Painted Lines

by Brei Betzold

  “Should we give you some time alone?” Asked Liam.

  “Yes please.” I murmured strapping my helmet back on and taking off, I did not plan to go far, but we needed to reconnect.

  Half an hour later I pulled up in front of the house, I turned her off, letting my fingers slide against her tank as I climbed off and headed in. I went in I found the house in chaos, and smiled—this was home. People I loved everywhere, watching TV, arguing, joking, the only person missing was Cas. I walked up to Simon and held my hands out waiting for my favorite boy, Zadok, Simon and Cam’s two month old son.

  “Can I help you?”

  “Gimme,” I said wiggling my fingers.

  He looked up at me, “You’re going to bug me till I give him up, aren’t you?”

  “Yep, now gimme.”

  He sighed and handed over my godson. I tucked him against my chest and walked to the couch to sit down. He was simply gorgeous, with his café au lait skin, green eyes like his daddy; he was going to be a heartbreaker. I rubbed his back and ignored everyone else, just enjoying the warm bundle that laid against my chest sleeping.

  Cam walked in, looking over at Simon, he pointed at me, and she laughed. Cameron was a gorgeous, sweet girl, and I had yet to understand what she was doing with Simon. But I loved her so he was stuck with her for life.

  “Am I ever getting him back?” She asked.

  “Not sure,” I replied honestly. “I kinda like him.”

  “Yeah, I kinda like him too; unless it’s two a.m. then you’re welcome to him.”

  “Kinda missing what he wants at two a.m.”

  She sighed, “Glad we’re here, I missed you.”

  “Missed you too, Cam,” Then I went back to snuggling with my baby.

  “So is Stella, okay?”

  “Perfect.” I whispered getting comfortable to cuddle for a while.

  I eventually relinquished the baby and went to cook dinner for everyone. Since I hadn’t made Kale his breakfast last night I decided to make it tonight. I went to work on stuffed French toasts and kicked everyone out of my kitchen. I had learned to cook as a way to relax, one of my therapists had suggested it, and it turned out that I loved it. I lived in a house with two men who couldn’t boil water, let alone cook a meal so they were more than happy to be guinea pigs for my creations.

  I was working on slicing strawberries when my phone vibrated in my pocket, I wiped my hands off, and quickly answered, hoping it was Cas.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, baby girl,” Cas said over the static, “how are you?”

  “I’m good, how are you?”

  “I’m good, but worried about you.”

  I scowled at the phone. “Why are you worried about me?”

  “Got an interesting email from Saul.”

  I put the knife I had just picked back up down so I did not stab my grandpa. “What did he have to say?”

  “That he’s there, and you’re having some trouble.”

  “I’m okay, the guys are here.”

  “It’s not the same, Scout,” he growled. “I’ve been told by my superiors that I may be coming home early.”

  “What?”

  “They aren’t sure yet, no promises, k?”

  “K,” I whispered not wanting to believe what he was saying.

  “So what are you doing?”

  “Cooking breakfast.” I answered still thinking of Cas being home sooner than we expected.

  He groaned, “Damn, I look forward to your cooking.”

  “Let me know what you want your first night in.”

  “Okay, let me think on it,” he said. “Hey baby, I got to go, we’ll talk soon, k?”

  “K, love you Cas.”

  “Love you too, Scout, and be careful.” Then he was gone, and I debated between being pissed off at Saul or elated that my brother may come home early.

  Chapter 8

  After breakfast for dinner I took my meds then kicked everyone out of the living room also known as my temporary bedroom. After much bitching, they finally left. I curled up on the couch, running through my design ideas for the pedal car, until sleep finally pulled me under.

  This constant tapping on my forehead woke me. When I opened my eyes a smiling Kale was looking down at me. I stretched out, then punched him hard in the arm, and smiled when he yelled. I didn’t know why they felt the need to wake me up by annoying me, but I was getting tired of it.

  I climbed around him and headed to the bathroom so I could take a shower and get dressed before we had to leave. I was looking forward to getting to work today, and I would be riding Stella. I liked Angel, but Stella was my baby. I turned the shower on as hot as possible and waited for it to warm up.

  After my shower, I quickly got dressed, pulled my hair up, and went in search of coffee. I found Simon and Cam standing in the kitchen cooing over Zadok. I pressed a quick kiss to his head and went to the coffee pot, thankful to find some coffee remaining.

  “So I am running low on some of my meds.” I said turning around nursing my coffee.

  “K, call them in and we will pick them up on the way back here.” Simon said.

  I nodded and went in search of my cell so I could find a pharmacy nearby. After checking all my meds, I found out that I was lower than I realized, this was going to be costly. I sighed, and made the call, cringing with every code I entered into the automated refill service.

  When I was finished I went in search of the guys so we could get out the door. I was ready to forget everything and get engrossed in work. I knew I had everything budgeted, and that I would be okay, but I was still concerned with my dwindling bank account. I was ready to win that $500k and not have to worry about finances all the time. I shook my hands out fighting the anxiety and walked out the door leaving everyone else behind.

  I pulled into the parking lot and noticed the guy from the meeting standing beside the building. I hadn’t noticed much about him the day before, other than he worked for Ace & Lace. Knowing that was enough for me though, I pulled my helmet off and climbed off Stella. I took a deep breath and shook my hands out, I was hoping a ride alone would help, but I could still feel the anxiety creeping in. I was so busy trying to fight off the oncoming attack that I hadn’t noticed he had walked up to me.

  “Hey.” He said. I jumped and spun around, biting off the need to scream from someone sneaking up on me.

  “Hey, you alright? I didn’t mean to spook you.” He said reaching out towards me.

  I backed up, “Don’t touch me,” I whimpered.

  “Okay, okay, I won’t,” he said holding his hands up. “I’m Thayne Scott.”

  “Don’t really care.” I bit out trying to walk around him, but there wasn’t enough space without having touch him.

  “Come on, I just want to find out if there is a way we can work this out, okay? I’m sure that whatever you think Tris did, isn’t that bad, and he’s sorry for it.”

  I just looked at him, like he was crazy. “He’s sorry?” I asked. “Sorry for what exactly?”

  “Uhm, well he won’t tell me.” He said looking away then back at me. “But I mean come on, whatever it was couldn’t have been that bad.”

  “Not that bad?”

  “Come on stop being such a bitch!” He yelled. “There cannot be a good enough reason to for you to do this. I mean, don’t you get it, we need that money or we might lose our shop.”

  “You think I care about that place?” I yelled getting angrier with every word he spoke. “Do you think I give a fuck about him or my father?”

  “You know what, fine just fine, go ahead and ruin our fucking lives so you can get whatever payback you feel you need.” He said then spun away storming back towards the building.

  “Losing their shop won’t be enough payback, nothing will,” I yelled at his back. He flipped me off, slamming the door open, and went in.

  I stood there staring at those doors not quite computing what he said. I was a bitch because I didn’t want that monster arou
nd me. I wasn’t looking for retribution; I just wanted to live my life in peace. I wanted to forget, and nothing would ever let me do that. I sunk to the ground taking deep breaths, I wouldn’t let this set me off—I wouldn’t. I saw boots walking towards me and stopped breathing; I couldn’t deal with another round with him right now.

  “Seraph, honey, you okay?”

  I nodded my head then shook it no. “Don’t know just give me a few.”

  “Okay, Seraph, okay.”

  He sat down beside me taking care not to touch me and waited while I calmed myself down, blanking my thoughts, ignoring the memories that threatened to come. I took a deep breath and shook out my hands, then looked up at Uncle Matt and attempted a smile, not sure if I quite made it.

  “You okay, Seraph?”

  “Yeah, just a minor glitch.”

  “Sure that’s it?”

  “Had a run in with one of his people,” I said quietly, “but I kept it together.”

  “Good for you, Seraph, now tell me which one so I can gut him.”

  I laughed, “That’s okay, Uncle Matt, next time I won’t let him sneak up on me.” I gave him a real smile this time. “Want to come over for dinner tonight? See Zadok and hang out with the enemy camp?”

  He laughed, “Yeah sounds like a good plan to me, Seraph.”

  “Okay, let’s get inside before the guys show up and see us down here and freak.”

  We were walking into the building when my phone rang, I looked down expecting to see a call from one of the guys, not the pharmacy I had ordered from earlier.

  “Yes.”

  “Ms. Harper Lewis?” a female voice asked.

  “That’s me.”

  “Well, ma’am, I am calling you about the prescriptions you had called in earlier.”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Well ma’am, the pharmacist isn’t comfortable filling those prescriptions, since they are out of state.”

  “Hold on, what?” I asked starting to panic.

  “Ma’am, the pharmacist isn’t willing to fill three of the four prescriptions considering what they are, since it’s an out of state doctor.”

  “You’re saying I can’t get my meds?” I asked trying to make sense of what she was telling me.

  “Ma’am, we will fill the birth control prescription.”

  “You mean the one I don’t need?” I snarked.

  “I’m sorry for any difficulty this causes you.” Then she was gone, I leaned against the wall and began banging my head against it. What was I going to do; I had to have my meds.

  “Seraph, you okay?” Uncle Matt asked carefully. I shook my head no, no I was not alright. I was almost out of my BuSpar and Ativan, I only had one more vial of Haldol, not that I took that one often. I knew the horror stories of going cold turkey from one of my meds, but both, no I had to have them.

  “Seraph?”

  “That was the pharmacy, I can’t get my meds.” I whispered.

  “Okay Seraph, calm down, let’s call Simon, okay?”

  I nodded hoping Simon had some ideas on what to do. Who I really needed was Cas—Cas took care of all this. I heard Matt talking on his phone but I ignored him and kept banging my head against the wall. I never thought of there being a problem with my meds being filled here.

  “Seraph, Simon’s here, he will be inside in a moment.”

  I nodded and took a deep breath, this would be okay, we would get everything worked out and I would get my meds. I had called the same chain pharmacy I used back home so they would have all my scripts, and doctor’s information, it would be okay.

  “Scout,” Simon said and I looked up at him, “calm, Scout, calm.” He ran a hand up and down my arm trying to soothe me.

  “I’m okay, just needed a moment,” I said. “So any ideas?”

  “Yeah we’re going to have to call your doctor, and see what he can do.”

  “Okay, that makes sense.”

  “Going to call his office now, okay?”

  “Yeah, but will they talk to you?” I asked concerned since they only ever talked to me or Cas.

  “Yes they will talk to me, I’m on the list.”

  I took a deep cleansing breath and held it for a count of three then released it slowly and nodded, “Everything’s fine, I have three days left of what I have, we will have it worked out before then.”

  “That’s right, Scout, we will,” said Simon. “You okay now?”

  “Yeah, sorry about that, just so much going on lately.” I said looking up at him again. “But I’m fine, just needed a breather.”

  “Okay, I am going to call your doctor, why don’t you guys head in and find out where we need to be and what we need to do.”

  I leaned up as far as I could and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Simon.” I whispered then headed off with Liam and Kale.

  “Sure you’re good, Harper Lee?” asked Liam.

  “Yeah, just talking to Cas last night and all the other crap yesterday has me wound tight.” I would not mention my run in with what’s his name outside, it would only freak them out more.

  “Understandable,” replied Kale, “it’ll all be straightened out.”

  “Yeah,” then I looked up at them and grinned, “Cas may be coming home early.”

  “Really?” asked Liam excitedly.

  I bobbed my head up and down. “Yep, nothing’s certain yet, but he said it’s a possibility.”

  “That’s great, Harper Lee.”

  “I know, right!” I beamed a smile at Liam and went through the doors to the shop and we were directed to where they had the three witches set up to torture us today.

  A few minutes later, Simon joined us. “Okay Scout, talked to the doc’s office, they were worried about something like this happening, so they already contacted another doctor here in town. You have an appointment set up later today. You go in talk to the doctor a few minutes. He already knows your scripts and said he will write them out for this state, and then he will send us on our way.”

  I took a deep breath and nodded, “Okay, sounds like a plan.” Then I got my head in the game for what we had to do today, starting with trying to ignore the stylists.

  Chapter 9

  Eddie Zant walked in front of us and I watched him as everyone quieted down. “Today, you will all be working on tearing down your pedal cars to begin to work, your paint schedules are up. Do not miss your scheduled times, you will not be allowed to make it up. Also the machine shop is now open for you to use, you will find the more common needed tools in your stall, but the specialized equipment is located in there. You have four hours, get started.”

  I watched everyone rush off and open their stalls to get to work. I looked over at the guys and shrugged then made my way to our stall. Everything was just as we had left it the day before and we immediately went to work tearing the car apart. Once the seat was freed, I took it to a corner to begin stripping the worn vinyl off, then the batting, and looked over the base of the seat. It looked good, a little wear, but nothing that needed to be fixed, and I wouldn’t have to make a new one, which made me happy.

  The guys kept working on stripping down the car, checking parts, and making notes on what needed to be done. I went in search of new batting and vinyl so I could recover the seat. I couldn’t do the more artistic work, but I knew how to do a simple recover, Saul had made sure of it. I finally found the materials I needed, there was a small selection of colors to choose, and I thought about my paint scheme while I picked what I wanted. When I had the materials I needed, I headed back to our work area. Once there, I went through one of the two toolboxes we were allowed to pack with what we thought we would need and bring with us.

  Liam and Saul thought I had been crazy when I put my tools in there I would need to recover a seat, but I had insisted, and now I was happy I had. I was in the middle of cleaning the seat so I could apply the glue for the padding when I glanced over and saw two of the three judges watching me.

  “Scout, what are you doing?”
Paul Fineman asked.

  “Recovering this seat.”

  “Have you ever recovered a seat before?” asked Sterling.

  I glanced over at him and smirked, “Of course,” then went back to work.

  “Why recover the seat, instead of doing one of the more important things you could be doing?”

  “Well I could be working on getting it ready to paint, but giving the car a beautiful paint job doesn’t help your ass while sitting in it and using the car.”

  They nodded and wrote something down. I went back to work stripping the old glue. I finally added the first layer of padding and left the seat to dry before adding the second. The guys had finished tearing the car apart and were now polishing, grinding, and fixing broken pieces.

  “What can I do?”

  Liam gestured towards the body of the car, “Start getting it ready for yourself, already got the dents out.”

  I nodded and went to work sanding the shell of the car; I needed it smooth and all the old paint, dirt, and just general age off it before I could paint. The judges continued walking around, watching each team as they worked. The cameras following them around, as well as us, was getting annoying. After an hour of sanding, I stopped running my fingers against the metal, it was mostly finished. I needed to wipe it down and go over it once more just to make sure. I went back to the seat, added the second layer of padding, stretching it around the first, and was happy with how it was turning it out. I left it to let it finish drying overnight before I pulled the vinyl over it.

  I glanced up at the clock and saw that we had an hour left, just enough time to finish getting this thing sanded. Tomorrow I would see if I needed to patch any small dents, but today I wanted to get it shining. I wet down several rags at the sink each station had and went to wiping down the shell, making sure no grains of sand remained from the first sanding as well as any remaining dirt. Once I was happy that it was clean, I went back over it with the electric sander, making sure the edges were smooth and clean. I turned the sander off just before the bell that marked time went off, I sighed and removed my goggles.

  I looked around and was happy with all we had accomplished today. The broken pieces had been fixed, everything was stripped, sanded, and ready for the next stage. I smiled at my three teammates and we went to work cleaning everything up, just like we did at our home shop.