Chapter 204 Going Home
Two days later, Case was dressed and ready to walk out of the hospital under his own power. It was difficult to believe that he hadn’t been more seriously injured, but as the nurse insisted they roll him out to the parking lot in a wheelchair, he was still feeling thankful that he wasn’t more severely hurt.
He’d had a concussion, and the doctor had insisted on keeping him one extra night to make sure they didn’t fix anything, but by Tuesday afternoon, Andrea was there to drive him to the airport so he could hop on his plane and fly back to North Carolina.
“Are you ready?” she asked with a big smile as she opened the door for him.
“I’m so ready.” Case thanked the nurse and climbed in. He’d already thanked the rest of the staff and ordered them all a nice lunch as a thank you. Andrea watched carefully as he got into the vehicle, but Case was fine. He couldn’t say the same for poor Bill Frisk who was still in intensive care.
Andrea went around and got behind the wheel, pausing to kiss him before she shifted into drive. “I’m so glad you get to go home!” she said.
“Me, too.” The medicine they’d been giving him had made him tired while he was in the hospital, but now that he was outside in the bright sunshine, he felt more alive than he had since the start of the race Sunday night. “I just want everything back to normal.”
“You still need to take it slow,” she reminded him. “I know that will be hard for you.”
“It will be. But I really think I’m fine. I just hope NASCAR clears me to drive this weekend.”
Andrea didn’t say anything, and he knew that was because she didn’t think he was ready to race yet. If it was up to her, he’d take a weekend off.
But taking a weekend off wouldn’t help him any in the points standing. Even though he’d already made The Chase, he still wanted every opportunity to earn points and potentially win so that when they got to the playoffs at the end of the season, he’d have the best chance possible of winning the championship. Besides, this weekend, they were racing in Texas, and that was one of his favorite racetracks.
Andrea pulled into the airport and wound her way back to where the plane was waiting for them. A lot of people had come by to visit him while he was in the hospital, but Case was glad it would just be the two of them flying back together. He wanted to be with Andrea alone.
Airport workers took care of the rental car for them, and Andrea and Case entered the plane. He took a seat and let out a sigh, so glad the seats were so comfortable. He could fall asleep….
The scent of Andrea’s perfume had his eyes opening again. “You’re so beautiful,” he said, and she smiled and took his hand.
The flight took off, and all Case wanted to do was sit with her, but Andrea was concerned about her sister and Charlie, and she wanted to talk about it. He understood that and did his best to partake in the conversation, to try to make her feel better, but it was a struggle.
“Do you think Charlie is serious? That he’s going to quit racing?” Andrea asked, looking Case in the eyes.
Charlie had decided he wasn’t going to race anymore the night Case and Bill had gone to the hospital. He was blaming himself. It was only natural that he’d feel that way. What had happened was very serious, and it was possible someone could’ve gotten killed. But no one had, and it was an accident, a racing incident. It could’ve happened to anyone. “I hope not, but I don’t know.” Case shrugged. He hadn’t talked to Charlie about it.
“Leslie was so mad at him for even saying that, she told him she didn’t want to see him anymore. I hope he doesn’t do anything… drastic.”
“Charlie is an emotional person. He wears his heart on his sleeve. I’m sure he’ll come around and calm down, especially if Bill makes a full recovery.”
“But what if he doesn’t? And what if Bill never races again?”
“Charlie is going to need some time, and possibly some professional help. But he’ll be okay.”
She didn’t look so certain of that. Andrea ran a hand through her hair. “When you feel better, will you go talk to him about it? I just feel like there’s something wrong here, something we need to help him with.”
He understood what she meant. “Yes, I will go talk to him. I promise,” he said.
That seemed good enough for her, at least for now. Case rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes, thankful that he was going home where he could be alone with Andrea and get some rest. He needed to be ready for Texas in just a few days. He needed to race again.
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