Teddy Girls (Completed)

Part Fourteen: Just A Flesh Wound

February 5, 1964

     After we managed to get the van out of the ditch, we discovered that the nearest town was only two miles away. I couldn't tell if it was lucky that we crashed so close to one, Or unlucky that we crashed right when we were about to reach a stopping point.

     At either option, I still had a gaping gash in my noggin. It had clotted by the time we arrived in the town, but Veronica wanted to get it looked at anyway in the case that it became infected.

     Also we needed showers.

(Desperately)

     Speaking of the leather-clad gal, she had started showing more affection to me. She held my hand, but hadn't yet kissed me again. We hadn't had the "what are we?" Talk yet. Probably due to the gash in my forehead, and our car crash.

The wound in my head wasn't as bad as it looked, the doctor said. The bark was worse than the bite. Or in this case, the blood. After the doc had cleaned and bandaged my wound, she appointed Veronica and I to the hospital showers.

The hospital only had one available guest shower open.

Luckily, the shower rooms had changing rooms before you entered the shower. Veronica and I stepped into one of them. I could feel her hungry eyes on my back as I stripped. My dress landed in a heap on the floor. The shower was steaming up the changing room.

I had trouble unhooking my bra. Veronica's strong hands were at my back immediately. I yelped a little at the unexpected touch of them. My face went red with blush when I felt my bra loosen. It, too, fell on the tile floor.

The only thing that was left covering my body were a pair of lace panties. I bent over and slipped them off, leaving my back exposed to Veronica. I could feel her gaze drag over my skin. She's Definitely Looking. I stepped in the shower without turning around.

     The water that ran over my head felt better than anything I'd ever experienced. Who knew that hot water could feel like heaven?

     The trickle of water that ran off my head onto the floor turned pink with the blood it washed off. The hospital had provided shampoo and soap for us. I washed myself quickly, while still savoring the water's warmth.

     I shut off the water and poked my head out of the curtains. Veronica was there, towel already in hand. She was standing dangerously close to the curtains. I blinked in surprise and thanked her. When I wrapped the towel around me, I stepped out. The atmosphere in the dressing room was cold, and the air bit my cheeks and shoulders.

     Veronica and I turned away from each other. I got dressed while she took her clothes off. She had picked out a collared pink dress for me to wear. Veronica stepped into the shower behind me as I slipped it on.

•••

       The hospital didn't charge us much, even though we had to stay overnight. It was a small town facility that often took pity on poor customers. We must've looked dirt broke because the most they let us pay was two dollars.

    Speaking on the topic of money, Veronica had about sixty dollars left to get us to New York. And to get us an apartment when we got there. I had never asked Veronica where she got all of the money. If I had to guess, I'd blame Daisy. In my suitcase, I had stashed ten dollars before I left Oklahoma with Veronica.

     Just for a little more spending money. Just in case.

The van hadn't suffered much damage. Just a small dent in the front bumper. Veronica was still pissed about it nonetheless.

     The most Veronica herself had suffered in the crash was a few cuts and bruises. Leave it up to me to get a gash in my head. And a minor concussion. The night that we had actually spent in the hospital was tiresome.

     We were officially emitted at 2am on the fourth, released at 8am on the fifth. Don't ask me why I kept track. Or do. I'll tell you anyways. I wanted to track how much sleep I was getting. Which wasn't much, due to the whole Don't-Sleep-With-A-Concussion thing.

     Without dwelling too much on the prior night, Veronica and I now set our pace back to New York.
Back to trying to see the Beatles.

    Who had landed in the United States yesterday.

     We watched it on the television in our shared hotel room. We buzzed with excitement as we anticipated being in the same state as them. We were going to be in the same state as them tomorrow.

     We might get to see them play in two days.

     And even if we couldn't get tickets, I'm sure that Veronica could get us in somehow.