Cool Rider (Grease 2)

Chapter 42

Stephanie lightly tapped on Michael's door before walking in. She was surprised to see Louis and Sharon sat by his bedside, none of the t birds had been frequent visitors, to say the least.

"Hi guys," she said taking a seat on the other side of the bed. "I wasn't expecting to see you two here."

"We've been meaning to visit for ages," Sharon said quickly while Louis looked away. "But with my mom's funeral and everything we haven't got around to it. Sorry."

Steph nodded although she didn't think Sharon sounded sorry, she was probably totally absorbed in her own drama. Mentally she checked herself, she was being unfair, taking her anxiety about Michael out on her friends.

"It's okay, Sharon. You've had a lot to deal with, you're here now."

"I still feel bad," Sharon said glancing at Louis. "I can't say I even liked my mom that much." She attempted to laugh and Steph smiled awkwardly.

"You can admit you loved your mom," she said deliberately emphasising the love part. "You guys had your arguments but she was your mom and she loved you."

Sharon bit her lip, her eyes welling up. "I guess."

Great, now I've put my foot in it, Steph thought before turning to Michael. "So how are you? Still lounging around in bed with your feet up?" she asked trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"I'm just a layabout Steph," he said winking at her. "Maybe you should give me some incentive to get out of bed."

"Maybe we shouldn't be here," Louis said smirking. "We wouldn't want to get in the way of your recovery."

"My recovery needs all the help it can get," Michael said sitting up straighter. "If I stay in here much longer I think I'll forget how to walk."

"You won't," Steph insisted. "I'll see to it. Your parents will be here any day now and I won't have them thinking I'm holding you back."

Michael frowned. "They aren't going to think that, or any other silly ideas you might be getting. It's down to me that I was riding a motorcycle, it's nothing to do with you."

Stpeh nodded, she knew he wouldn't let her accept any of the blame for his accident. However, it was pretty much because of her he'd gotten a motorcycle in the first place. She couldn't help but blame herself for that, if only she hadn't been so shallow.

"There are so many what-ifs," she said wistfully.

"And they're all futile. In many ways, I was lucky."

Sharon looked up. "Actually, you were."

"I guess," Stephanie reluctantly admitted. "But Paulette..."

"Forget about her," Michael said his eyes intense. "It's not her fault."

"She is really sorry," Sharon added, jumping in. "She knows she behaved like a child but she never meant for it to end so badly. It's not like she planned it and she's been trying to make amends ever since."

Steph let out an exasperated sigh. "But this always happens! Paulette or Johnny mess up and someone else picks up the pieces." She turned to Louis. "Look how much trouble Johnny got you guys in to at high school."

Louis cleared his throat. "That was kinda our own fault for going along with him."

"You mean you wanted to go along with him," Sharon said rolling her eyes at Steph.

"Okay, but it was usually Johnny's bad idea, right?" Steph said and Louis shrugged. "Anyway, I'm talking more about myself and Paulette. In time, I probably can forgive her but I can't go back to how things were." She squeezed Michael's hand, silently trying to communicate her feelings to him.