Falling Together

Bananas are Blue and Smell Like Socks

Maisie.

My dad and I pulled up to the shop and hopped out of the car. My cousins were already there and busy at work so I didn't interrupt them. After all, I'd see a lot of them. I followed my dad to his office and sat down at his desk as he closed the door behind us.

"Alright. So how much of the job do you remember?"

"I remembered enough to fix the battery on the car that was here yesterday. I can still change my own tires, do oil changes, and almost all of the basics. I might not be ready to pull an engine completely apart to find the problem... but I'm pretty solid."

"Well.. Noah said he will give you any training you need. For the most part I'm finance and ordering so I'm not on the floor much nowadays. I got some jumpers and shirts in the closet over there. Take your pick."

After throwing on a petite romper and rolling up the sleeves I pulled my hair back and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn't look like my usual self. My makeup wasn't on, no heels and no fake smile. Maybe it was a good thing. After all, me and my old self didn't seem to be compatible at the moment.

For the next several hours Noah walked me through some basic tune ups. Most of the walk in oil changes and change of tires I managed to argue my way into doing it myself. By lunch time I was sweating and elbow deep in grease and oil. But I was also still really good. The hard work kept my mind off of things.

"Hey Maisie! Dax just got here with the food!" Maru calls from the break room next to my dad's office.

"Be there in a sec!" I call back. I'm changing the headlight on a small blue Toyota Camry. It's almost done so I don't wanna waste time. I toss the old light aside and grab the new one to click into place. Leaning over the hood of the car I push it back through the whole and click it to keep in place. Easy Peesy.

"Maisie?"

Startled, I turned at the voice right behind me. I hold my hand to my chest and try to take a deep breath. It's just Dax. It's just Dax. It's just Dax, I tell myself over and over.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. Foods here." He said throwing a thumb over his shoulder. He looks at the car and then at me. He nods with a slow approval "Looks good."

My heart aches in a delicious way. Did he mean me or the car? Probably the car. I wipe my hands on the towel I pull from my pocket and nod. He stands and stares for a second before giving a polite smile and walking back to the break room.

I sigh. I was so close to having a trigger free day.

Dax

After lunch I pop in my earplugs and pull the pinto into my spot and take a look. The problem is that this car has been taken apart and put back together so many times that the thing is practically screaming to junk it for parts. This thing is basically a piece of shit. It reminds me of the first crap car my mom had gotten me when I started driving. Only lasted me about a year before it puttered to a halt on the side of the freeway.

At the time that it happened my mom thought it was hysterical. Her laugh infuriated me. Now I would do anything to hear her laugh again. A different kind of laugh sounded from down the hallway and I see Maisie smiling as she's bent over the hood of a green ford truck. Noah is looking very annoyed with his head in his hands.

I have to admit. Seeing how much Maisie was able to do today on her own was impressive. Most girls wouldn't get car grease under their fingernails let alone across their forehead like Maisie's. She was even wearing one of our old uniform jumpsuits, and making it look damn good. Her ponytail let strands of hair wisp against her neck and she flicked it back to get a better look at whatever Noah was trying to get her to pay attention to. I can barely hear them through the ear plugs.