A Close Shave by Nicola Sheehan , stawberry milkshake

‘Oh my God, Oh my GOD.’

            Brendan ended the phone call. He looked at his colleague, Matt, wide-eyed. ‘I can’t believe it. She’s told her insurance company she’s disputing liability, that I drove into her.’

            ‘Not surprised, mate,’ said Matt, eyes glued to his phone. ‘Did you see this? Ten thousand views so far. She has royally screwed you. Did you know she was a “famous influencer”?’ he asked, using air quotes.

            ‘No! You know I’m not on social media.’ Brendan grabbed the phoned off him, his sweaty palm almost dropping it, and stared at the screen, listening to a completely different version of events.

            ‘But…but that’s not what happened! She reversed into me. How could she do this? And she’s claiming injuries too? I mean, there were witnesses and everything. The guy in the car behind me even asked me if I was okay and rolled his eyes as he said “women drivers”.’ He dragged his clammy hand through his dark hair. This was so fucked up.

            ‘Did you get any of their names?’ Matt asked.

            Brendan shook his head. ‘I didn’t think I needed to. She admitted at the scene straight away that it was her fault, that she was reversing to do a U-turn, and she would look after everything.’

            ‘The guards? Did you call them?’

            Brendan felt very stupid. ‘No, I told her I wouldn’t report it until I got into work. She admitted it was her fault, no one was hurt, and she said she really needed to get to an appointment. I didn’t want the rest of the traffic held up.’

            ‘Have you done it yet?’

            Brendan sat up. ‘No. Oh God, do you think she’s phoned them?’

            Matt groaned. ‘Wouldn’t be surprised, mate.’

            ‘I wasn’t thinking straight. Was in total shock to be honest. It’s not every day your car gets rammed by a hot pink four by four. I thought it was going to go through my windscreen.’

            ‘If she’s phoned the guards, you’re fairly fucked.’ Matt scrolled through his phone again. ‘She’s got nearly three hundred thousand followers on TikTok, over four hundred thousand on Instagram. Her “car crash trauma” is all over both. You’re coming off like a monster. Did you ring your insurance company too?’

            ‘Yeah, before hers. And told the boss since it’s a company car. I’m going to have to phone them back. Tell them she’s disputing liability.’

            ‘It’s going to be your word against hers now. At the very least, you’ll probably both have to claim against your own respective insurance if you can’t find a witness. Otherwise, she’s setting up for a massive claim against you.’

            ‘But that’s not fair!’ Brendan wailed. ‘Joe’s going to take the car back off me, isn’t he? I’ll have no car.’

            Matt patted him on the back. ‘Life’s not fair, mate. Maybe invest in a dashcam in the future?’

            ‘Why should I have to fork out for that? I have no penalty points, no convictions, have never been involved in an accident until this morning. And anyway, it’s her bloody fault!’ He put his head in his palms. ‘Ugh, this is so fucked up.’

            ‘All I’m saying is…hold up, hold up…’ Matt was quiet for a moment as he watched the screen, then looked at him beaming. ‘Check this out, you jammy fecker.’

            Hunched over Matt’s phone, they both watched another TikTok video titled “Someone is telling porkies again #liarliar” and tagging Brendan’s now nemesis.

            ‘Why are you showing me another bloody influencer? Is everyone one these days?’

            Matt shushed him. ‘Just watch.’

            Brendan perked up. He recognised the background behind the young girl posing and pouting. She was standing in front of the road on which he travelled to work every morning. He saw his car coming to a stop behind her, and the four by four about five feet in front of him suddenly reversing at speed into his car. The girl jumped at the sound and the video ended just as his nemesis got out of her car.

            ‘Got her,’ said Matt.

            Brendan looked at him. ‘Holy shit. I’m vindicated.’

            ‘I’ve screen recorded it for you just in case it gets taken down. You can send that on to your insurance company. And hers. You can see the reg of the car behind you too in case you need him as a witness.’ He chuckled, looking at his phone. ‘People are attacking her now. She doesn’t seem well liked.’

            ‘I need to find that girl and thank her.’

            ‘I don’t think she was doing it for you, mate. It’s more likely she wanted to call out the other one for likes and follows. It can all get very toxic on here. It’s probably better off that you’re not on it.’

            ‘Yeah. Thanks, Matt.’

Matt nudged him. ‘The power of social media. Close shave, huh?’

            Brendan let out a huge sigh. A close shave indeed.

About the author

 

Nicola Sheehan is a legal executive living in Cork, Ireland. She has completed two novels and is currently working on her third. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association's New Writers' Scheme since 2023 

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