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Miss Rednails & Her BFF...
Bryan noticed the deep, resonant, "clunk" of his car door as he closed it. He'd heard it a 1000 times, but, now, it echoed in his mind - like the peeling of a bell. Everything in his world changed when his Dad passed away the previous year. The two of them had worked on this car for months - making everything perfect.
And, now, his Mom too was gone. To him, it seemed like she had given up living and just wanted to be with the love of her life. He envied their relationship and wondered if he'd ever love a girl like that.
He placed his hand on the soft black fabric top of the 1998 BMW 325i convertible coupe he and his Dad had grown to cherish. Dad told him that a car was a lot like a woman; i.e., "take care of them, give them what they want, help them understand what they need, and always - always! - let them know how much they're loved."
Then, he would admonish Bryan by saying, "Don't tell your mom any of this, but be subtle about how you express your affection and devotion. Leave little notes, pat her lovingly on her rump when she least expects it.., hold her - not just when you think she needs it. Take care of her and she'll take care of you."
Bryan smiled. His Dad was a wise man. He missed him and (big SIGH!) now his mom as well.
He had to steady himself and give himself a moment to clear the tears in his eyes. He just wasn't himself and, now, he knew that he would never be the same again.
Basically, as he viewed it, his life had turned into a tossed salad and, then, fate had come along and spilled it all over the ground. The tsunami of emotions that had recently washed over him had carried away almost everything that was left. Only the 'heavy residue' of the bare bones of his existence remained. The two people he loved most in his life were gone.
Worse yet, long before the passing of his parents, the girlfriend that he thought he would marry and love forever had turned out to be a total stranger. (He tried to smile a bit as he realized, once again, that their attraction had been purely physical, but, damn, it was good while it lasted!)
So, here he was petting "Grace" - the name he and his Dad had given the 325i. ("Grace" was his father's Mom and she was quite a lady!) No longer welling with tears, Bryan carefully walked across the street to the upscale 'bistro' he'd frequented so often - starting in his teen years. He'd taken many dates there for dinner and was never disappointed - during the meal or afterwards! (Yeah, he thought, as he entered the restaurant, I DO love the ladies and they love me right back!)