The Rain Began to Fall

by A. K. Hartline

  He slowed to a stop at a traffic light on east Elm Street. He listened to the smooth idle of his engine, and it sounded good. As he had left work today, Wade had caught up with him.

  “Hey dude, I’m ready to run!” he’d exclaimed, smirking. “It’s time to find out whose king of the road!”

  “I’m ready anytime you are.”

  “How about next Friday?”

  “Fine with me,” Kyle responded with a smirk of his own. “I can beat you any day of the week.” He didn’t care for Wade in the least, and the feeling was mutual.

  “In your dreams, dude,” Wade replied. “You’re in for a big surprise!”

  “I doubt it,” Kyle responded coolly, “but we’ll see, won’t we?”

  Kyle now turned up the stereo in his car as Freddy Mercury proclaimed . . . another one bites the dust. . . From me to you, Wade ole boy, he thought. His Nova was in great running shape, and he gunned the engine, barking the tires as he turned into the parking lot of the Seven Eleven store. He pushed the door open and walked in, and behind the counter Lisa looked as inviting as ever in a tight, low- cut green sweater that showed off her ample chest. Her long, red hair was full and flaming, and she lit up like a Christmas tree when he entered the store.

  “Hi!” she exclaimed, flashing a broad smile. Kyle had never heard a girl who could say “Your place or mine”, “Anytime, anywhere”, or “Take me I’m yours”, by simply saying “hi”, but here she was. As he walked down one of the aisles to the back of the store, Lisa, as always, lustfully eyed his denim clad rear. He came up to the counter with his drink and sat it on the counter.

  “How’s it going?” she asked.

  “Good, how about yourself?” he responded.

  “Better now,” she replied suggestively. “Have you raced that hot-rod of yours anymore lately?”

  “Nah, but it looks like Wade Singleton and I will get it on next Friday.”

  “Ooh!” she exclaimed. “He’s got the green car, doesn’t he? He comes by here sometimes.”

  “Yeah,” he responded, “that’s him.”

  “I’d love to go,” she said. Her eyes narrowed and she smiled invitingly. He removed his wallet to pay for the drink, realizing she would go on and on if he allowed it, but he had to get going. Rob was coming in this evening, and he needed to finish the novel.

  “Maybe I could get off work that night!” she exclaimed. He looked at her and smiled, but didn’t respond, so she sighed and rang up his purchase. He said bye and headed for the door.

  “I think you can beat him, Kyle!” she hollered out behind him. He turned around and looked at her.

  “Yeah?” he answered. “Me too.”

  # # #

  Later, at his apartment, Kyle leaned back in the chair and rubbed his tired eyes. He was almost done with the novel, having only a page or two to go.

  He expected Rob to arrive any time now. He would be staying with him tonight, and in the morning, after Rob paid his deposit and did the necessary paperwork, they would be moving his things into an apartment at the end of the complex. He would be interviewed at Falstead on Monday.

  He finally typed “The End” and the novel was done. He stared at the screen for a moment, then stood and stretched. It was always a great feeling to finish, but his level of excitement about this particular story was higher than any before, despite the devastating rejection of his last submission. Surely I’ll get a bite on this one, he thought, but then laughed at his optimism. Hadn’t he been here before? As he pondered this, he heard a familiar loud rumble outside. He hit the print key, then went to the front door and opened it. Rob was just climbing out of his bright red Chevelle.

  “Hey, is there a guy that drives a wimpy, four cylinder Nova living around here?” Rob hollered. Kyle laughed.

  “Yeah, there is!” he responded. “But it’s the craziest thing man! That four cylinder will bark the tires at forty!”

  Rob laughed and walked up to Kyle, holding out his hand, but Kyle ignored it and hugged him enthusiastically. He then released him and clapped him on the shoulder.

  “It’s great to see you, man!” Kyle exclaimed.

  “You too!” Rob responded.

  “So how was the drive up?”

  “Smooth rolling. The U-Haul slowed me down, of course.”

  “I know that killed you,” Kyle replied, grinning. “So what have you got in there to move in?”

  “Just the simple bare necessities.”

  “Well, come on in and see my palace,” Kyle offered, motioning him toward the door.

  Rob Fenton was a handsome guy, a bit lankier built than Kyle, with brown hair and blue eyes. He and Kyle had been best friends since elementary school, and they had been through the coming of age mill together; their teens, girls, and dreams. Rob was unassuming and affable, but also sneaky smart and he oozed a quiet confidence. Rob removed his jacket and laid it across the back of a chair at the table.

  “This is alright,” he said, looking around.

  “Oh yeah,” Kyle replied, “and the rent’s reasonable. Have a seat buddy.” He waved him toward the couch. “You want a beer?”

  “What do you think?” Rob retorted. Kyle chuckled while taking two bottles of Rolling Rock from the fridge and popping the tops. He tossed the caps into the garbage can in the kitchen, and handed one to Rob as he took a seat beside him on the couch.

  “Thanks, man,” Rob said. Kyle raised his bottle.

  “To our new adventure in Charlotte!” he toasted.

  “Here, here!” Rob exclaimed, tapping. They both took a big, long swig. Rob heard the printer, and saw it spitting out paper.

  “Have you been working on another one?”

  “Yeah, I just finished before you pulled up,” he replied.

  “So, is it a best seller?” Rob asked. Kyle laughed.

  “But of course!” he replied. “Haven’t they all been?”

  “Hey, it’ll happen,” he said reassuringly, slapping Kyle’s shoulder. “I don’t think any you’ve pitched to so far have really looked at your stuff. But someone will, sooner or later, and you’ll make it. Count on it.” Rob took another deep pull off his beer.

  “Thanks, man,” he replied, “I can always count on you for a vote of confidence.” He stood and stretched, and Rob got up as well.

  He went to the printer and removed a stack of papers, checking the print.

  “I’ve got to get this in the mail first thing tomorrow,” he said. “I’ll get it done early, and we’ll get you moved in.”

  “It’s no big deal,” Rob replied. “I don’t have much life to move at this point, you know?” He clapped his hands together. “Man, I feel free as a bird!”

  “I tell you, I never saw you and Carla’s split coming.”

  “Well, it’s not that it was that bad. It just wasn’t....there, you know?”

  “Then you made the right decision,” Kyle affirmed. “No sense wasting time on a relationship you have even a shred of doubt about.”

  “Exactly,” he agreed. “So what’s the chick situation like around here my man?”

  “Plenty of them,” Kyle said, smiling and punching him lightly on the shoulder. “You’ve got your pick, stud.” Rob laughed and punched him back.

  “Sounds good,” he said. “And when’s that big race?”

  “Next Friday night,” he answered.

  “He’s got the Impala, right?”

  “Yeah, Super Sport,” Kyle answered.

  “You can take him,” Rob said confidently. “And if for some ridiculous reason you lose, he’ll have to face me.” He slapped Kyle on the back, and they both laughed.

  They turned in around midnight, and Kyle insisted that Rob take the bed after his long drive, above his protests. They fell off to sleep, with a full day ahead of them tomorrow.

  CHAPTER 16

  Kyle arose at 8:00 am on Saturday morning, took a shower, then prepared and ate a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Peanut butter was an integral part of his culinary lif
e. He drove to the post office and got in line behind half of the population of Charlotte, clutching the hefty manuscript to his chest; it would be a little over eight hundred pages in book form, by far the lengthiest novel he had written. He had included in the manila envelope a letter to his agent, informing him this would be his last submission. Not that he expected any leverage out of such a declaration. He simply wasn’t getting anywhere fast with Gary, and if he couldn’t get this one off the ground, he would find another agent or go back on his own.

  As he stood in line he thought of Leigh, wondering if he was making an appearance in her heart and mind as often as she did in his. He knew the wheels were turning, picking up speed every day toward her wedding, while he was playing it cool, rolling the dice. Kyle still felt it was a safe bet. He knew that he loved her, and he was sure she loved him as well. She was just blindly going through the motions, following a path that had been laid long ago. But what if he was wrong? What if she wasn’t that emotionally tied to him, and was able to bury her feelings and go through with it? He shook his head against the negative thoughts. He simply had to trust his instinct.

  It was 11:30 am when he arrived at home, where he found Rob in the process of moving the last of his belongings into his apartment. He peeked into the U Haul and saw it was empty, save for the mattress and bed set.

  “Well, I almost stayed gone long enough! Man you blew through this!”

  “Wasn’t that much,” Rob replied. “If you can give me a hand with the bed, that’s it.”

  Kyle fell in with him, and soon, Rob was sufficiently moved in. They plopped down on the sofa.

  “Did you get the manuscript mailed off?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” he answered, “fingers crossed.”

  “If you can run me a copy, I’d like to read it.”

  “No problem,” he replied, “I’ll get that started now. Come on.” They walked down to Kyle’s apartment. He accessed the word file on his computer and started printing.

  “So, are you ready to show me the sights in this town?” Rob asked.

  “Sure thing,” Kyle responded. “Let’s go. I thought I’d take you to Summerville road and show you where the races happen.”

  “Sounds good,” Rob said. “Let’s take my car. Maybe we’ll run into your friend Wade, and we can give him something else to worry about.”

  Soon they were cruising along to their destination. The day was overcast, the temperature a mild sixty eight degrees. Kyle directed him to Summerville road, and when they arrived, Rob idled to a stop on the black top.

  “So this is where it happens, huh?”

  “Yep,” Kyle responded. Rob floored it, burning rubber, and they sped down the stretch.

  “Wow!” Kyle hollered. “She rocks! What did you do?”

  “I replaced the exhaust manifold with a tuned header,” he answered, smiling.

  “Come again?”

  “A tuned header in place of the exhaust manifold,” he repeated. “It increases the air flow, which in turn increases the horsepower.”

  “Where did you learn that?”

  “Here and there. It’s roughly a ten percent gain.”

  “It really works, man,” Kyle exclaimed. “You’re a genius!”

  “Nope. Just a researcher.”

  “Alright, listen Einstein, I’ve got to do that,” Kyle said emphatically. “You think we can modify the Nova by next Friday?”

  “Mm...I don’t know,” Rob pondered. “Depends on the availability of the parts. But yeah, I think so. We’ll make it happen.”

  “Perfect,” Kyle responded.

  After turning around with a sliding squeal, Rob punched it again back down the stretch.

  “Let’s head to the mall, whattaya say?” Kyle suggested. On the way, he waved Rob over at the Seven Eleven.

  “Wait till you see the chick that works here.”

  “Babe, huh?” He screeched to a stop in front of the store.

  “Oh yeah.”

  They entered, and Lisa was all smiles when she saw them.

  “Hey Kyle!” she exclaimed, literally bouncing up off her feet.

  “Hey Lisa.”

  “You weren’t kidding, buddy,” Rob whispered as they walked to the back. They came up to the counter and plopped down their sodas and Slim Jims.

  “So who’s your friend, Kyle?” she asked.

  “This is Rob Fenton,” he introduced.

  “Hi Rob,” she said. “I’m Lisa.”

  “Hello there,” Rob replied, smiling.

  “So where are you guys heading?”

  “To the mall,” Kyle responded.

  “I wish I could go,” she said with a pout. Her full lips looked good doing it too. “Kidnap me, please?”

  “Get the rope, Rob.”

  “I’m on it,” he said. “Seriously.”

  “I wish!” she exclaimed, then pointed at the merchandise. “This together?”

  “Yeah,” Kyle said, pulling his wallet.

  “No, man, I’ve got it,” Rob protested.

  “Forget it. On me,” Kyle said, waving him off.

  “Good friend, huh?” Lisa surmised.

  “The best,” Rob responded, clapping him on the shoulder.

  “It’s just sodas and Slim Jims,” Kyle said, rolling his eyes.

  “Hey, Kyle, are you ready to race Wade next Friday night?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “Ooh, I hope I can make it!” she exclaimed, bagging the items and handing it over. He smiled and pointed his finger at her.

  “See ya’.”

  “Bye Kyle! Good to meet you Rob!”

  “Same here,” he responded.

  As they walked toward the car, Kyle dug in the bag and handed Rob his drink and snack.

  “Boy, she looks like fun!” Rob exclaimed.

  “Yeah… for one night,” Kyle replied, and they both laughed.

  The mall parking lot was packed, as usual on Saturdays, but after a bit of cruising, they found a spot. As they entered, a couple of good looking girls walked by wearing tight shorts and tee shirts.

  “See what I mean?” Kyle remarked.

  They walked casually through the mall, checking out the crowd and shops on the bottom floor, and then took the elevator to the top. Stopping at a water fountain, they sat on the stone wall that surrounded it. Kyle glanced around at some of the shops and saw a place named “Heavenly Chocolates”, where an incredibly obese woman was making an ill advised purchase. Next to it was a men’s shoe store, and “Bride’s Bouquet” . . . wait a minute. His eyes tracked back and landed on two females coming out of that particular shop, one of them very familiar. Could it be?

  He walked forward a few steps for a better view and saw clearly that it was Leigh, and she was with some female, a very attractive brunette. After studying her companion for a moment, he remembered her from his first day at Falstead. They were standing and talking near the entrance to the bridal store, where they had obviously been shopping for Leigh’s wedding dress. Her friend was gesturing excitedly, and Leigh was responding, equally animated and smiling. She looked happy; too happy. The sum of the scene before him, in that instant, spoke volumes to Kyle: wedding dress; laughing; care free; full steam ahead to a June wedding, featuring Leigh Thompson and Gene Sykes. All aboard! Alarm bells clanged loudly in his mind, and he was certain she had done exactly what he’d feared; she had buried her feelings for him and was moving on. But she’s just putting on for her friend, a clinical voice spoke in his mind. It’s a show. No need to get excited. Don’t blow it. But he knew it was no show. It had been a foolish mistake not to pursue her, to not kiss her; to leave his chances to what little foundation he had laid in her life. This time, a voice spoke with finality from his heart: You’re too late....she’s gone. He had no choice; he had to act.

  He walked quickly back over to Rob.

  “Hey, come on,” he said, tapping him on the shoulder. Kyle started in the direction of Leigh and Mindy, but Rob was busy eyeing a gi
rl across the way.

  “Hold on just a sec,” he replied, not moving or taking his eyes off the girl whose attention he had captured. Kyle turned around and grabbed Rob’s arm.

  “What?” he responded.

  “Come on!” he said forcefully. “Trust me, there’s a couple of girls over there we need to talk to.” Rob looked in the direction he was pointing and saw the two beauties - even better.

  “Hey, I’m game.”

  Leigh and Mindy had gone out to try it again this Saturday, and with her renewed commitment to her engagement, she was able to make her choice.

  “Well, you finally got that out of the way,” Mindy said, rolling her eyes and smiling.

  “These things take time,” Leigh responded. Then, after a moment’s hesitation: “Do you think I picked the right one?”

  “Yes! Yes! Forget about it!”

  Leigh seemed her old, upbeat self today, and there was no evidence of the gloom and hesitation she had exhibited last time. Her parting mention of Kyle’s name that Saturday, in connection with the drag racing incident, had led Mindy to believe he was somehow a factor in her recent disposition. She had brought him up the following Monday, attempting to revisit the conversation and gain further information, but Leigh had shrugged it off and changed the subject quickly. Mindy didn’t buy it, but she had seemed perkier and happier since, and today she had talked about her wedding in glowing terms. Oh well, so much for that, she thought.

  “Hi, Leigh,” a voice spoke behind them. Leigh froze, recognizing the voice as soon as she heard it. Mindy turned around first and recognized him immediately. Well think of the devil!

  “Hello, Kyle,” Leigh responded, turning and facing him with a half smile. She looked into his eyes only for a moment, and then glanced down and aside. I can’t believe this, she thought.