A Rug, V8, and Elvis

By Elise

They had gone to the flea market to look for a folding table and extra chairs. They had a dinner coming up with Dominic’s huge family. They had overwhelmed Jess at first but now she loved having a big bunch of in-laws. There was never a still moment around the Maloney clan.

Jess stopped and looked at a long folding table with eight chairs. It was in very good condition and the price was set right where she wanted to spend. "What do you think, Dom?" When he didn’t answer right away she looked around. Spotting him across the way ooggling an old junker. "Oh boy."

With an inner groan Jess walked over. Dom felt his wife’s hand slip into his. "Look at this beaut. What do you think love?"

Grinning she looks at the car wishing she could see what he did in the heap. "I think it was a nice car thirty years ago."

Dom pats the hood consoling. "Awe she didn’t mean it."

"Having an affair already?" Jess giggled. "What was it in its hay day?"

Dom smiles and points out all the give away details as in the shape of the grill, the scoop of the finder, the dash and its amenities. All the things a dude gets excited about before he answers her. "She’s a 1968 Dodge Charger."

The way he says it so reverently all she can do is look at the rust bucket and say, "Oh." It would take a lot to fix this thing up even if it runs. "Dom…."

"Come on love, you said the other day we needed a second car. The price is right and we’ve got a nice warm garage. I’m sure Colin would let me order parts though the garage if she needs them."

"She?" Keeping the smile off her face was one of the hardest things she had done. Dominic was like a boy begging for the puppy that followed him home. Putting her hands on her hips Jess walked around the car. There had to be something in the heap of dented metal. Jess did her best to give him a stern look. "Three things. One and most important is has to start and be drivable at least to the house. We are not going to pay for a tow truck. Two, I get the lamp and rug we saw four booths back. And three, when you paint it no cheesy hot rod flames."

Jess was rewarded with a big kiss before Dom started talking to the seller of the car. After purchasing the table and chairs she smiled watching him be so serious. Buying a house didn’t merit that serious expression.

Dom and the seller walked over to the car and looked around under the hood. Then with a cringe she watched him crawl under the car with his white shirt. By the time she walked over with the last of the chairs he was sitting in the driver’s seat ready to turn over the engine. When the loud V8 roared to life Jess laughed at the happy boyish grin on her husband’s face. He blew her a kiss and finished negotiating.

By the time she got back with the lamps and rug Dom was shaking hands and holding the title. He helped her load everything into their truck then happily ran back into the market to drive the Charger out to meet her. "Better follow me love, just in case."

Giving him a look as he kissed her Jess grinned. "I’ll stop and pick up everything that falls off."

"Ha. Ha." Dom put her in the truck before she made him get their money back. They made it halfway home before having to stop for a patching. Pulling off to the side he got out and back under the car. "Ah there’s the problem."

Dom found a hose with a split in it. He glanced down when he felt Jess’ hand on his thigh. "Just a hose split, love. Would you hand me the rag from between the seats?"

Jess nodded and opened the door and found the oil and grease covered rag. "Ew… Found it!" She bent back down to hand it under and watched him take off his belt. "Honey, I don’t think a good beating is going to do this car any good."

With a grin and a wink he took the rag wrapping it around the split tightly then took his belt doing the same thing fastening it. The fluid stopped running. Jess smiled, "Well aren’t you clever."

He moved back out into the sunshine and kissed her nose. "That’s why you married me."

The couple and the Charger finally made it home after two more patch stops. Dom drove it into the garage just as the engine coughed and died. Jess walked around the thing still shaking. "I don’t know about this Dom. It hacks like my Aunt Midge."

Lifting the hood he laughed. "Oh, it’s not all that bad." Stopping he turned to look at her. "Not that your Aunt Midge has a sputter."

"No, she doesn’t. She hacks like any second a lung will fly out. Pretty close to how this hunk sounded." Jess hopped up to sit on the work bench as he bent over into the engine. Enjoying the view until he began to list all the parts and problems he could see on the surface. "Maybe this is too ambitious of a project right now."

Dom washed his hands in the utility sink then slid his arms around her waist as she sat on the bench. He looked into her face and wondered how he rated such a beautiful wife. "All that is minor stuff where she’s been neglected, love. I have no intention of putting loads of money into it. This is just what you said, a project."

Brushing her hair back over her shoulders he gives her a smile. "Just like you love all your books and working on the house. This is my thing. I can get her running for us to have a second car while I’m doing all the rest." Nuzzling her neck he grins placing a kiss. "I promise not to neglect my pretty wife while I make a swan out of this ugly duckling."

With a sigh her hands slide around his neck. Dominic was a good husband and he loved cars as much as she did books. As his lips trailed up her neck she looked at the ugly duckling and grinned. "You really think you can make her a swan huh?"

He nodded with one of those smiles that made her fall head over heels for him. "I think we can make her a swan, love."

"We?" She smiles. "You want me to help? I don’t know anything about cars"

With a laugh he kisses her. "Well like you said it’s an ambitious project. And you know what Elvis said about ambition don’t you?"

Jess laughed wrapping her legs around him. "As in Elvis Presley? No, I don’t. What did he have to say about ambition."

"He said, Ambition is a goal with a V8 engine."

Resting her forehead against his laughing Jess hugged him. "Well my Hunk of Burning Love I guess we have a car to work on where do we start."

Lifting her from the bench still wrapped around him, Dom flipped the light switch. Carrying her toward the house he smiled. "We start in the morning." Kissing her he started to sing. "Love me tender, love me sweet. Never let me go. You have made my life complete. And I love you so."