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“I know. It’s weird. And normal people don’t do that, but... There’s just something about her, and no other woman compares. I just can’t get interested in anyone else.”
He quit trying to explain it, because he couldn’t explain it to himself. There had been more than one time over the years where he wondered if he was even normal.
“You don’t have to say anything more. I appreciate hearing what you said.” Silas was quiet for a bit, as though he were thinking. “I’m a terrible person to ask about this. My wife is much better. Obviously she knows her sister better for one, and she knows all the romantic things that women want, while I have a tendency to get a little bit more enraptured with trucks.” He smiled sheepishly, and James totally understood.
Women were much better at the romance things, but it seemed like men were the ones who were expected to do the romance things. It hardly seemed fair.
“I’m all ears for any advice. I... I really have no idea of how to proceed.”
“Mabel’s pretty self-contained. She isn’t very emotional, and she doesn’t talk much. I couldn’t tell you what kind of man she would like, because I’ve never seen her with one. But you seem to be compatible with her, where you’re a little bit more talkative, and she’s a little less. But maybe she wants someone who will sit quietly beside her. I really don’t know.”
“I can be quiet if I need to be.”
“Well, I think that’s a bad idea.” Silas shrugged a shoulder. “You can do whatever you want to, but I don’t think that you want to try to be someone you’re not. That’s really not fair to her and is not fair to you either.”
“I know. I just want to catch her eye.”
“She seems like someone who’s in it for the long haul. I guess I wouldn’t think that you’re going to catch her eyes so much as you’re just going to slowly wear her down. I wouldn’t pass up any opportunities to be around her, but I would try not to be overbearing, I guess.” Silas shook his head. “The only thing I’ve really seen her passionate about are the three girls that she had over this past winter. They were the light of her life. I’ve never seen her smile so much and laugh too.”
James tried not to be jealous. He wanted to be the one to make her smile and laugh, but it was silly to be jealous of three little girls. He tucked the information away. Mabel loved children.
“I’m not sure exactly on the specifics, but they went home I think to their grandma. Regardless, she loves animals, she loves children, and she is fiercely loyal. If you win her, you’ll have her for the rest of your life. That much I can guarantee.”
James nodded. He already knew that. It was one of the things he loved about her. Her dad hadn’t been much of a dad, but Mabel had loved him and had been on his side, supporting him no matter what. She might have been reading a book in the corner, but if there was a discussion at the table, and she was following it, her dad was the one she was rooting for.
“It’s too bad about the truck,” Silas mused, taking another glance at it.
“You know, it might be a little bit romantic to fix up an old truck and drive around together. If you’re interested, and you think you can do it, I’ll pay you for it.”
“It would almost be an honor to fix it, and I’d only charge you for parts. Mind if I take a look?”
Silas moseyed over, and James walked beside him. They talked about the truck a bit, with Silas thinking that he might not be able to do all original parts, but he would be able to make it look like an original.
James found himself interested despite himself, but the idea of Mabel was not far from his mind. He was trying to put together a game plan based on what Silas had said.
Find some kid somewhere, get some animals, and hope she noticed him.
It didn’t seem like much to go on.
After about fifteen minutes, he and Silas came to an agreement, with Silas saying that he would be back after work that evening with his rollback to haul the truck to his home shop.
“I can see if Gladys will put in a good word for you. I can do that myself, but I’m sorry I can’t come up with anything better.”
“That’s not your fault. And I would definitely appreciate that.”
James appreciated anything that would help him, although there was a part of him that acknowledged that maybe Mabel would never be his. He had to be okay with that.
Silas was just pulling away when a cloud of dust appeared that followed a car down the driveway.
It was Mabel’s SUV, and she was traveling a little bit faster than normal.
James’s stomach growled, but he ignored it. Instead, he felt like he needed to grab something and start running to help, although he wasn’t sure what he should grab and what he was helping with. It was just the idea that Mabel was obviously concerned about something.
She didn’t even stop to talk to Silas, but waved at him, and then kept flying toward the house.
The brake lights came on in Silas’s truck, and James thought he might be turning around, but he didn’t and disappeared in the distance as Mabel’s car screeched to a short stop, gravel flying, at the front of the house.
He found himself jogging toward her door, although she had it open and was standing beside it by the time he got there.
