“Fuck!”  She reared back, kicking the back panel of the car with such force that it left a dent.

            Look, give me a few minutes?  I can at least change the tire for you?  This way it won’t cost you an arm an a leg to get it fixed.  Just an arm and a few toes off the other foot.”

            “I can’t ask you to do that,” she smiled, the cute joke made her laugh and put her instantly at ease, Ro hoped she kept the mace at bay. 

            “You didn’t, ask that is, you’ve had a shit day, I can tell, so, pop the trunk.  Let a girl help ya out?”  she wearily nodded, moving to the car and popping the lid of the trunk, “Are you going to put that away?” waved the Latina to the mace.

            “OH!” laughed the woman, jamming it into her pants, feeling the blush rising on her cheeks. 

            “Not offended,” said the woman.  “Rosita Navarro,” smiled Rosita.

            “From the….  Oh, hi,” grinned Tina, having heard the name at least 100 times from Alice in the last week.

            “From the?” asked Rosita, removing the spare tire from the trunk and the jack.  She quickly moved to the flat tire, getting on her knees and waiting for Tina to continue.  Rosita didn’t ask her name, not needing to know.

            “Um, the chart?  You ever seen it?  On the internet?” she asked.  Rosita quickly loosened the lug nuts, then began to jack the car in silence, her bare arms bulging, not an ounce of fat on the woman, at least none that Tina could see.  Finally, once the car was off the ground, Rosita took a breath and said.

            “Si, I’ve heard of it.  The infamous Shane’s lovely chart,” muttered Ro with utter distaste in her tone. 

            “You’ve met Shane?” asked the woman.  Instantly, Rosita began to run the list of Shane’s friends in her head, this could only be Tina Kennard.  Oscar’s friend from the Center.  Excellent luck, thought Rosita.

            “Not yet, but I’m sure I’ll make her acquaintance once I’ve bumped her down a few notches on her mighty chart.”

            Rosita pulled the tire off, slipping the full sized spare onto the hub, and threading the lug nuts by hand.  Her mind blank as she did what needed to be done. 

            “So, if you don’t know Shane, then, why does it matter what she thinks about you being on the chart?”

            A smile crossed over Rosita’s face, a single dimple appearing on her right cheek, she licked her full lips.  “I don’t care, but someone I care about, cares.”  Rosita dropped the car off the jack, swiftly tightening the lugs and standing, wiping her hands on her cargo pants.  “Call this number,” she began, scribbling a number on the back of a card, “tell him Ro sent you, and he’ll give you a break on the repairs.  His name is Juan, good kid, does decent work.”

            Tina took the card, “Thank you, Rosita.”

            The woman merely shrugged, disappearing into the darkness as quickly as she’d appeared. 

****

            “I’m so glad you talked me into doing this,” smiled Carmen, jumping up onto Ro’s back. Rosita spun her around, setting her down and letting the smile play there. 

            “Ah, its for Oscar, the man with a plan!  And, you look good in that shirt,” laughed Rosita.  They were playing for charity, and Rosita would do just about anything for Oscar. 

            “If only we weren’t related,” giggled Carmen, hugging Rosita hard.  “I’m so glad you came back to LA.”

            “Me too,” said Rosita.  She took the ball from the third baseman and turned to throw the ball out to the short stop, seeing Tina Kennard standing at the fence, watching. 

            Rosita held a hand up in greeting, and Tina waved back, smiling. 

            “One step at a time, Rosita, one fuck at a time, one notch on your belt, and you’ll have Shane begging…,” muttered Rosita, a smile still on her lips as she began to warm up.  Tina walking away, “Look back, come on, look back,” whispered Rosita.  Just as she muttered the words, Tina looked back again.  “Excellent,” said Rosita to herself.