I looked over at Jenny, sitting in the seat next to me, and wondered just what the hell I w
as doing. We’d bumped into each other on the street – quite literally, I still wasn’t sure I had all of my breath back – and stupid me and my stupid mouth had gotten to talking to her. How had she been the last six years? Had she been dating anybody else? Did she still live in the same apartment?
Would I be able to drive her home?
Actually, that last one came from her, but I’m still the moron that said yes to it.
So here I was, with the beat-up old car that desperately needed a qualified mechanic for a suspension service, near me was the love of my life who’d broken my heart in just the right way that it would never heal fully, and what was I doing? Driving her home.
‘Is this awkward?’ she asked me after several minutes of silence. ‘This is awkward, isn’t it?’
‘No, no,’ I smiled at her, lying through my teeth. ‘It’s just been a while. We’re out of rhythm, I suppose.’
‘Right,’ she said, unconvinced. ‘I feel like I should have just caught the bus after all…’
‘I don’t mind driving you!’ I said, surprised to find that one wasn’t a lie. ‘You’re not too far out of my way, and you’re right, busses are a nightmare. All those people, needing to get places?’
I let out a dramatic shiver, and she laughed. I hadn’t realised how much I missed that sound.
‘So where are you now, then?’ she asked. ‘Still next to that auto repair shop near Port Noarlunga?’
‘Uh, no actually,’ I said. ‘I’m on the other end of town.’
‘Wait?’ she frowned, pointing behind us. ‘That end of town?’
‘Yeah, that end,’ I laughed.
‘Then I am too far out of your way!’ she protested.
I looked back at her, with her screwed-up face, pouting at me from the seat, and smiled sadly.
‘You could never be too far,’ I said softly.
Her pout slipped slightly.