Chapter Twenty-Seven
Brandon
HER CAUTION LIGHTS ARE NOT flashing, which is super dangerous on this part of the highway, so I flip mine on and pull in behind her. I step out of my truck and walk toward her.
“Evening, ma’am. Is there a problem here?” I ask as I approach her.
She pops up and clutches her chest in surprise. “Oh dear Lord, you scared me!” she gasps.
“Sorry, ma’am.” I apologize then nod toward her car. “I noticed you were pulled over and didn’t have any caution lights on, so I thought I should pull over to see if you needed any help.” I smile and stay far enough back to show I’m not a threat, hoping she’ll trust me enough to help her. “This is a dangerous spot to be pulled over. The trees and the curve makes it hard for other vehicles to see cars pulled up on the shoulder.”
“Oh gosh, I didn’t even realize,” she responds. “I blew a tire, but I don’t know anything about changing it.” She blushes sheepishly. “I thought if I pulled the spare out of the trunk, I’d figure it out eventually.”
“Do you have any tools? A jack?” I ask, and she responds with a blank stare. “Don’t worry about it, ma’am, I got all the things we need in my truck. I’ll have ya fixed right up here in a jiffy.” I walk back to my truck, grab my jack and my tire iron, and head back to her car.
“I’m Millie, by the way.” She introduces herself, as I set my tools down and reach in to grab the spare tire from her trunk.
“Nice to meet you, Millie.”
She blushes again.
“I recently got divorced and just moved to Monroe this past week with my two teenage sons.” She continues, loading the empty silence with information pertaining to her marital status. I shrug her off as an over-sharer and continue to let her chat while I drop the spare next to the blown tire. I realize I never told her my name.
“The name’s Brandon.” I tip the bill of my hat. “I am one of the officers here in town. Currently running for sheriff too.” I squat down and begin to position the jack under the frame, so I can jack up the car and change the tire.
She chats away about anything and everything, as I work on her tire. I get her car jacked up and the damaged rim pulled off with the spare fixed in its place. I place the busted tire in her trunk and lower the car down onto the donut. I stand up and wipe my dirty hands off down the thighs of my jeans. I look back over at a very grateful looking Millie.
“Well, that should do it. You should be able to make it home just fine, but take it slow. Donuts shouldn’t be driven on any faster than forty miles per hour,” I explain. “Also, make sure to get it fixed as soon as you can. Spares are also not meant to be driven on a lot of miles either,” I add.
“Oh thank you, thank you!” she says before wrapping me in a hug. I pat her awkwardly on the back before stepping back.
“No problem, ma’am. I guess I’ll see you around.”
She walks to her car and climbs in. I close the door behind her and walk back to pick up my tools so I can carry them back to my truck.
She pulls off the shoulder and goes in the direction she was originally headed. I throw my tools pack in the toolbox and climb in behind the steering wheel. I grab my phone and notice I have messages from Beth and Tabby, and a missed call from Dad. I shoot off a text to my wife explaining I had to help a lady with car issues and I’m on my way there now.
I turn the key and start my truck. When I look out my windshield I notice my baseball cap lying on the shoulder where I was changing Millie’s tire. I’d taken it off and tossed it down during the tire change. I turn the truck back off and get out to grab my hat. My daughter gave that hat to me for Father’s Day, so I couldn’t just leave it behind to get ruined. I walk over and pick it up and slap it across my thigh to knock off the dirt, before pulling it back onto my head. I walk back toward the truck. I open my driver side door, just as an eighteen-wheeler comes speeding around the corner. I quickly find myself blinded by his headlights.