Here and Now

The day I left my small, dingy motel room for the parts store on Gilbert avenue, I wasnt expecting the downpour. I had been in Boston for 3 days now and today was the first I had actually been out of room 14. Walking was my means of transportation, since I had taken a lousy greyhound bus from Detroit to get here. I was here on business, picking up parts for my dad's Harley repair shop from his friend. My next bus was scheduled to take me back on tuesday, which gave me 2 more days of leg room to explore this popular city.
Right now, I was lost. And it was raining. Where was an umbrella when I needed it? Griting my teeth past the chill and wetness, I looked down at my slippery phone and continued down the sidewalk in the direction my gps pointed me. A few cars passed, but as far as pedestrians go- there was just one. Me. If I'd have known it would be a monsoon out here, I would have packed an umbrella. It was the middle of June, why was it raining?
Okay gps, where the fuck are you taking me? Most of these buildings were abandoned or closed, and the potholes in the street told me there wasnt much traffic coming down here. The distant thunder began to worry me. I had already hiked 4 miles from the motel, and with 8$ in my pocket, I wasnt exactly going to get a cab. Lunch earlier had cost a little more than I expected, and the burger was disgusting. Luckily, a woman at the table next to me had given me some advice,

"Sweety, if you want coffee, come here. But for a good meal, you need to go 3 blocks south to Wahlburgers. They have the best food in Southie."

I sighed heavily, wiping my phone dry with my under-shirt.

"Is there anyone in this town that might just stop their car and offer me a lift?" I asked myself.

"Actually, yes there is." came a smooth male voice from behind.

The rain made it hard to hear, but i turned around anyway to face this stranger. He sat in a black BMW sedan with the window open, parked at the side of the street.

"If you're planning on raping me, Ive got mace." I said, squinting at the mysterious man.

His sunglasses hid his eyes, and his black ball cap covered half his face. He just motioned for me to come closer.

"I didnt know it was bright enough for sunglasses out here." i said, approaching the running vehicle.

"Im not wearing them for the sun." he said.

I stopped a few feet from his window, cautious of the man. He looked normal, and his car told me that he wasnt some asshole looking to rob me.

"Well I'd feel more comfortable if you took them off. A man's eyes can tell me everything I need to know about him." I said.

"Just get in the car, ive got a cozy apartment a few blocks away, and I'll get you some dry clothes. You like coffee? I'll make some coffee and you can wamr up by the fire." he said.

His voice was friendly and soft, with the obvious accent of a Boston native. I decided to take my chances in his beamer, than out here with the rain. So I jogged to the passenger side as he leaned over to open the door for me. I was hesitant of his suede seats, and my soaking clothes.

"Here, ive got a blanket back here you can sit on." he said, reaching into the back for a red, plush throw.

He placed it on the seat, and I got in, shutting the door, and the rain out. The pleasant smell of cologne and new car filled my nose, helping me relax from the wet chill I had. But who was this guy?

"Do you happen to have a hair dryer at your apartment?" I asked, trying to pull my wet blonde strands from my eyelashes.

"Yeah." he said soothingly.

He took the car out of park and drove away, manuvering around the potholes carefully as I glanced at him from my periphials. he removed the sunglasses and placed them in the cupholder, then turned his head to look at me for a quick moment. he looked oddly familiar, but I was shivering too much to care. he reached down and turned on the heat, facing every vent towards me.

"Dont worry, im not going to rape you or anything. Im just a guy who enjoys helping people. I know it hard to believe, since there's not many of us out there anymore." he said.

"Well I appreciate it. I'm not from aroun here so I have no idea how long I was going to be out there."

"Where are you from?"

"Detroit. Well, suburban Detroit."

He grinned.

"So you're probably a pretty badass chick, huh?"

I laughed.

"I guess you could say that."

"I'm Donnie by the way." he said, pulling into a small, secluded parking lot.

"My name's Veronica, but everyone calls me Ronnie." I answered, surveying the building to our left.

It was beautiful, and kept up. Probably the nicest apartment building Ive ever seen."

"Geez, I bet Tom Cruise stays here to lay low. It looks pretty nice." I said, getting out of the car and back into the rain.

I jogged behind Donnie to the main door, and sighed when we got inside. There was grey, industrial carpet in the hall, and glossy white walls with little swirls in the paint.

"This place is nicer than my dentist office." i said, following him up a case of stairs and past 2 grey doors to his apartment.

When he opened the door and ushered me in, the first thing I noticed was the smell. Cinnamon was a welcoming aroma, and his apartment was clean and cozy, like he said.

"Wow, its nice in here too. You seem like a clean guy. That's rare." I joked.

Then, a bark came from down the hall, and small black and white dog came at me, barking and wagging his tail. I kneeled to pet him, but he was so excited I could barely touch him.

"A man who lives in Boston, has a Boston Terrier for a pet. How cute." i said.

"Yeah, thats Lumpy." he said, reaching down to pet him.

He shut the door and went to the open kitchen counter to drop his keys and phone, then marched down the hall and through a door.

"Come tell me what you want to wear. Although, I dont have any skinny jeans. Im sure sweats will work." he called, so I went into his bedroom and stood beside him at the closet.

I looked closely at his 'fresh' wardrobe and grinned.

"Nice threads. How many shirts are there, like a hundred?"

He just smirked over at me. Who was this guy?