Page 36 of Rule Number One
I tried again.
Click, click, click.
“Shit. It won’t start.”
“What?” Her eyes went wide.
“Yeah. Doesn’t sound like the battery either. I think something is wrong with the starter.”
“You’re joking, right? This is some funny prank you’re playing on me.”
I tried again. Same result.
“Nope. Unfortunately, this is not a prank. The car really won’t start.”
That confidence she’d been strutting around in all day faltered as her worried eyes met mine. “So, now what? We’re stuck here in Ohio?”
I laughed. “No. We’re not stuck. I’ll call the rental car company, and they’ll send someone out to fix it or tow it. Luckily, I bought the good insurance, so it will all get taken care of. Just sit tight for a bit while I get ahold of them and find out what to do next.”
I called up the rental car company, and they agreed to send roadside assistance out to help us. We waited for an hour until the tow truck arrived, and when he did, he confirmed my suspicions that it wasn’t just a dead battery. The sedan would need to be towed.
Ivy and I hopped in the tow truck with the driver and rode with him the few miles to his shop. We waited while they tinkered with the car until finally, the mechanic came out and announced he would need a part they didn’t have in stock, and it would be days before our ride was road-ready.
“So, now what?” Ivy asked as we stood side by side in the waiting room of the mechanic’s shop.
“Let me call the rental car company and see what our options are.”
She nodded her head, but that worry in her eyes was back in full force again.
“Just sit back and relax. I’ve got this under control. We’re fine, Ivy. Just a little bump in the road.”
The worry dissipated a little as she smiled. “Okay. Yeah. You’re right. We’re safe, and we’ll find a way home.”
She sat down and pulled out her phone, likely texting Iris again. I walked outside and called the car rental place to line up a new car. When they told me there was nothing available in Sandusky until tomorrow, I argued back, letting the service rep know about my need to get home for my brother’s wedding. She said she would do her best to get a car sent from another town, but it could take some time, and there was a shortage due to a big concert in the area drawing in tons of tourists renting vehicles. My frustration mounted, and she offered to refund my money and give me some vouchers so I could find a different rental car company, or as she then suggested, get a refund and take the train.
The moment she said those words, my eyes lit up. The train. I loved taking trains, and this would give me a chance to rest and relax on the way to Chicago, and then I could grab a new rental car in Chicago and head north. I thanked her for her help and took the refund, then hung up and pulled out my phone to get tickets for the Amtrak. A train to Chicago was coming in one hour. I marched back inside to tell Ivy.
“Bad news. No cars are available for at least a day or two.”
“A day or two? We’re stuck here?” She stood up.
I lifted a finger. “But good news ... we can get to Chicago tonight. I just bought us two tickets on the Amtrak, and I even upgraded us to a sleeper room so we can get some much-needed rest.”
I grinned widely, and she just blinked back at me.
“Huh? Told you I’d take care of things.” I waggled my eyebrows.
She looked less than amused. “The train? Are you serious?”
“Yeah. It will be fun! The train is awesome. Have you ever been on one?”
She shook her head. “Actually, no.”
“Well then, perfect. This will be another new experience for you today.”
She twisted her lip.
“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be excited about the train and getting home tonight instead of tomorrow.”