CHAPTER TEN
Noah and Max sat down on the couch. Max looked around. The drop-in centre was falling apart-literally. He barely recognised the place.
" It's so sad to see it like this." Max commented, " What happened? Why didn't Flynn help out?"
" Flynn-now there's another story." Noah smiled bitterly.
" Why? What happened to Flynn Saunders? When I caught up with Sal, she told they were married but that's about all she said about herself."
" They are still married, but Flynn's life…is perhaps worse than mine."
" How can anybody's life be worse than yours?" Max demanded, " You're about to become homeless and he's a happily married man."
" Well…when you visit Flynn, he can tell you the story." Noah said.
" I think I will." Max said, " in the meantime…what went on with you? Why are you so down and out?"
Noah took off his beanie and began telling him the story-taking place after Seb Miller's tragic motorcycle accident…
After the ambulance took Seb Miller's body away, the cops interviewed Noah. He told the story truthfully.
" Hmmm." The cop wrote his comments down, " Who is the boy's next of kin?"
" That'll be his grandfather-Donald Fisher." He told the cops Don's address then asked, " Is the truck driver still alive?"
" Yes, but was found unconscious." The cop paused, " Did you see the boy try to avoid the truck or did he go straight ahead?"
" He did try to avoid it but the truck was in the wrong lane." Noah remembered.
" Okay then." The cop nodded, " You will have to come down to the station to make a formal report then we'll let you go."
" Why?"
" Because you were the only witness and like I said before, we could charge the truck driver for dangerous driving."
Noah didn't say anything. Inside he was thinking, you should be charging me! I was the one who put Seb's life in danger!
The tragic accident was going to devastate Don Fisher and no doubt he will blame Noah.
Back in the present Noah looked up at Max, " He didn't blame me," he told Max,
" He blamed himself because it was his idea for Seb to ask me about my bike before purchasing one himself."
Max flipped open his notepad, " What happened after that?"
" What's that pad for?" Noah was eyeing it warily, " Hey, you're not a cop undercover are you Max? You never did tell me what you do for a living now."
" I'm a writer," Max replied, " I'm here in the Bay to do some research for my new series and your story will provide great ideas. Don't worry, your name will be changed."
" I don't know." Noah hedged.
" I won't do it unless you give me permission Noah, but the story has to be told. That way everyone will see you haven't always been so down and out."
" Don't bother about changing my name then. When people read the story, they'll know its me anyway." Noah said.
" Does that mean I have your permission?"
" Yes." Noah nodded.
" I'll still change your name though. Okay, you can pick up where you left off." Max said.
The cops took Noah to the police station and a few minutes later, Don Fisher arrived. He looked very white and his eyes were red.
" Don? Are you okay?"
" What a question to ask! I am not okay-my only grandson just died." Don snapped at him.
" I'm sorry it was a dumb question…you can blame me for the accident. -"
" I don't blame you." Don cut him off, " I blame myself. After all, it was all my idea."
" Then we're both to blame." Noah paused, " Have you called his wife?"
" Yes, she's down at the hospital, she has to identify his body. I had to come up and sign some appears. What are you doing here?"
" I have to make a report because I was a witness." Noah explained.
" Oh." Don sighed, " Poor Kirsty. She and Seb have only been married for a couple of years. And he was still so young-22 years old." He rubbed his aching forehead,
" And they haven't had the chance to have children. There's no chance of me becoming a great-grandad. Not that it matters to me anymore."
" Kirsty is only 22 years old. She could remarry later in life and give you great-grandchildren." Noah predicted.
Don sighed again, " Maybe so, but I doubt Kirsty will want to remarry. She loved Seb."
" And Seb loved her." Noah had to smile, " Young love."
" I have to make funeral arrangements." Don sat down suddenly feeling dizzy. He rubbed his forehead.
" Don, can I get you anything?" Noah hovered over him, worried.
Don looked up, his eyes sad, " Yes…my grandson."
Noah and Max sat down on the couch. Max looked around. The drop-in centre was falling apart-literally. He barely recognised the place.
" It's so sad to see it like this." Max commented, " What happened? Why didn't Flynn help out?"
" Flynn-now there's another story." Noah smiled bitterly.
" Why? What happened to Flynn Saunders? When I caught up with Sal, she told they were married but that's about all she said about herself."
" They are still married, but Flynn's life…is perhaps worse than mine."
" How can anybody's life be worse than yours?" Max demanded, " You're about to become homeless and he's a happily married man."
" Well…when you visit Flynn, he can tell you the story." Noah said.
" I think I will." Max said, " in the meantime…what went on with you? Why are you so down and out?"
Noah took off his beanie and began telling him the story-taking place after Seb Miller's tragic motorcycle accident…
After the ambulance took Seb Miller's body away, the cops interviewed Noah. He told the story truthfully.
" Hmmm." The cop wrote his comments down, " Who is the boy's next of kin?"
" That'll be his grandfather-Donald Fisher." He told the cops Don's address then asked, " Is the truck driver still alive?"
" Yes, but was found unconscious." The cop paused, " Did you see the boy try to avoid the truck or did he go straight ahead?"
" He did try to avoid it but the truck was in the wrong lane." Noah remembered.
" Okay then." The cop nodded, " You will have to come down to the station to make a formal report then we'll let you go."
" Why?"
" Because you were the only witness and like I said before, we could charge the truck driver for dangerous driving."
Noah didn't say anything. Inside he was thinking, you should be charging me! I was the one who put Seb's life in danger!
The tragic accident was going to devastate Don Fisher and no doubt he will blame Noah.
Back in the present Noah looked up at Max, " He didn't blame me," he told Max,
" He blamed himself because it was his idea for Seb to ask me about my bike before purchasing one himself."
Max flipped open his notepad, " What happened after that?"
" What's that pad for?" Noah was eyeing it warily, " Hey, you're not a cop undercover are you Max? You never did tell me what you do for a living now."
" I'm a writer," Max replied, " I'm here in the Bay to do some research for my new series and your story will provide great ideas. Don't worry, your name will be changed."
" I don't know." Noah hedged.
" I won't do it unless you give me permission Noah, but the story has to be told. That way everyone will see you haven't always been so down and out."
" Don't bother about changing my name then. When people read the story, they'll know its me anyway." Noah said.
" Does that mean I have your permission?"
" Yes." Noah nodded.
" I'll still change your name though. Okay, you can pick up where you left off." Max said.
The cops took Noah to the police station and a few minutes later, Don Fisher arrived. He looked very white and his eyes were red.
" Don? Are you okay?"
" What a question to ask! I am not okay-my only grandson just died." Don snapped at him.
" I'm sorry it was a dumb question…you can blame me for the accident. -"
" I don't blame you." Don cut him off, " I blame myself. After all, it was all my idea."
" Then we're both to blame." Noah paused, " Have you called his wife?"
" Yes, she's down at the hospital, she has to identify his body. I had to come up and sign some appears. What are you doing here?"
" I have to make a report because I was a witness." Noah explained.
" Oh." Don sighed, " Poor Kirsty. She and Seb have only been married for a couple of years. And he was still so young-22 years old." He rubbed his aching forehead,
" And they haven't had the chance to have children. There's no chance of me becoming a great-grandad. Not that it matters to me anymore."
" Kirsty is only 22 years old. She could remarry later in life and give you great-grandchildren." Noah predicted.
Don sighed again, " Maybe so, but I doubt Kirsty will want to remarry. She loved Seb."
" And Seb loved her." Noah had to smile, " Young love."
" I have to make funeral arrangements." Don sat down suddenly feeling dizzy. He rubbed his forehead.
" Don, can I get you anything?" Noah hovered over him, worried.
Don looked up, his eyes sad, " Yes…my grandson."