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Saturday June 28, 2008

11:36am

Thirty-five days. It had been thirty-five very long days.

"Goddamn, I missed you," said Tyson, and he gave his 944's steering wheel a loving caress.

Punching the pedals, working the gearshift, the abrasive hum of the exhaust--he had ninety-three miles of flush Indiana roadway to work with, and the young shepherd told himself to enjoy every second of it.

He glanced at his side mirror to see the noses of a blue CR-X and a silver Mustang.

* * *

10:03am

"What?"

"Bullshit."

"Uhhh?"

Standing at the end of Calvin's driveway, Tyson could only shrug at his friends' disbelief. "Yep."

Noah shook his head. "Calling bullshit," said the gangling coyote, and he stared at his fellow canine skeptically.

"You'll see when she shows up."

A short beaver, his paws residing in jean pockets, spoke from the coyote's side. "How old is she?"

"Doesn't matter," Tyson grunted, eyes swinging on the beaver.

"Chill, dude," said the paddle-tailed rodent. "I was just wondering--I mean, it's pretty crazy."

"Yeah, what the hell, dog," said Calvin. "So, that's the chick you were telling me about? Your teacher?"

The mouse's open mouth twisted into a shit-eating grin, and his assumption was confirmed by a short nod."What the fuck! How did this happen?"

Tyson smiled awkwardly. "Honestly, I just asked her out, and here I am."

* * *

11:37am

Calvin's hatchback growled alongside Tyson's coupe. A middle finger and a grin greeted the shepherd's glance. Tyson responded with a few RPMs, and as the Honda dropped back into his mirrors he raised a middle finger of his own with a smile to himself. Things were playing out smoothly. He would be meeting Elena at the fair, seeing her for the first time in over a month. His friends had sounded almost as excited to see her as he felt.

If only Mom had been cool about it.

At that impossible notion, Tyson laughed and set his sight forward.

Traffic around Sable was thick, and Tyson's caravan found parking difficult. They were able to squeeze into a crowded downtown lot before walking a few blocks to the site of the festivities.

Tyson had always thought fondly of Sable. The red-brick sidewalks, the long-unchanged masonry of the shops, the flowers within carefully-placed landscaping: it was a charming place. Even with the commotion of the fair.

Kids screamed in all directions, and noisy little lines sprouted from sidewalk sales, face-painting booths and games.

"Where is she, man?" Noah asked as they walked.

Squeezing by a table of used books for sale, Tyson paused to see if there was anything that Elena might enjoy. "Not sure," he said. "It's a longer drive for her."

"She's fox?"

"Fox and grizzly." Tyson stood, and he laughed when the coyote raised his brow. "You'll know when you see her."

* * *

12:29pm

Patricia had spent many afternoons in Sable, Indiana, but she had never experienced the summer fair. Weaving through dense crowds, the leery mother kept her eyes trained upon the group of teenage boys on the other side of the crowded street.

Just a little while longer, the mother told herself.

She was convinced that her son was up to something, but as she watched the boys continue their stroll she was beginning to wonder if she was just wasting a day of her weekend.

Then, after walking a few further blocks, Patricia stopped. Her dark eyes narrowed. She followed her son's waving paw.

A tall, long-haired fox sauntered over.

Muzzle taut, Patricia watched as her son introduced the fox to the other boys.

Her rage became a blinding light, and she was in her car and driving before she knew it.

* * *

12:32pm

If Elena was uncomfortable at being introduced to the pack of teenage boys then she didn't shown it. She joined their procession nonchalantly and smiled calmly in the face of their overlapping questions.

"How long have you two been going out?"

"What do you teach?"

"Why _this_guy?"

"Enough, guys," laughed Tyson, hoping to spare Elena from his friend's interrogation. He jerked his head in the direction they had been walking. "Let's check out the show."

Corvettes, Mustangs and other American muscle and pony cars dominated the pavement while WRXs, Lancers and Civics represented Japan. European standouts included a prestigious 288 and an eye-catching Exige. But within the group, Elena remained the center of attention. She continued to entertain questions while she walked about the lines of automobiles.

"If you could pick anything here," said Noah, his eyes fixed upon the fox, "what car would you choose?"

Elena hummed, gazing at a pair of White Wall-clad Pontiacs before shrugging. "I don't know. I'm more of a Porsche gal."

Tyson grinned while his friends booed and scoffed.

* * *

2:15pm

"Patty, what the hell is going on?"

Sounds of rampage died.

Chest heaving, Patricia turned murderous eyes upon her husband. "I'm done with him." Her taut muzzle belied the cool rationality in her voice.

Roger looked past his wife and shook his head at the ruins in her wake. "Jesus christ."

"I saw her, Roger . . . I knew that fucking idiot was going to try this."

"We'll talk with him when he gets back."

"I'm done with him, Roger--all of his bullshit."

Patricia's disgruntled curses faded from Roger's hearing as she stomped to the master bedroom, leaving her husband to inspect the scene of destruction.

* * *

9:50pm

Tyson, stricken with euphoria, hummed along to his Porsche's naturally aspirated engine. The fair had been a blast. Seeing Elena again had rejuvenated his entire being. The young shepherd smiled with unabashed foolishness and drove his foot against the 944's accelerator.