2 – Turn the Sounds Off

FROM the corner of her eyes, Emma glanced at the other person in the auto shop.

Her old man has been standing behind her for about ten minutes. He would leave for a while and then back again. He was not talking but she knew that he needed something.

“Spill it, Dad.” She stated while looking at the series of wires in front of her.

“You have a mail. I received it yesterday.”

“Billing statement? I’m also waiting for the replacement of my credit card.”

“No. It has the government seal.”

A frown marred the face of the tall woman. She stopped what she was doing altogether.

She faced her father as she leaned her hip on the side of the car that she was about to fix.

“Have you read it?”

“No.”

“Where is it?”

He pulled something from his back. A white envelope was given to her. It has the military seal on it.

Six years ago, she resigned from her post when she learned of her father’s poor health. She never came back even when he recovered.

Leo Grant is everything to her. She may not be able to establish a long-term relationship with another woman but she always valued her relationship with her father.

He may not be her biological dad but he was the epitome of a good man and a father. Her life with him started when she was twelve years old.

She was walking on a deserted road on a mountainside. She was dirty, thirsty, afraid, and very hungry when a beat-up car pulled up. She was about to run away again when he called her up and told him that he had water and food if she wanted them.

Doubtful of the strange man, she accepted the food and drink that he was offering. Since it was almost nightfall, they spent the night in the nearby trees.

They were not talking to each other unless the man was telling him to eat or to sleep on the cot that he grabbed from his car.

They made a small bonfire to fight off the night animals and the cold air.

Barely speaking to him, she learned that he had served a prison sentence of five years because of robbery. Instead of doubting the man more, she started to trust him when he disclosed that he was an ex-con. No bad man would disclose something dark about him if he meant to do something bad again.

Sleeping very lightly between the roots of a tree instead of the sleeping bag that the man offered, Emma woke up with layers of blanket on top of her. The man was asleep near the almost burned-out fire.

When the morning came, the man asked her if she had somewhere to go. When she told him that she run away from the relatives of her parents who recently died, he offered her to be sent to the nearest orphanage.

She who had been thinking the night before told the man to take her in. She promised him that she would help him with household chores if he gave her a roof over her head and food to eat.

The man discouraged her but eventually gave in.

After a long journey on the road, they end up in a car garage. It used to be owned by Leo’s parents who passed away while he was in prison. He eventually sold it to a family friend.

With the little money that he got from selling his parents' property, he bought a small place and started the auto shop. He lived at the back of the shop.

Like she promised Leo from day one, she helped him with the household chores though the man did not force her to do so.

After a year with him, Leo offered her to be adopted. It was a little messy from the start because of his record but with the help of the community and the local police, Emma eventually becomes Leo’s daughter after a long deliberation.

“What does it say?”

Emma folded the letter and placed it in the pocket of the overall that she was wearing.

“They want me back.” She muttered.

His face lit up.

Her father was the first person who became very happy when she showed interest in serving the army.

She already earned her degree in college when after a couple of years of working in a private company, she felt restless. She saw a poster that calls for those who wanted to train and be part of the military service.

She signed up before telling her father. When he learned of it, he was the one who pushed her to enter the field.

“When are you going to report to your CO?”

“I’m not going.”

“Why?”

“I’m not letting you live by yourself anymore, Dad. Managing this shop on your own is not good for your health.”

She grabbed the rug from the shelf. She wiped the grease from her hands.

“But I am fine now. We can hire someone to manage this shop. I’ll just show up when I have to.”

“It’s a no, dad.”

“Emma---”

She turned on the radio and made sure that it was loud enough not to hear her father’s words.

She turned to her father again. She looked at his face before shaking her head. She touched her ear to tell him that she could not hear him.

The tall woman chuckled when her old man left. He was very disappointed.

She went back to the car that she was fixing.

“What is wrong with you, dude?” She asked as she viewed the engine.

Mind working overtime, her hands started to move. Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love a bad name’ is screaming in the background.

She was done cleaning some parts of the engine when she heard a knock. She lowered the sound a notch when her dad left.

Emma grabbed the rug before she turned around.

A tall and bulky man was by the entrance of the shop. He was sweaty which can be seen on the wet front of the light shirt he was wearing.

The man was startled when he saw her. He must not be expecting a woman in an overall.

“Can I help you?”

He cleared his throat.

“My car broke down.”

“Oh? Did you call for a towing company?”

She drew near him. He was taller by a few inches.

“It’s outside.”

“You pushed the car?”

He nodded.

Together, they went out of the shop. An unfamiliar car was parked nearby.

“That looks new. When was the last time you had that check?”

“I have no idea.”

“What happened?”

“The engine stopped before smoke emitted.”

“Tell your friend to open the hood.”

Emma was no longer surprised when more smoke greeted her when she neared the open hood of the car.

The man whom she spoke with remained a few meters back as she worked on the engine.

“Hey, if you and your friend are a little thirsty,” she uttered. “There’s a selection of drinks in the fridge. This will be done in a few minutes. There’s a more comfortable seat there.”

She heard him mutter his thanks before she was able to hear his footsteps away from where she was.

Wet with sweat and the front of her overalls had grit on them, she unzipped the top and tied the arm sleeves on her middle to avoid it from bothering her. She has a haltered top under the overall anyway. Her hands started working.

She gave the engine a last glance before she approached the driver’s side. She was thankful that the key was left inside.

She turned on the engine before she went out again. No smoke coming out of the engine but she did not like how it sounded.

Emma shook her head. The owner of the car has zero knowledge of taking care of the car. The person only knew how to drive it.

If she is going to ask when was the last time its oil changed, perhaps the owner will look at her like she was from another planet.

“Nice car though,” she expressed before she closed the hood.

Playing with the keys in her hand, she sauntered inside the shop. She heard a soft conversation inside.

“We have to be home before dark.” She heard a woman speak.

“I’ll drive, A---”

“It’s done.” She declared.

“How much do we owe you?”

Her eyes went to the woman. She nodded at her.

“Let me check. How do you want to pay?”

She went behind the counter as she prepared their bill. When she heard no response, her head lifted only to see both of them staring at her.

“Do we have a problem?”

The man was in attention while the woman was looking at her like she was a gift to mankind.

“You alright, ma’am?”

The woman blinked her eyes before a wide smile painted her lips.

“Of course. Do you own this shop?”

“Yeah.”

“How long have you been in this business?”

“A while. I paid taxes on time. Everything is legit, too. I don’t do drugs” She responded before she uttered the amount she had to pay.

A card was given to her. A minute later, she returned it to the woman.

“Thank you. If you have time, make sure to have your car checked. Especially if you like long drives.”

“Do you happen to do services like that?” She nodded at the woman’s question. “A possibility that I could return and you do your suggestion by yourself?”

“Sure. Anything else I can help you with?”

The smile on the other woman disappeared. She openly stared at the mechanic.

“Do you know who I am?”

Emma looked at the woman intently.

She was on the shorter side. Around five feet and four inches, more or less. On the curvy side, too. A woman made for loving. Big bo*bs, wide hips, small waist.

She also has a button nose and deep-seated but rounded, brown eyes. She was tan like she loves to be in the sun not because she was naturally tan.

“I’m not in the showbiz loop nowadays. Please enlighten me.”

“I’m Jill Maloney.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Maloney.” She gave the woman the key. “Thank you.”

A frown marred the other woman’s face. Her attention remained on Emma.

“I can feel your wolf despite you trying to hide her.”

She smirked at the woman. “There was a reason why I’m hiding my wolf.”

“You should not hide her from me.”

“Why is that?”

From her peripheral, she saw the man step closer.

“Because she knew who I am to her and what she is to me.”

“And that is?”

“Don’t talk to her like that.” The man warned.

“Like what?”

“Like you are equal.”

“Are we not? Who is she, anyway?”

“Stop---”

The man managed to wallop his arm at Emma but she has quicker reflexes.

She folded her knees so that his hand went above her head. She went up and jumped on the counter to give him a punch in the face.

He stepped back at the impact but his right foot went up targeting her side. It was caught by Emma’s arm before her own made contact with his family jewel.

She let go of his foot but her arm went to his neck. She secured it in her arms before facing the other woman who seemed fascinated by the fight.

“You are trained.”

“I’m not. I just hate surprises.”

Fingers started to scratch the skin on her arm. She tightened her hold on his neck.

“Let him go. He will not hurt you.”

She pushed him harder than intended.

The man fell to his knees as he gasped for air.

“I’m fine, alpha.”

Emma glanced at the woman again. Their eyes met. She found admiration in Jill’s eyes.

“Do you know who I am to you?”

“No.”

“I’m your mate.”

“It matters to me because?”

Annoyance appeared in the petite woman’s brown eyes. “It should because we are meant to be together. You should know it because you’re a werewolf.”

She chuckled. “Pass.”

Jill’s lips turned into a thin line. It was clear that she did not like what she heard.

“W-what?”

Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball permitted in the air.

“If you don’t mind, I have other things to do. Thank you for choosing Leo’s Auto-Care.” She gave the woman her signature smile.

The woman is about to say something when the chorus of the song screams in the background.

“Turn that blasted thing off!”