Chapter 9 - Chili On The Table

As it turned out, it wasn’t as late as Rick had originally thought. Or perhaps the city seemed more awake than the quieter island he had just left. The lights and the constant noise of cars was a welcome back home.

Rick found himself conscious of all the little cuts and bruises he had accrued throughout the evening. He was a disheveled mess, but he was a disheveled mess on a mission.

David was right. If he could sneak through the Explorer’s building and jump out of windows and get chased through the city, then surely giving Taylor a necklace wouldn’t be that bad anymore. He put his hand in his pocket, as he always did when thinking of the necklace, but it wasn’t there anymore.

Rick made his way home, two cans of chili in a paper bag from a gas station that was up as late as he was. His steps were tired, his mind barely there. He wasn’t really paying attention to where he was, he just knew he was headed home. 

Or so he thought until he came across the faded neon sign of Harold’s garage. Rick smiled to himself.

There was something funny about him ending up there. It was arguably the worst day of Rick’s life, and there he was, still pining after Taylor. He reached into his pocket instinctively and he felt not the necklace but the golden amulet.

Maybe David really felt bad about dragging him through all of that, or maybe he really was just insane. Rick pulled the amulet out and he looked at it. It was finely crafted, nothing like the little DIY craft item he had put together. Rick didn’t really want to know where David had gotten it from. Matter of fact, he didn’t even want to think about it. He didn’t want to somehow become attached to the amulet the same way he had become attached to the necklace.

Maybe it was for the best that he had lost it. He started to make his way home again when he noticed something. There was just a speck of light filtering one of the windows. Rick had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn’t Mr. Harold who was working so late. 

He walked around the corner to the other side of the shop and there he could see more clearly a light and hear a soft clanging sound behind the door.

Rick went up to one of the garage doors and knocked as casually as he could. He knew, of course, that it was weird to be knocking on a mechanic’s door so late at night.

“Hey, Taylor, it’s me,” he said, just for clarity. “It’s Rick. I was just uh… just passing by and I saw the light.”

The banging inside stopped for a second and he heard footsteps, and then the shriek of metal as the garage door was lifted.

“Come in,” she said, and he ducked inside. She was wearing a black hoodie and some leggings and was still working on her motorcycle. Even since the last time Rick saw it, it was already looking better and better, and would probably be ready to ride soon.

“You look…” Taylor’s blue eyes started at the top and looked him down and then up again. “You… are you okay?” she asked, and there was just the slightest furrow in her brow. She reached out and grabbed an old rag and pressed it to the side of Rick’s head. It came away a little bloody.

“Oh, uh, sorry.” Rick said, trying to take the rag, but she didn’t let it go. She pressed it there, and looked over his face, tilting his head a little to the side and looking him over.

“What happened?” she asked.

“It was…” He started to speak, and then he stopped. Rick wasn’t exactly sure how he would explain this story, matter of fact, it made very little sense even to him. He hadn’t processed anything. He was still, somewhere deep inside, recoiling from the shock of having seen a skeleton person, because that wasn’t exactly an everyday occurrence. Nor was literally any of the rest of it.

“It was a rough day,” he said with a grimaced smile. “Quite the adventure.”

“Well…” Taylor finally pulled back, “you’ll have to tell me all about it sometime.”

“Um, hey…” Rick said and for some reason he wasn’t so afraid anymore. Maybe it was the skeleton guy, or maybe it was the machine gun, or maybe it was the almost dying about fifteen times. 

No, he wasn’t afraid, maybe still a little nervous but not afraid.

He reached into his pocket, and his fingers gripped the golden chain. Then he pulled it out and held it in his open palm for her to see.

“I know that you probably aren’t much of a jewelry person,” he said, “and this, this isn’t at all what I wanted to give you, but I wanted to say… that… I like you Taylor Hanson, and I think we should go out sometime. Or just put motorcycles together or something. I just like you and want to spend more time around you.”

Taylor was quiet for a long, long moment. She took several breaths, her shoulders rising and falling. She reached out with stained fingers and touched the locket.

“Are you, Rick O’Brien, trying to buy my love?” She asked, and it was the most expression Rick had ever seen on her face. A wrinkle at her eyes, and the smallest quirk of her lips.

“If at all possible,” Rick smiled, “yes, yes, I am.”

“You’re right, you know.” Taylor said, holding the amulet in her fingers. “I’ve never been much of a jewelry person. Then again, no one has ever given me anything like this before.”

“Again, not quite what I had in mind, but maybe you can use it as a paperweight or something.” Rick shrugged.

“A rather expensive paperweight,” Taylor judged. “Does this thing have anything to do with…?” She gestured to all of his cuts and bruises and torn clothes.

“Yes and no,” Rick said. “But mostly yes."

“Well, thank you,” she said with a slow nod. She didn’t meet his gaze when she spoke next. “I’m not the best at this, and I don’t… I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way about anyone. I don’t know if it’s love or affection or what, but I want you around more, too.”

“That is… really great news.” Rick said with a nod, and they stood there with an awkward smile and blush. “Well, I don’t want to keep you from, you know, from your work and stuff. I gotta…” he raised up the bag of chili. “Gotta take the groceries home, too.”

Taylor leaned forward and checked the spot on the side of Rick’s head one more time, and then kissed him on the cheek and turned away. Going back to work on her stuff. Suddenly, Rick didn’t feel so bad anymore.

The walk home was a little less dreadful. It was also a little bit more colorful. Rick didn’t feel as dead, or as sad or scared as he had in a long, long time. Rick didn’t really want to admit it, but maybe there was something to that adventuring stuff, maybe there was something in taking a risk, a thrill, and it made him feel alive.

Maybe Rick O’Brien could be an adventurer after all.

***

Taylor Hanson was putting the finishing touches on the motorcycle. Well maybe not the finishing touches but at least it would crank now, would hopefully crank now. It still needed a new seat and some new tires, and a couple other replacement pieces, but those weren’t immediate needs.

Dusting off her hands and the knees of her leggings she inserted the key and turned. Nothing really happened. Taylor frowned; she’d missed something. She leaned over and looked down at her work and there was the culprit.

She twisted the two loose wires together and then turned the key again. It was slow at first, but the engine began puttering to life. 

Soon it was rumbling almost the way it should. Taylor let it run and closed her eyes, listening and feeling the vibrations. She made a few mental notes of course, stuff that she would continue to work on but that would be for tomorrow. It was late enough and she needed to head home before her dad woke up and found her missing. Again.

He knew where to look but that didn’t mean he’d be happy about it. If Harold found her at the shop again she would no doubt be grounded. Again.

There was something about the machinery though. The way the pieces fit together that she understood. It made sense in her mind how and why all of the different parts worked the way that they did. People had never been her strong suit. It also didn’t seem as though anyone else had ever tried to understand her either.

Rick didn’t get it. She knew he didn’t because he didn’t have a single clue about anything but he tried. He tried to understand her, and she knew that maybe outside of her dad, he was the one that understood the most. He was the one that cared the most, and while 

Taylor was perfectly happy being alone, but there was something about Rick. He wasn’t like the other boys at school that she’d seen. Not too tough, or too quiet, no Rick was right there in the middle.

Turning the motorcycle off, it pittered to a halt and the garage was silent again. She picked up a few of the tools she’d left around, but otherwise left everything in place. She cut the lights out and began the late night walk back home.

She looked at the little amulet on her way home. It was gold, real gold of that much she was sure, and worth quite a bit of money by her estimation. Taylor had never really worn earrings, didn’t even have her ears pierced, never worn any rings, they would get caught on tools and parts, and necklaces she had just never tried.

But for some reason the gesture was nice. It was really nice, and it was Rick. She felt her face heat up as she thought about him. 

Thought about his sandy blonde hair, and the occasional bags under his eyes when he showed up at school, but when he noticed her, his face always turned into a nervous smile.

And that made her smile. She liked him, too.

***

When Rick got back to the apartment, the kitchen light was still on, and Vivien was asleep with her head on her arms. A lump caught in his throat as he realized that she’d been waiting on him all this time.

“Hey Viv,” he said, putting the can of chili on the table. She stirred gently and yawned quietly as she sat up. Her eyes widened when she saw the chili and made a quick gesture.

“You don’t know what I went through to get that,” Rick smiled a tired smile, and he sat down at the table next to her. She made another quick sign.

“Aid is charging.”

“Ah,” Rick nodded, and he signed his words this time, mouthing them as he did. “You don’t know what I went through to get that.”

“Gee, so hard.” Viv rolled her eyes. “What took you so long? Did you go see your girlfriend? How’d it go?”

“It went well, I think.” Rick nodded, “but things didn’t go exactly how I planned, and hey… she’s not…”

“Not your girlfriend, I know.” She chuckled a little at that. “But I’m proud of you, you know.”

“Am I really that bad?” Rick asked, his eyes looking down. “Am I really that afraid and nervous of the world?” He sighed, and his shoulders slumped, but he felt a small tap on his hand.

“No,” she pinched her fingers together. “Not anymore.”