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Post by gabriel on May 22, 2011 1:54:46 GMT -5
(No good title or plot, really, heh ^^ ) -
Gabriel stepped back to admire his work, from the sidewalk. The modest sign hung above the shop, reading: "Standing Crow Repairs - Auto, Component, and More". The corner of his lip quirked. Not bad. Not at all.
It hadn't happened overnight, but it had happened fast, for what they were used to. This old place had been gutted and renovated and turned on its axis to create the (almost) perfect shop for what they needed. He didn't know how long they drilled in shelves and cabinets, broke out plaster and decontaminated every corner, sealed tight every crack; long after-noons spent re-painting and finishing and polishing and moving in the furniture - they'd even laid a carpet - before the whole product stood proud, finished at last.
He titled his head. Well, almost. After all, what was a shop without customers?
His mother stuck her graying head cheerfully out of the door. "Hey, cleaning-slave! I fixed the AC! You want a sandwich, there's a double-beef and a Sprite in the fridge - "
"No, ma, but thanks," he called patiently, performing a mental eye-roll and directing his attention down the street. Not a bad place at all. Peaceful, quiet...the large man brushed back his sweat-slicked hair from his forehead and stepped inside.
He made sure to turn the smaller, hanging sign around on display:
"Open for Business".
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 22, 2011 11:20:29 GMT -5
Cass laughed and stuck her head out the driver's side window to check on Frank as he pushed her in his broken down car down the last few blocks to the auto shop. Frank had inherited the piece-of-shit from his alpha when they had moved from Texas since he had totaled the car before it and was notoriously bad about maintenance and not plowing through intersections. Frank caught her looking and launched into another flow of expletives which only made Cass laugh harder and so the both of them were out of breath by the time they rolled to a stop in front of the shop.
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Post by gabriel on May 22, 2011 22:48:07 GMT -5
He'd just finished shrugging into the blue coveralls when he heard the car roll up, alongside a cursing gent and a laughing lady. That was fast. He flicked on the lights to the garage, illuminating the vast space's workshop, ready to accept its latest patient.
Anna stubbed her cigarette and came to greet them. "Gabe, we've got guests!" She shook her head in amusement at the approaching pair, and, as was her nature, took an immediate liking to them. "Hello there, can we help you two? Welcome to the new Shop!"
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 22, 2011 23:20:57 GMT -5
"We broke down." Cass snickered as she got out of the car before looking Frank over. "He probably forgot to change the oil again."
Frank shrugged and wiped at his forehead. "Wasn't sure this place was open yet. Glad I didn't push the f**k**g car all the way here for nothing."
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Post by gabriel on May 22, 2011 23:55:29 GMT -5
Anna was all of a-dither. "All the way here? Gracious, boy, go in and get ya a soda, you look half-dead on your feet! You too, m'lady, must be some tough work keeping him in line!" She chuckled cheerily.
"As it's the first day open, and you're the first customers, there's a huge discount," said Gabriel, walking up to them and the car with a thin, but friendly, smile. "How long since the last oil change?"
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 23, 2011 0:42:20 GMT -5
"You have no idea." Cass grinned. "Actually, I could really use a cigarette if you don't mind. That's where we were going when we broke down."
She gave Gabriel an appalled look. "Don't give him a discount. He'll never learn his lesson."
Frank rolled his eyes but decided to pick his battles with Cassandra, opting to answer Gabriel instead. "No clue. But the lights been on a while."
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Post by gabriel on May 23, 2011 1:02:32 GMT -5
"Discount policy is 'first day, first served', ma'am." He assured. Gabriel fished in his pocket for a fresh pack and handed it over graciously. "Though you may owe me a cigarette or two," he joked, prodding and poking around the vehicle. "Looks like it could be an electrical problem."
Anna disappeared and reappeared with drinks for everyone, and a lighter. "Y'need to pull it into the shop, son?"
"Hmm." He popped the hood and started checking the fluid and innards. "Appears overdue for an oil change, as suspected; and a very hot engine, transmission fluid needs changing, too. As for the lights, what's the year?"
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 23, 2011 1:44:52 GMT -5
"And my eternal gratitude." Cass smiled, lighting up a cigarette.
"How the f**k am I supposed to know that?" Frank flinched a little when Cass smacked his arm, shooting her a confused look. "What?"
Cass shook her head. "Can't take him anywhere. And it's a '91, I think."
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Post by gabriel on May 23, 2011 2:25:50 GMT -5
Though Gabe looked up at the use of such language within female earshot (of the client and his mother, no less), he pretended not to hear, and took another look, playing with the ignition.
He came back to the hood. "Found the problem. The car's been overheated, over a long period of time." He pointed out the eye of the battery. "In short, your alternator teamed up with the empty tanks and killed your battery. They're completely burnt out, and need to be replaced."
"But don't worry, we've got what you need," said Anna cheerfully, reaching in and putting the car in neutral. "The whole thing won't take a day to complete. Line 'er up, babe!"
Gabriel closed the hood and took hold of the front underside, setting his stance and squaring his shoulders, and heaved. The car crawled up and into the garage, little by little, its walker in no hurry, powerful muscles bunching beneath the faded-blue fabric like a pair of pythons.
Anna bubbled happily away. "You're more than welcome to wait here while it's fixin', kids, front room's got his Xbox for grabs -"
"Hey!" Was the indignant call from within the garage. Anna ignored him. " - And I'm guessing, oh, three hours tops? You can kill zombies and fill out paperwork at the same time, all-around victory!"
A mutinous grumble and the sound of rattling tools being selected from the shelves. "Keep on, princess; you gotta sleep some time."
Anna cackled. "Didn't get yore names, by the way? How rude of me!"
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 23, 2011 18:26:14 GMT -5
"I'm Cass." She grinned and playfully punched Frank's arm. "And this is Frank."
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Post by Evlyn Montgomary on May 29, 2011 21:26:03 GMT -5
"Cass!" Xander jogged up, red faced and sweaty. "I brought your cigarettes!"
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 30, 2011 1:02:14 GMT -5
"My hero." Cass grinned and looped her arms around his neck.
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Post by gabriel on May 30, 2011 1:43:47 GMT -5
"Good to meet you two! I'm Anna, the miniature elephant is my son, Gabriel. We're new in the neighborhood... And oh, another neighbor a-calling? Sure are making friends here in no time flat, we are!" She beamed in the newcomer's direction.
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Post by Evlyn Montgomary on May 30, 2011 12:57:53 GMT -5
Xander shot a dark look at Gabriel, wary of any guy in Cass' vicinity when he wasn't around. He quickly decided that nothing was going on, however, and beamed at Anna, turning on the charm and holding his hand out. "I'm Xander Dean. How much do I owe you for Cassie's car?"
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Post by gabriel on May 30, 2011 14:18:12 GMT -5
Gabriel, elbow-deep within the hood of the car, looked up momentarily and caught the tail-end of the scrutinizing glare. Hmm? What was that about?
The tiny lady shook the proferred hand cheerily, instantly delighted. "Normally the total things wrong with the car would be up to well-over a thousand dollars - but since you guys qualify for the discount, we'll replace the oil, fluid, alternator, electrical and battery for $500, dirt cheap."
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Post by Evlyn Montgomary on May 30, 2011 14:21:31 GMT -5
Xander winced. He should have known it wouldn't just be the tiny problem Cassie's text had said. "I....." he mumbled uncomfortably. "Can I write you a check for that?"
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 30, 2011 14:34:19 GMT -5
Cass shoved at his shoulder. "Frank's paying."
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Post by gabriel on May 30, 2011 14:36:53 GMT -5
Anna grinned at Cass and gave Xander a knowing-pat on the arm, not fazed in the least. "Don't fret your heads, love, we got paperwork for that. You can make payments over the next six months even, if you have to. Not the amount you were warned of, eh? Heeheehee."
Gabriel attached the new battery and started the car. It roared to life a moment from the garage after a few coughing tries. Almost got it.
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Post by Evlyn Montgomary on May 30, 2011 14:42:55 GMT -5
Xander pulled Cass into a one armed hug. "Cass, I can pay." he hated when she and Frank used their daddies money to deal with these things and acted like it was better than him using the money he'd been f**k**g working for all these years. "I just have to wait till next week. I've gone through this paycheck already on.." he trailed off and glanced at Anna, not wanting to say what the money went towards in front of strangers. Cass knew, anyway.
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Post by Jack Lupus on May 30, 2011 14:50:54 GMT -5
"I gave the car to Frank." Cass kissed his cheek and shrugged. "And it's his fault it's this messed up. He's paying."
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