Page 36 of Rider Forbidden
“He’s got up and walked away - he’s OK. He'll have to get checked by the paramedic, but he’ll be fine. It's not the first time and it won't be the last.”
Suddenly I hate that he does this for a living. I could tell with the scars that he’s had accidents before, but seeing one is a whole other story.
It feels like forever for the truck and paramedic truck to come back. The boys have gone out separately to retrieve his bike, I hope there's not too much damage.
Eventually it pulls up, Jack and Harry sat in the back. I lose it when I see him. Lose my cool.
I run over - he’s pulled his leathers down so they're around his waist and his helmet is off. He looks a little worse for wear but fine.
“Oh my god, oh my god. Are you OK?”
He jumps down off the truck but winces slightly. “Calm down Danish, I'm fine.”
“But it looked really bad, are you hurt?”
“Aw, are you worried about me? It was a blip, it happens. Just hope the fucking bike is Ok.”
Now I'm mad. “You hope the bike is OK?”
He nods.
“You hope the bike is OK?”
Everyone is stood around staring at me, I'm making a scene but at this point, I’ve lost it.
“Why do I have a feeling that me crashing has made you mad?”
“It’s made me mad that you care about the bloody bike but not about yourself!”
Denny comes over to me. “Hey, it's OK, part of the job, he’s fine, that’s why he wears leathers.”
I ignore Denny and turn back to Jack. “Are you OK? You winced when you got down from the truck.”
“I'm fine sweetheart, honestly. Don't worry.”
I take a breath of air in and sigh, happy that he seems OK.
Harry says gently “I take it that was the first accident you've witnessed?”
It must look like I’ve gone totally over the top to them. I look back to Jack, really look at him, rake my eyes from head to toe. He’s fine.
I turn to Harry “Sorry, yeah . . . first time.” I can’t admit that I was worried about him. That I care about him.
The truck pulls over with the bike on, they all go rushing over to it, Jack on his way past leans into me. “Don't worry, I’ll still be able to perform tonight if that’s what you're worried about.”
He walks over to his bike.
It wasn't what I was thinking about and that’s what’s worrying. I was thinking about him and how I didn't want him to be hurt.
*****
Everyone decides after the excitement at the track today that we’ll just have dinner tonight and get an early night. Nothing heavy. We all agree to meet down at the restaurant in the hotel at eight.
I have a video call with Elijah and mum, he tells me all about school and he'd done his homework. They were just settling down to watchIce Age 5.
Sophie disappeared after the track and said she wouldn't be back until late, so she’s skipping the meal. Traitor. She’s off having lots of sex with her Sicilian god. Good luck to her. I am meanwhile left on my own to get ready while I'm a nervous wreck because tonight, I'm going to double the number of people I’ve had sex with. I laugh to myself because when I put it like that it sounds like I'm going to have a really heavy night.
I decide to wear a dress, cream, floral, short . . . again. I wear the new underwear I'd bought though, cream lace boy shorts and a cream lacy balconette bra. I leave my hair down and wavy and put on a little make up.
