Today’s post is the 10th instalment of CB and PB’s story.

Welcome to Life and Random Things. My posts are not all stories, but this short story experiment has a life of it’s own.

The first post was Spread Your Wings .  After I wrote that post, the next two instalments (part 1 and part 2) were what happened the day Ravi left home. 

Ravi left his parents home to go to a new city, a new life, a new job.

• 4th instalment, Cinnamon Buns & Peanut Butter, Ravi discovers the basis for successful relationship.
• 5th instalment, Ravi realizes that A kiss will tell. 
• 6th instalment, Ravi discover amore in Cloud at your feet
• 7th instalment, a hike and quiet time in Message received loud and clear
• 8th instalment, after a heavy rain, Ravi is Warm and Toasty
• 9th instalment, an unwelcome visitor in French Fries and Bulls-Eyes

If you are new to the series, I hope you will enjoy the story from the beginning with Spread Your Wings .                                   

Thanks for coming along. ♥ – David

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“All four tires on my car are flat, and none of them are repairable because someone has stabbed them all in the sidewall.  I worked at tire shop when I was 17 and you can’t repair that type of flat. Can you give me a ride to work CB?” said Ravi calmly to Marie.

It was only Ravi and Marie in the house.  Vita had left early, while it was still dark, to open her coffee shop. Marie was just having some toast and jam before going to work at the bookstore.

“Really four flat tires? ” replied Marie, “Are you okay? Aren’t you upset?”

“Really four flat tires CB“, Ravi replied smiling “I know a flat tire when I see one“, he chuckled, “but no reason to be upset. they were just four used tires, and this is really an opportunity. Now we know how serious this situation is, it’s not a raccoon, or a random prowler. The more I think about it, the better it is.  None of us are hurt, you, me or Vita but now we know Vita needs protection and our help.”

Marie nodded her head, her brown eyes concerned but understanding Ravi’s response.

“I can drive you to work in five minutes sweetie,” she popped the last piece of toast in her mouth,  “I need to brush my teeth and then I’m ready to roll!”

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sunrise

Ravi was thoughtful as he waited for Marie. 

At first when he saw the tires on his Honda, he had been a little upset but strangely that went away almost immediately.  Instead he could hear his father in his mind speaking, and he began counting ten breaths.

“things happen in life, some things are important but in the long term don’t matter. As you mature you will know the difference, learn not to react. First decide how important whatever happened really is. Sometimes people get all upset about things they won’t even think about in a week, that don’t matter.

Ravi, the most important lesson to learn when something happens is to take a breath, maybe 10 breaths first, then decide what to do next, because then you will be thinking long term and not in the moment.

Ravi smiled as he waited, he felt like Poppa would be proud that he had not been upset, and had taken ten breaths, and despite everything he felt at peace.

The stabbed tires were a message for Vita, and he knew that. He was sure that his flat tires had nothing to do with him, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He made a list in his head, call Art at Gravelberg Tires, and talk to Marie about Vita and how they could keep her safe.

Tonight also, he would call Poppa and talk to him, and let him know how had he remembered what Poppa had told him. He could have been mad, but he hadn’t.

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Marie brushed her teeth,

and also brushed her hair off her forehead with her other hand. She contemplated Ravi’s words, and how calm he was, only a minute after discovering four flat tires.

How different he was from her past boyfriends, she felt proud of him. Raising her eyebrows thinking, it was a revealing moment for her about Ravi; an opportunity.

In her head, she could hear her Mom’s talk about boyfriends to her;

“Crises reveal character honey. You need to date someone long enough that you see how they handle anger, frustration, and hurt. Life has challenges.

When life is all smooth, there is no opportunity for you to really judge character, and you need to know those things to protect yourself and to make the right decision about whether you want to be with that person. 

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That night they sat around the table at Vita’s house.  Vita, Ravi and Marie enjoyed their potluck dinner they had planned.

Salad, chicken and french fries along with a side of some serious talk.

The wildlife camera focused on the porch hadn’t helped, it showed no one got close to the house.

Vita had been shocked when Ravi told her about his tires, and she burst into tears, covering her face.

“I think I know who did it. I had a boyfriend, Robert, and he had a temper.  I think maybe he has followed me here. “

Ravi said, “If it is okay with you Vita, Marie and I want to stay here with you or you to stay with Marie, just in case.”

Marie had told her that there was no way they would leave her alone “Resistance is Futile!” The evening ended with hugs and smiles. All three were staying in Vita’s big house with all it’s bedrooms.

There was lots of space in Vita’s house and it solved everyone’s problems.

Vita didn’t need to sell the house if she shared expenses with Marie and Ravi and they lived together. Marie could help with all the inside work that Vita had no time to do before because of her long hours with Hug-A-Mug.  Ravi would help inside and outside the house including taking care of the yard.

It was really the perfect solution and a real opportunity.  It would be safer for Vita to have housemates, Ravi had wanted to move out of the dark basement suite he moved in, and Marie hated living alone.

Before going off to their rooms they talked about getting a cat or maybe two!

It was all working out, and whatever happened next, they weren’t alone, they were with friends,  and together they were all stronger.