Forever by Jeff Holmes Page A

and ready for barbecue.”
    “Good to see you, Scotty,” Ray said, reaching across to shake his hand. “You look great. Love the haircut!”
    Roni shot her father a pained look. “I miss his hair, Daddy,” she said.
    “Roni said you’ve been working on kicking again,” he said. “ You going to give it another try when you get out?”
    “I’d like to,” Scott said. “If I can get anyone to take me.”
    “Well,” Ray said. “I guess you need some wheels, don’t you?”
    “Yes I do, sir,” Scott said. The “sir” thing had become habit.
    “Let’s go take a look.”
     
    They walked back out on the lot toward a row of new GMC trucks. On the end was a silver C-2500. It had three shades of thick red stripes down each side, a CB antenna on top.
    “Man, that is gorgeous,” he said. “Is that a ‘Sarge’?”
    Scott had been doing his research. The Sarge was special edition truck. He had seen pictures of them, but this was the first one in person. Like Roni’s Sky Bird and the Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am, they were sought-after and rare special editions.
    “Yes it is, Scott,” Ray said warily.
    “It’s awesome,” Scott said.
    “You want the most expensive one?” Roni asked.
    “Are you kidding?” he said. “It’s amazing.”
    “Can you afford this, son?” Wayne asked.
    Scott glanced at Roni, then went over and looked at the sticker.
    “$4,756?” Scott asked Ray.
    “Well, that’s the sticker,” he said, smiling. “Why don’t you and Roni take it for a ride?”
    “Yeah, let’s take it for a ride,” Scott said. “Just roll your window down, baby.”
    Roni rolled her eyes and flipped him off. “Asshole.”
    They pulled off the lot and drove north on Bowling.
    “I know you want a new truck,” Roni said. “But this one?”
    The Sarge was something else. It came standard with air conditioning, cruise control, an AM-FM-8 track and even a factory CB radio. But it was also pricy.
    Scott loved it. Like Roni with the Sky Bird, the Sarge seemed to speak to him.
    “Baby, if I bought another one, we’d have to spend the money on a stereo, a CB, cruise and that kind of stuff. It would end up costing us just as much,” he said. “This way, it’s all already there and it’s covered under warranty.”
    Roni paused. “Damn you being practical,” she said. “OK, let’s see what Daddy says.”
    By the time they reached the lot, Ray had dropped the price to $4,000 and gave Scott $800 as a trade-in for the Creamsicle. Plus, Scott had put away almost $6,000 in student loan money he’d never used. He took $1,200 of that to add to a down payment. He’d finance the other $2000 through GMAC.
    “If this is the one you want,” Ray said, “let’s get things signed and you can drive it the Fairgrounds tonight.”
    “If we’re done, I’m going to run home and take a shower,” Roni said, giving Scott a quick kiss. “I’ll see you for barbecue about 5:30, Footer.”
    “Let’s go sign the papers,” Ray said.
    “Dad, you can go ahead and take the bike home,” Scott said. “I’ll finish up here.”
    “Oh, OK,” Wayne said. “Ray, thank you. We’ll see you in a bit.”
    Scott and Ray walked back into the showroom. “There was something else I wanted to talk to you about, Ray,” Scott said.
    “What can I do for you, son?”
     
     
    ****
     
     
    CHAPTER 13
    “This is your fucking truck?” Rick kept repeating. “Seriously? Jesus, Footer.”
    “This is my fucking truck,” Scott responded, as they cruised down South Clayton Street toward the Fairgrounds. “Love it or what?
    “You’re definitely sleeping with the right person,” Rick said.
    Scott smiled and shook his head. “Do you ever not think with your dick? I don’t have this truck because of Roni.”
    “Sure you do, Footer, sure you do,” Rick teased.
    “Well, I AM sleeping with the right person,” Scott allowed. “But not for the truck.”
    “Man, I bet she looks good naked,” Rick teased again.
    “Shut the