You guys are really fast readers so surprise! You get not one, not two, but THREE chappies this week! Enjoy!
CHPATER TWENTY-SIX
“Lightnin’? Pssst, Lightnin’,” a buck-toothed voice whispered.
McQueen moaned before cracking his eyes open, “What time is it?”
“Almost noon buddy. Didja take it too hard on the drinks or sumthin’? You was out like a light!” Mater replied giving him a concerned look.
McQueen blinked a few times then mumbled, “I got into a fight with Sally last night.”
Mater chuckled, “Shoot, whadda ya doin’ here for? Shouldn’t ya be making out wit her then?”
McQueen’s eyes shot up in surprise to meet Mater’s. His friend simply stared back as if he hadn’t said a thing out of place.
He smiled weakly, “Oh! Do you mean making it up to her? Well, you see, it’s not that easy this time Mater. It was pretty bad. She…she cheated on me.”
Mater’s eyes grew wide as his mouth dangled open for a moment. Then he pursed his lips and said, “Now where are ya getting’ such a crazy idea? Miss Sally is a purty nice girl and I-.”
“She told me! Last night she admitted that she kissed that no-good friend of hers; Justin,” McQueen shot back without giving Mater a chance to finish.
“You mean that fancy orange car? Shucks, I wouldn’t have called that a kiss mahself…”
“Wait…what do you mean?” McQueen pressed.
“What I mean is, I don’t think Miss Sally meant anythin’ by it. I ain’t never seen her move that fats and-,” Mater began explaining but was cut off again by his eager friend.
“Mater! You mean to tell me that you saw them kiss?” he asked surreptitiously.
Mater looked down and ran his tire shyly over the dirt, pausing to consider his answer, “Y-yes, I did.”
McQueen lurched forward with interest, “Go on then, tell me what you saw,” he demanded anxiously.
“Well, they asked me to go get Flo but I knew they just wanted some privacy. So, I sneaked outside the room and peeped in the window. I know I shouldn’t a, but that orange fella was a bit suspicious. I looked in and seen them talk a little, then he closed his eyes and well, you know, touched her lips. But Miss Sally was all hooked up to that stuff and she back up mighty fats as she could. After that she looked at the TV and her eyes was all shiny. Then she said sumthin’ else to him and he just backed away into the corner ‘til I fetched Flo,” he explained.
Lightning’s eyes misted briefly as he realized that Sally really hadn’t been lying to him. She’d resisited the unfaithful temptation Justin had offered. However, the medical equioment stopped her best effort to avoid it all together. The light of the truth dawned happily on him but also brought the reality of just how much he’d screwed up.
“I’m really sorry, Lightnin’. I shouldn’t go snoopin’ like that. I promise I never done that to you and Miss Sally,” Mater apologized.
McQueen smiled back, “It’s alright bud. In fact, it’s great that you told me. Now I just have to hope I can fix things with Sally.”
“Ah, don’t worry ‘bout that. I know she loves ya,” Mater encouraged.
With a doubtful look McQueen said, “I hope so…”
“She was brave enuf to tell ya about it wasn’t she? She most really care ‘bout you if she would tell ya sumthin’ that big. Heck, I couldn’t even tell ya until ya asked!”
McQueen gazed at the honest and loyal tow truck; he was entirely right. He thanked Mater once more and dashed down to the Cozy Cone. He wasn’t sure how he was going to mend this one but following the advice of his heart seemed like a good place to start.
When he reached the motel he spotted a blue body within the lobby. It was a darker shade of blue though; one that shifted busily around the cone themed room. He slowly entered the tiny room, clearing his windpipe from the doorway.
Sally’s manager, Megan, spun around to meet his face. “Oh, McQueen! Can I help you?” her eyes ran wild with an over-whelmed look.
“What’s wrong?” he addressed her abnormal behaviour. Megan was typically well-organized and focused more on customer service rather than the paper work she was now sifting through.
“Well, it’d be nice if Sally would hire more staff. Or at least give me some warning next time,” she muttered.
“Huh? What do you mean? Where is she right now?”
“Ford knows,” she grumbled ignoring his confusion.
McQueen’s heart jolted and he repeated, “Where is she?”
Megan stopped rustling the papers to see his worried face. Her answer was soft and gentle, like she was speaking to a frightened child, “Don’t you know? She’s gone.”
In the words of [b]SallyMcQueen[/b]: "Poor McQueenie!" So, the truth is out but will McQueen be able to find Sally? Can he still save their marriage, or is it too late? Find out next week! <img src="//pixarplanet-forums.s3.dualstack.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/original/2X/c/cc83e9b583138e48ff45f96609046b06d06c7f9d.gif" width="15" height="15" alt=":mrgreen:" title="Mr. Green"/>