One True Night
imberly hit the brakes hard on her '57 Chevy to avoid smashing into the car
in front of her. She banged the steering wheel and cursed the red light. Having nothing better to
do while she waited, she checked her eye-make up in the rear view and straightened her natural
blonde hair. She looked down and smoothed the leather skirt that covered what men told her was
a terrific 21 year old body. The light changed, and she stomped on the gas pedal connected to a
punched out 327. She passed the car in front of her and didn't let up until she reached the
Interstate. Her speedometer registered 85. She checked her watch. 8:15. Not good.
She shouldn't have stayed past her shift at The Pussy Cat, but the tips were pouring in fast and furious. She had over four hundred dollars in her pocketbook. Cash money. Kimberly patted the real Gucci leather and smiled. The money was the best part of being an exotic dancer.
The setting sun was burning and blinding. She cursed the missing sun visor and the non-existent air conditioning in her classic car, and while she was as it, the dripping hot summers in Ocala, Florida.
The explosion that followed scared the hell out of her. The Chevy veered sharply to the right, going off the road into the drainage ditch. She ran the ditch for 20 feet, spraying water like the rooster tail of a racing boat. She climbed out of the ditch, and then swerved hard left, narrowly missing a hitchhiker. Now she was back onto the Interstate, crossing over two onrushing lanes of 75 mile an hour traffic. Her car was almost creamed by a tractor trailer, and then by a new Lincoln Towncar, their horns screaming. The Chevy continued left, onto the wide grassy median, finally stopping its forward motion. It teetered on its left wheels, fighting to roll over on its side. Gravity worked in Kimberly's favor. The car bounced back down, and rested.
Kimberly leaned over the steering wheel, face down, motionless. A hand reached through the open window and touched her. Kimberly jerked upright in the seat, ripped the hand away, and screamed, "Get away from me!"
"Whoa there!" he said, his hands in front of him, "I was just checking to see if you were okay."
Kimberly studied him while his eyes were occupied with her breasts, which were barely covered by her skimpy halter top. He had long brown hair, green eyes, and wore a sleeveless t-shirt tucked into tight fitting Levis. He smiled at her, showing two rows of perfect white teeth. Kimberly thought to herself, he's young, maybe 21, and cute. Then she saw his backpack.
"Look, I'm sorry. Something went wrong with my car." He had intelligent eyes for a hitchhiker. And a sexy smile, with just the right touch of mischief. Maybe in another life, she thought.
"It's your right front tire. It's shredded."
"Oh, no!' she said, opening the car door. She knew he was checking her from stem to stern as he followed behind her. Kimberly stopped, examined the tire, and then kicked it.
"I don't think that will help."
"Look, I'll give you a ride if you fix the tire," she said, turning around and facing him. "And turn off the cute little smile. It's wasted on me. I'm really late and I have to get home. Can you help me or should I call triple A?"
Without another word, he took the keys from the ignition, opened the trunk, took out the spare tire and set up the jack. The jack was rusty and old. He had to play with it to get it to lock. He raised the car, then it slipped back down. He played with the catch, and it stuck, finally. He took off the old tire and put on the spare. Then he tightened the lugs, and let the jack down. Suddenly, the catch gave way and the car came crashing down. He jumped back as the jack whizzed by his head.
"This car is dangerous!" he said.
"So is the bastard who gave it to me," she said, under her breath.
He put the shredded tire, and the rusty jack back into the trunk and slammed it shut. He handed her back the keys.
"Thank you." She meant it.
"Thank you, Tommy," he said, opening the passenger door, and putting his pack in the back seat.
"Okay, so where can I drop you ... Tommy?" She started the engine.
"New York. Downtown. The west side, if it wouldn't be any trouble."
"Yeah, right." She eased off the median and accelerated back onto the Interstate.
"You're not going to tell me your name, are you?"
She looked over at him. He smiled and extended his hand. She didn't take it.
"Kimberly."
"You're a tough one, aren't you ... Kimberly?" he said.
"You better believe it, honey."
After a few minutes, she exited from the Interstate and stopped on the side of the exit ramp. "Well, thanks again ... Tommy."
"Why are we stopping?"
"Because this is my exit."
"We've gone less than five miles."
"And I'm in a hurry."
"Do you have a jealous boyfriend waiting for you or something?"
"Maybe."
Tommy stared at her.
"Well, what's it going to be, Tommy? In or out?" There was something about him that irked her, and made her feel reckless at the same time.
"In."
"Suit yourself," she said as she stomped on the gas pedal and peeled rubber. They were silent as Kimberly sped along the backroads. Finally, she turned into a trailer park and pulled up to an old mobile home in the back.
She turned to him and smiled. "Moment of truth, Tommy." The front door of the mobile opened. Kimberly watched amused as Tommy tensed his shoulders and clenched his fists.
A chunky 13 year old girl, braces on her teeth, and pimples on her face, leaped out the front door and walked up to the car.
"You're late! I'm gonna catch hell!" Then she held out her palm. "Thirty dollars." She studied Tommy while Kimberly reached into her pocketbook. "He's cute. Who is he?"
"Tommy, say hello to Sandy."
"Hello Sandy." Tommy smiled flirtatiously. Sandy blushed to her ears.
"Is Dawn sleeping?" Kimberly asked, counting out thirty, one dollar bills.
"Like a rock. Tips were good today, huh." She grabbed the money from Kimberly.
"I need you tomorrow, too," Kimberly called after her. Sandy disappeared without answering.
"I live my life by the grace of that thirteen year old bitch," Kimberly said, getting out of the car. She walked up to the front door, and let Tommy in. A half hour later, they were feasting on spaghetti and Ragu sauce.
"You're used to getting your way with the opposite sex, aren't you?" she asked.
"I do okay, but nothing compared to you."
Kimberly got angry. "You better explain that before I stick you with this fork!"
"Look, you're an extremely attractive woman. And you know how to use it."
"So?"
"So you take it for granted that if you want me to stay the night, I'll jump-"
"I don't think so!"
"Okay. Maybe I'm wrong." He became absorbed in his spaghetti.
"You are wrong."
They were quiet again. When they finished eating, she cleared the table and began washing the dishes. Tommy grabbed his backpack. He walked up behind Kimberly, and cleared his throat. She continued washing the dishes.
"Well, I guess I'll be going."
"Right." She didn't turn around.
"Thanks for dinner," he said, touching her shoulder. He had a kind, gentle touch, something she didn't know she craved until he touched her. Kimberly bit her lip.
He opened the door and left. She finished cleaning the dishes and then wiped her hands. She sat down and turned on the tv. 63 stations, and there was nothing worth watching. She clicked it off. She checked the magazine rack. She read them all. Oh shit, she said to herself.
She pulled her car next to him and opened the passenger door. He walked over and stuck his head inside.
"Yes?"
"Get in."
"The lady wants company?"
"Just shut up and get in."
Back at her mobile, they sat on opposite ends of the living room couch. She kicked off her shoes and rubbed her bare feet.
"Want to watch tv?" she asked, throwing him the remote.
"T.V.? I was hoping we'd do something with a little more imagination."
"Like what?"
"Well, I was hoping we'd indulge one of my fantasies tonight."
"Oh boy! Here we go! Kinky boy unleashed!" She got up from the couch.
"Could you hear me out before you jump all over what I say."
"Okay," she said, tapping her bare foot. "I'm listening. But let me tell you, before you start, I've heard them all."
"I'll bet you haven't heard this one."
"How much?" She held out her palm.
He walked over and tilted her head up so they were looking into each other's eyes. "My fantasy is that for one night, everything we say, and do, is only what is true."
They were interrupted by the sound of a little girl crying. Kimberly put her finger to her lips, tiptoed to her daughter's room and opened the door. Tommy followed quietly. Kimberly went inside, adjusted her daughter's sheet, and kissed her gently on the forehead. Then she tiptoed out of the room, closing the door softly.
"She's beautiful," Tommy said when they were back in the living room.
"Thank you." Kimberly sat on the couch. Tommy sat in the easy chair, facing her.
Kimberly suddenly felt nervous, and she wasn't sure why. "I'm thirsty. Would you like some wine? I would."
"Okay."
Kimberly went to the refrigerator and took out an open bottle of wine. She poured two full glasses, finishing the bottle. She handed one to Tommy, then sat back down on the couch, tucked her feet under, and studied him.
"Okay. Let's be true," she said.
"Okay."
"I mean starting right now."
"Right now."
"We're never going to see each other again, are we?"
"I don't know. What do you think?"
"I think this has one night stand written all over it." He didn't respond.
Kimberly leaned back. Her skirt moved up her thigh. She didn't fix it. "What do you do back in New York?" she asked.
"I go to college."
"Why are you hitchhiking?" She leaned back further and the skirt moved higher.
"Because it's a cheap way to travel, and I get to see people the way they really are."
"I get to see people the way they really are, and I only have to drive down the road to work." Kimberly stretched and her skirt completed its ascent. She wasn't wearing panties.
He continued. "When it's just me and a driver, and we know we're never going to see each other again, you'd be surprised what -"
"You're lying already. "
"No, I'm not."
"Sure you are. You're staring at my body and thinking something totally different than what you're talking about."
"Then you're lying, too. You know exactly what you are doing with your skirt."
They both were quiet.
"So what is the 'true' thing to do now?" she asked, finally, breaking the silence.
He stood up, went over to the couch, and kneeled beside her. He ran his hand along the smooth skin of her leg, up to her thigh. He caressed her pubic area. Her breathing became deeper and she closed her eyes. Then he moved his hand to her skirt, pulling it back down, covering her.
Kimberly opened her eyes wide as he kissed her softly on the lips. "Too soon," he said. "Tell me what you really think and feel, first." He kissed her softly again.
"What I really think and feel? Okay. I want you to stop kissing me if you're not going to fuck me."
"Okay." He let her go, but he remained beside her.
"And stop being so nice to me."
"How should I be?"
"Be true."
"I am."
"This is silly," she said. "And I'm out of wine." When she stood up, he held her back, and she let him. He pulled her close. She found herself resisting, and then, holding on tightly.
"Now, tell me what you want?" he asked again, whispering softly in her ear.
"You don't want to know."
"Yes I do."
"You want to know what I really, truly want?"
"Yes." His voice was low and sexy.
"It's not what you think."
"Tell me anyway."
"Okay ... I want ....someone who will be there for me, no matter what ...
I want ... someone who will help me raise my child, so I don't have to live my life around the 13
year old babysitter from hell ...
I want ... someone who will let me feel like a woman, and a mother, and a little girl
when ..."
"I meant, what do you want right now."
"Right now? What's so special about right now," she said."Right now comes and goes, and I get stuck with the dirty laundry."
He moved away from her, but she followed him. She crowded him, her breasts jutting out, into a corner. "And right now I hate you!" she said, slapping him hard on his face. She tried to slap him again, but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
"I haven't done anything to hurt you!" He squeezed her wrist tight.
"I hate you because you have 'right now' in your pocket, like so much loose change, and I'm trapped in right now, and don't know how to get out of it."
"I can't fix your life in one night, Kimberly. Nobody can."
She struggled free of his grip and went back to the couch and sat down. She wiped away the tears from her cheeks, cried some more, and then wiped away those tears, also.
When she was cried out, she looked over at Tommy and smiled. "How do you feel about being 'true' now?"
"I think ... I would rather make love than be true." He rubbed his face. "It's less dangerous." When he smiled, they both laughed.
They made love, and it was a night they both remembered, but it was only one true night.
