Chapter 10 ~~
“Ready to go?”
“Been ready for days…”
“Kelley’s going to get the car right now. I’m sorry I cant take you home myself but my flight leaves from here tonight and…”
“I know Ma don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”
“But I did make arrangements for you to be watched over for me! So don’t get any ideas like throwing a party or running off or getting in ANY of your vehicles you hear me?”
“I hear you! Don’t worry.”
“Yeah don’t worry… Look who I’m talking to!”
“What’s this “Arrangement” you’re talking about?”
“You’ll see! Now sit tight while I get a nurse in here to wheel you out.”
“I don’t’ need a wheelchair…”
Juniors mother stuck a finger in her sons face and shook it.
“You’re starting already. Your gonna get in that chair and LIKE it!”
Junior sat back in defeat. It had been a long and grueling week but after a few Physical Therapy sessions and MORE tests he was finally being allowed to go home. They had him up and walking and even though he was weak and hurting he did a good job of keeping himself up when he needed to. He had specific instructions to do absolutely nothing for 6 weeks. That meant no driving. The action of pushing and holding down a gas or brake pedal would put pressure on his stomach and his sore knee. Steering the car and the vibrations of the car would all be bad. He was also suffering from Headaches every once in a while. So he was assigned to the couch. How boring.
~~~~~
Finally Jr. and his sister were on the road. There was an eerie silence in the car and even though the radio was on it didn’t fill the void. As soon as they pulled onto the Interstate Kelley finally broke the silence.
“Um… So how are you feeling?”
Junior was thrown out of his daze of watching the trees fly by his vision. He wasn’t really in the mood for talking right now.
“Sore.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Not your fault…”
“Junior?”
“Hmm…”
“Are you really ok?”
Junior, who was still staring out the window, turned to his sister with fused eyebrows.
“What do you mean?”
“W…Well you know… The doctors said you had that... Post Traumatic thing and… you weren’t talking and… I don’t know… Its just that you’ve been through a lot and we haven’t exactly chatted with you about it.”
Junior looked away again and sighed.
“You guys made sure of that.”
“I’m sorry about all that.”
Kelley could feel his blue eyes on her and resisted the urge to look.
“Sorry about what Kel? That you and mom shut all communication off from me and my REAL family? Or you’re just sorry that you feel bad for it…”
“Junior I…”
“I don’t’ wanna hear it Kel alright? Just take me home.”
Junior looked back out of the window.
“I really am Sorry…” Kelley whispered back as tears sprang from her eyes. “We were just trying to protect you. Cause… cause we love you.”
She sniffed and He rolled his eyes.
“Look… Its wonderful that you had my best interests in mind but I don’t’ believe it was your decision.”
“Well what would you have done huh??” Her question was yelled and it caused Jr. to wince. He after all did have a concussion.
“Kel could you please not scr…”
“Dale you almost DIED! You DID DIE! You know how scary that is? HUH? To have both of the people you grew up thinking were invincible get hurt so bad? Or Die? I felt all alone! Mom was no help! It was ME making choices and decisions that I shouldn’t have had to make!”
“Don’t EVEN talk to me about “do you know!” I DEFINITLY know how hard it is! Try dealing with it day in and day OUT on TELEVISION for EVERYONE to see!”
Junior wheezed and grabbed his stomach. He shouldn’t have yelled and was now feeling the effects as his efforts pulled at the stitches in his stomach. Kelley tried to reach over but he brushed her off.
“Don’t touch me.” He warned through gritted teeth. “I’ll be fine in a minute”
“Are you sure? Do you need me to stop?”
“No…”
After a few minutes of deep breathing Jr. finally got his pain under control.
“Are you ok now?”
“Yeah…”
“I’m SOO sorry I upset you… I had no right to say that stuff. Of course you know how I feel.”
“Its fine Kel. Don’t worry about it. Sorry about that real family thing… Lets just change the subject ok?”
He turned to her and gave her a reassuring smile to prove to her he wasn’t going to continue being mad. She smiled back and exhaled inside from relief.
“So HAVE you talked to any of the guys?”
“Yeah I talked to Stewart and my Crew… I didn’t bother trying anyone else for now except Kevin. I can’t seem to get a hold of him.”
“Why not?”
“No Clue… Phone just rings and rings or its busy. No answering machines and he hasn’t been to the past two races.”
“Hope he’s ok…”
“I was told he took it pretty hard and I’m trying to call and let him know I’m fine but never an answer.”
“It seems weird that he wouldn’t make himself available to be told.”
“That’s what I’ve been thinking… Hey… Kelley?”
“What?”
“Your not in a rush are you?”
“Why?”
Junior gave her the best sly smile he could conjure up and she got it right away.
“Oh no! Don’t’ ask me to do this… Mom said bring you RIGHT home! Do not pass go... Do not collect two hundred dollars!”
He continued to give her a glare.
“No Junior I wont do it… No!”
~~~~~~~~~~
A Half hour later they pulled onto Kevin Harvick’s Street. It was around six so hopefully there we home eating or something.
“Pull up here.”
“You’re not getting out.” Kelley said while pulling the car into the driveway.
“Sure I am.”
“Junior, moms’ gonna kill me and its YOUR fault!”
“I’ll take the heat.”
“She has enough heat for both of us and you know it!” She shut off the car and leaned her head on the window.
“Stay here I’ll be right back.” Junior pushed open the door and with a couple of try’s he got himself standing up.
“Need help?”
“Hell no… Stay!”
With a tiny bit of difficulty he finally made it to the three steps of the front porch.”
“Damn it” he whispered. He hadn’t tried steps yet.
Grabbing the banister with both hands he flung his leg sideways up onto the step and pulled himself up. By the time he got to the door and rung the bell he was out of breath. He looked back quickly at Kelley and she shook her head at him.
Finally when he was about to give up he heard locks being unlatched and the door swung open.
Delana looked up at her guest and gasped as she put her hands over her mouth in shock. Junior smiled and tried his best to keep the sign of pain off his face. He was starting to get worn out and wished he planned this trip on an other day.
“J… Junior? Oh my gosh! You’re… you’re ok! Come in! Come in! I’m sorry for making you stand there!”
“Ummm…. I kinda want to just stand her a second if you don’t mind.”
The young blonde noticed the strain on his face. He didn’t think he could make it an other step.
“Oh ok… How are you? Are you ok? No one was telling us and we were worried and Kevin…”
“I’m fine Delana. Stop worrying. Where’s Kevin?”
“Umm… He’s not here. He’s been missing all day.”
“Missing?”
“Yeah he just got in the car and left this morning.”
“Well where the hell did he go?”
“I have no clue Junior that’s why I said he was MISSING!”
Junior couldn’t’ help but chuckle at that.
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all week but none of your phones are working right or something. I call and no answer or I call and its busy… what’s up?”
“You tried calling? Damn it! If he had just talked to you then things would have been a lot better. Our phones are out on this side of the street because a line went down and they say it’ll take forever to fix. And we both got new cell phones so we have different numbers. Kevin never gave you it?”
“Uh… no.”
“Son of a…. I’m sorry…”
“Well look. Could you tell him when he gets back that I’m fine? Jesus I heard he missed TWO RACES? That’s crazy.”
“Dale he wont talk to me… He won’t tell me why he’s soo upset. I know we all were but he took it to the extreme.”
“He always does De… Your husband has a flare for the dramatic. I’m gonna get going. Need the rest and all that good stuff.”
Delana stepped forward and lightly set her arms around Junior’s neck. “I’m glad your ok. Go home and get better ok?”
“Oh no an other mother! Bye Delana.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Home never looked so good as Kelley pulled up in front of Junior’s house. All he wanted to do was lay down and take his pills to at least TRY and get some sleep.
But that wasn’t gonna happen anytime soon. There sitting his drive way was a familiar vehicle.
“Well I guess you should have just come home like I told you to in the first place!” Kelley Snickered as they both realized what car it was.
“Oh Zip it.”
They both headed into the house.
“No one in here.”
“Prolly out back. Could you get me some water and bring it out?”
“OH what now? I’m your servant?”
“Kelley… I’ll tell mom your not helping!”
“FINE! “
~~~~~~~
Junior felt so weak and sore that he didn’t think he would be able to make it out back. But he had to. Looking out the kitchen window he saw a figure sitting next to the pool staring into space. He headed to the back door using the last bit of Strength he had left.
Kevin Harvick sat with his feet in the pool. His back to the kitchen door. He was totally lost in his own world as he swished his legs softly in the water.
Junior headed over to the closest chair and gently sat down. He knew Kevin was in an other world so he just sat there for a few seconds before clearing his throat.
Kevin never looked back but shut his eyes at the realization of who was behind him. He didn’t have to look and didn’t think he could look at him.
The sun was starting to go down and its orange glow cast a sea of colors over the area around them. Shadows started to set in.
“Pretty huh?” Junior said as he let himself stretch out on the long white chair.
Kevin didn’t answer him but continued to keep his eyes closed and sighed.
“Your making Delana very upset ya know.”
Suddenly the kitchen door opened and Kelley walked out with a glass of water in hand.
“Here ya lazy ass. Want me to get you a bell so I can be at your beck and call 24/7?”
“Kelly why would I need a bell! I can scream for you just fine.”
Kelley walked away grumbling as Junior leaned over as best he could to the side to pull out a bottle of pills in his pocket. While he fumbled for them and opened the bottle Kevin listened intently. He wanted to turn around and make sure that the person behind him was actually there and not some figment of his imagination. He decided to take a quick glance and turned his head to see Junior putting a large white pill into his mouth. Junior noticed this and stopped what he was doing. The glance he gave him was a scared and nervous one.
“What!” He said with a mouth full of pill causing the action to look funny. He then took a sip of water before the pill could dissolve.
Kevin looked away and sighed again. It was really him and his sudden sadness and nervousness was being replaced by anger. How could he not let him know he was ok? How come no one told HIM? He had been beating himself up this whole time, missed two races and made Delana upset.
“You Bastard…” he whispered while pulling his feet out of the water.
“Excuse me?” Junior was shocked and he was actually glad that he said it after he swallowed or else he’s be back in the hospital again from choking.
“You heard me.”
“Well YEAH I heard you but I don’t understand where you get off callin me a bastard…”
Kevin stood up still not facing him and grabbed his sneakers from the ground.
“You should understand! Here you are… fine… and I had the most horrible few weeks of my life! No one would tell me if my friend was ok or not!”
“Well that sure isn’t MY fault! Its not like I had a choice in the matter! And if your damn phones worked then we wouldn’t’ be yelling about this right now! Friend you say? Hmm… don’t friends give you their NEW cell phone number incase something like this shit happens?”
Kevin smacked himself in the head in stupidity.
“I never gave you the number?” he said turning to him.
“um… no?”
“I’m sorry… I thought I did… I thought people were just… leaving me out and… well…”
“Well what?”
“Junior!!! KERRY was at the track and he NEVER said a word to anyone about you! He wouldn’t say one thing and we hounded him so bad! He wouldn’t’ talk to anyone and he walked around with the world on his shoulders… Now what the hell is that all about? Why wouldn’t’ he tell anyone?”
It was Junior’s time to sigh.
“Look… I don’t know what the hell is wrong with him. He was only there one day and then left. I’ll get to him don’t’ worry.. and I don’t know why he didn’t say anything.”
“What about Tony Eury and Jr. and your crew? They said they didn’t know anything.”
“They didn’t… You wanna yell at someone for this go yell at Kelley… She thought it was best to keep everyone out so I was safe… I dare you. Go on... she’s inside… I’d LOVE to see this!”
“No thanks…” Kevin said with a slight smile. The first one in weeks. “I’ll pass on a lecture from Kelley today.”
They both stood in awkward silence for a few minutes before Kevin broke it.
“So D is upset?”
“She said you were missing dude… your making her sad so knock it off.”
“Whoa now DAD!”
The both laughed again before they were interrupted by Kelley who loudly made her presence known.
“Hey annoying little brother! Get your ass in here and sleep so I can leave! Mom’s little surprise is coming over later!”
“Look Kevin, you need to go home and make your wife happy. I’m fine so don’t worry about me alright? And DRIVE THAT CAR!”
“Fine! Fine! As long as your ok.” Kevin smiled and turned to walk away.
"Wait a damn minute!” Junior yelled from his seat.
“What!”
Junior smiled sheepishly and held out a hand.
“Would you help me up?”
“Oh so you need me now!”
“Knock if off an give me a hand!”
“What’s the magic word?”
Junior’s eyes went into tiny slits as he gave the driver in front of him a look even Medusa would be frightened of.
“Come on! What is it? Your Earnhardt stare wont get me today.”
“How’s ‘wrecked car’ sound?”
“That’s two words!” Kevin joked. He was really enjoying himself. “Besides… by the time you get into a car again you’ll have forgotten all about this.”
“Really… well your not helping your situation much! When I do get back in A car my target will be the #29Chevy… Now help me up!”
“Oh this is just too much fun! I got Dale Jr. begging for help!”
Suddenly, Kevin’s smiling face went to stone as he remembered that horrible Sunday. His friend, who was covered in blood then, now sat in front of him asking for help and now it just didn’t seem funny any more.
Kevin thrust his hand into Junior’s and helped him gently up off of the lounge chair.
“Thanks! Jesus… I was afraid I’d have to get Kelley out... umph…”
Junior was caught off guard as the young driver placed his arms around him in a Manish yet full of relief hug.
Junior patted him on the back and then tried to pull away… he was starting to hurt.
Kevin got the message and let go. He backed up and put his hands in his pockets.
“See ya later” he said and walked around the house back to his car.
