Copyright ©2020 by Creole Gaudet. All rights reserved.
No part of this episode may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system – except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper – without permission in writing from the publisher, Creole Gaudet.
Paco was seated behind the wheel when Tawny, Blake, and Katya exited the club. He made a mental note of their shabby sweats and sneakers.
Blake grinned widely as they approached. She looked to Tawny. “He drives a Porsche!”
Katya countered. “You must get something bigger, Paco, like Mercedes-Benz. This is toy.”
Paco reached across the center console, releasing the latch. “Hop in, I’ll bring you to your car. Where’d you park?”
“They are new girls, they don’t have car yet. They ride with you.”
Blake entered, sliding easily to the rear. Tawny carefully handed Blake their suitcases before taking the passenger seat.
“You watch after them, Paco.” She looked to Blake, then to Tawny. “Have a good night, darlings. You’re in good hands now.”
NORTHWEST HIGHWAY – TRAVELING – 2:23 a.m.
“Paco!”
“What you say, Blake?”
“I have a question?”
“Okay…”
“Is this the GTS?”
“The 4GTS.”
“And it’s a cabriolet too. This is so awesome!”
Tawny looked to Paco. “What year is it?”
Blake cut in. “It’s a twenty seventeen. It’s brand new!”
Tawny continued. “Is it gray?”
Paco grinned. “It’s called Aventurine Green Metallic.”
“It’s gray-green.” Tawny ran a careful eye throughout the cabin. “This is nice, Paco… At least you didn’t get red. I hate red convertible drivers. They like attention. And we know you don’t need a lot of attention.”
Paco chuckled. “Ooh, that’s low.”
“I’m just saying, that’s all.”
“Paco!”
“Yes, Blake.”
“I want you to do something.”
“What is it?”
“I want you to get on it! Make it go fast!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
“Are you sure, sure?”
“Yes!”
“Okay, Blake, here we go.”
Paco downshifted, slowing to a crawl. Blake nestled in anticipation, gripping the thigh bolsters tightly. “Listen at it, Tawny! Listen at it!”
“Ready?”
“Yes!” The flat six roared to life as Paco stabbed the pedal, shifting through three gears before decelerating. “Wow! This car is so fast! Did you feel it, Tawny?!”
“Yeah, maw, I felt it. Blake loves that. She’s a car nut.”
“Looks like you loved it too. Am I seeing a grin?”
“I’m grinning because she’s laughing.”
“Okay…”
Blake leaned forward between the seats. “Paco, we’re getting an Escalade. The V-Series.”
“That’s the big one.”
Tawny relaxed in her seat, facing Paco. “That’s what we’re working towards. We save all our money. We want to pay cash.”
“Tawny has the driver’s license, but I’m the better driver. I can drive anything, Paco.
“My grandfather owned a farm. He taught me how to work the tractor and all the heavy equipment when I was nine.
“I used to sneak out in my parents’ car whenever I wanted to. One year they were wasted and forgot my birthday. I took the keys and went to the Shell and got me some ice cream and cake.” Blake paused. “I used to have a really nice house. It was two stories, and we had a pool.
“After my grandfather died, he passed the gun store to my dad. That’s how we had money… What kind of guns do you have?”
“I never carry a gun, Blake. I don’t even own one.”
“You don’t own a gun?!”
“I don’t ever want to be caught with…”
Tawny cut in. “With dope and guns?”
“Yeah… So what happened to the store?”
“My dad and my mom started smoking crack, then meth, and they sold everything off. They lost it… It was supposed to be passed on to me. That was what my grandfather wanted. He told me himself.”
“I’m so sorry, Blake.”
“That’s okay, because I wouldn’t have moved to the park and met Tawny.”
“The park?”
“Tawny didn’t tell you we’re from a trailer park?”
“I hadn’t told him yet… We just met.”
Paco looked to Tawny. “You’re not ashamed, are you? It’s not where you come from.”
“I’m not ashamed.”
“Where are your folks? What do they think about you moving to Dallas to dance?”
“I don’t know where my mother is. She left when I was sixteen. That was right about the time my daddy was pushing up on me…hard. I then started staying with Blake.”
“You had to get out of there.”
“He got what he deserved. Someone went in and shot and killed him with his own gun.”
“At least you weren’t there when that happened… You didn’t tell me you’d lost your father. That’s something we have in common.”
“You had a father, Paco. I had a fucking monster.”
DENNY’S – WALNUT HILL – 2:57 a.m.
Paco turned into the lot, finding a spot towards the side entrance.
As they entered the vestibule, Tawny took Paco’s hand, holding him back. Blake darted inside towards the restroom.
They stood close to each other between the two closed doors. “There’s a lot of dysfunction in my past, Paco. Can you handle that?”
“I’m good.”
She wrapped her arms around him. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
They pressed tightly, locking into a passionate kiss. Tawny parted. “That was lovely… I’m gonna go and find Blake, okay?”
“I’ll get us a table.”
Creole Gaudet
Feeling generous? If you enjoyed this content, please consider leaving a tip in my Cash App or Venmo. Thank you.