“What the hell do you mean, good? Her life is a blank. It’s nothing to be happy about. Her doctors don’t know if she’ll regain even partial memory. She’s starting from scratch. We’re all starting from scratch.”
“But that’s a good thing.” He slaps me on the back.
Is it a good thing? Before I can respond to what he said, a text from Elizabeth pops up telling me she’s here.
“She just arrived. Please don’t be here when we come back. We’ve already scared the crap out her once this week.” I can tell Fallon wants to ask about that but I cut him off, “I’ll explain later.”
Fallon holds his hands up in the air like he’s at a stick up. “Got it. Tell kitten I said hi,” he adds and saunters to his car. With a power slide and a hand salute out the window, he drives off toward the exit.
Me: On my way. Will meet you at front.
Elizabeth: So excited!
Me too.
I make my way to the front of the building where Elizabeth is waiting for me at the glass entryway doors. She’s bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet like an excited puppy. She’s wearing yoga pants and a tank top; her long hair is twisted in a low bun at the nape of her neck. Elizabeth has always taken my breath away and today is no different. She sees me heading her way and rushes over to throw herself in my arms.
“Thank you for inviting me. I’ve been looking forward to today all week.” She pulls back from her hug. “Drew and Daniel want pictures and videos.”
“They aren’t worried about you driving on a racetrack?”
“Compared to what I’ve been through, this is nothing. They want me to experience every new thing I can. Including today. So, where do we start?”
“First we need to get you a helmet and coveralls. Just to be on the safe side, I would also like for you to wear a HANS device to protect your head and neck. You might find the HANS a little weird, but you’ll soon get used to it. Come on.” I take her to a counter where an older woman is flipping through a catalog. “Hey, Georgia. This is Elizabeth, the girl I told you about.”
Georgia looks up and her wrinkled eyes crinkle. “Oh my. Ryder, you never said how pretty she was. You are just a looker aren’t you, darlin’?”
“Thank you,” Elizabeth politely replies, holding her hand out in greeting.
Georgia takes her hand between both of her much older ones and squeezes. “I’ve got the perfect helmet and coveralls for ya, darlin’. They’re pink and everything. You’ll love them.”
“Could you grab her a HANS device as well?” Ryder asks her.
“No prob, darlin’. I’ve got ya covered.”
While we wait for Georgia to return, Elizabeth takes the time to scan the building we’re in. Racing paraphernalia, clothing, gloves, helmets, anything and everything a fan of racing would want, is stacked, piled, placed, and hung throughout.
“How many women come here to drive?” Elizabeth asks me.
“Believe it or not, more than you’d think. They do private and group lessons, public event days where anyone can bring their own car and drive it around the track. Race nights where you can do the same and pit your car up against someone’s else’s. Then there’s the professional circuit races that happen here.”
“So how long have you been racing?”
“Since I could reach the gas and brake pedals. Dad taught me. You used to come out with us a lot and would passenger in the back.”
Her eyes get big. “Wow. We must have had a lot of great times.”
“The best.”
“I always wondered why I was so drawn to my red beauty. Is yours here?”
“It’s out by the track.”
“I can’t wait to see it in person. I have a feeling the pictures you showed me don’t do it justice.”
Georgia comes back out and hands Elizabeth a bright pink helmet and matching coveralls which Elizabeth gushes over saying they’re the most awesome things in the world. After Elizabeth finishes filling out a lot of liability paperwork, I thank Georgia and escort Elizabeth outside to get her car.
“Wait. Don’t I have to pay or something?”
