Monkey Business -5- Good News Bad News - by Melanie Brown (Patreon)

Monkey Business Part 5

By

Melanie Brown
Copyright © 2023

I felt myself sliding on gravel and pavement. Everything was black. The sounds I heard seemed far away. I heard the engine of Nick’s 750 running full throttle, but it sounded distant. Sounds of other motorcycles faded in and out. I heard footsteps running up to me. Someone touched my arm.

“Randi! Randi!”

I heard distant ambulances.

“Get back son. She can’t be moved until the paramedics check her neck…”

A tire crunches on gravel…

“…appears to be one male and one female…male is conscious.”

“Aahhgh!”

“Did that hurt?”

The engine noise stopped, along with a chattering clunk of the transmission.

“Cut those leathers open…”

“Get that helmet off her. She’s breathing.”

“Sir, you appear to have broken ribs. There’s going to be some pain as we move you.”

“Grrmph!”

“Is she safe to move?”

“This isn’t a female.”

“Secure this patient. He keeps trying to sit up.”

“Aagh! Where’s my bike? Is my bike okay?”

“Your bike is fine. Just relax, sir.”

“Randi! Please be okay!”

“Sir, you need to step back…”

“Don’t worry about your bike, Nick. We’ll put it in our trailer. Shit. Look at those forks…”

“Randi?”

All the sounds faded away.

*  *  *

I couldn’t focus on the face staring down at me. Someone was holding my hand. Where the hell was I?

Mom's voice said, “Randy? Are you awake?” The blurry face congealed into Mom’s. Behind her was a very worried-looking Dad.

Mom started crying. “Thank God you’re okay!”

Dad tried to grin. “Yeah. Your only injury was that bump on your noggin. You’re going to have to toss that skidlid away.”

I could hear some electronic sounds coming from behind me. I tried to smile. Not sure if I succeeded or not. “Hey, Mom. Dad. Where am I?”

Dad moved closer. “You’re at Sanderson Medical Center. This was the closest facility after your crash.”

A guy dressed as a doctor stepped up to me on the other side of the bed. He was looking at some device before looking at me with a smile. “Good morning, Mr. Gardner. Good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”

“Sore. But I’m not in pain or anything.” Mom squeezed my hand.

The doctor nodded. “We checked you out pretty thoroughly, and we found no serious injuries. The way you fell, you’re very lucky. Those leathers you were wearing saved your hide.”

I tried to grin. “That’s why I wear them.”

The doctor shrugged. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen pink ones before. But they’re no good anymore.”

I sighed. At least he wasn’t calling me a girl. Well, once the leathers were removed, it would be pretty obvious. “When can I go home?”

Smiling, the doctor said, “Probably tomorrow. We want to keep you overnight for observation. We want to make sure you don’t have any brain swelling. But everything looks good. If you can give us a bowel movement tomorrow, you can be released.”

“Thanks, doc.”

After the doctor had left, Dad said, “Observation my ass. They just want to run up the bill.”

I started looking around the room. “Holy crap! What’s with all the flowers?”

Mom grinned. “You seem to be very popular. And a girl.”

I sighed. “All because of pink leathers. Well, those are gone now. Maybe things will change.”

Mom shook her head. “We had to send Colin home. He wanted to sleep in that chair over by your bed. He’s definitely sweet on you.”

“I don’t know why.”

Mom was about to say something when a familiar voice from the room’s door said, “Knock, knock.” I looked over to see Nick on one crutch hobbling in. His chest was wrapped under a t-shirt, and he wore pajama bottoms with the leg cut open to fit over a cast.

“Nick! You’re alive. I would have lost a bet.” I grinned at him.

“No thanks to you!” He winced when he coughed.

“Me? You’re the one who can’t control his own bike!”

“I can whack you with this crutch, you know. You punk, you landed on top of me and cracked three ribs.” Nick chuckled. And then winced.

“Sorry.”

“Not your fault, but you’re still a punk.” Nick looked serious for a moment. “No matter what, I’m out of the racing business for a while.”

I know it’s not funny, but I grinned and said, “Just saw your cast off and suck up your pain. Be a man.” Nick should know I’m kidding with him.

Nick shook his head. “Be a man? That’s funny coming from you. But it doesn’t matter. My bike is shot. Came down on the front wheel, bent the forks back and then flipped a half dozen times, bending the handlebars as well as the front rim. The sidecar was destroyed. The engine is okay, but I’ll still need a new bike.”

I sighed. “I guess I can race Colin’s bike when he’s not using it.”

Nick shook his head. “Colin’s now convinced that racing is just too dangerous for anyone as pretty as you. Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t say it.”

“That’s not fair!” I exclaimed. “Besides, motocross is different.”

Nick shrugged. “You’ll have to have that fight with him.”

I looked over at Mom and Dad, who were quietly listening. “Dad… Can I have my own dirt bike?”

Dad looked at me as if I was nuts. “Well, you know, son. I was going to get you a bike, but now we have all these medical bills…”

I frowned at Dad. “You were not. Mom, please, can I have a dirt bike? I’m a good rider. Everyone says so.”

Mom grunted a laugh. “They’re being nice because they think you’re a girl, and they’re hoping to get a date.”

I folded my arms. “That’s stupid!”

Mom just shrugged.

There was some rustling at the door. Trying to enter my room was Spencer Adams carrying two boxes of pizza and a huge vase of flowers.

Dad stepped quickly over to him. “Let me give you a hand with that.” Dad took the vase and set it down on the floor as there was no other shelf space.

Spencer set the two pizza boxes on my legs that were hidden under the covers. Spencer grinned at me and asked, “How’s our prettiest racer feeling? I heard there were no serious injuries.”

“I’m feeling a bit sore, but otherwise okay,” I said, ignoring his comment about being pretty.

He looked over at my parents. “You must be Randi’s parents. That’s one brave little girl there to race with Nick, I have to tell you.”

Dad started to say something, but Mom poked him in the arm.

A nurse stepped into the room and announced, “There are too many people in this room! The patient needs to rest!”

Spence said, “I can’t stay anyway. I figured you’d want something besides hospital food. Oh, before I go. Do you think  you can come to the studio Wednesday for a bit of modeling?”

I smiled weakly. “Sure. Why not.”

As he started to exit the room, Spencer turned around and said, “Oh. I almost forgot. I had the track store order you a new set of leathers. The ones I picked were just as pink and actually more feminine than the ones you were wearing. You take care now.”  He turned and left.

Despite the pain, Nick laughed. “Now that’s hilarious. See ya later, kid.” Nick left the room.

Dad rubbed his ribs. “Why did you poke me?”

Mom frowned at Dad. “You were about to spill the beans. Randy has a sweet modeling job, but that Mr. Adams thinks he’s a girl.”

Dad looked at me and nodded. “True. He is a twink.”

Terrific.

End Part 5