Helpful Hand Ch. 01

I was driving alone in my '68 Shelby GT-500 KR Convertible outside town. The summer day was extremely hot even with roof down. The road was nearly empty. Only a few other cars drove in front of me and once a few minutes some passed me by in the other direction. The radio played local station and I started to sing songs with the artists. I maybe can't sing but I was alone and that was fun.

All of the sudden I saw a car beside road with opened hood and hazard lights switched on after I drove past the curve. "What's the hell, I'm not late for everything, I'll check out what's going on" I thought and pull over in front of the broken vehicle. I turned the engine and step out my Cabriolet.

As I walked towards the driver hidden behind the open trunk I realized that the driver must be a girl. She wore a dress. That was the only thing I saw. When I stood in front of her I recognised that she's very young. She could be maybe eighteen or nineteen. She wasn't exactly a bombshell, but I couldn't say that she's not pretty.

But this wasn't what I through about.

"Hello there, what happened? Maybe I could help?" I asked the girl.

She didn't know I was there and when I spoke she hit her head with the trunk.

"I've no idea at all. I was driving. One minute everything was fine, the next it died."

"Could I take a look?" I asked walking towards the driver's seat.

"Yeah, if only you'd fix it. My only knowledge about cars is where to put gasoline and that's all."

"I assure you that my knowledge is far more than where to put gasoline. If I may be honest, then I renovated my car all by myself. Let's see," I told turning the key in the ignition.

The indicators flashed red, temperature and fuel gauge lift up. I tried to start the engine. Starter motor was fine, battery to, but the engine didn't start. I was cranking for about a minute but the Mini engine didn't even catch.

I went to my own car trunk and got the toolbox. I took a screwdriver and removed air filter. There was fuel in the carburettor. So the reason the engine wasn't firing was most likely the ignition. I unconcerned the wire from one of spark plugs, removed plug from engine, connected it and asked the girl to crank the engine while I was holding it beside the engine block. There was no spark. I took then the wire from distributor cap leading to coil and tested it again. There was no spark either.

I started to check every single component of ignition system and soon find the cause. One of the low voltage wires by the coil was broken. I fixed it in no time. "Try again now."

The engine started and ran smoothly. I closed the hood of that British legend and went back to my car to hide toolbox.

The girl came to me and now it was I who hit head against the trunk as she asked "How can I pay you? I've almost no money here."

"Don't worry, I haven't done that for your money. But there's something you could do."

"What do you mean?"

"First of all I even don't know your name."

"It's Holly."

"So Holly, you live nearby?"

"In the nearest city, why are you asking?"

"Because I'd like to take you to diner this evening, what'd you say?"

"I don't really know. I have boyfriend."

"Don't worry. It's not that kind of proposition. I just wish to know someone here. I just moved in. My name's Alexander, but my friends call me Alex." I gave her my hand to shake, and she did as I expected.

"Please to meet you, Alex."

"Pleasure is all mines." I told turning her hand in mine and I bent down to kiss her hand.

She was surprised but also flattered. And when I stood back I saw her chicks burned. I was wondering if anyone had done this with her. It was gallant gesture, but in this times not common to kiss girls' hand. And not many guys know how to do it properly. I knew.

"Where do we meet this evening?"

"The chose is yours, the place we'd go is mine, what'd you say?"

"Meet me at the Windsor Way. The number is 21. What time?"

I couldn't believe. She gave me her address.

"I'll pick you up at six o'clock." I answered pulling my wallet from pocket and giving her my business card. "In case the little fellow wouldn't get you safe home. See you in the afternoon."

"Bye" she said getting inside her Mini.

I sat behind the wheel of my Shelby. After she drove away I started my engine and made a u-turn.

I took my cell from my shirt pocket and dialled one of restaurants in town to make reservation.

Holly - what a nice name. She all was nice. Not so tall, she was shorter than me by the head. She had brown curly hair long enough to cover her neck and shoulders. And probably blue eyes. I didn't have a closer look at her eyes, but it seems to me that it was blue. And she's young. She owned a nice car. Mini with one point three motor in good condition.

I went back to my place and took a bath. Then I put on carefully chosen clothes and drove to the address she told me.

The house I parked in front of was ordinary. It was like the others houses in the neighbourhood of suburbia. Just a family cottage.

As soon as I turned the engine off she stood in the house door. She ran excited towards my car and got inside as I opened the passenger doors for her.

Five minutes later we were driving towards downtown. We didn't talk all the way there. I was looking on the road, but I realized that she stared at me with interest.

"I know that you shouldn't ask a girl a couple of questions, but I'd like to know how old are you?"

"I'm eighteen and a half right now, and you? You look older than me."

"Because I am. I'm twenty-six. You like Italian food?" I asked her looking at her at the red light.

"I don't know. I have never tried before." She answered quickly.

"So, would you like to try? We're going to Italian restaurant. I love Italian food. Pasta and Lasagne Bolognese are my all-time favourites."

"It sounds tempting." She answered.

For next few minutes we drove in silence.

"We're almost there." I told her after we took last corner.

Couple minutes later we were standing in front of the restaurant's door as I opened it letting her pass it. As we got inside the director asked if we have a reservation.

"Of course, you should have there for name Alexander Williams."

Soon we were pointed the table and sat by it. The waiter immediately gave us menu.

"I know what I'll order, it should be Crema di pomodoro for the first meal, Lasagne Bolognese but without any spinach if you're desecrating the recipe with it as I used to witness, and Tagliata di pollo for main course. And Tiramisu for dessert. And what would you like Holly? Chose whatever you wish."

"I don't really know, I think I'd eat the same that you."

"So two times whole order?"

"Yes, please" answered Holly.

The waiter wrote '2x' on a notebook.

"Something to drink?"

"Yes, I'd like Earl Grey with lemon."

The waiter wrote it down. "And miss?"

"I'd like red, semi-sweet wine."

"Witch one?"

The girl didn't know what to answer.

"Do you have only Italian wine? I'm wondering if it'd be possible to bring us a bottle of Côte-d'Or Pinot noir with a small note of Cabernet. And I know it's not most likely, but if you're able to bring me a 1983 Chambolle-Musigny Pinot noir."

"I'm sorry, sir but we don't have such expensive wines. Let me chose something for you."

"All right." She answered.

The waiter left us.

"Tell me about yourself" asked Holly looking me straight into my eyes.

She has not blue but green eyes, now I saw it.

"Well, first of all if I knew you'd like wine I'd bring something from my own collection, most likely the same I asked for. I'm engineer. I design and develop engines for cars. I studied physics and machine development at Oxford. Now I'm a free head. I lastly worked with Rover, now I'm developing a new engine for Lotus. I like 80' and 90' music, Italian food, French wine and good movies. In free time I enjoy playing tennis and reading books, my favourite author is James Patterson, actor Nicolas Cage, actress Emma Watson. For last four years I'm single. I own as you know one of the most desirable cars of all-times and one from the rarest in the world. There was only seven made that came with air-conditioning in this model year. I have four years older sister. She's married and has three children, four years old boy and one-years-old tweens girls. My parents live in London where I born and lived until moved to Oxford, then last month I moved here. I bought a house in the same neighbourhood that you live. And I have a husky dog. Anything else you wish to know? If not, then tell me something about you."

"I'm the only child. I always wanted to have an older brother, it's silly, isn't it? I'd finish this year college and I wish to go to Oxford and study math. I'm listening to pop music. I like reading, dancing and watching movies, near every kind. I play bridge and love to ride a bike. My favourite author is Jo Rowling, actor Hugh Laurie, actress Natalie Portman. As you know I own a Mini. It was gift from my father for my 18 birthday. I'm good girl and beloved daughter of my father. I live here since I was born in the same house. And... and I lied about boyfriend. I had never a boyfriend."

"You haven't got any boyfriend?"

"No, there was one guy I really wished to date with, but..."

Holly broke this confession and stared on the menu that lied in front of her on the table.

"What happen?" I asked softly.

"He's got child... with someone who used to be best friend of mine. And to be more precise she's pregnant with his son."

"I know how hard it must be for you. Believe me, I know."

She raised her sight at him. In her eyes there were tears. I wiped them with my finger. It was an instinct.

This little gesture changed everything.

She smiled at me. And for the first time I looked at her as a girl. A woman. Then I realized she's beautiful. She had small breasts, angelic hair and lovely face. She all was lovely girl. And suddenly she took my right hand with I wiped her tears in hers both.

"I don't know what to say. What to do" she whispered.

"Don't worry. Everything will be all right. Now I'd tell you something. Something I had never told anyone. When I was not so older then you are right now I had a girlfriend. She was beautiful and smart. She was intelligent and she was love of my life. We were inseparable. Some day we had sex. It was amazing. For the next year we spend all the free time we had together. We always had safe sex. We used condoms and pills. And some day she came to me and told me she was pregnant. I... I was happy. For five the most beautiful minutes of my entire life. And then she told that's not my child. We broke up. Eight months later she gave birth to a girl. Black girl. She got married with the father. The marriage last for two years. After that she wished to renew our relationship. I just couldn't. Not after what she did. We were happy with each other and everyone who knew us was telling that she'd someday be my wife. But I couldn't forgive her what she did. After that I was lonely very, very long time. I just was too much afraid to trust someone else. Nearly three years ago I met someone. We had wonderful time, but it didn't end well also, this had terrible ending. She died."

He made a pause when waiter brought them the tomato soup.

"How did she die?" Holly asked as we were alone once more.

"She had cancer. She got to know just after we met. For eight months I was watching my wife dying. Yes, my wife. We got to married just before we got the terrible news. She died a year ago. Today's the anniversary."

"I'm so sorry" she told as she squeezed my hand tightly.

"I don't know how I'd stand this day if I wouldn't meet you Holly. The car, the Shelby is her. It was her wedding gift from her parents. It wasn't in such good order as it is today, but they knew I'd bring its glory. When I met you I was going to meet her. She lies nearby in her family tomb. This is the reason I moved here."

"How did you meet her?"

"I was walking in the campus just before my final exam. And she sat on a bench. I sat beside her. After just ten minutes I know I wish to spend my life with her. Something I had never felt before and after. It's hard to explain. I just knew we were destiny to each other. I could tell her anything and I could listen to her for hours. The same day we kissed the very first time. The same night we did something much more than kissed for the very first time. Couple months later we were married. Today we probably would be parents. We wished a child for the perfect month before weeding. And then the fate met us. I was angry. But you can be sure I did everything for her to be happy till the very end. I know that you'd not understand what I mean. That shall understand only someone who felt like that."

I didn't want to speak it laud but when I saw a girl in a broken car on roadside, when I pulled over and fixed her car, I felt that. Destiny. That's why I asked Holly out. I didn't care if she has boyfriend, if it is written for us to be together, then there isn't any force that should not let it happen.

She observed me very carefully. In her eyes there was something. She looked at me in some sort of way I felt happy. Happy that I met her.

And then she bent over the table and kissed me. One innocent kiss. But for me it was like statement.

"I understand it," she told me as her lips moved back, "I felt this way once in my entire life. Today, when you stopped and got out the car. Alex, tell me something, would you become my very first boyfriend?"

"Yesterday I'd say, I'm not ready. But... as you said to me this, now I know I can tell you. I felt this. This what I was talking about with Mary, my late wife. I asked you out because I felt it was destiny that we met," I said and then kissed her.

"Do we have to wait for the dinner to end?"

"No, but I wish you try Lasagne, you should enjoy it."

"And what if I don't care? In this moment the only thing besides you that counts to me is your answer."

"The answer's 'yes', I'd be your boyfriend. Hopefully someday more than just a boyfriend. And if you wish we can go now."

"I want."

"Waiter! Bring the bill!" he spoke loudly.

Five minutes later we were sitting in car.

"Take me to your place, please," told Holly as I started the mighty 428 Cobra Jet.