Series Recap
Angela's Revenge (in Loving Wives) A May-October affair begins as Greg Carpenter rescues Angela Carrier from her abusive husband at a road-racing track.
No Place to Play (in Erotic Couplings) Angie divorces her nasty husband and encourages Greg to buy an old Camaro to go racing. He crashes at Corner Two.
Old Guy, Model, Ex-Wife (in Mature) The boss buys into the racing team after some suggestive persuasion from Angela, while Greg becomes suspicious of her.
Angie's Special Friend (in Mature) Greg is surprised to find out about her affair with the driving coach, and she admits to other bi relationships from her past.
Corner Two: Mayhem at Mid-Ohio
The woman airlifted from the track about an hour ago lay still in her hospital bed. Then her eyes fluttered a bit for the first time, before opening to the bright light of the room. An attending nurse noted that the patient was conscious and in minutes a doctor arrived for a closer examination.
"You took a hard hit. Apparently, it was a roll-over, knocking your head around a bit. Would have been a lot worse without that helmet and neck restraint. Multiple fractures to that leg. Lots of damage, so we'll need to reset it with some pins, maybe a plate. Your foot was twisted up in the cockpit. We'll take a closer look at that. A broken arm too, and plenty of cuts and bruises. You're on a drip for pain, so you shouldn't be feeling any of this."
The patient shook her head. "No pain."
"Dangerous sport. Have you been injured before?" the doctor continued.
"Never! And I hope this is the last one."
"It might be. You can't drive again for a long time. There'll be extensive rehab."
The patient grimaced at the news, sniffling, "Just when everything was going so well."
"Doctor, two people outside want to see her," the nurse spoke up. "The woman is really anxious..."
"Not yet, Elly. Tell them she'll be OK, but don't say much more until we have some imaging."
The driver would live, but her racing days were done for now, maybe forever.
What caused this accident? Did events the previous two weeks lead up to this misfortune?
****
Angela stretched out on the carpet in the lounge, her silky ash-blonde hair splayed across a big cushion. She often did this, just gaze up at the colourful contemporary art panels she'd brought from her penthouse marriage to Rocco.
This time she was on her phone. Angie's voice was animated and her whole face lit up with excitement. This could only mean one thing- Valeria Granatas, well-known fictitious racing driver and 'special friend' about whom she talked constantly. I knew that they were long-distance lovers, though I still didn't know the extent of their in-person relations.
Ang hadn't seen me, so I stayed quiet to listen to her.
"Oh, that's a good idea. I like it!...
I think he'd be fine with that....
No, not an issue. Not so far anyway....
Actually, he hasn't said much at all....
Oh, I hope so too. I really do!...
Sure, I'll ask him later....
OK, bye! Kiss, kiss!"
There, just as I thought- Valeria. Then Angie saw me standing at the hallway entry behind her. She frowned.
"Snooping, were you?"
"No. I was passing by and didn't want to disturb you. What's new with Val?"
"What makes you think it was her?"
"Who else would you end your call with 'Kiss, kiss'?"
"You heard that, did you? She's inviting me... us... to visit her in Detroit. She has a computer program that simulates most of the tracks where she races for review and practice. Val thinks that if we're going to Mid-Ohio, like you said last month, it would be a big help to both of us."
"You two haven't seen each other since Waterford Hills. Is that what this is about?"
"Greg, I've been honest with you. Yes, we have feelings for each other but she's also my driving coach."
Angie had been transparent with me. She'd admitted a couple of affairs with women in the past- her college art instructor and another model. It took me completely by surprise! I'd seen her and Val kiss like lovers when we left Waterford Hills. She explained that they'd act like girlfriends in public, and only the three of us would know their secret. Meanwhile, I'd been wondering about the extent of their private goings-on.
'Yes, you've been open about it, and I'm still mulling it over. I like it. but I don't."
"You mean the two of us going to visit her?"
"No, the whole thing."
"Explain, Greg."
Well... it's hot to think about you with another woman- the stuff of fantasies. But she also feels like competition and that's threatening."
"Val knows. That's why she's inviting both of us. I can't let what I have with Val ruin you and me."
"You want it both ways, right?"
"I guess I do. Who knows for how long- with her I mean."
"Yeah, you told me that before. So... about Detroit... maybe Val could come here instead? We have a game terminal that could handle anything she might bring. You know that Rod has me doing computer upgrading for his new vinyl paint wrap product. Sometimes it's on Saturday mornings. Between that and the car, I don't think I could spare a whole weekend away."
"Here then? Hmm... if you're fine with her coming to stay with us for two nights, we could really get to know Mid-Ohio."