Well, I wasn’t able to get the chapter out quick like I had hoped. My apologies again. I’m hoping to have more writing time once summer rolls around and school is done. But, here’s the next chapter for you!
Chapter Nineteen – “Sussurra” (Whispers)
Sally stared hesitantly at the public phone. The hallway was dead silent and she didn’t feel like breaking that peace. The exhaustion was really weighing down on her now, she just wanted to close her eyes and be still. However, she’d already come this far, might as well take the call.
She reached for the button to line three and spoke politely, “Hello?”
The reply came sharply, “Sally? Is it-a you?”
“Yes, Francesco, it’s me,” she confirmed.
“Francesco was-a unsure that you would-a be here. There was-a no other way to get-a hold of you!” he gushed over the telephone with a sense of accomplishment that he had tracked her down.
“Look, it’s really late here. Could you just tell me what you’re calling for?” she said while she watched McQueen be rolled out of his room in the distance.
“Could you-a accept an apology from-a Francesco? He really would-a like to-.”
“I’m sorry; I just don’t have time for this. There were so many things that happened, it wasn’t just you. I…,” she tried to remember all the things that had led them to this point. Somehow she couldn’t put it into words. She was at the hospital, McQueen had survived a terrible accident, and there was nothing more important at the moment.
Francesco ended the pause in their conversation by asking her, “Please, tell-a me if he is-a OK.”
“He’s going into surgery now. I think he’ll be alright, don’t worry,” she told him. She could visualize him nodding with sympathy on the other end.
“Well, you-a take care of yourself and-a him too. Ciao.”
Her lips nearly smiled. “I will, thank you, Francesco, goodnight.”
When the phone was hung up she returned to where the crew was still located by Lightning’s room.
“So, now we just wait?” she said as she surveyed their faces.
“Yes,” Sarge responded, “Get some sleep, won’t you?”
She nodded lethargically and squeezed into a spot beside Guido. “Sarge, I’m uh, sorry for how I acted earlier,” she apologized meekly.
Sarge didn’t say anything. He simply gave her a look of forgiveness and let her fall asleep without another word.
It was the sound of whispering that finally woke Sally several hours later. She peeled her windshield open and found that it was only herself, Sarge and Fillmore. Her eyes roamed groggily in search of Guido and Luigi.
“They’re getting brunch from the cafeteria,” Sarge informed her. Sometimes she had to wonder whether the military car ever actually slept at night.
She smacked her lips together and wished for some fuel to wet her own appetite. Then a car emerged from Lightning’s room. It was the nurse, whom she’d mentally begun to refer to as ‘Nurse Cooper’.
“Oh! She’s awake! Perfect,” Cooper grinned in Sally’s direction.
“Is he-?”
“Yes, he’s awake. And you’re in luck; he’s been asking for you all morning,” Nurse Cooper gestured to the door, “Don’t keep him waiting!”
“Oh!” Sally gasped with delight and bolted into the room. She raced to his bedside, wailing out, “Stickers!” as she did.
Lightning’s eyes grew at the sound of his pet name before settling affectionately upon her. He was in much better condition than when she’d last seen him. His decals were removed, but his hood had been replaced and his torn up side was bent into a regular curve. His tires had also been changed and his front half was propped up on a cushy pillow.
“I would kiss you if I could,” he chuckled softly from his spot on the bed.
A brief giggle escaped from her, followed by a sigh of relief.
His eyes motioned to a magazine on a low table across the room. “Go look,” he whispered excitedly.
She glanced towards the table skeptically, but the youthful tone in his voice made her obey without question. As she drove over, she found that the magazine was spread open to an article titled ‘Wedding Rims For Her’. Sally halted at the table’s edge and peered down at a dozen pictures of jeweled rims. She’d never seen a rim more dazzling and eye-drawing than her mother’s engagement rim- but all of these topped it.
She spun around quickly to look at Lightning. He beamed at her like a pride-filled child, a relaxed smile displaying his adoration for her. “Pick whatever you like,” he coaxed, “that is, if you’ll marry me.”
This chapter was kind of short so I'm going to try and get the next one out ASAP. It's mostly written so it shouldn't be too hard. Well, I hope you guys enjoyed this one and will feel compelled tp leave a review! Thanks for reading! :smiley: