Chapter Twenty Eight

The next morning, she woke up with determination steeling her spine. She refused to consider anything beyond the task at hand. Get up. Get showered. Brush her teeth. Eat breakfast. Step by little step she worked her way through the morning.
She drove to the school and walked in with a purpose in her step. She did anything and everything she could to keep everything that happened in the past few days tucked in the corner of her brain. She couldn’t deal with it right now.

She found the classroom and signed in. There were only instructors there; no other students had arrived yet. Kelleigh was relieved; she wanted to arrive before everyone else so that she wasn’t the focus of attention any more than she already would be.

Only a handful of others arrived. About four men total. Mostly younger men and they, thankfully, didn’t seem to take much notice of her. Kelleigh just kept her head down and tried to keep her mind blank until the test began.

The first part of the test was written and multiple choice. This she breezed through easily and was thankful for the past few nights she spent studying. She finished before most but waited in her seat, not wanting to draw attention to herself. She took this time to study the test and wonder which task would be hers to diagnose and repair.
That was the second step of the test: a diagnosis and repair of a common automotive problem. She had no idea what the problem was until she was handed a key to the car.

She felt more nervous about this task than any of the others. She was certain she could pass the written test, as she had always been good at school. She usually tested easily, regardless of the topic.

She wasn't quite as confident at showing her hands-on skills. Most of what she had learned had been handed down through her grandfathers and brother. Steve hadn't bothered to really teach her anything but she learned all the same at his side, despite his efforts, or lack thereof.

They went out into a large garage where five older cars sat in a row. Taking a key ring from a box, she went to the car the instructors indicated. With straining confidence, she opened the door of the car and sat down. To her relief, it was just like the first car she had ever driven. She was at least familiar with the physical aspects of the car, if not the mechanical.

With a deep breath, she slid the key into the ignition and turned. All she could hear was a clicking sound. She put her foot on the brake, made sure the car was in park and turned the key again. Giving it a little gas the next time and still not able to start it, she was certain it was an alternator. The lights and radio worked but the car would not start so it wasn't the battery. The clicking sound showed that the starter was working. It had to be the alternator.

She got back out of the car and walked to the examiner. "It's the alternator"
He frowned for a moment, which gave Kelleigh some pause. In her mind, she scrolled through the options again. She was certain that it was the alternator. After what seemed like hours, the examiner finally nodded. "Can you replace it?"

This was the third part of the test, an actual repair. "Sure can" she replied smiling and attempting to be charming. It did not work. "Have at 'er" was all he said, nodding toward the car.

Turning toward the car, she did a quick inventory of what she would need. Gathering her tools from the toolbox they provided, she went to work. Replacing an alternator is usually easy but rarely fun as it is in the rear and center of the engine compartment. Kelleigh used a milk crate to stand on. If it were her own car, she would sit on the radiator or the fender but she improvised now. She ignored the examiner as she went to work. To relax she began to sing silently, starting with the Beatles. As she progressed into the task, she didn't realize that she had begun to sing aloud. She finished having sung all the Beatles songs she knew and now had entered into show tune territory. She realized her impromptu choral concert as she went to start the car. She wanted to curl under the car in embarrassment. One glance at the clock made her refocus quickly. She only had an hour until Steve's memorial.

Jumping in the car, she turned the key with a little prayer. It started and ran smoothly. Feeling pleased with herself, she patted the dashboard. "Good girl. Thank you, car, for starting." She shut off the car and smiled.

She hopped out and returned to the examiner, who was regarding her with eyebrows raised. "Well, you did it, little girl, and singing the whole way. You'll make an entertaining mechanic, if nothing else." He signed the test and a certificate and handed it to her. She thought she detected a little bit of a smile.

Kelleigh grinned in response, shook his hand with her greasy one and nearly skipped out of the shop. She accomplished her goal and now was onto finish a chapter of her life.