Page 11 of Pedal to the Metal
“No . . . I need this. I need to drive,” I tell him and he nods once. What I don’t tell him is how scared I am.
Driving tends to calm me down. I won’t forget about him asking me to ride with him though. The brothers don’t let just anyone on the back of their bikes. Old ladies and sometimes family. I am neither to Raze.
I get in my car and start it up, listening to her purr. That sound alone soothes me a bit. Raze’s bike starts up, and I look into my rearview and see him back his bike out of the driveway. I put my car in reverse and begin to follow him. Off to the hospital we go.
The closer we get to the hospital, the faster my heart starts racing. We get there and I pull into a parking spot. I sit, foot on the break, hands on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead. I’m not ready for this. I’m not ready to say good-bye to another brother.
Tap, tap, tap.
I jump and look to my left. Raze is standing there. I put my car in park and turn it off and he opens my door.
“You alright, Kitty?” he asks and for a brief second, I contemplate telling him the truth. I decide against it.
“Yeah, I’m good,” I tell him as I climb out of the car. He looks at me like he’s trying to read me. Not being able to stand the silence, I start walking toward the hospital entrance. I get about halfway there before I stop and look behind me. Raze is still standing by my car.
“Are you coming or what?” I say to him with more attitude than I mean. He shakes his head as he walks toward me.
“I know you’re lying and that’s fine. We don’t have to talk about it right now. But hear me when I say, we will talk about it,” he says and starts for the door.
