Our Bruised Bodies | Bradley Bradshaw

ACT FOUR - PART NINE

hello, welcome back, I really hope you enjoy this story so far. Cheers!

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Bradley Bradshaw had known Sarah Grace Kazansky since the very beginning. He was visiting his uncle Mav with his mother and then there was this bundle of pink, that scared him half to death because suddenly the bundle in uncle Ice's arms moved. The bundle in his arms moved to give away a small baby, that altered their lives forever.

He had grown up with her, even before his mother had died. He was there as Uncle Ice attempted to teach her how to ride a bike, which only ended in tears while his mother quickly fixed him with a stern look which had Bradley instantly covering his laugh up as Grace failed again to get the job done, fully to Ice's frustration.

Bradley had watched as Ice ignored Maverick, who muttered about support wheels and how they won't be embarrassing but just helpful. The older aviator just walked past him to pick his daughter up out of the heap on the floor that consisted of her, her bike and a flowerpot she somehow managed to make her victim. Ice wrapped his had around her upper arm, pulling her slightly up, before reaching around her torso and carrying her on one arm, the bike held in the other. Ice was talking to a sniffing Grace, who listened to her father, before nodding.

Bradley had no idea what he had said to Grace back then, but he very well remembered the next one and a half days it took Grace to learn how to ride a bike. He remembered Ice not leaving her side even once, he remembered Ice picking her up each and every time, he remembered Ice telling her to show him where she was hurt when she fell over again, before telling her that scars just meant that she was growing up and that they were nothing to be ashamed off.

Bradley had watched Grace learn for the biggest part of her life. Learn to walk, to read, to write, to swim, to ride a bike and for the entire duration of that process, he always thought of her as naïve. Also, of course, due to their age difference of two years. It was an unfair advantage as to say. Grace was never running as quickly as he was, she was never as tall as he was, or as good at something as he was until she was suddenly better than him at absolutely everything.

"Have I woken you up?" Grace muttered as she came back from the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed for work, while Bradley was sat up in bed, being pulled away from glancing at the bedside table and thinking that they should put up some framed pictures, just like the one of Grace finally riding a big with Ice in the background looking over at Maverick, looking all smug that she had managed it.

"No. I rise with the sun and all that." Bradley muttered, as he brushed a hand over his face, preventing him from seeing Grace nod, before she made her way into the living room and got Bradley the antibiotics he was given for the lightly reddened area around his stitches.

"Here." Grace told him, offering the pills and a bottle of water which Bradley both took with a small thanks. "That was the last." She added and they both knew what that meant. If the tissue around the stitches doesn't show any inflammation, they would remove the stitches today and Bradley could finally use his knee again which would make using the crutches over the wheelchair easier.

"Promise to call me after your appointment with the Doc?" Grace wondered, which had Bradley nod. Of course, he would call her, straight away. She was taking care of him after all, she did deserve to know with what she would be faced in the future.

"I will make sure you're thoroughly informed, Commander." Bradley promised which had Grace give him a disapproving glance. She didn't like to be called by her rank at home. She preferred Bradley to be the only one, who said her given name.

"You're sure you don't want to ask if the appointment can be pushed back an hour so it would be during my lunch break? I could come over and be there with you." Grace offered, for the third time at least, but Bradley shook his head, just as he had done the two times before.