"Come on Dad!!" came his daughter's voice, from the driveway. She was already in the SUV waiting to go.
Normally at 8am in the morning on a Summer vacation from college, Sally was still a bear, but this morning was different. This morning they were going on the adventure they'd been getting ready for, for 6 months! This weekend was race weekend!
The big family fun run on Saturday followed by the main event 10 mile race around The Horn on Sunday.
Mike and his daughter Sally have been prepping for this race for at least 6 months.
Sally was 19 and didn't have much time for her parents anymore, but getting ready for this race together had been a great way for them to bond as father and daughter.
Sally had all the bags packed, including the extra water, oranges and bananas, and was getting more and more impatient with waiting,
"One second Sal! Just need to check a few more things, and I'll be right out." he yelled out to her. Mike had to admit that her excitement was contagious and he was starting to feel the rush you can only feel when you're at the start/finish line waiting for the gun to go off. This was going to be fun!
The plan was simple. Just a 4 hour drive down to the Passage, where they would register for the race, tour the race route, check into their hotel and settle in for an early night before the fun run tomorrow. Knowing that his daughter valued her privacy, he had reserved a 2 room suite, so they could each have their own space. She didn't know that yet, and he smiled to himself as he thought expectantly of her surely surprised reaction!
After making sure everything was set for the house while they were away, he shut the door to their home, and locked it. As he keyed the deadbolt across, the phone started to ring inside.
Thinking it might have been his wife, who was currently travelling the world finding herself again, Mike unlocked the door and ran to catch the phone on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Hi Mike, it's me Jillian!" came a loud and frantic voice over the phone.
Jillian was a neighbour from a few streets down, whose son Eddy is the same age as Sally and they went to school together growing up. Her husband had been transferred for work long term and isn't around much anymore. Mike and Jillian knew each other, because their kids were friends, and Mike had gone down to help her with some odd jobs around the house, but for the most part, they remained at a distance.
"Hi Jillian, how's it going today?" Mike replied.
"Terrible!!" she replied, obviously done with any pleasantries. "Eddy and I are supposed to go away this weekend, and my stupid car won't start!! Are you busy right now?? Maybe you could come take a look at it?"
Mike had to admit to himself that he didn't really know much about cars, or how to troubleshoot a car that wouldn't start, but sensing her desperation he thought that if he couldn't help get her car started, he could at least go try and calm her down a bit, and make some calls.
"Uh. Sure Jillian. I guess I'm not too busy. Sally and I are heading away for the weekend, ourselves, but I suppose I could stop by on the way out of town and see what I can do."
"Oh, thank you SO much, Mike!" She bubbled through the phone. "I really hope that we can get on the road soon!"
"Ha Ha, easy Jillian! I make no promises, but I'll be there in about 10 minutes to take a look."
"Just the fact that you're coming, is a relief. Thanks Mike. Come when you can. I'll be in the yard."
He hung up the phone and as he started out the door again, heard the horn honking. He laughed to himself. Sally was definitely ready to go! 'She's not going to like this new detour either,' Mike thought to himself. 'But it won't be long and we'll be on the road in no time!'
They pulled out the yard and started down the road
"Almost ready, sweetie! We just need to go over to Jillian and Eddy's quickly to check on their car, and then we're gone!"
"OK, but PLEASE make it quick Dad!"Sally replied
As they pulled around the corner, to Jillian's house, he could see her out in the driveway, as promised, leaned over, looking into the hood of her car.
Mike couldn't help but check her out as they pulled in behind her.
Jillian is a slight woman, standing about 5'1 with proportional features and shoulder length brown hair. She had a smile that can light up a room, but from this vantage point, he wasn't checking out her smile!
She was obviously planning a long drive that day as well because she had yoga pants on, which, clinging tightly to her subtle curves, accentuated her tiny toned ass, and served as a very nice "welcome to my driveway," visual for Mike.
'Hmm...' Mike thought to himself briefly.
"Well, well, well. What'd you do this time Jillian?!" he asked her jokingly as he strode up next to her under the hood.
"Ha Ha...Funny Guy aren't you!" she snapped back sarcastically "I have no idea what is wrong, and to be honest, I'm just standing here because Eddy's in a mood and I can't be in the same room as him right now." she continued, softening her tone a little bit, and a little surprised at how easily it was to confide that last personal struggle with him.
"Well, we've all been there, haven't we!?" he said, making a pointing motion back to his daughter who was now engrossed in her iPod in the front seat.
"I know eh! A trip we go on annually and love doing together and just this morning, he decides he doesn't want to go! What the Hell, eh?" she replied with that same frantic desperation from when on the phone, but also with a touch of sadness.
Not wanting to get in the middle of the mother son spat that was surely forming, Mike tried to make light of it, saying "Well let me get a look at the car here, and we'll see if Eddy will get his wish or not!"
This brought an involuntary smile to Jillian's face, which Mike caught briefly, temporarily melting him, but he recovered quickly and turned back to the car.
Mike took some time and went through some standard checks; attempting to roll over the engine, he checked for oil leaks, gas and fluid levels, hose tightness, etc. Anything glaring that might have been a cause of the car not starting.
Not wanting to go back into the house just yet and feeling grateful that Mike came so quickly to help her, Jillian stood there keeping him company as he worked away.
As she stood there watching Mike work, she couldn't help but take him in a bit. Mike was a handsome man, about 6'0 with broad shoulders, trim athletic features and the kindest eyes Jillian had ever seen. But in his current position, bent under the hood of the car, she was not looking at his eyes!
As he reached under the hood, Jillian was treated to a view of his toned body as his triceps tightened and back muscles pushed through his running shirt.
Her eyes drifted to his ass, which was covered loosely by his shorts, but given his muscular legs, she used her imagination and liked what it gave her.
'Hmm...it's been too long!' was her fleeting thought.
As they stood there, Eddy came out of the house, and went to go to talk to Sally, as if he wasn't upset at all! They were good friends, and he liked Sally, so all was forgotten for a little bit.
After searching and finding nothing glaring wrong with the car, Mike resigned himself to that fact and said "Well Jillian, I'm afraid I don't know that I can help you with your car...Do you want me to call a mechanic for you, so they can run some better diagnostics?"
"I wish you could." she said sadly "I've already made some calls and everyone is either booked up or closed leading into the weekend." She started towards the back of the car calling out to her son "Come on Eddy, let's unpack the car. Looks like this weekend will be a staycation for us!"
Mike couldn't help but feel sorry for Jillian and what she must be feeling... "Here, let me at least help you get your things back into the house. I'm really sorry Jillian."
"Thanks Mike, I really appreciate your help today. It means a lot! I guess we just weren't meant to go this weekend." She gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, but quickly recoiled, unsure of where that came from.
Their eyes met for what felt like a long time until they were snapped out of the thought by Eddy sneezing. Mike sheepishly grinned at her, and Jillian replied with a soft knowing smile too, and popped the trunk.
Among the luggage, Mike grabbed hold of a tote full of water, apples, oranges, bananas and a pair of running shoes tied to the side.
Thinking this piece of luggage was very similar to a piece of luggage in his own vehicle, he asks:
"Hey Jillian...Where were you guys going to go this weekend anyway??"
"What? Oh, we were heading down through the Passage for the weekend. There's a race down there that we've gone to for the last few years. We love the Fun run, but this year I was really hoping to run a personal best in the main event."
"Jillian, are you kidding me!?" Mike said with surprise and a hint of excitement in his voice. "That's where Sally and I are going!! It's our first time going and we are literally heading there right after I pull out of your yard!"
"Oh really?! Ha! What are the odds eh?!" she replied, adding "I wondered why I'd seen you guys out running lately. I hope you guys have a great time! You never forget your first run around the Horn!"
Without thinking another second about it, and somewhat intrigued by the eye contact they had just recently shared, Mike offered "This may sound a little crazy, but, would you guys like a drive down to the race? There's room in the truck here for two more and some luggage if you're interested!"
"Do you mean that Mike?! Wow that's really nice of you!!" She replied with excitement and a new-found hope for her weekend.
"Let me talk to Eddy first! Last we talked he still didn't want to go, but seeing him and Sally get on the way they do, maybe he'll change his mind!"
Jillian headed off to talk to Eddy, who had already taken an armload of stuff into the house.
At the same time, Mike walked over to the opened window of Sally's door and says "So Sal, what would you think of giving Jillian and Eddy a lift down to the Passage with us?? Turns out they are running in the race too!"
Sally looked to him with a hidden excitement at the thought of riding with Eddy for 4 hours and composed herself saying "That'd be cool. What are the odds we're going to the same place, eh?"
