8 Mile

Then she had them change into the swim suits she'd bought them while she was at Meijers.

"What about those giant squirt guns you bought," I asked her.

"The super soakers," she asked. "Those are for us!"

We all headed out into the yard and the kids screams as they saw the pool, were probably heard two blocks over.

Within seconds, the kids were scrambling over the ladder and into the pool. Dale and Sally were still staring wide eyed.

"Where'd...?" began Dale in confusion.

"How'd you get...?" added Sally

"That's how we roll!" Betty said proudly. She wrapped her arms around my waist, and I thought I was in heaven.

A few moments later, I was showing Sally how to adjust the jets and water pressure in the hot tub. Dale seemed not to know what to do with himself, so he was watching the kids play in the pool.

"Mom get in the pool," he yelled.

Betty just shook her head. "I'm not allowed to," she said. He just looked puzzled.

With the kids taken care of and their parents occupied, I decided to spend some time working on the 68. I'd had a local speed shop drop in a 5.0 motor and drive train. I was only doing the things that I had the know-how and the time for.

As the splashing sounds and screams continued, I settled onto my creeper and got under the car. The speed shop guys hadn't done anything to the exhaust system except for the headers. So the rest of the exhaust system's plumbing was up to me. Over the last couple of weeks, I'd gotten the catalytic convertors installed so now my intention was to start installing my Flowmaster Outlaw cat-back system.

Combined with the hot cams in the motor, my 68 would have a rumble like none other, but also the power to back it up.

I had everything set up. I had my wrenches arranged. I had the parts and the clamps ready. And I was all ready to start when I noticed the feet. Then she bent down and grabbed my feet. She pulled me from under the car.

The fact that my creeper had those insanely slick, ball bearing rollers made it really easy for her.

"Is there any room under there for me?" she asked. I just nodded and rolled back under the car. She grabbed a blanket from the trunk of my other Mustang and crawled under the 68 next to me.

"You keep workin' and I'll hand you stuff," she said. I groaned inwardly, remembering her help in putting the kids' pool together.

"I wanted to talk about something," she smiled. "You know... Uhm last night was kind of different for us," she said.

I remembered our first kiss. I remembered how soft her lips were and how much more intimate the sex had been.

"This really hurts my butt," she chirped. "But I like doing it for you..."

"God, is that all you two do," asked Dale who'd just come into the garage. "I mean it's broad daylight!"

"We're fully clothed and workin' on the car," said Betty, "come down here."

Dale got down on his knees and looked under the car. Betty waved at him.

"But I thought..." he sputtered. "But you said your uhm... Butt hurt!"

"That's what happens when you hear only part of a conversation between two other people," said Betty. "Alan is lying on his padded skateboardy thingy. But my ass is resting on the solid concrete floor of this God damned garage... So it hurts."

"Sorry Mom," he said. "I thought you were... Uhm."

"Don't be totally sorry," Betty said. "I mean it's not like we HAVEN'T..."

"Too much information Ma," said Dale. "I don't need a list of what you two have or haven't done."

"We were working on the car, smarty pants, when you just burst in here makin' accusations," said Betty.

"What were you doing on the car," asked Dale.

"We were... Uhm... Connecting the uhm... Vibro... Circular... Back part thingy," said Betty.

It was hard for me to keep a straight face. When I started laughing, she elbowed me in the ribs.

After more talking and more being elbowed. Dale offered to install the fiberglass hood and the hood strut kit, for me.

As we worked, we talked. After about twenty minutes of working, Betty asked me to get the coke that she'd left on the work bench. I decided to get it for her for two reasons. The first was that if I didn't she'd continue to bother me about it until she got it. The second was because working upside down is extremely tiring, and I wanted a break anyway.

When I got to the work bench, I noticed that all of my tools were still neatly arranged, but there was no coke.

"Betty there's no coke here," I said.

"Damn it, I forgot," she said. "WE drink Pepsi anyway."

When I got back under the car, Betty was lying on my creeper, and her blanket was in my place.

"I'm excited," she chirped. "Now we can see how YOUR ass likes the concrete!"

"Beeettttttyyyyyyy," I said! "I have an idea. Why don't you go over on the patio and watch your grandkids?"

"Because that's not my job or my place," she said. "I'm supposed to be with you!"

We worked for another hour while Dale told us about his life in Florida and not being able to find a job. I didn't say anything at the time, but I was pretty sure that I could help him. I didn't want to get his hopes up and have him angry or disappointed so I kept it to myself.

Dale needed some help adjusting the hood, so I stood up and stretched my back and sore shoulders.

"I'm gonna go start lunch," declared Betty.

"Betty..." I said sharply.

"I know Alan; I'm not four. I know what I'm allowed to do and what I'm not," she spat.

A few seconds later, she popped her head back inside the garage. "You guys have to see this!" she stage whispered.

Dale and I went out into the yard. Betty quickly crossed the yard and pointed at Sally in the hot tub. "She's asleep," giggled Betty.

"She needs it," said Dale. "I don't think she got a wink of sleep during the entire drive. And last night I tried to rub her back for her, but it was so knotted up."

"Maybe you should carry her inside," said Betty. "She shouldn't be sleeping in the sun like that. She'll burn for sure. She's also gonna wake up looking like a prune."

Even the kids had lost most of their energy in the baking sun. They were both lying on a floatee, turning slow circles in the middle of the large pool.

"I'm kinda hungry, Grandma," said Emma, walking towards Betty, trailing water from her swimsuit.

"I'm gonna whip up some sandwiches and some fries for lunch, Honey," said Betty.

"I think a hotdog is a samwich," said DJ.

"I'll start the grill," I said. "Dale can you watch it? I have an important phone call to make."

"Sure," he said.

I called Thom Dunn, the head of HR for my plant. Thom was a great guy. He'd moved up to Michigan from our Florida operation. He was third in line to head the HR department there. That meant it would probably be twenty years or more before he could head that department. But moving to Michigan, which was a less desirable state to live in gave him more opportunity.

As an HR manager, he could leapfrog over the old assistant manager when his former boss retired, if he chose to do so. The good thing for me was that he'd remained on good terms with all of his old coworkers in Florida.

He made a phone call for me. And just after we finished eating lunch, I got a call. I exchanged pleasantries with a lady for a few moments and then handed the phone to Dale.

He looked really confused, but we heard him answering a lot of questions. He ended the conversation with several extremely excited, "Yes Ma'ams," and an, "I sure will."

When he hung up the phone, his screams woke up Sally and the nearly sleeping kids.

He turned to me. "You got me a job!" he yelled. "It's only twenty miles away from our house! I can drive that in twenty or thirty minutes by freeway."

"What," asked Sally. "How'd you that? He's been putting in applications for months."

"Uh... I just got him an interview," I said. Betty snaked her arm around me as usual and gave my waist a squeeze.

"I ain't never heard of anybody doing an interview over the phone," said Dale. "And all she asked me was my name, what high school I graduated from, and when I could start."

"When did you tell her, Honey?" asked Sally.

"I told her bright and early Monday morning," he said. "The sooner I start workin' the sooner we have money comin' in."

"And the sooner we can get our own place," said Sally. "I like livin' with your aunt and uncle, but you know... A woman needs her own space."

I looked over and saw that the excitement meant nothing to the kids. They stretched out in the sofa and fallen asleep.

"If we're gonna leave early in the morning, I think we should have a nap before dinner too," said Sally.

"Okay, you two. The kids are in the house. Don't do anything we wouldn't do," said Betty.

"Is there anything you two don't do?" asked Sally.

"Probably not," said Betty.

Betty cleaned up the kitchen, and I went back to the garage to work on the 68's exhaust. It wasn't the first time I'd seriously considered putting a hydraulic lift in my garage.

I ended up getting everything done and clamped. I even got a chance to listen to the system and loved the deep resonant rumble. I thought it was awesome. I knew it would scare the shit out of people who pulled up next to me and thought my car was a straight classic 68.

But as I stumbled into the house to get Betty, so she could hear it, I heard something else. I heard something that unlike my exhaust system, scared the shit out of ME.

"Mom, we're family. You belong with us. There are plenty of rich old guys your age all over Florida. And they're gonna love you," said Dale. "I mean Alan is a nice guy, but it's not like you're married. And to tell you the truth, I don't like the way he treats you. What's with all of this bullshit about what you're allowed to do? You're older than he is, Mom. You can do whatever the fuck you want."

Betty just started laughing at that. I went back outside to the garage. I really had to wrap my head around it.

I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. What was I doing wrong? Why did everyone I ever loved leave me? At least this time, I knew in advance. This time I wouldn't be shocked or embarrassed. And to tell the truth, this time it made sense.

Betty wasn't so much leaving me as she was rejoining her family. She would be able to spend time with her son. He was her only child. And she'd be able to get to know her daughter in law. She would also have the chance to see her grandchildren grow up. Those two kids alone, were worth it.

She'd done so much for me whether she knew it or not. Betty had come into my life and taught me how to love again. More importantly she'd taught me how to live again. She was responsible for forcing me to get my head out of my ass and stop moping over the whore I'd married. I was happy again.

But Betty deserved to be happy too. I couldn't be the kind of selfish asshole that tries to keep someone else from being happy just because I'd be miserable without her.

* * * * * *

Betty

I went out to the garage looking for Alan. I still couldn't believe how great he'd been to my family. I'd been so happy when he agreed to let them stay in the house, but he went beyond that. Buying the pool for the kids and all the other stuff was more than I had ever hoped for.

But then he went even beyond that. He improved their lives in a much more important and much more lasting manner by getting my son a job. And he was so quiet about it. He didn't brag or ask for anything in return. He just did it, let them enjoy their moment, and then went back out to the garage to play with his car.

I had no idea how he was going to react to what I was going to... Or really what Dale and Sally wanted to ask of him next. It was something we'd never considered or thought about. But I was sure he'd be happy about it.

"Alan," I called. I looked around and noticed that the garage was dark. Alan was in front of the car working on the hood that he and Dale had installed.

"Why the hell are you in here in the dark?" I called. "You can't fix the car if you can't see." And then he turned away from me. I turned the lights on. Alan was hiding something from me.

As I flipped the switch to illuminate the garage, he wiped his face and plastered on an obviously fake smile. I think even he knew that he couldn't pull off the smile. So he screwed his face into a frown as if he was angry.

"God damn it Betty, can't I work on my car in peace?" he asked.

"No," I said sharply. "What's got you upset?" I was sure that bitch across the street had come over and said something to him. Either her or his ex wife who was still living over there with her.

"I'm not upset," he lied. "I slammed the hood on my hand. It hurt like hell."

I know Alan. I knew he was trying to lie to me. I figure it would come out later.

"Alan, Dale and Sally wanted..." I began.

"I know," he said. "I'm happy for you. Don't worry about me... I mean if you were."

A tear rolled down his cheek, and I got pissed. Whoever had upset him was about to have one pissed off redhead up his or her ass.

"You should be with your family," he said. "It's where you belong."

And suddenly I understood. Alan overheard part of my conversation with my ungrateful son.

"Yeah, I really wish I COULD go," I said. "Those rich old Florida retired guys would probably love to see my pale white ass hanging out of those shorts." I hoped he'd get jealous and get pissed. I had to do something to give my man his fire back.

"But I owe you too much money," I said, "maybe in a year or so."

"Betty, if anything... I owe YOU money," he said. "You've made my life so much better... Money can't replace that. I NEED for YOU to be happy. You should be with your family. You don't owe me anything. We're even."

"Arrrrrrrrrghggghhhhhhhhhh!" I screamed so loud they could hear me on the moon. "Why the fuck do I always end up with liars? Are men simply incapable of telling the God damned truth?"

Dale popped his into the garage. "Mom... You okay," he asked.

"No I'm not O fucking Kay," I shrieked. I pointed at Dale. "Your father... Your biological one was a liar. He seduced a twenty-year-old woman into believing he was in love with her. He talked about our future and the life we were going to have. It was all bullshit. As soon as he got me pregnant with you, he disappeared. It took me over a year to find him.

I showed up at his house with you in my arms to find out that he already had a wife and three kids. I took him to court. His lawyers destroyed me. They made me seem like some sort of gold digger who was out to wreck his family.

He made it seem like I had pursued him with the intention of getting pregnant. And I had supposedly done this just to get money out of him. The problem was that his wife's family had all the money, and she didn't owe me a dime.

A year later, I met your step father. There was something about him. We struggled together for years. But we always managed to keep food on the table. And I thought that I was lucky. I mean how many men would take in a redhead with another man's child?

We had some good times and some bad ones. But I thought we were happy. Then in your late teens... You disappeared. Shortly after you disappeared, I found out that it was all a lie. Your step father was some kind of drug warehouser for a big dealer.

His job was to store the drugs so the dealer could never be caught with large amounts of product. That shit was all over our house. It was hidden in the walls and the floors.

Then a rival drug gang killed the dealer and started taking his organization down. It all came out. Your step father not only didn't love me... He had three other houses with women and kids all over the city. I was just dumb pussy to him. We didn't even own the house. When the police took him into protective custody, they didn't even think any of the women were valuable enough to protect.

I struggled and tried and eventually ended up homeless. After a few really shitty years on the road, Alan found me. Dale you're as bad as your fuckin' fathers. This man has been nothing but nice to you. He has made your life infinitely better in only two days and then not only are you not grateful for what he did for you... You don't even have the balls to ask me to leave with you out in the open. I already told you not only no but HELL no."

"I'm sorry again, Mom," said Dale. "I'm sorry Alan. I misread some of your signals. I kind of saw my step-dad with one of his other families, and I knew she would never believe me. My mom had a history of picking guys who just weren't any good for her. And all of that shit between the two of you about what she can do and what she can't. I thought you were abusing her, and she was just putting up with it out of fear, of because she didn't have any place else to go."

"Dale, Alan doesn't allow me to go out in the sun because I'm a redhead. I don't tan; I just burn. Earlier this summer, I got burned really badly. Alan had the awning put up, but I'm not allowed to go into full sun. Not because he's abusing me... It's because he doesn't want me hurt. He watches out for me like I'm precious," I said. "I like it."

"Mom, I didn't know any of that," said Dale. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," I told him. "Be GONE. Let me deal with my next liar alone."

"Betty... I've never lied to you," said Alan. "I... I..."

"Shut up Alan," I said. "You've never told me the God damned truth since..." I wiped a tear myself. He was instantly there with his arms around me and everything was right with my world.

"I'm sorry Alan," I said. "The other night when you finally kissed me... I understood it all. I've been trying to find a way for us to get this out. I tried to talk to you when we were under the car, but Dale interrupted us. Alan... God damn it! You're the man. Tell me what you want! I have never told you no. Not one time."

"Betty... " he said. "Please don't leave. I want you with me for the rest of my life... I love you!"

That was when I punched him. "Alan, I already told you how I felt when we were under your damned car," I yelled! "I told you that I... BELONG with YOU! I love you too, dummy!"

"So what did you want to ask me then...?" he said calmly.

"Grandpa can we get back in the pool," asked DJ.

"That about sums it up," I said. "We figured since I'm their grandma... You should be..."

"I'd be honored," he said, then he turned to DJ. "Yep, DJ, but only for a little while. I have to take the pool down and empty it."

"Aww..." said DJ.

"Don't you want me to pack it up and put it in your car so you can take it home with you," asked Alan.

"Unh huh!" said DJ. He ran off excitedly. "Emma... It's MY pool. I get to take it home with me and you can't get in it... Grandpa said so. I get to make the rules. No girls in MY pool!"

"I guess I blew that one," said Alan.

* * * * * *

Alan

Things got even better after that between Betty and me. It was like having the cat out of the bag made us freer somehow. So about a week after the kids left, I took what I thought was the next logical step.

I bought Betty a big assed diamond and asked her to marry me. She said, "Yes," without any hesitation, and I thought all the drama was over.

But ten days later, I noticed that Betty was acting funny. It reminded me of the way that Sharon had acted when she was cheating on me. I didn't think that Betty was cheating, but I was sure that something was going on. She was keeping a secret from me.

I often watched Betty when she slept, and her sleep pattern was different. It was as if she was wrestling with something even in her sleep.

I felt like a fool for doing it, but I knew that I'd feel like an even bigger one if I got fooled again.

So I started monitoring Betty's calls. I discovered something I wasn't sure I wanted to know. Betty was calling Florida a lot. I guessed that maybe she regretted the decision she'd made to stay with me. As great as I thought our life together was, being with me couldn't match being with her son and her grandkids. I had to figure out a way to keep Betty happy, or I was sure I would lose her.