Slow Dance in Purgatory

She took extra care with her appearance, soaking in a hot tub with a cold towel on her eyes and blowing her hair dry until it was stick smooth. She even applied a little make-up to her eyes and blush to her cheeks. She looked much better when she was finished. She pulled on her softest jeans and her favorite purple t-shirt, the stretchy one with a v-neck that declared her a member of “Team Edward.” The purple made her eyes a vivid blue, and the form-fitting old jeans molded her curves just right.

The thought of Johnny noticing her eye color or checking out the fit of her jeans made her blush and re-consider her choice.

“You’re completely hopeless!” She muttered to herself and felt the unease of her nightmare worm its way back into her heart. Her self-doubt was put on hold when she heard a pounding at the front door. Racing down the stairs and hollering for whoever it was to hold on, she yanked the door open and yanked Shad inside with it.

“What’s buzzin’ cuzzin’?” Shad teetered a little and then strutted inside, throwing himself on Aunt Irene’s flowered love seat and looking at her expectantly. .

“You got plans? I thought we could hang out today, maybe watch some movies, pop some corn, make-out?” He patted the love seat next to him, and waggled his eyebrows, but his smile quickly faded as he noticed her readied appearance.

Maggie’s brain was scrambling for an excuse that would exclude Shad from tagging along. Library? No. Errands? No. Homework? Heck no. She hated to ditch her friend, but she HAD to get back to the school. When she was with Johnny, all doubt fled. He was so heart-stoppingly real. But as soon as they were apart, the unreality of the situation was almost crippling. Her anxiety about Irene’s car and the wisdom of her hair-brained plan gnawed at her insides, and she longed to be on her way, Shadrach free.

“I’ve got a mandatory dance rehearsal today,” Maggie fibbed, trying to hold Shad’s gaze and look regretful. “We’re getting ready for a big competition, and it’s going to be a beast.”

Shad looked crestfallen, so she quickly added, “A movie and popcorn sounds fun – the kissing part, not so much.“ Maggie grinned to soften her smack down. “Come over tomorrow night, okay?”

“Oh, man!” Shad whined, his afternoon plans blown. Maggie steeled herself against the guilt. He perked up suddenly. “Maybe I can come along, you know, play a little b-ball in the gym?”

“The car’s running bad and I’m taking my bike – so unless you want to hitch a ride on my handlebars, I’m afraid not.” Maggie fervently prayed he’d walked to her house instead of riding his own bike.

Shad rose from the couch, dejected and sulking just a little. Maggie breathed a small side of relief and grabbed her jacket, preceding him out the door.

“You’re not wearing those jeans to dance in, are you?” Shad asked doubtfully. “Not that your booty ain’t kickin’ it – but…”

Maggie winced at her blunder. “Thanks for reminding me. And keep your eyes off the booty, please – I forgot my bag.” Maggie turned and raced into the house, shutting the door on Shad so he wouldn’t follow her back in.

Maggie grabbed up her duffle and was back in seconds. She waved to Shad as she pedaled off towards the school. When she glanced back at him he was ambling toward home, a small figure with big feet and a bowed head.

***

Pulling around the back of the school, Maggie walked her bike to the service bay and tried to calm her breathing. She told herself she was out of breath from riding her bike at full speed for two miles. She told herself it had nothing to do with anticipation. She lied. She tried the door and it rose with a rattle and a rumble and not much effort. Stepping inside, she pulled the door down and locked it behind her. It wouldn’t provide much warning if the mechanics teacher decided to drop by on a Saturday, but it made her feel better.

“I found the problem,” Johnny spoke from underneath the car but rolled out on a wheeled platform as she approached; he must have located that little gizmo after she left.

“I took the transmission apart.” Johnny rose and stood over a neatly laid out assortment of various objects that Maggie couldn’t identify. “You got rings, O-rings, papers, seals, clutches…” He labeled everything, pointing it out as he talked. “Everything needed replacing. The whole thing was bad. So I waited until this morning– it is morning, isn’t it?”

It would be morning for another twenty minutes or so, and Maggie nodded, awed, as he continued.

“I waited until this morning to let everything absorb as much of the school’s energy as possible before I used my…mind tricks,” he grinned at her as he used her phrase, “and repaired everything. Now I just have to put it all back together, remove the excess transmission fluid, and you’re good to go.”

He was ebullient, his face relaxed in a satisfied smile, his hands tossing the wrench back and forth between them. He was also perfectly clean – not a grease stain to be found on his hands or his clothes.

“You’re amazing!” Maggie cried, overjoyed. “Aunt Irene is going to be so relieved. I’ll have to think of something to tell her…maybe convince her that she should wait a week before taking it to Gene’s – or tell her I think it’s working much better.” Maggie schemed out loud.