Wild Ride (7 page)

“You should get a fake foot…
that would help this process along a lot I bet,” he said.

She ignored her mother’s sharp intake of breath at his comment
. “You should get a fake brain… that might help too,” she said, standing on her one foot and hiking her stump over the bike and then hopping closer to him so she could slide further onto the nearly nonexistent seat.

“Well
, if you ever manage to get settled back there… we can take a ride to the Land of Oz and see about a diploma…” he offered and then laughed. “Then maybe old Judge Patterson will get off my back.”

Once she finally made it all the way onto the seat, panic set in.  “I can’t do this Chuck… I need to… to get back off
.”

He looked over his shoulder and stared at her for several seconds.  “Wrap your legs around me
,” he said.  The look on his face and the way he said that took her breath away and she could only stare back until Carla cleared her throat.

Oh God!  Her mother just witnessed…whatever that was…that just passed between them!

She maneuvered her legs and wrapped them around his waist and leaned forward against his back and wrapped her hands around his waist.

“Go… before I change my mind…
but slow!” she said.

He looked back at her once more and said indignantly
, “Umm… the neck.”

“I’m serious Chuck… go or I
will
chicken out,” she ordered.

He started the bike up and then said
, “Ok… here we go.” With that he slowly took off forward. 

After the first pass around the circle drive she looked over and could see her brothers jumping around with excitement and waving at her. 
God she had missed being with them like this.
 

As much of a pain in the ass as they could be sometimes…
she missed them.  Her mother no longer looked as worried… or stressed… and even waved too as they started the third pass around the drive.

“Ok
, your turn is over,” he said, pulling up to the sidewalk and killing the engine.

“Should I let you get off first
?” she asked

Looking over his shoulder he grinned at her and his thoughts were mirrored in his eyes.  She could feel herself blush and looked away but not before a small grin of her own escaped containment. 
If only he were serious.

“If that’s how you want it
,” he said with another grin.

“Stop it
,” she whispered before releasing her arms from around his waist.

“Do you see this?”
he asked, releasing one of the handle bars and displaying his arm which was in fact covered with small bumps as though he was chilled. “Keep it up and see what happens,” he threatened.  This time he actually looked serious. 
Was he?

If she wasn’t the judge’s granddaughter he would… but she was so… that wasn’t going to happen.  Putting down the kickstand, he felt her scoot to the side.  Soon enough she was no longer pressed against his back but was standing, holding onto the seat instead. 

He got off the bike and knowing he couldn’t stand another second of her plastered against him with her legs gripping his hips
.  He scooped her up in his arms, carried her to the chair and sat her in it.

After taking each of the boys on a ride around the circle
, he pulled up to the sidewalk and Matt hopped off.  “Come on, Carla, you know you want in on this action too,” he smiled at her.

Meredith started giggling and wouldn’t look at him and the boys started jumping up and down yelling that it was their mom’s turn.  With a shy smile and a roll of her eyes
Carla came over and got on the bike behind him. 

On the third time around the circle she leaned forward and said
, “I can’t thank you enough for today.”

He could only smile.  They were a great family and just needed a reminder of what they had.  It was amazing to him how quickly people who had it all…
a family that loved them… could lose sight of that when hard times hit. 

If he’d had something like this growing up… love and support… maybe he
would
have went to art school or some shit like that.

After parking the bike and letting Carla off, she said
, “Ok, time for showers.”

The boys both groaned and moaned about not wanting to go to bed yet.  He snuck over to the bushes and pulled out his large Nerf gun
.  Turning to Ben he aimed the gun at him and said, “Better get moving there, private, we got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow and a battle to fight when we get there!”

Ben squealed and then ran laughing into the house.  Matt remained where he was until
Chuck turned the gun on him and pulled the trigger shooting him in the arm.  He then took off running for the house as well, laughing the whole way.  Carla smiled her thanks and then looked to where Meredith sat.

Taking aim at Meredith he said
, “This here gun says I’m in charge.  If you give me any shit… any at all… fight me… or pinch my ass again… I’m going to pump you full of sponge loaded bullets.”

“Meredith!” Carla said in shock
.

“Now who owes two quarters?” Meredith asked him
.

He couldn’t hold in the laugh or the smile.  Carla rolled her eyes at them and then headed in the house after the boys.  He stuffed the helmet and the Nerf gun in his backpack and zipped it up
before handing it to Meredith.

Looking down at her
, he put his hands on his hips.  Better to get whatever this was they were doing… playing… teasing…
flirting
… whatever… out in the open.  Reigning in this attraction to her was not only smart but necessary.

“Thanks for making me do this
, Chuck,” she said suddenly as tears formed in her eyes. 
Oh no…not that…anything but that.

He wasn’t real sure what to say as she swiped at her tears
, “Sure…anytime.” 

Then
, realizing she was on the verge of really crying, he knelt down in front of her and tipped her face up and said, “The fake foot thing really might help.  If they don’t come with fake hair I can always paint some on it so it blends in with your leg.”

She laughed through her tears and said
, “You are obnoxious, do you know that?  I’ll shave my damn legs already.”

“Need some help?”
he asked with a grin. 
Damn shouldn’t have said that.
  The words conjured images in his mind better left alone.

Leaning forward she said
, “You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

“Every bit as much as you would
,” he said as he watched her lips move.  He’d like to kiss that smart mouth of hers. 
So much for reigning in the attraction.

She finished wiping the last of her tears as he stood up
. “Come on.  Let’s get you upstairs.  I have to get going, I need to get to work early to start prepping for a paint job I got this weekend,” he said.

“Paint job?”
she asked as he knelt down with his back to her and she again moved against him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Standing up and adjusting her
, he said, “Yea it’s the last of four custom motorcycles we built.”

Handing her his backpack and then g
rabbing the chair, he headed toward the house.

“Will you take a picture of it and bring it with you so I can see it when you’re done?”
she asked.

“I’m doing the base coat tomorrow and then Saturday I’m doing the detail work.  You want to hang with me at the shop on Saturday while your mom and the boys are gone?”
he asked. 

What the hell…he must be possessed by Satan himself to play with fire like this…
why did he ask her that?

“I wouldn’t be in the way?”
she asked against his neck.  God Almighty, give him strength. 
Was she doing that on purpose?

Swallowing hard he said
, “No…but I’ll be in the booth part and you’ll have to watch through the window.”

“Ok…what time?”
she asked as he dropped off the chair in the breakfast nook.

“Umm
, I need to get there by nine in the morning so I’d have to pick you up around eight thirty,” he said.

“Ok…I’ll be ready.  I’ll dress more appropriately and I might even shave my legs
,” she laughed.

He climbed the stairs and made his way into her room and sat her on the bed.  She scooted over as he stood up and turned to her.

“Do you need anything,” he asked.

“No
, I’m good,” she replied.

“Alright then…
night, Edith,” he smiled.

“Night
,
Charlie,
” she laughed.

He closed the door behind him and headed down the stairs.  As he hit the last step Carla came out of the
Matt’s room and said, “Hey, wait up a minute, Chuck.”

He waited at the bottom of the stairs.  After making her way down the
steps Carla put her hand on his shoulder, smiled and then hugged him.  He wasn’t sure what the hug was for but it was nice.

“Thanks again
,” she whispered.

Meredith couldn’t seem to quit smiling as she changed into her nightgown
.  After brushing her teeth and getting in the bed she pulled out her laptop.  She scoured through her emails looking for the ones she’d received on prosthetics.  Nearly a year later she was finally ready to respond.

Chuck seemed unconcerned with her missing foot.  Maybe she was taking this whole thing too seriously.  It
was
a major change in her life but she still
had
a life and she’d effectively wasted a year of it.  She looked up when her mom knocked on the door and entered.

“Hi
, honey…what are you doing?” she asked with a smile.

“Looking at ‘fake’ feet
,” she giggled.

“Chuck’s a sweet guy
,” her mom said. “He definitely says whatever comes into his mind.”

“Yea, but this is not
just because of his comments.  Tonight… tonight I realized how much I miss being a part of things and I want that back.  I want my life back.  I’m
bored
Mom… I’m done feeling sorry for myself.  Dad wouldn’t have wanted that,” she said.

“No
, he wouldn’t have wanted that,” Carla smiled.

“I’m sorry
, Mom… this year long pity party of mine has been really hard on you.  I didn’t realize… just
how
hard and I’m sorry,” she said through her tears.

“It’s ok
,” her mom said wiping at her own tears “We want you back too.”

“I sent some emails out about prosthetics that Dr. Lykes had sent to me
,” she said. “I’m ready to go back to physical therapy and I’m ready to be mobile again.”

“I’m so glad
,” her mom smiled again.

“Chuck is right about one thing though…”
she laughed.

“What’s that
, sweetie?” Carla asked.

“I look like shit and I need to shave
,” she laughed again.

“I have to say I was a little nervous about him at first.  Now that I’ve met him I can’t believe he ever robbed someone…
and at gun point!” her mom said in amazement.

“Is that why he’s on probation?”
she asked, her smile fading.

“Yea, he was convicted as a teenager and is still on probation.  Apparently he recently saved someone’s life by hitting some guy with a gun.  Grandpa just couldn’t put him in jail for it so…
we got him instead,” Carla said as though contemplating the whole scenario.

“He was pretty angry when he came in here to get me but he didn’t hurt me.  He doesn’t strike me as the violent type
,” she said.

“Well just be careful around him.  He’s only been here for
a few days and we really don’t know him that well so…” her mother warned.  They hugged and then she said, “Well I’m going to bed so good night.”

After her mother left the room she shut down the laptop and turned off the lights.  The events of the evening replayed over and over in her mind
, each time bringing a smile to her face.

She kept busy over the next couple of days with both a doctor appointment and a physical therapy
session where they discussed her options for a prosthetic and the steps involved.  She even got her mom to take her to the store to pick out an outfit and replace her expired makeup while she was out finishing the last of the back to school shopping for the boys.