Half Past Five.

Chapter Twenty: Auto Shops And Excuses.

“And don't mention anything about my mom, or my dad. That makes Steve mad.” She tells him as they drive to the auto shop, Elijah quickly briefing Billy on the do's and don't's of a Harrington Dinner. Billy wasn't fully on board about this, but after some convincing took place, the poor man snapped faster than a twig. “And absolutely never ever mention driving his car. Steve would blow his shit if he knew.”

“Okay, noted. Onto the list of things I should mention?” He asks her, Elijah smiling at his willingness to try and mend things with Steve.

“Steve loves his hair, probably more than he loves me. So if you can mention something of the sorts, go for it. Steve likes his car and Nancy, basketball and baseball, he loves sports in general. And even though he's never said it aloud, he loves his school children, so don't say anything mean about them.”

“I would never, I love children!” Elijah gives him the side eye, only chuckling at his response.

“Oh yeah, I'm sure. You especially love Lucas... Him dating Max...”

“Is Lucas one of Steve's kids?”

“Yes.”

“Ah yes, I love the little... Stinkball... He's such a... Good kid...” Elijah laughs aloud at his comment, turning on her blinker, driving into the parking lot of the auto shop. The same auto shop where she had her quarrel with Billy not so long ago.

It feels like a distant memory now, even though the duration of the incident didn't occur that long ago. In sense, Elijah feels like enough has happened between them for it to feel distant enough, vague enough.

“What's your issue with him? He is a good kid.” She decides to liberate the thought, instead, counter Billy on his ruction on the poor boy dating his sister.

“I just don't like the thought of Max dating. Whether it be Mitchell—”

“Mike.” She corrects him.

“Mike, or whoever is in that nerd gang of theirs... I don't like the thought of Max dating. I don't like dating in general.”

A soft prod goes to her left ventricle, all the way up to her aorta, until she feels a compression on her entire chest, all of her veins spewing a familiar feeling she knew she couldn't avoid with Billy.

And that's the fact that he doesn't date.

Did she want him to? Was that what she expected the end result to be? Is this what she was hoping it would lead to?

She becomes quieter as she parks the car, Billy noticing her sudden silence as he grasps at the door handle. Wordlessly, he opens it and gets out.

Perhaps the auto shop does hold bad character.

——————————————————
Later
———

The auto shop had what they needed. A new ignition cable to replace the one that Billy negligently fried.

And Elijah is once again bombarded with a set of questions. Does she feel relieved, that this burden is coming to a conclusion, or is she miserable, knowing that she doesn't have a proper excuse to hang out with Billy anymore. Because let's face it—the only time they ever really had contact was when it regarded his car, or when it regarded Neil. And call her a romantic, but Elijah doesn't want to spend time with Billy on Neil's account. She doesn't want an injured Billy to be the reason they talk or spend time together.

“What's got you in a mood, missy?” He snaps her out of the trance as they walk to the car, Billy walking with the ignition cable in his hand.