Collision

by Kristen Granata

  I could feel the tears spilling down my face, but I could not stop them – nor did I care. I kept staring at my Chevelle in disbelief.

  “Are those happy tears?” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Or are you mad?”

  “I’m not mad. I am just… stunned. I don’t have the words. It’s… my car.”

  “Let’s sit inside.” He walked around to the driver’s side to open the door and stood, waiting.

  I walked slowly around the wide front end, remembering all the work my father had to do to get the hood perfectly smooth. Smooth as butter, he would say. I reached out and ran my fingers along the glossy red paint, admiring the black twin stripes – they were just as straight now as they were back then. I never got to see how mangled it was after the accident, but now, I couldn’t tell that it was even in an accident.

  I sat in the driver’s seat.

  Chase gestured to the visor overhead. “I stole a picture of your dad from one of those albums you threw away. This way you can always have him with you.”

  I flipped it down to see a picture of my father sanding the passenger door of my car in our old garage, with my twelve-year old self grinning from ear to ear in the back seat. I kissed my fingers and touched them to his face in the photo. “He used to smile like that all the time when I was little.”

  Chase wiped my tears with his thumb and cradled my face in the palm of his hand. “All I wanted was for you to have a piece of him back.”

  “I cannot thank you enough for doing this. You have no idea how much this means to me. You have no idea how much you mean to me. I’m so incredibly lucky to have you.”

  “So, do you think you’re up for a ride?”

  “It has gas?” I sat straight up in my seat.

  He grinned, reaching into his pocket. “You think I’d give you a car without gas?” He dangled the key before me.

  I hesitated before putting the key into the ignition, remembering what happened the last time I started this car.

  “Don’t think about it. This is your new life. Most of the parts of this car are new, too. Everything is different now for you.”

  I nodded and took a deep breath as I pressed down on the clutch, and turned the key. It roared to a start and rumbled beneath me. I began laughing, as the tears continued to roll down my cheeks. I yanked my seatbelt on and revved the engine.

  Chase jogged to the garage door opener.

  “It sounds amazing! I can’t believe you did this!” I shouted when he returned.

  He swung himself into the passenger seat and clicked his seatbelt into place. “Let’s go!”

  In one swift motion, the car thundered out of the garage as my hands and feet worked together to shift seamlessly in and out of gears. With our windows rolled down, the cold winter air whipped against my tear-stained face, as my hair was being blown all around. I could see Chase watching me, his eyes intent on taking in every move I made. My eyes remained fixed ahead. I took the backroads so I would not have to slow down or stop at streetlights. I did not want to race, or to be reckless. All I wanted was open road – to feel wild and free.

  I lost track of time until I felt Chase’s hand on my leg. Finally, I began to slow down, working my way back down the gears. I pulled off the desolate road and killed the engine.

  “So, what do you think?” Chase asked, already well-aware of the answer.

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever get over the shock of this – you gave me my car back. I thought it was destroyed and gone forever.”

  “I’m glad I was able to see you drive it for the first time.”

  “For some people, I know driving is just a mindless task. Most just go through the motions in order to get from point A to point B. You know, they talk on the phone while they drive, or eat, or sing along to the radio while they’re on autopilot. But for me, it’s not mindless at all. It is the exact opposite. My mind is focused and clear when I am behind the wheel. It’s like it captivates me and I can’t think of anything else.”

  He twirled one of my curls around his finger. “I know. I can tell.”

  I shivered. “Ready to head back?”

  “Yeah. I just need to lock up the shop and then you can take us home.”

  I started on my way back to the garage. “Do you want to sleep over my place tonight?”

  “I would love to. You can park your shiny new car in the driveway.”

  “No, no. I won’t take your family’s spots. I’ll park on the street.”

  “I’m not going to let my girlfriend park on the street.”

  “You keep calling me that.”

  “My girlfriend?”

  “Yeah. I just… I didn’t know…”

  I saw him grinning from the corner of my eye. “When will you finally believe that I am in love with you and want to be with only you?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know. You didn’t tell me that you want to be with only me.”

  He laughed. “I thought that was implied when you tell someone you love them.”

  “Well, maybe I don’t want you to imply. Maybe I want you to announce it. You know, shout it from the mountaintop or something.”

  “Baby, I just built a car for you. I think you’re good.”

  When we arrived at the Brooks’ home, I pulled up to the curb, parking on the street.

  “You know I’ll just move your car into the driveway myself.”

  “No, you won’t.” I flashed him a smile as I walked up the driveway.

  “Let me grab a few things and I’ll be over in a few,” he called as he jogged to his front door.

  I ran inside to quickly brush my teeth. I was about to change into comfier clothes, when something stopped me in my tracks. I sat on the edge of the bed, nervously awaiting Chase’s arrival.

  “Honey, I’m home!”

  “Come in here,” I called from my bedroom.

  “Are you decent?” He poked his head through the cracked door.

  “Yes, but I’m hoping you can change that.” I pressed my lips against his, slipping my hands under his shirt to feel his warm skin. I stretched up onto my tippy toes to peel his shirt over his head.

  “Whoa,” he breathed, a hint of a smile on his face. “What are you doing?”

  “I’m undressing you.” I began unbuttoning his jeans.

  “I can see that. But what are you doing?” He took my hands and held them inside his until I looked up at him.

  “Can’t a girl undress her boyfriend?”

  He released my hands and pulled me in for another kiss. “I thought we could watch a movie on the couch with the Christmas tree lights on.”

  “You don’t want to stay in here?”

  “I’ll do whatever you want to do. You just seemed in a hurry.”

  “I thought you would have wanted to.”

  “To do what? Have sex?”

  I nodded, anxiously playing with the hem of my shirt. “Don’t you want to?”

  “Of course I want to have sex with you. I’m ridiculously attracted to you, and you’re beyond sexy.” He brushed my bottom lip with his thumb and gently kissed my mouth. “But I want to do it when the time is right for us. I don’t want to be in a rush. What made you think I wanted to do it now?”

  “I don’t know. Shelly made a comment about it, and you just made this huge gesture with my car, and the tree.”

  He smiled as he sat on the corner of my bed. “So because I gave you something means you have to give me something in return?”

  I slumped on the bed next to him, feeling foolish. “No.”

  “We will have sex when the time is right.” He took my face into his hands. “And make no mistake – there will be no rush. I will take my time, and make love to every inch of your body.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” I whispered.

  “So am I, baby.” He kissed my forehead. “Can I put my shirt back on, now?”

  I sighed dramatically. “Do you have to? I mean, that’s such a good look.”

  He grinned
as he tugged his shirt on over his head. “Ready for movie night?”

  I nodded.

  He stood and stepped into the hallway.

  “Chase?”

  He turned back and met his eyes with mine.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, Merritt. So much.”

  Chapter Seventeen: Christmas

  “Merry! Chase! Wake up! Santa came!”

  I rubbed my eyes and tried to put on my best excited face. “Okay, we’re getting up now!”

  Chase groaned from underneath his pillow.

  Khloe put her tiny hands on his back and shook him. “Did you hear what I said? Santa came! There’s a million presents downstairs! Let’s go!”

  “I’m up, I’m up. Go get mommy,” he mumbled.

  “I’ll get him up. You go get your parents.”

  She nodded her head and left the room, like a tiny soldier reporting for duty. I heard her squeals, followed by multiple pairs of feet shuffling around down the hall. I glanced at the clock on Chase’s nightstand, and wrapped my arms around his warm, sleepy body.

  “What time is it?”

  “Early bird catches the Christmas worm.”

  He peeked out from under his pillow and opened one eye, straining to see the numbers on the digital alarm clock. “Does that say five thirty?”

  “It does.” I giggled seeing his hair sticking up on all sides. “Let’s go.” I threw the covers off of us, smacked his ass, and hopped out of bed. I threw my sweatshirt on over my head, and checked the hallway to see if anyone was in the bathroom.

  “When I get back here, I want to see you vertical.”

  Chase groaned, as I closed the door behind me.

  Tanner suddenly stepped out into the hallway, his dark hair in the same disarray as Chase’s was. He was shirtless, sporting nothing but a pair of loose-fitting boxers. His frame was thinner than his brother’s, but his muscles were just as prominent.

  “You going in?”

  “Yeah, uh… but you can go ahead.” I tried to act casual, as if my hair did not look like a giant squid monster was taking over my head.

  “I just need to take a leak.” He shuffled past me into the bathroom. “Then it’s all yours.”

  I stood awkwardly in the hallway, while the sound of a firehose unleashed into the toilet. I did not hear a flush, nor did I hear the sound of the sink faucet. However, I did hear other gaseous sounds being expelled. I must have been making a face when he swung the door open, due to his amused grin.

  “It better not smell in there,” I warned, carefully stepping into the bathroom. I was immediately hit with an impressively foul odor. “Oh, God! Tanner! That smell can’t be normal.”

  He chuckled. “Don’t be dramatic.”

  “You couldn’t have ripped that out there?! I rapidly began brushing my teeth, trying to breathe through my mouth.

  Tanner laughed all the way into his bedroom.

  “Real nice,” Chase called into Tanner’s room as he passed by. He leaned against the doorframe, watching me swish and spit into the sink. “I smell just as bad, you know.”

  I cringed at the thought. “Well, I’m not in any hurry to find out.” I splashed water onto my face, and dried off on the towel hanging over the shower curtain.

  “Hurry up, people!” Khloe screamed from the bottom of the stairs.

  Chase, Tanner, and I trotted down the stairs. In the living room, Beverly and Tim were sitting under the tree, surrounded by presents. Chase sat on the nearby couch, and I sat on the floor in between his legs. His hand gently massaged my neck.

  “Shit,” Tanner said, plopping onto the couch. “Santa went all out this year, didn’t he?”

  “Tanner, it’s Christmas. Why don’t you watch your mouth? Just for today.” Tim looked tired, his eyelids heavy and worn. His usual darkened skin tone was pale and greyish.

  “Can we get this party started already?!”

  We all winced in pain from Khloe’s screech, but nobody told her to calm down. It was her last Christmas with her father, and we wanted her to enjoy it to the fullest.

  She began tearing into the wrapping paper, opening one present after another. I asked Chase to get me a garbage bag, and began cleaning up all the scraps so the family did not have to worry about a mess afterwards. Khloe screamed as each present was revealed, even if it was a pack of underwear. Everything was equally exciting when it was from Santa Claus.

  The family began exchanging gifts next, and I had an unexpected pile waiting to be opened next to me. To my surprise, one of the gifts was from Tanner. I decided to open that one first.

  Inside the red gift bag was a pair of “New Car Smell” scented car fresheners, windshield cleaner, dashboard wipes, and a handmade coupon for one free carwash.

  “Tanner, this is so thoughtful.” I threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you so much.”

  “It’s no big deal.”

  “Open my gift! Open mine!” Khloe jumped up and down, shoving her present into my lap. “I wrapped it myself.”

  “Really?” Tanner asked. “We couldn’t tell.”

  I laughed. The present looked as if it got mauled by a bear. It was also covered in tape. When I opened it, tears instantly welled up in my eyes. Inside was a black velvet box holding a silver necklace; dangling from it was a heart engraved with a word: Sister.

  “Do you like it?” she asked. “I got one, too!” She pulled out the silver chain hiding inside the collar of her pajama top.

  “I love it.” I blinked back the tears while I hugged her tightly.

  “Now, you and Chase need to get married so we can really be sisters forever!”

  Everyone burst into laughter.

  I made eye contact with Chase. “Don’t get any ideas.”

  He held his hands up innocently.

  Tim and Beverly gave me a gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond. “You can buy yourself anything else that you need for your apartment,” Beverly said.

  “You have done more than enough. You didn’t need to do this.” I hugged her and Tim simultaneously.

  I was glad I did not listen to Chase when he told me not to worry about buying anything for his family. I handed a present to each family member: a cat-eared helmet to go with Khloe’s new bike; a crystal picture frame for Beverly and Tim, displaying a picture I secretly arranged to take of their three kids; and a pair of boxing gloves for Tanner.

  Tanner raised an eyebrow. “Boxing gloves?”

  “It goes with Chase’s gift.” I prompted Chase to hand his brother the envelope.

  Tanner held up the membership card from inside the envelope. “Is this the new MMA place that opened up?”

  I nodded. “We figured you could hone your fighting skills.”

  “In a positive way,” Chase added.

  “This is awesome. Thanks, guys.”

  “What did you and Chase get for each other?” Khloe asked.

  “Come here.” I took Khloe’s hand and led her to the window. “See that shiny red car outside? Chase built that for me.”

  Her eyes widened. “You made her a car?!”

  “Yes, I did.” Chase beamed proudly.

  “I helped, too,” Tanner reminded.

  “Wow,” she murmured. “You should definitely marry him, now, Merry. If someone gave me a car, I would marry them, too!”

  The room erupted in laughter, again.

  “What are you paying her to keep saying that?” Tanner asked Chase.

  Chase tossed a pillow across the room at him.

  “Pillow fight!” Khloe screamed, attacking Tanner with a pillow.

  I noticed Tim whisper something to Beverly. She took his arm and helped him to stand. They walked out of the room, and she helped him up the stairs.

  Chase leaned over, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. “He gets tired a lot, now.”

  I reached behind me to run my fingers through his velvety hair. “I’m sorry, baby.”

  “It’s okay. I’m thankful that we have him with us to
day.”

  I nodded. “Me, too.”

  When Beverly returned, she began stuffing the rest of the scraps of wrapping paper into the garbage bag. “I’m going to start prepping everything for later.”

  “I will be in to help you, soon. I just need to give Chase his present.”

  She smiled. “Take your time.”

  Chase’s eyebrows pushed together as I dragged him out the front door and up the stairs to my apartment. “I told you not to get me anything.”

  “Says the boy who built his girlfriend a car.” I kept pulling his arm until we were standing in my bedroom. I pointed to the top drawer in my dresser. “Open it.”

  Besides the several wrapped presents sitting inside, the drawer was empty.

  “Where did all of your clothes go?” he asked, pulling out the presents and setting them on the bed.

  “I hung them in the closet. The top two drawers are yours.”

  He looked at me, confused. “What do you mean, mine?”

  “I felt bad that I took the apartment that could have gone to you, and you made that comment about sleeping together more often… now you don’t have to keep running to your house to get your things whenever you want to stay over. Open the rest of your presents.”

  He tore open the wrapping paper to reveal a toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, and soap – in all of the brands that he used. His smile lit up his face.

  “I mean, they don’t compare to a car or anything…”

  “Stop.” He pulled me over to him and took my face into his large hands. “This gesture means more to me than any expensive gift. It means you want me to be around more.”

  “Yeah. I figured I needed someone here to kill the spiders once the spring comes.”

  He slapped my ass and pulled me against him. “You’re real funny, you know that?” He slammed his lips into mine.

  Since the first time we had kissed, each kiss was more passionate than the last. Our desire for each other was building up, like a smoking volcano preparing to erupt. It never seemed like the right time, especially not today with his family waiting for us to return. I wondered when our time would come.