Ride Me Right

by Michele De Winton

  She was breathing, raggedly but regularly so he just sat, as close as he could get and held her hand.

  “Stay with me, Lucy. You’re going to be okay. Girl like you, gonna take more than a fall from a bike to stop you. Time to get up and get right back on.” He repeated the four sentences so many times he lost count, and only registered the paramedics as they patted him on the shoulder and coaxed him into the back of the ambulance with her.

  The bright glare of the world inside the ambulance was almost too much as the paramedic made sure Lucy was stabilized, strapped, helpless, to the gurney. Jake sat watching her then blinked, fast, as the flashing lights from the other ambulance took the Menace guy away. He’d almost forgotten him but he didn’t feel guilty for that, only . . . he looked back down at Lucy.

  Sarah’s face flashed in front of Jake, merging with Lucy’s a couple of times before he was able to shake it away. Lucy was not Sarah. She was not dead. He had not found her in a pool of blood before dragging her from the fire and knowing instantly that it was over. Lucy was a fighter. Period. She was breathing. She was in an ambulance. They would get through this. They had to. He needed to tell her what a fool he’d been.

  Then they were at the hospital. Lucy was wheeled away, the doors closed in his face, and someone took him firmly by the elbow and led him to a bed. It was only then that he realized he was bleeding too, his shoulder torn from where the edge of Lucy’s helmet had caught it. And that a deep pain was pooling in his shoulder joint. Peeling off his shirt he saw the bruises already forming.

  “I’m Dr. Feliz. Looks like something caught you right on the collarbone. How the hell did you do that?”

  “Guess I stepped in front of her,” Jake said, aware, suddenly, of how crazy that sounded.

  “This is from the woman you came in with?” the young doctor said, the incredulity clear in her face.

  “I figured I could catch her. Stop her from getting too hurt.”

  “Remind me to follow you around in case I get into an accident.”

  Jake shrugged, and winced. Being made aware of the injury to his shoulder let the pain ratchet up about ten notches as the shock started ebbing away. “She can’t die. No one else can die.”

  Dr. Feliz tipped her head to the side. “No one else? Is there someone else on their way?”

  Sarah. Jake shook his head sharply so that the image became opaque and he was brought back to the present. “No. Yes. There was the other guy. The one who took her. He kidnapped Lucy. Jesus. How does that even happen? Are the police here?”

  The doctor’s eyebrows went up and then she nodded. “Yep. They’ll want to talk to you about it. But let’s worry about this shoulder first, shall we? You’re damn lucky, her helmet could have hit you in the head.”

  Her words were sobering, and the picture of Sarah faded completely. This was about Lucy. Only Lucy.

  “Hope you’re not going to make a habit of stepping in front of any oncoming vehicles.” The doctor meant it as a joke, but her words hit home for Jake. That was exactly what he’d done for a living these past years. Step in front of bikes, cars, trucks, boats, horses, that or drive them off things. Could things ever go back to the way they were before? “Ouch. Shit.” Jake sucked in air as she palpated his shoulder.

  “It’s dislocated. I’m going to get someone else to help me get it back in. Can you handle it? It’s going to hurt like . . . well, it’s going to hurt. But the sooner we do it, the sooner the pain will ease.”

  Jake nodded and she turned to leave. “Can you find out about Lucy too, the woman I came in with? They wheeled her away. I don’t know where.”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” she said and left.

  Lucy’s visor hadn’t been tinted so he’d been able to see her eyes as she lay crumpled on the concrete in the alley. No matter what anyone said, he didn’t feel like he’d done enough. If he hadn’t thrown her out of Wilde’s, hadn’t been so cold, caved to the old fear, Lucy wouldn’t have been outside in the first place.

  But then you went after her. And got on a bike. Suddenly, Jake realized he hadn’t been back on a bike for three months, and then without thinking he’d chased Lucy though the night. He’d raced, he’d plotted, he’d tried to catch her. And he’d been calm. Calculated. Focused. He looked down at his hands. They didn’t shake. Despite the shock, despite the chase, he was okay. Catching Lucy . . . he couldn’t quite believe he’d done that. Although you didn’t, did you? No, he hadn’t exactly caught her, he’d been more like a buffer. Stood so hard and still that she’d smashed into him and then rolled over and over to end up cracked and crumpled against the wall.

  “So, this is the guy?” A burly doctor appeared with Dr. Feliz. “Giving out superhero stickers in the kids’ ward at the moment. Reckon you’ve earned one too.” The guy smiled.

  “No superheroes here. If I’d caught her properly she might be sitting up instead of . . . is she okay? Where did they take her?”

  The doctor’s manner changed, looking at Dr. Feliz and then back at Jake. “Is this guy for real?”

  The woman shrugged. “Think so.”

  “Man, you stepped in front of a motorbike, then used your shoulder to break that woman’s fall. If you hadn’t been there she’d be dead. Don’t beat yourself up, what you did was insane, but it saved her life. No question.”

  “Really? She’s okay?”

  “It’s going to be a long haul. You broke her fall so she didn’t break her neck, which is a miracle, but she still had enough speed to hit that wall with a fair whack. She’s in surgery now and . . . are you family, husband or something?”

  Jake shook his head.

  “Sorry. I should stop now. We can only give our personal details to her immediate family. She’ll be out of the woods in about an hour. Shall I get someone to let you know when that happens?”

  That was it. All he would get. That she was out of surgery. Jake’s heart dropped but he didn’t have time to languish as the two doctors took hold of his shoulder and with a painful lift and push, popped his shoulder back into its socket. The wrenching pain eased immediately, replaced by a throbbing ache.

  An X-ray came back fine and with his shoulder bandaged and in a sling, there wasn’t much Jake could do except wait. Finally Dr. Feliz reappeared. “You can go home soon. Take the painkillers. All of them. I can see in your face you think you’ll be fine but it’s going to hurt for a while. This is the one time you don’t need to suck it up. Don’t drive for the next week at least.” She turned to go. “Take care of yourself. What you did was crazy.”

  Not as crazy as half the stuff he’d done on-set. But suddenly Jake realized that was it. He was expected to just up and go home. “What about Lucy? I need to know about her.”

  The young doctor pursed her lips. “You can wait upstairs but I can’t promise anything. At this point though no news is good news. Do you know her family? Get them here and you can all wait together.”

  Her family. Jake thought of the little Lucy had shared with him. Her mother wouldn’t come but her younger sister might. Katie, wasn’t it? Maybe he could get ahold of her. Briony might have her number. Nodding at the doctor and falling back on the pillows a moment to ease the ache that his whole body was starting to thrum with, Jake pulled out his cell.

  Accident. I’m fine. Lucy not so much. Need immediate family member to get details. Can you call? And do you know her sister’s number?

  His phone rang almost immediately. Briony.

  “Hade just called me. You better watch it, you’ll be getting a Hell’s patch soon if you’re not careful.”

  The dry laugh felt wrong in Jake’s mouth. “I don’t want a patch.”

  “Too right you don’t. Wouldn’t let you take one if they offered it to you. You’re okay? Really okay?” Suddenly Jake registered the real worry in her voice. This was his sister on the line. His new sister. Meeting her, hanging out with her, getting to know her had all been an oddly easy thrill, but here, now, he realized that he had someone in
his life that was family. Really family, now that his mother had passed. He smiled. “I’m okay. Dislocated my shoulder. Got a couple scratches. But I’m going to be fine. Don’t worry, honestly.”

  The exhale of breath was loud. Through the phone he felt her fear loosening its grip. “Good. We’ll be home soon. So if you could just stay the hell out of trouble until then, that would be excellent.”

  “I promise.”

  The pause stretched. Comfortable now.

  “Hang on.”

  “What?”

  “I’m just googling Marion Black in Bountiful. Lucy’s mom. There she is. I’ll send it through. Are you going home now?”

  “Not until I’ve found out what’s going on.”

  “Man. You’ve really got it bad for her, haven’t you?”

  “It’s my fault she stalked off into the night. I should have shut up and kept her locked inside so no one could get to her.”

  “And how do you think that would have gone down?”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Of course you do. It’s why you like her. It’s why everyone likes her. But you do know she wasn’t going to take the job with the Reapers of Menace right? Hade told me that too. She’d been in the bar bragging about her gig at a brand new shop. Three-month trial, no questions.”

  “She wasn’t going to work for the Reapers of Menace?” Jake’s head spun.

  “No. And it looks like they weren’t very pleased about it. Decided to make her work for them. Jesus. Hade is spitting. This isn’t going to go well.”

  “She was trying to tell me about the job and I . . .” Jake’s voice left him and his heart clenched in a fist of defeat.

  “You were trying to look out for me. I get it.” Briony’s voice was gentle. “Were you an idiot? Yes. But what happened to Lucy is not your fault. Just like what happened with Sarah wasn’t your fault. You need to get over this whole trying - to - protect - the - world thing and think about you and what you want. It’s the only way you’re going to get over your shit and move forward.”

  Jake shut his eyes. She was right. Of course. He had been trying so hard to protect her, and Sarah, and now Lucy that he’d lost sight of what capable women they were. That he could just be with them. “I’m glad Mom found you, you know that, right?”

  “Me too. I’ll text you Katie’s number as soon as I get off the phone with you. And don’t freak out. Lucy might be reckless and as stupid as you sometimes, but she’s a fighter too.”

  Jake hung up and closed his eyes again. Someone came with discharge papers and he signed them. Took the painkiller they offered without bothering to protest that he’d be fine. As he walked out of the cubicle, trying not to limp, he headed for the surgical ward’s waiting room. Briony’s text pinged on his phone with Katie’s number and he dialed Lucy’s sister straightaway, his heart thumping hard with the thought of what he had to tell her.

  “Katie? Hi, you don’t know me. My name’s Jake. I’m a . . . friend of your sister’s.”

  “Jake? Iceman Jake? Oh hey. So Lucy got over herself and talked to you? Cool. When do I get to meet you?”

  Lucy had talked to her sister about him? That was good. Wasn’t it?

  “I have some news, actually.”

  “Oh shit. Did you guys . . . are you calling to ask for her hand in marriage or something? Well, I guess she wouldn’t care what anyone else here thinks. But I’m super stoked. Go for it. Not that I’ve met you, but I googled you, and you seemed solid. And hot. Is that weird? That I just called you hot? Sorry. I’m just happy for Luce. She deserves the world, you know that, right?”

  “Yes. I know that.” Despite himself, Jake smiled at Katie’s teenage enthusiasm. He knew he should cut the crap and get to the point, but he hated to stop the young girl when she was so full of life and excitement and joy at the possibility of him and Lucy being together. Building a life together.

  “Don’t screw with her.”

  He clenched his jaw. “I won’t. And I’m glad you approve. But this isn’t about us, I’m afraid. Is your mom out? Is there anyone there with you?”

  “Oh. Oh shit.” Her tone changed completely. Her voice dropping, her breath instantly shorter. “What’s happened? Is she okay?”

  “There’s been an accident. I’m at the hospital. Lucy’s in surgery. The doctors all seem very positive, but no one will tell me anything, nothing real. I’m not family.”

  “Right. Ohmigod. What do I do? Do I come out there? I can’t drive. And I—”

  “I’m here. Now. I can take care of everything until you get here if you want to come down. I can get the hospital to call you, or I can call you back when there’s someone available to talk to you.”

  “Um. Yeah. Okay. Sure. Are you going to do that now? Should I get Mom?”

  “That’s up to you. Okay? Are you okay?”

  “Yes. Okay, good. I’ll get Mom, she’ll want to know. Lucy and her don’t get along, but, anyway. Go, find someone. Thank you.”

  Jake found himself repeating his sister’s words. “She will be okay. She’s a fighter.”

  * * *

  After countless laps pacing the waiting room, Katie finally called with the news that Lucy was out of surgery and was stable and she’d given the hospital staff permission to let Jake see her sister. The events of the past week washed over him in a wave and he had to sit down. She was okay. Going to be okay. They’d had to operate to release a small bleed in her brain. He’d almost lost it when the doctor had told him that, but the doctor had been good, assuring him that everything had gone fine and that Lucy was recovering comfortably.

  Half an hour later, Jake was shown in to her room.

  “Lucy. Luce? It’s me. Jake.” He looked up at the nurse. “Can she hear me?”

  “She’s been put in an induced coma to let her brain heal. But she might be able to hear you. Talk to her. It definitely helps.”

  Jake gulped back the fear and looked down at the woman he’d finally realized he couldn’t live without. She looked so pale lying there. So pale, young, and fragile with her head wrapped in bandages and her eyes closed. He took her hand and marveled again at the softness of her skin, at the fragile nature of human life. “You’re going to be fine. They had to operate. But you’re going to be fine now. Katie is coming. She’s catching a flight up tonight. That’ll be great, huh? I get to meet her. I don’t know if I’m excited or scared. Hopefully she’s not as much of a ball-breaker as you are.”

  He talked to her for an hour. Telling her about the chase. About what had happened, about how angry Hade was, how angry everyone was. About what an idiot he’d been. Sooner than he would’ve liked the nurse cleared her throat.

  “She needs to rest now. It’s best if you come back in the morning.”

  “Oh, no. I can’t do that. I’m not letting her go again. Not now.”

  “You’ll have to wait outside then.”

  “Fine. I’ll be here. Sorry, I just . . . I love her.” The words out in the world, Jake marveled that they were so easy to say to a stranger and so hard to say to the woman who deserved to hear them.

  * * *

  The next few days were a blur. Waking to murmur quiet words to Lucy’s prone form. Dreaming of Lucy. Meeting Katie. Pulling her close and patting away her fears. Assuring her that yes, it was okay that her mother hadn’t come. Not everyone was able to show emotion in times like this. Sometimes you just needed to get through it.

  And in the swirl of all of that, Jake looked at his hands and remembered the aftermath of his night-chase. His hands weren’t shaking. Hadn’t shook when he’d jumped onto the bike, when he tried to catch Lucy, when he climbed into the ambulance, not even when the shock had left his body and he’d been hot and cold and lost all in one moment. The shakes were gone. He was fine. Solid. Almost whole.

  Just not frozen anymore. Through the mess of his emotions he tried to piece together what he really wanted. His day back on the lot had shown him that he wasn’t ready to let go of film business yet,
and every time he’d faced a real emergency he’d been okay. What would Lucy want? She’d want him to be his best self. Isn’t that what all true partners did? And his best self was someone who was whole, and working, and making his brain and body work in perfect harmony. “What do you think, babe?” he said to Lucy’s prone form.

  She didn’t say anything, but the steady beep of the machine monitoring her heartbeat sped up by the tiniest fraction. “Is that you? Telling me to suck it up and do it?”

  Nothing.

  But the thought of Lucy’s bright eyes sparkling at him as she watched one of his films came to him. She saw that it was in his blood as much as fixing bikes was in hers. He could go back to work. He would go back to work if Lucy got better. No, he corrected himself, when Lucy was better.

  14.

  Through a dark haze, Lucy heard voices, saw flickers of light, filaments of life, but every time she tried to get a grasp on one of them and pull it closer to her eyes so she could work out what or who it was, it would flit away like the tail of midnight-black cat.

  In the wash of noise and pain, however, she was sure she heard Jake’s voice. But it was so soft, her muddled brain couldn’t quite make it out. This was a gentler Jake. One of murmurings, of light kisses over her cheeks and eyes, of holding hands and promising her that everything was going to be alright. It worried her and for a while she wanted to wave this Jake impostor away. Her Jake had thrown her out, had basically told her she wasn’t worth the effort, yet he was still stuck in her heart.

  But when the fog of unconsciousness lifted and she saw him sitting there, it was the same man. Only this one was unshaven and haggard with his arm in a sling.

  “Hey there, sleepyhead.” His face cracked into a wide smile.

  She tried to talk but couldn’t get the words out.

  “Don’t rush it. They said it will take you a while before you get full sentences out.”

  She looked at his arm, and tried waving at it.

  He looked down. “My arm?”