Cool Rider (Grease 2)

Chapter 35

Johnny was sat next to Stephanie in the waiting room of the hospital anxiously tapping his foot as he waited for news of Paulette.

"Can't you stop that," Steph hissed.

"Sorry, I guess I'm strung out." He looked over at Michael's aunt and uncle who were slumped in their chairs too tired to make conversation. "I know it's worse for you, Paulette will be okay-"

"Don't assume," Steph warned. "It was a really serious accident. Two people have died already."

"I know." He lapsed into silence, fearful of upsetting her if he mentioned Michael's leg. He still wasn't out of surgery yet and Johnny dreaded what the outcome might be. He shuddered at the thought, imagining how he'd cope if he was in Michael's position. He'd cope badly, he couldn't kid himself otherwise.

"You can go in and see her," Paulette's mom said startling them both, Johnny hadn't noticed her come back into the waiting area. "She's awake, I think she could do with a change of company from me and her dad."

"Right, great," Johnny said sitting up straighter. "Is she talking?" He couldn't believe Paulette was if her mom was speaking to him like nothing was amiss.

"Is she talking? This is Paulette, when have you known her to stay silent for long."

Johnny let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, that's Paulette." He stood up. "Are you coming, Steph?"

Stephanie looked at him, chewing her bottom lip. " I can't."

"Why not?"

"Cos she's awake with barely a scratch on her, and meanwhile Mike might be losing-"

"Don't say it," he said sitting back down and grabbing Steph's hand. "He'll be fine, and Paulette's probably putting a brave face on for her parents. She'll want to see you."

"But I don't want to see her," Steph said snatching her hand away. "Not yet anyway."

Johnny looked at her, his brows furrowing. "Okay, shall I tell her you said hi?" Steph nodded and he left the waiting room before realising he didn't know where he was going. He headed back to the reception area not wanting to bother Paulette's parents more than he had to. Once he had directions to her room he made his way there slowly, fearful of what he'd encounter.

Tentatively he knocked on the door of her room before slowly entering, his eyes blinking at the bright lights. He cleared his throat. "Paulette?" 

She looked like she was sleeping, her face turned away to the wall, and he almost breathed a sigh of relief as he walked closer to the bed.

"Johnny," she said her voice barely audible. She tried to turn her head and he could see it was a struggle for her.

"Don't move, I'll come round the other side of the bed," he said moving hurriedly towards her. He couldn't help the gasp that escaped him when he saw her face. He knew it was going to be bad but she was almost unrecognisable, her face a swollen, bruised mess. He could well imagine what her head was like underneath all the bandages.

"Hi," she said pushing herself up in the bed slightly to better look at him. "I didn't think you'd come."

"Of course, I would," he said forgetting that Sharon had press-ganged him into it. "I wouldn't miss your birthday."

She smiled weakly. "Yeah, today is my birthday." She paused for a moment gathering her strength. "I guess this is karma for me. I was an ungrateful bitch last night, I don't know what I was thinking, and now here I am in the hospital. And Michael...he's in hospital cos of me."

Johnny shook his head. "It was an accident, it's no one's fault." 

"It's mine."

"No, it's just one of those things," he said not wanting to dwell on his own part in the events. "If you wanna blame anyone, blame the driver of the truck."