I was running late. Again. My sister was throwing a party for our Mother and I was supposed to be there at 7 PM to help set up. It was 9:30. I don�t think setting up will be what she has in mind for me. I stepped down on the gas a little more. My little car shudder but the speedometer slowly crept up. I saw the flashing lights before I heard the wail of the siren. I pulled over, turned off my radio, and rolled down my window.

The officer came to my window and asked for my license and registration. After I handed them to him, he asked if I knew why he pulled me over.

�Well Sir, I imagine it has something to do with my driving 70 in a 55.� I replied.

He glanced at me then, and it seemed to me like he bit back a smile. He asked me to please remain in my car while he called my information in. He walked back to his patrol car. I wasn�t worried though. It was my first speeding ticket so it really wasn�t a big deal. I saw him coming back to my car and I turned so I could see out my window more clearly.

�Well Ms. Garrison, even though this is your first offense I�m going to have to go ahead and give you the ticket due to the fact that you were going 25 miles per hour over the legal speed limit.�

I nodded and said, �I understand Sir.�

He tapped his badge and said, �Stevens Ma�am. Officer Stevens.�

I smiled and put my ticket along with my license and registration into my purse. �May I leave now Officer Stevens?�

�Yes Ma�am. Have a safe weekend, and try to remember no more speeding.�

He turned and walked back to his patrol car. I waited until I saw his door close to start my own car. I turned the key, and nothing happened. I put my forehead on my steering wheel and muttered under my breath.

He asked with a note of concern in his voice, �Is there some reason you don�t want to leave Ma�am?�

I started laughing then. The kind of laughter that stems from deep inside. When if you don�t laugh you�ll just sit there and cry.

�Well Officer Stevens, the reason I was speeding was because I am about two and a half hours late to my mother�s birthday party. Now, my car, Se�or Reliable, won�t even start.� I continued laughing at the circumstances of the night.

He glanced at his watch, then back towards his car. �Is there somewhere I could drop you off?�

I shook my head no and replied, �I wouldn�t want to put you out Sir.�

He seemed to plant his feet and firm up his resolve then. �Ma�am. I insist. Helping people is my job.�

�Well, in that case, I could use a ride to my mother�s house. It�s on 5th and Nelson.�

�All right. Is there anything you need to bring with you?�

I gestured to the back of the car and began gathering things up. May bag, a book, my purse, and my mother�s gifts. I locked my doors and followed him back to his patrol car.

He opened the back door and said, �I�m sorry but you�ll need to sit in the back. Regulations.�

I grinned up at him from my seat and answered, �No problem! Now I can tell everyone I�ve seen the inside of a cop�s car, and without even being arrested.�

It looked like he was smiling but because of the darkness of the night and the angle, I couldn�t really tell for sure. We made some polite conversation over the next half hour. I really liked this guy. If it hadn�t been for him, I probably would have ended up stuck some where alone with no ride and no way of getting help. Of course, it may have just been the whole �knight on a white horse� thing. I thanked him for the ride as he let me out of the car.

�My pleasure Ma�am.�

�Please, call me Liliana.�

And with that, I went into my mother�s house expecting an earful about being late and about arriving with an �armed escort�. I also fully expected to never see Officer Stevens again.

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If you liked this stay tuned for the 2nd half. It should be posted around this time tomorrow. :)