Restored

I was gaining distance on the two cars, but they were almost at their turning point where they would need to brake hard to go around the roundabout. I could see the roundabout in the distance in front of them. Suddenly the Mustang swerved to the left, out of view. Getting closer I braked hard, stopping the Aston Martin with screeching tyres twenty metres away from the Mustang, which at this point crashed into the embankment. The other car flew passed me on its way back to the victory line.

Turning to Lisa, I shouted. "Call 999 emergency services!"

Leaping out of the car, I ran to the Mustang, opening the driver's door to get attacked by a cloud of smoke. It was so thick I could barely see Cody, leaning unconsciously on the steering wheel. Covering my mouth, at the same time trying to find the seat belt release mechanism. My eyes were burning, at the same time, I could feel my lungs filling up with smoke. Click, on releasing it, Cody's body dropped into my arms. Getting a good grip on him, I started to drag him out of the car, getting a good distance from it before I collapsed on my back with Cody on top of me. Pushing him of my body, I tried to breathe with no success as everything went black.

"Open your eyes. Steve open your eyes." Taking a deep breath, I released it as I opened my eyes to see Lisa in front of me. I drifted back into darkness as her voice slowly became distant.

Epilogue

Beep beep beep.

It was the sound of a heart monitor in a hospital. Opening my eyes, the first thing I saw was a nurse standing over me. "Hi, sleepyhead." She said.

Trying to speak, I felt a sharp pain in my throat. In a whisper, you could barely hear I said. "Lisa."

"That must be the pretty young lady, who has been by your side since they brought you in. Let me call her, she was speaking with the doctor."

A few moments later, Lisa rushed into the room, grasping my head she started kissing me all over the face. Within half hour my room was full of friends and relatives making a commotion over me, until the doctor intervened, letting only Lisa and my mum stay until visiting ours were over.

Like I suspected, the brakes on Cody's car were tampered with, causing him not to be able to slow down. He survived the accident. I guess we were even, on saving each other's life. I stayed in the hospital for two days. The night before my release, I visited Cody in his room. Walking into the room, I found him sitting up in bed with the TV remote in his hand. Seen me approach him, he pressed the power button on the remote to switch off the TV. I just stood there beside his bed, waiting to see his reaction.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke. "I was driving that night. I am to blame for the accident. Please forgive me for lying to the police." Putting my hand on his shoulder, I nodded my head up and down, while I smiled at him, Turning away I left the room, never to see Cody again.

He did time in prison, not for careless driving, but for what the police found in the boot of the Mustang. How much time he got, I have no idea. All I know, he is doing his sentence in HM Prison Birmingham.

I visited Barry one last time, as Lisa wanted to meet my mentor. Holding my fiancee by the hand, we approached him. When we got near, I tried to embrace him again, but he stopped me. Gesturing us to sit down he said.

"What did I tell you about visiting me."

"My fiancee wanted to meet you."

Lisa did most of the talking, asking him about my time in prison. We talked about our plans for the future. We stayed for an hour until one of the guards said to him.

"Five more minutes Barry."

With a series look on his face, he said. "What do you want me to do with this guy called Cody?" After saying these words, he just sat there staring at me, waiting for an answer.

I looked at Lisa then looked at Barry, smiling I gave him my answer. "Teach him to be good, to respect. Show him the good path, like you showed me."

"I will introduce him to Maggie in the morning." He replied with a smile.

Getting ready to leave, I put my hand out to give him a handshake. He surprised us both by opening his arms to embrace us both in a tight hug. On releasing us, he disappeared with the guard to his cell.

We have been together for almost two years. Not married yet, but we have bought a two bedroom flat in Welwyn Garden City. Lisa has opened a small architects office in the centre of town, which is doing well. With some money I saved, working for Patsy, I opened a small garage, specialising in custom work on classic cars. During the weekends I still help Patsy out at the Inn for a few hours.

Sunday we spend with Lisa's parents or my mum's place with Chris and Jane. This Sunday we are celebrating our two year anniversary around Ryans. Enjoying a lovely roast beef, which was prepared by his ex-wife Joanna.

The weekend we went to my mother's birthday party, Ryan wasn't golfing with his friends, he invited his ex-wife to Hanbury Manor for the weekend. They started seen each other, taking it easy. It's been six month's now that Joanna moved back home.

With the bonnet up, I was explaining to Ryan about a part of the Aston Martin. Joanna entered the garage with a tray of cups, while Lisa followed her, trying to keep up with her.

"Honey take it easy, you can't run around like that in your condition!" I said.

Ryan lifts his head out of the engine bay hitting it on the bonnet. Hard enough to get our attention. "I've got the perfect name if it's a boy." He said.

All three of us waiting in anticipation to hear the name.

"Vantage. If It's a Boy, you should call him Vantage."

Lisa looked at Ryan with frowned eyes. "I am not calling my baby after a car name."

All four of us started laughing, while we enjoyed our coffee. Discussing the different names, we could give our baby which was due in a few weeks.