by Zoe Adams
The rounds were endured. Indiana received a draft from the car ahead of her and it pulled her along. Following this closely to a car was risky, but it could save gas for later.
Then it happened. The car in front of her blew a tire. Indiana couldn’t move out of the way. She slammed into the car head-on. Her car had all the force and torque a car could have in the world. The instant crunching of metal had her reflexes in top form.
Indiana had run through such a scenario in her head. She picked her feet from the pedals and drew them to herself. Indiana was strapped to her seat, and curled into a compact position. The car was flipping out on its airborne ride.
Over and under, up and down, the moment finally ended. She was stuck, upside down in a slowing slide. Indiana’s arms were stuck around her chest. Indiana tried to look around as she heard the burning fire, and smelled its overbearing release.
Then survival kicked in. She closed her eyes as her mind took her back to the ocean. She held onto a breath and picked a favorite fish.
Chapter 28
Indiana had a broken leg, a couple of broken ribs, and parts of her skeleton showed a slight bend. The super independent girl had become reliant in a day. During the crash she had blacked out, but the proof of the accident existed in many different ways, from many different angles. She had them recorded and watched again.
The middle car blew a tire. It should have spun out but instead the back end fishtailed between the other two cars. Indiana and the car opposite hers were hooked into opposite directions. Indiana hit the top rail hard. That would have been a manageable wreck.
Then another car hit her hard from behind. The beginning of a turn bent the rest of her car in another angle. The third car was Richard’s.
How could a fellow racer be to her side before the professional caregivers? But there he was. Richard parked his car and jumped out the window.
Indiana loved watching this part. His face, body, and actions quieted news reporters. He ran with solid determination to be there first. His unsure look could have moved anyone or anything from his path.
Richard bravely ran into the fray. He raced with an eight-inch knife he called old-fashioned insurance. The huge knife sliced through the nylon netting keeping her in the car. She was ready to be removed by the time the Jaws of Life pried the crunched up car from her.
Richard sat back on his haunches with the despair of a losing army etched on his face. Stretchers and busy people removed Indiana to proper care. The frustrated man was left on bent knees in the middle of the track.
All said and done, the world considered Indiana to be extremely lucky to escape the pileup of cars with a broken leg, a few broken ribs, and a slightly curved spine.
Indiana once again waited for her body to accept time’s achievement. But this time it was to grow cells on her skin instead of brain.
Before the accident, Richard had allowed Indiana to stretch her own wings, but now she was in his proximity all the time. The amount of attention he doled out surprised her. His important meetings were delegated to third parties. Indiana didn’t need a nurse for all of the attention she received from him.
The richness and monotony of Richard’s bedroom offered major relief. As usual she sat up in bed. A favorite movie played on mute and she listened for the tell of her lover’s return.
Indiana heard a car arrive in the driveway. She expected to see Richard, but instead was greeted by her mother and a group of people.
“Oh, Indiana, look at you.” Ellen’s voice made Indiana want to cry.
From the sound of it, things could have been much worse.
Frank held her tightly and suppressed the mother’s love. “It’s all right, Ellen. Look, she has the best care.”
“She had better have the best of everything. But how could I live if she raced again?” Ellen sobbed into a tissue.
Indiana didn’t know how, or if she should console her mom. She tried to cover the confused look on her face.
“It’s all right, Ellen. There’s something you both should know.” Frank looked at them smartly and had their full attention. He started talking with a wry smile.
“Well, I’m glad you both are sitting. I’ve told you both vaguely about my job. The thing is, my boss belongs to The Billionaires Club. Indiana, you already met the leader at my wedding. He thought you had great PR and marketing skills. You haven’t wanted to know much about the investors behind me, but that’s who they are. And, actually, your brand fit them perfectly. They prefer to be behind the curtain, without a name. We travel the world and help the helpless and decide who should get what. You already made quite an impression on Royce Blackwater, and he has mentioned the need of a new marketing director.”
Indiana remembered him. His wife had been likened to her. No one was ever like her, so it had stuck in Indiana’s memory as a good sign. She didn’t know if she wanted to work for him. And how would Richard fit into the picture? She silently considered a different fate, but her medications muddled her brain.
“I don’t know. I have to think.” Indiana blinked at the people in her room. Richard would be home soon and they could talk about the future. Then she thought of something.
“Why isn’t Richard in The Billionaires Club?”
Frank looked at her very seriously. “How do you know he isn’t already in the club?”
“I just know.” Indiana shook her head.
“Well, that’s good because you’re not ever supposed to talk about the club.”
Frank looked at her for a long time. “How did you know that he wasn’t in the club?”
“I don’t know. I get feelings; racing showed me about them.”
“Interesting.” Frank kept staring at her.
Indiana agreed, “Yes. It’s interesting. How am I supposed to decide about joining a club if I can’t ask Richard about it? I won’t even consider it if he isn’t involved.”
Frank looked up smartly. “Actually, his display at your car wreck boosted him to Billionaire status. He had been considered before, but being a playboy isn’t enough. He did a courageous and mind-numbingly brilliant act. Now he is being considered to be one of the wealthy few to lead. So now you both have plenty to talk about.”
Ellen pulled at his arm. “Come on, Frank. We’ll go get comfortable in the guest room. I’m making dinner so you just relax, dear.”
Ellen kissed Indiana’s forehead and they left her to think. She didn’t know what kind of PR a Billionaires Club would need. And the more she thought about it, the more she didn’t understand it. They didn’t want publicity. They had sponsored a plain white generic car.
Indiana would talk about it with Richard. Surely he could make sense of it.
They left and Indiana heard Richard’s aggressive motor whine into its low gear of rest. Indiana debated getting out of bed for a greeting, but decided to keep her sprawl. Richard strode into the room with all the glory of important and busy success.
Indiana felt very sexy when he hugged her on the bed.
Indiana beamed up at him. “How did you get in here so fast?”
Richard looked like Superman. “I wish you were always in my bed.”
Indiana gave him a sideways smile. “I’m glad you had time to say goodbye to me before you leave for the race.”
“Me too.” Richard’s lips were a whisper on sensitive skin.
Goosebumps raised and begged for his sweet rush of breath. Indiana’s stomach did a flip.
Richard had her heart and left swearing to take care of it. Indiana stayed home, except every breath of her being was for somebody else.
Indiana sat glued to the television for hours. It offered no reprieve in the slew of information. It was hard to focus on the current laps when most of the news covered its famous racers.
Every aspect of Richard’s life was under public scrutiny. He easily won the airtime for his beautiful smile and careful ways.
Pictures of Indiana’s wreck were still in the loop—all of the before and after shots
were quite a topic. Indiana missed the racetrack and private headphones just to avoid the mainstream news.
After the race, Richard’s partner was doing celebratory burnout circles. The video coverage showed an excited group. Indiana watched the televised celebration and knew Richard wouldn’t be home for a while. He would celebrate his good friend’s new status as victor.
Indiana woke up to the stealthy stumbling of a little too much fun. Richard was guilty in his excitement, but once she was awake they talked late into the night. Indiana asked a lot of questions about the race, and it got Richard excited again.
Richard bragged about his young partner and the talk led inevitably to other young drivers. All of the joy left his face when he sat down heavily across from her.
“Have you thought about rejoining the circuit?” Maybe it was the blurry booze that made his eyelids look heavy, or maybe he still had exhaust on his face to make him look so tired, but Indiana lost herself in the depths.
“Yes and no.” She shook her head in confusion.
The tormented man stood up and continued his pacing ruts into the carpet. His fists were flexing involuntarily. He lost the battle of distance and sat down softly beside her.
“I love the woman you’ve become, but you don’t have to race.” Richard sought out safe zones to fondle her.
Indiana averted her eyes and stammered how much she liked it.
Richard cut her off and compelled her attention back to him. “You don’t have to prove anything more to anybody.”
“I know.” Indiana nodded. “Racing’s all I’ve ever wanted. Being beside you is a totally different story. And today I was offered something else as well. It might be a job I can do and still be with you. God knows I can’t race a car and live with you. You distract me way too much. But I choose loving you over racing a car, and it took a serious accident to make me quit. This other job might just be a joke.”
Indiana told him about being a public relations person for a club wanting to be anonymous.
“Isn’t it strange?” Indiana looked deeply into his eyes.
Richard softly fingered her hip and his voice was a decibel above audible. “Maybe you don’t have to work.”
Indiana looked at her man. She couldn’t hide her shock and bewilderment. Everyone was talking about her working or not working. Indiana didn’t feel up to deciding or talking about it today.
Indiana lifted her chin and looked away.
Richard could take a hint. “Well, at least you don’t have to decide tonight. We can save our serious talks for later.”
Richard did everything by the book, and there were rules to proper healing. Ellen and Frank left, promising to return in a week. Frank had reminded her to think about a new direction in her life and working with him.
Indiana felt like it was all her mother’s doing. And she would do anything to get her out of the dangerous racing circuit.
Indiana couldn’t decide. She couldn’t think. She could barely move. Things that used to be easy were now hard.
She lived in a slow motion blur. Walking through Richard’s adobe house was done slowly and on crutches. With every fall of the padded foot, she was reminded why she had to be slow. The inching steps brought her closer to accomplishing the simple task of greeting friends who would soon be at the door.
Calvin and Charley were en route to her side, and they had been bragging about a surprise since two days ago. Indiana had excellent timing and heard a car stop in the driveway just as she reached the main hall.
The heavy front door opened in an assaulting rush of noon day heat. Indiana tried not to wilt in the view. It wasn’t necessary to wait for her friends, and it would be much more courteous to begin the long walk back. She left the door to swing open behind her and the boisterous camaraderie followed.
“Oh, look at you,” Charley sang.
Calvin inched past Indiana.
She held still for their quick greetings before continuing her snail’s pace.
“Hi, guys. I’m so glad you’re here.” Indiana froze to avoid any acts of greeting that could be bestowed out of excitement.
Charley walked backwards in front of her. “You look great, Indiana. It looks like someone has been taking good care of you.”
He winked with his last admission.
“Sure, I’m doing awesome.” Indiana rolled her eyes then smiled.
Her inching gait never let up, and she eventually rounded the living room. The brass clock chimed the minute. Indiana had consumed far too many of them in her delicate uprooting. Indiana sat slowly and lifted her leg to the ottoman. Her friends were done unloading themselves from the car by the time she got comfortable.
Charley made everyone a drink. They visited in the living room.
“Is Richard down with the sickness?” Charley teased.
“Extremely.” Indiana took a sip of something sweet.
Calvin and Charley looked at each other and smiled, satisfied in their friend’s bliss.
“That’s good to hear,” the voice for the pair said. “Now, we have something for you. This is an extremely efficient topical cream and is used on a wide range of ailments, but it numbs the skin and cuts healing time in half.”
Indiana was filled with doubt when she handled the shaded vial. It looked slimy green, and smelled debatable.
“Don’t worry, Indiana. It came straight from a shaman, and the recipe is a thousand years old.”
Indiana laughed, and handed the juice back. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound legal.”
“This is the latest rage, everyone is doing it,” Charley said. “Just try it on the next time you get out of the bath.”
The bottle was set down and new conversations were picked up.
With the addition of Richard, the quartet got into the full swing of things. He remained close to Indiana, and took any excuse to touch or care for her.
The sun began its descent and the group took the party to the shady outdoors. Richard set out the grill with healthy pieces of meat. The recovering travelers splashed in the pool as they waited for their meal. Indiana sat at the halfway point, avoiding contact with smoke and chlorine.
After all the care from the loves of her life, Indiana began to feel recovered. Her body and bones began to smooth over. She began to place weight on her foot again.
Indiana was allowed to go to Richard’s final race of the season. She had agreed to certain conditions, but didn’t care.
The plush box seats were sheltered and private. Richard had a team of fanatics in the room with her. Then more people arrived. Frank and Ellen came to join her in the box seats. It was Ellen’s first race since the last devastating race she had been to.
Then more people arrived. Frank’s boss came with his wife.
This time Indiana was properly introduced to both Royce and Susanna Blackwater. They were both more sober in the middle of the day, and Royce tried to talk her into working for him.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Indiana said. “Why would a private club of billionaires need someone in marketing and public relations?”
Royce looked at her darkly. “You are already a member of this club, whether you want to be or not. Wasn’t it you who called Lady Steele and designed women’s clothes together? Well, she is my employee, and it doesn’t matter if you met at a wedding or at work. You have already collaborated with the club in more ways than one. I don’t care what you call your job, but you will be joining us.”
Indiana nodded as the race began again. “All right. You guys win. I’ll try it out.”
Indiana didn’t think about it again, but nods were passed around the room. Indiana thought she heard a distinct sigh of relief.
The race started and the tension was electric. When car 44 sped into action, it was already at the front of the line. Richard had no trouble setting the pace and leading the chase of exhaustive pursuit. His car was a magnet for success, and it drew all the good fortune of the world. Lap after lap had Richard and the other men adding up points
.
During the final laps Richard was in third place, and every time he pulled the wheel for a pass, Indiana pushed her good will to the slant of the tires that carried her heart. The experienced racer was ahead of the game. With the final turn, the two cars ahead of Richard were caught up on the inside of the turn.
A blast of heat was a fresh wind off the desert. The tail of Richard’s car rose to greet the offering from the sky. He accepted it and knew how to use it. He was flung past the competition. The checkered flag was out and car 44 was the first to pass the finish line.
If the stands were shaking during the race, now they were tumbling with excitement as the favored man was celebrated. Richard sped into victory lane. Indiana inched toward the elevator. It couldn’t begin its descent soon enough.
Indiana joined the congratulating throngs. Her long white dress and wide brim hat made her stand out like the waving beacon she was. The security guards admitted her into the private party. Indiana could move much more freely when she wasn’t worried about careless bumps and jostling from the crowd. Indiana got there just in time to receive Richard’s sweaty form from the steaming race car.
In all of his excitement he somehow remembered not to squeeze her in celebration. He gave her the healthiest kiss. He barely finished with her when a microphone was in his face. Richard held Indiana’s hand inside his when he gave his interview.
“Wow, Richard that was a great race. How did you pass up those cars at the last second?” Rachel was their favorite interviewer and the couple smiled at her heartily.
“I got extremely lucky.” Richard smiled and took a deep breath. “The wind of a thousand good wishes was at my back.”
He smiled at Indiana and squeezed her hand. The attention of the camera crews turned suddenly to her.
“Yes, Miss Bernstein, tell us the answer to everyone’s question. Are you coming back to the racing circuit next year?” The microphone was under the young girl’s pretty pink lips.
“Well, I do love to race.” Indiana tried to be coy.
