Never Say Goodbye

Chapter 7

"I wasn't giving my full attention to where I was going." Ness explained, "It was a stupid mistake and not one I'm ever likely to make again." She added raising her left arm.

"But what is wrong with driving a car? If you had been driving, it would only have damaged the car," her mom pressed

"Cars get stuck in traffic, I hate waiting, I would probably still have broken my arm and leg and maybe worse as the car could've trapped both my legs with the impact. The only thing that it would've saved was my face and I can wear a better helmet to combat that problem." Ness replied calmly but firmly. Her dad squeezed his wife's hand,

"She's determined, and you know what happens when our Vanessa is determined." He said

"Yes, I know, you go soft and let her do whatever she wants, even if it is going to kill her!" Her mom replied, pulling her hand away from her husband. He simply reached and took it again.

"We can't stop her forever, she'll just get a bike as soon as she leaves home, and she'll leave home sooner to do it, this way, we don't have to be at odds with each other and Ness can learn to be safer." He kept his voice in a moderate tone, he knew it made sense and he knew his wife knew it too, she was just battling the motherly instinct to protect her baby.

"Fine, I don't like it, but I'm outnumbered so I shall give in with as good a grace as I can."

"anyway, you want some good news?" Her dad asked, "You can get out of here and come home now, the tests all came back clear, no internal damage except the broken bones." He continued without waiting for Ness to answer.

Back home, Ness discovered how difficult it was to climb the stairs when only half her body was able to bear weight; she hated it, but her dad carried her up and down the stairs when he was there but if he wasn't, she had to shuffle on her ass like a toddler. She was halfway down the stairs in this manner Friday afternoon, when Zach called round with the work she was missing from school.

"Afternoon Zach," she called "want to give me a hand? Or a shoulder to be precise"

"Oh, wow! Sure, is that how you have to get about? How long before you'll be back on your feet?" He asked as he walked up the stairs and draped her left arm around his neck and his arm around her waist to take the weight.

"Minimum three months could be six months or even more" she groaned at the thought of it, "the arm will be okay in a month though, so I'll be able to use a crutch and get about on my own." She added.

"So, a month of bringing your work to you and no fighting," Zach said

"What? You can still fight" a puzzled tone in her voice

"Like hell I can! If you can't fight, I won't either, we should be pretty lethal by the end of it" He grinned "we're still going to the pier tomorrow though, the guys will want to see you, they were pretty pissed."

"What about your date with Chloe?" Ness asked, "Has it happened yet? I don't want to get the blame for screwing up your chances"

"Hasn't happened yet but is happening tonight, and I wouldn't dare blame you!" He winked, Ness's right fist connected with his arm at speed "Maybe I can fight a little after all." The grin on his face caused Ness to pull her fist back in preparation to strike again but he dodged out of reach before she could do any damage."

"Get outta here you douche!" Ness grinned, despite herself

"I'll pick you up about two, tomorrow ok?"

"Sure, have fun tonight"

Zach was as good as his word, he turned up just before two the following afternoon and drove them to the Pier, he took her weight, so she could 'walk' from the lot to Jerks and when they had finished their ice creams he took her weight again as they made their way down onto the beach. Adam spotted them and elbowed Zach out of the way, wrapping his arm around her waist he lifted her clear of the ground and carried her to the rest of the group, depositing her gently on the sand beside Trey. Paul detached himself from the rest when Zach nodded slightly, and the photo changed hands without Ness seeing anything.