.
You're shivering as you drape the blanket over you, teeth chattering. "Does that go any higher?" you ask, jutting your chin at the heater.
"It's on full blast."
"Fuck. I'm freezing. And this thing is too itchy." You yank the blanket off you and stuff it in a pile between us. I tuck it behind your seat, then move over another lane, not that it helps our progress, and listen to your teeth chatter.
"I'm sorry," you say after a while. "I'm usually not this bitchy. Or whiny."
"No worries. This wasn't the evening you had planned."
"No, it certainly fucking wasn't." You look over at me. "I'm not usually this much a potty-mouth either."
"No worries."
"Do you have anything besides that blanket?"