one. In the meantime, I checked out everything I could think of to make sure there wasn’t a bigger problem than the belt that caused the alternator to go to shit in the first place. Thankfully, it didn’t seem like there was anything else, but it looked like the best bet was to stay local for the parts. Between the time it would take to order a cheaper alternator and the uncertainty that it would be dependable, Brannon decided to just make a quick run to a parts store in Butte.
A short time later, we had the car running with a new lease on life. I sat in the driver’s seat, looking for other little things that might need attention. I loved cars anyway, but working on hers sorta seemed… special .
Not that I would ever admit that to the other guys. God , Justin would never let me hear the end of it.
“It wouldn’t hurt for her to have some jumper cables,” Brannon said, grabbing a spare set from the tow truck. “Pop the trunk, Cody, and I’ll throw these in there for her. I’ll just give them to her.”
I pressed the button that released the back, then continued to examine the fuses under the dash, pulling them one at a time to ensure they were okay.
“Holy shit,” I heard Brannon say from the back of the car. “Cody, dude… come here.”
I climbed out and walked back to where he stood with some trepidation as to what he had found.
The two of us stared down into the trunk of her car and the cargo it held.
It was like she was moving, but didn’t have a lot in there. A few boxes held things like toiletries, one with some books. There was one with a few pairs of shoes, and a couple with clothes.
“This is Ilsa’s shirt,” I remarked holding up a T-shirt. “I've seen her wear this. Maybe she was doing laundry?”
“But what about this other stuff?” He reached into one container to pull out a box of Cheerios. “Food?”
“I don’t know. Groceries?” I asked, going to set the shirt back down in the box when something else caught my eye. Something that made me freeze solid.
“Yeah, but some of these boxes are open,” Brannon continued, not noticing my shock. “Why would she be carrying around food that she had already started eating?” Suddenly, he saw where my gaze had stopped. “Holy fuck, is that—?”
I dropped the shirt I held and reached out for a smaller garment. A very small garment actually.
Like for a baby.
I pulled back another shirt from the next stack, and there was a similar tiny shirt and a pair of pint-sized shoes.
“Those are baby clothes,” Brannon breathed. “Does she have a kid?”
I was astounded. “I have no idea.”
We looked through things a little more. I felt sick doing it, like I was totally invading her privacy, something she obviously treasured. It seemed even worse since she was clearly trying to keep a huge secret under wraps. I just had to know though. I had to find something to give me an idea of just what I was dealing with here.
Lifting a jacket revealed a small box of toys, there were a few little stuffed animals, little kid books, and one of those xylophone things that reminded me of one I had as a kid. Under an old quilt were some folded baby blankets, soft fleece, a few light blue and a few light green. A couple packages of diapers and some baby wipes. Mixed in with the groceries, there were a few boxes and jars that indicated they were for toddlers.
“Jesus,” Brannon exhaled. “I feel kind of like a dick for going through her stuff, but how in the fuck did none of us know she had a kid?”
“She doesn’t share much. This would explain why she didn’t want either of us to give her a ride home last night.”
“Why didn’t she tell anyone? It doesn’t make sense.”
“She’s scared of something.”
“What if it’s not her kid? What if she’s kidnapped someone else’s kid?”
“I don’t believe that,” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t believe that… not Ilsa. It’s gotta be hers, but… shit, this raises more
A short time later, we had the car running with a new lease on life. I sat in the driver’s seat, looking for other little things that might need attention. I loved cars anyway, but working on hers sorta seemed… special .
Not that I would ever admit that to the other guys. God , Justin would never let me hear the end of it.
“It wouldn’t hurt for her to have some jumper cables,” Brannon said, grabbing a spare set from the tow truck. “Pop the trunk, Cody, and I’ll throw these in there for her. I’ll just give them to her.”
I pressed the button that released the back, then continued to examine the fuses under the dash, pulling them one at a time to ensure they were okay.
“Holy shit,” I heard Brannon say from the back of the car. “Cody, dude… come here.”
I climbed out and walked back to where he stood with some trepidation as to what he had found.
The two of us stared down into the trunk of her car and the cargo it held.
It was like she was moving, but didn’t have a lot in there. A few boxes held things like toiletries, one with some books. There was one with a few pairs of shoes, and a couple with clothes.
“This is Ilsa’s shirt,” I remarked holding up a T-shirt. “I've seen her wear this. Maybe she was doing laundry?”
“But what about this other stuff?” He reached into one container to pull out a box of Cheerios. “Food?”
“I don’t know. Groceries?” I asked, going to set the shirt back down in the box when something else caught my eye. Something that made me freeze solid.
“Yeah, but some of these boxes are open,” Brannon continued, not noticing my shock. “Why would she be carrying around food that she had already started eating?” Suddenly, he saw where my gaze had stopped. “Holy fuck, is that—?”
I dropped the shirt I held and reached out for a smaller garment. A very small garment actually.
Like for a baby.
I pulled back another shirt from the next stack, and there was a similar tiny shirt and a pair of pint-sized shoes.
“Those are baby clothes,” Brannon breathed. “Does she have a kid?”
I was astounded. “I have no idea.”
We looked through things a little more. I felt sick doing it, like I was totally invading her privacy, something she obviously treasured. It seemed even worse since she was clearly trying to keep a huge secret under wraps. I just had to know though. I had to find something to give me an idea of just what I was dealing with here.
Lifting a jacket revealed a small box of toys, there were a few little stuffed animals, little kid books, and one of those xylophone things that reminded me of one I had as a kid. Under an old quilt were some folded baby blankets, soft fleece, a few light blue and a few light green. A couple packages of diapers and some baby wipes. Mixed in with the groceries, there were a few boxes and jars that indicated they were for toddlers.
“Jesus,” Brannon exhaled. “I feel kind of like a dick for going through her stuff, but how in the fuck did none of us know she had a kid?”
“She doesn’t share much. This would explain why she didn’t want either of us to give her a ride home last night.”
“Why didn’t she tell anyone? It doesn’t make sense.”
“She’s scared of something.”
“What if it’s not her kid? What if she’s kidnapped someone else’s kid?”
“I don’t believe that,” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t believe that… not Ilsa. It’s gotta be hers, but… shit, this raises more
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