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How hell could have crapped up her life to this extent Mo wasn't sure. All she knew is she had no vehicle, no job, a pile of car parts that would soon have to be removed, and a motel room that hadn't seen an update in at least 30 years. Oh and let's not forget- no powder! Unless she wanted to bust open the motel's vacuum cleaner bag and release the disgusting fine dust of shame and dirty secrets, there was nothing even resembling powder nearby.
A half hour later, as she straightened the mess in her room when there was a knock on her door. "No one's home," she yelled.
The door handle turned, and Gertie poked her head into the room. "Oh, sorry," Mo apologized. "I thought it was one of those worthless, pain in the ass males that this sorry state considers officers of the law."
"Come take a look," Gertie invited. "Susan over at the bus garage heard the call on the police scanner, and she called Ivy, who told her neighbor, Blanche. Maxine was having coffee with Blanche at the time so she called Ida Belle, and Ida Belle called me. We would have been here sooner but Ida Belle was still rolling her hair."
Mo stared at her in disbelief. "I've been taking those brain booster vitamins," Gertie said, modestly patting her head.
"They're working," Mo replied as she headed to the door Gertie held open. She stopped in the entry and put her hand over her mouth. Then she reached over and put an arm around Gertie in a hug. Gertie jammed a bag of home made blueberry muffins into Mo's stomach, and Mo's eyes lit up. She pulled out a delicious mound of happiness and munched as she watched.
Outside, Ida Belle issued orders to a crabby looking pair of cops- Tony and Carter. "You watch that language, Carter LeBlanc! And, Anthony Reese? I'm not above reporting you for assault if you don't change that attitude right quick."
Mo raised her brows and whispered to Gertie, "Assault?"
Gertie giggled. "He accidentally backed into Ida Belle and knocked her on her butt. Ida Belle didn't take it well." They turned back to watch as Ida Belle had them load the leftover pieces of Mo's car into the back of an enormous truck. "They already had the main part towed," Gertie explained.
"Ooh, don't let them leave," Mo said. "I have more parts in here! Help me look for them, will you? I tossed them over there on that pile of motel bedding."
"I hope you have gloves," Gertie said, "because I don't mind handling car parts, but anything that comes off a bed in this place... Hey, do you think we could load the bedding along with the car parts?"
"I think someone out there might have a slight issue with that, not to mention the manager here. He expects people to take the match books, not the bedding." Mo smiled as she handed Gertie a pair of gloves. They dug through the pile and pulled out random interior pieces of Mo's car that she couldn't place.
Ida Belle, wearing curlers and a scarf, was in grand form as she barked orders and told the men how to load. When she saw the women bringing more parts, she turned and instructed them to help the ladies. "Gertie twisted her ankle the other day," she scolded. "What kind of men are you?"
Mo couldn't hide her grin but Gertie saw the dirty look Tony gave Mo, and she pinched his ear. "Listen here, young man! If you'd done your duty in the first place none of this would have happened. If you have a problem with it, you can start your complaint with Susan over at the bus garage. She'll send you down the line for some southern style schooling!"
"Don't go there," Carter warned. "Just shut your mouth and this will soon all be over."
"I guess you've been to school," Tony muttered.
"No, the stories are enough to make me march when Ida Belle barks. Sorry, Ida Belle, no offense," he said, wiping off his sweaty brow.
By the time they finished, both men were dirty, hot, sweaty, and surly. Tony made a rude gesture behind his back at Mo as they were leaving.
"Sorry I don't have any powder," she yelled as he climbed into the truck with Carter and they roared off.
"Darn fools," Ida Belle said, shaking her head. "They're gonna bounce out half of what's in there if they don't slow down." She turned to Mo and said, "Let me give you some advice that will make your life easier. Never let those men be the boss. It's okay to let them think they are, but in the end you're the one calling the shots. Next time either of them gives you any trouble, you just give me a call. Annie may have been a Catholic, and I missed a lot of banana pudding because of her, but she was a great woman and a good friend. I won't sit by and let her kin be treated like that."
Gertie glanced at Ida Belle and said, "It's too bad Fortune couldn't take a look at those pieces before they got hauled away. Maybe she'd know why someone would do that to a car." Ida Belle glared, and her eyes bulged in warning. Then she gave a subtle head nod in Mo's direction.
"Oh, is Fortune an auto body specialist? Maybe she can put it back together," Mo said in excitement, choosing to overlook the obvious implication that there was more to Fortune than a pretty face. Mo had enough to deal with for now.
"She's no longer in that line of work," Ida Belle replied. "Frankly, after what I saw, I think it's best left in the hands of the good lord now... or Ernie at the junkyard."
"Oh." Mo sounded disappointed.
Gertie broke the awkward moment. "Hey, we brought you a little welcome gift." She handed Mo a sack. Inside was a can of rose scented powder. "It was Annie's favorite," she said. "She'd be proud to know you're carrying on the tradition."
"Oh, that's so sweet of you, really! I'll wear it with pride," until I can get something that doesn't make me smell like I'm ready for the nursing home. Mo turned to Ida Belle and thanked her as well. "I don't know what I'd do without you two." It was true. An hour ago, her ship was taking on water faster than she could bail. Now, she was floating again, thanks to two senior citizens who took the time to help the granddaughter of an old friend. She wiped an unexpected tear from her eye.
"Oh, don't get all soppy because we put the men in their place," Ida Belle said in a gruff voice as she stomped to the door. "I do that just for fun!"
Gertie smiled and patted her hand as they left. "Don't forget to call if you need a ride," Gertie yelled out her Cadillac window as they launched out of the motel lot. Mo now understood Fortune's warning when Gertie didn't even stop, but jumped a curb and cut off cars in both lanes, as she swung a wide left turn with her larger-than-life car. Mo gaped as Gertie pressed the gas pedal and a cloud of smoke blew out the exhaust pipe. She could almost hear people on the West Coast gasping at the noxious emissions of Gertie's car.