Page 37 of Fast Track to Forever
I continue. “Eh, what do you think about my idea?”
Gem finally deigns to say something. Her voice is flat. “We’ll talk about it when you’re back. I’m waiting.”
I hang my head. “Okay. Speak tomorrow”. I prepare to put my dreams to bed. As always.
Chapter 14
Will
Trips always seem longerwhen no one is talking, and the last half hour in the car with Nikos and John was excruciatingly silent. Makes me nervous, and I’m tapping my thumb on the steering wheel, suddenly feeling the need to go much faster than I am. I’m clearly hurting my chances with Kat’s parents by boring Nikos to tears, and all I can think of is getting home and pulling Kat into a long kiss. I need that much more than I need speed.
“The road back always feels longer,” John says, and I want to give him a kiss for breaking that silence.
Nikos snorts. “Will here is doing the speed limit, that's the problem. This car can do twice that.”
I roll my eyes. “Life is not a racetrack, Nikos. It's not always about getting somewhere fast. It's about enjoying the ride.”
He makes an impatient noise. He used to be a jokester, great company when we were younger. Someone you could depend on for a good time. Now he's sour, negative, and he sure doesn't waste time putting everyone down. Is our friendship best left in the past? At the very least it’s clear he’s not going to put in a goodword for me with Kat’s parents. He’s a dead end in more ways than one.
John asks, “What's that in the distance?”
I narrow my eyes. A blue car perhaps? “If they've broken down, we should stop and see if we can help. I'm no mechanic, but I can change a tire if needed.”
“Of course, you have people doing that for you,” Nikos mumbles.
I'm getting a headache from rolling my eyes so much. I am definitely at my wits end. I start braking smoothly and come to a stop on the side of the road in front of the blue car.
This car looks familiar. I narrow my eyes and we step out onto the road, Nikos huffing and rolling his eyes as he trails behind.
“Hey, that's Kat's dad!” John shouts and a feeling of dread washes over me. We sprint over. Nikos crawls. Kat's dad is slumped over the steering wheel, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.
Oh, God. Something’s happened to Kat’s father. I’m bursting into action even before John shouts, “He’s having a medical episode! Help me, Will!”
My heart thundering in my ears, I unclip his seatbelt, and Jon and I extract him from the driver’s seat. This man hates me, but I don’t care. He’s Kat’s father, and I’ll do anything to keep him breathing.
John shouts, “He's having a medical episode. Help me, Will.”
I unclip his seatbelt, and John and I extract him from the driver's seat and lie him down on the grass, in recovery position.
“Are you okay, Mr. Featherstone? How many fingers?” John holds up three fingers.
Mr. Featherstone’s glassy eyes move uncertainly between myself and John, but he mouthsthree.
“You're going to be okay, Mr Featherstone. Good thing we found you.” I fish out my phone and dial 111, the local emergency number. “Hello, operator, I'd like to request an ambulance. Road to Glenorchy.”
“What's the issue?” the dispatcher asks.
I cover the speaker. “What do you reckon’s wrong, John?”
John squints. “Maybe a heart episode. Tell them to come quickly.”
“Okay, my friend who's a paramedic says it's probably a heart episode. Please come quickly.”
After leaving my details with the operator, I kneel next to Mr Featherstone. “You're going to be alright. Stay strong. An ambulance is coming. I'll ride with you.”
Kat's dad nods.
I turn to John. “Once the ambulance is here, please take my car, drop Nikos home and leave it at the lodge.”
