Loss and Longing

On Monday morning Stevie had just finished telling Rachel what had happened when a man in overalls walked into the shop. He looked to be about fifty and his overalls were undone to the waist, his protruding stomach, covered by a dirty t-shit, preventing the sides from meeting.
“Stevie Fielding” he asked.

“Yes” Stevie said with a frown “that’s me.”

He put out his hand “give us your keys love. I’m here to fix your car.”

“What?” Stevie said, her frown deepening. “I didn’t organise for anyone to fix my car.”

“All I know is I’m meant to pick it up, repair it and return it this afternoon so if I’m to do that, I need to get going.”

“But who sent you?” Stevie asked.

“Nobody sent me love. My boss just told me to pick up the car.”

Stevie sighed “okay, who’s your boss and what’s his number. I’m not handing over my car on your say so.”

The man rolled his eyes. “Black’s panels, but maybe you should look up the number yourself, just to be sure I’m not lying to you.”

Stevie glared at him and turned away. Typing the business name into her laptop a local address and phone number came up straight away. She dialled the number.  When it was picked up she asked to speak to the manager and once she had been put through she said “this is Stephanie Fielding. One of you men is here asking for my car. Can you tell me who instructed you to repair it?”

“What he’s still there?” the man on the other end said.

“Yes” she said.

“Well tell him to get a move on.”

“Not until you tell me who told you to repair it.”

 “Fine, a Mr. Grant Rumor told me to pick up your car this morning first thing, repair it and return it before end of business today. He’s a good customer of mine, so I agreed to squeeze it in.”

“But he can’t do that” Stevie said horrified.

“Course he can” the man said “if he’s willing to pay for it.”

“But I can’t let you fix it just because he said so.”

“Honey, he’s already paid for the job, so unless you want him to waste his money, let Len take your car, okay. We’ll have it back, good as new before you finish work.”

“He’s already paid?” she said in a whisper “how much?”

“Now that, you’ll have to take up with him” he said.

“How could you tell him how much to pay anyway, you haven’t even seen the car?”

“Easy” the man said “he just told me the make and the model and the extent of the damage. I could estimate it from that.”

“Oh” she said, a little non-plused.

“Look” he said “just let Len bring your car in and you can sort it out with Mr Rumor later. If we don’t start on it soon, we won’t get it finished and you’ll be without a car overnight.”

Stevie sighed.   She couldn’t be without a car and this guy clearly wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Fine” she said “I’ll take it up with him. Just give me his address please.”

“Don’t you know it?” the man said “as he’s paying to fix your car I just assumed.....”

Livid at his implication, Stevie said “yeah well you assumed wrong, and unless you want to let your good customer down and tell him you couldn’t get the job done, give me his address because I’m not giving your man my keys until you do.”

“Okay okay” he said and after giving her Grant’s address he said “now give Len your keys please. We’ll have the car back by five.”

“Fine” she said and “thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, thank Mr Rumor.”

“Oh I will,” she said “amongst other things” she added under her breath as she slammed the phone down.

Stevie pulled out her keys and handed them to Len.

“Thanks love. See you this afternoon.”