Racing for Freedom

chapter Thirty Two



“Hey, wake up.”

I groan and lift my head from the side of Slade’s bed. I blink a few times and the hand on my shoulder shakes me again.

“Hey baby girl, are you ok?”

I turn and peer up at my father, relief floods me knowing he’s ok. I was so worried…when I see his face, I gasp. It’s bloody, his eye is black and his lip is split. Dried blood is spread across his cheek.

“Daddy!” I gasp, leaping up. “What happened?”

“I found Michael.”

“Daddy, what did you do?”

He forces a smile and shrugs. “I beat him senseless, then I dragged him to the police station and forced him to admit what he’d done to Slade and you. When you’re done here, you’re going to tell them what happened.”

“Will he be charged?” I whisper.

He nods, cupping my cheek. “If anyone ever hurts you, baby, you tell me.”

“I was frightened of him daddy, but now…I wish I had told you. Then…” I turn and look at Slade. “He wouldn’t be here.”

“Sweetheart, it’s not your fault Slade’s in here.”

“I knew Michael was beating him and I let him convince me not to tell anyone. He was ashamed that his father still beat him…”

My father stares over at Slade too, and his eyes soften. “I know how he must have felt. It wouldn’t be nice to not be able to escape something like that.”

I nod and feel my eyes burn again. “Daddy, what if he doesn’t wake up?”

My father squeezes my shoulder. “You have to have faith baby, you have to believe he will.”

“I’ll lose everything if he doesn’t wake…he’s…he’s….everything to me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” my father whispers.

I turn and peer up at him. “You blamed him for mum. You hated him.”

“No, I didn’t. I just wanted someone to blame…I didn’t hate him Dasha. I just…I couldn’t accept it was my fault. It was easier to blame him.”

“He lived with it daddy, for years.”

“I know that, and nothing I do will take that away.”

“He’s a good person,” I say in a small voice.

“I know, baby, I know.”

Neither of say anything else until a nurse walks in. She sees my father’s face and gasps.

“Sir, what happened?”

My father smiles and points to Slade. “Just defending the boy here.”

The nurse smiles and her cheeks flush as she takes in my father. Oh my, the nurse is blushing. My father smiles at her and she rushes over, taking his hand and leading him towards the door.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.”

My father looks back at me and shrugs. I laugh softly.

“I’ll be back soon, Dash.”

“Ok daddy.”

When he’s gone, I look back down at Slade. He’s breathing lightly, and his face has a little more colour. A doctor comes in a few moments later and smiles at me sitting beside Slade’s bed. He’s an Asian doctor, but he has a kind face.

“Good morning,” he says, walking over to Slade’s bed.

“Good morning.”

“Any changes overnight?” he asks.

I shrug. “Not that I can see.”

“Let’s have a look.”

He goes over him and I sit and watch. He writes things on a chart and a nurse comes in and does some routine observations. When they step back, they both look pleased.

“He seems to be doing very well considering,” the doctor says, smiling at me.

“Will he wake up?”

He nods politely at me. “We’re expecting a full recovery, he was very lucky.”

I smile and nod. The nurse does a few more things before leaving. I know they checked on him all night, I could hear them frequently pressing buttons on machines and chatting lightly as I slept. I didn’t mind. I wasn’t here for a goodnights sleep. I was here for him. I stand and stretch, my legs scream at me as I move them. God, I’m stiff. I stare over at Slade and then let a nurse know I’m just going to get a coffee.

I walk down the long, bland halls until I find the small coffee stand. I order a coffee and then walk slowly outside until I find a garden seat. I sit down, inhaling the fresh air and sipping the warm coffee. It’s not hot, but that’s fine by me. I text Lucas and Payton, and then I just sit alone in my thoughts for a while. My father finds me an hour or so later, and he takes a seat beside me. His face is cleaned up and he looks a lot better.

“How are you feeling, Dash?”

I shrug. “As good as can be expected. The doctor said he should wake up.”

“That’s great news.”

“He’s going to be devastated about his leg.”

“He’ll race again Dash.”

“I know, but it could take a few years to get to the level he’s at now.”

My father takes my hand. “He’s alive Dash, it could have been so much worse.”

“I know that, but it doesn’t mean it won’t hurt.”

My father nods and then in a very light voice says. “What are you going to do about the race?”

I turn to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“Dash, you won it…the championship race is in three weeks. If you win that, or even place well, you’re going to get sponsored and go around the world with your racing.”

I blink, not once having thought about that. “I can’t do it daddy, I can’t leave him.”

“This is your dream Dash, you might not get this chance again.”

I turn away and stare at the line of dark, leafy shrubs in front of me. “He’s my world now, I won’t leave him daddy. I won’t.”

“Dasha, you can’t give up your dream…”

I stand and look down at him. “He is my dream, daddy.”

~*~*~*~

When I get back into Slade’s ward, I hear nurses chatting loudly in Slade’s room. I rush in and see him sitting up in the bed. He looks groggy, but he’s awake and he’s alive. A loud, strangled sob escapes my throat and Slade turns his eyes to me. A small, frail smile touches his lips. The nurses smile and watch as I slowly walk over. His hand lifts and stretches out to me. I rush over and take it, pressing his cool hand to my cheek.

“You’re ok,” I whisper, my tears dripping down onto his hand. “Oh Slade.”

“I’m ok,” he croaks.

The nurses flitter about some more, and then an older one stops by the bed. “We’ll leave you to it, the doctor will be in soon. Don’t move or do anything strenuous, Slade.”

I smile at her and when she leaves, I turn back to Slade. He’s staring at me with those intense aqua eyes. I watch as they become glassy and he reaches up to stroke my cheek.

“Dashy…”

“I thought you were going to die, oh Slade, it was awful.”

He nods, then stares at his hands. “I thought I was going to die. I was feeling dizzy, and the pain in my stomach was intense but I was determined to be in that race. I’d been beaten by him before, I didn’t think it would be any different. Just a bit of bruising. Half way around that track my vision started swimming and my ears started to ring. Then, all I remember was being pulled out of my car. I saw you…”

I sob again and he reaches up to stroke the tear from my cheek.

“Baby, I’m ok.”

“Slade, I thought you were going to die. There was blood coming from your mouth and…”

He soothes me by taking my face in his hands and then pulling me onto the bed beside him. I rest my head against his chest, just listening to the beating of his heart.

“I’m ok.”

“Your leg…”

He sighs. “I know Dash, they already told me.”

“I’m so sorry Slade.”

“I’m alive,” he whispers. “It’s going to be fine.”

“My father…he knows what Michael did to you and me…he went after him.”

Slade tenses. “What happened?”

“He beat him, badly from what I heard, then he made him go to the police station and tell them what he did.”

Slade’s silent for a long moment. “Michael admitted it?”

“Yes, and I have to make a statement later.”

“It’s over?” he whispers.

I take his face in my hands and press a kiss to his lips. “It’s over, Slade, you’re free.”