Read Online 1. That's What Friends Are For by Annette Broadrick - Free Book Online

enough names to call him.
    ''I want to go home," she said in carefully level tones. Before I attempt bodily harm on you, she added silently. To think that she had considered him a friend. But no friend would even consider doing to her what he had admitted planning.
    Brad sat up. "Fine with me."
    She turned the blower switch on, giving time for the fumes to clear before starting the boat. Without another word, they began to pack up the remains of their lunch. Then Penny, being the closest, started the boat and began to leave the cove.
    As soon as they cleared the cove she moved the throttle to pick up speed. Out of the comer of her eye she caught a movement and glanced around in time to see another boat shooting around the point, coming directly at her. Pure reflex saved them from a nasty collision.
    Penny yelled and jerked the steering wheel hard, cutting their speed at the same time. The combination of suddenly turning and losing speed caused quite a reaction on board and Penny heard a commotion of bumps and Brad's yell behind her.
    The other boat went by. It was filled with a bunch of teenagers who were laughing and waving at her.
    "Stupid jerks!" she yelled. "Don't you have any better sense? If you don't know water safety you should stay off the lake!" She doubted that they heard her words, but she felt better. Turning around she began to say, ''I'm sorry, Brad, I hope you didn't—"
    He was crumpled on the deck, the ice chest lying on top of him.
    "Brad!" Penny scrambled over a loose oar, life jackets and other paraphernalia that had spilled out during the near-collision. She knelt by his side. Shoving the cooler aside she reached for him. His color seemed to be gone and he wasn't moving. "Brad?" There was a gash at his temple, and blood seemed to be everywhere. "Oh, God! Brad!''
    He didn't respond.
    Frantic, Penny looked around. They had come a few miles from home. There was nothing on shore that indicated people might be close by. Even in her panic she knew she had to get help. The closest she could think of was home.
    Penny grabbed a towel and began to clean the blood from his face. She held pressure there until the flow eased up. Then she gently checked to see if she could find any other injuries.
    He was out cold and she didn't know how badly he'd been hit. There was nothing more she could do now. She had to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible.
    Penny didn't even realize she was crying until she had to keep blinking to see where she was going on the way home.
    Brad was hurt and it was her fault. She'd been so mad at him. She'd even thought about doing him bodily harm! And look what had happened. "I didn't mean it, God! You know I didn't mean it. Don't let it be serious. Please. Please let him be all right."
    She set new speed records getting home. As soon as she could tie up the boat at her dock she ran up the path. "Mom! Dad! Call the ambulance, Brad's been hurt!"
    Penny burst into the house, gasping for breath. Gregory met her by the time she reached the kitchen, her parents right behind him. She absently noticed his casual dress but she had no time to question him.
    "What's the matter!" he demanded.
    "It's Brad! He fell. Hit his head. He's bleeding and I don't know how badly he's hurt."
    He grabbed her by the shoulders, "All right, now. Calm down. You call an ambulance and we'll go check on him."
    Quickly she nodded, reaching for the wall phone and glancing at the emergency number posted nearby.
    Later, Penny couldn't seem to remember all of the events. She knew Gregory and her dad had gone down to the landing and had brought Brad up to the house. He was still unconscious.
    She'd called his parents and they were all there when the ambulance arrived. Without thinking about it. Penny crawled into the ambulance with hun, holding his hand and whispering to him. "I'm sorry. Brad. I never meant to hurt you. You know that. It was just a crazy accident. Please get better. Brad. Please don't be hurt bad."
    The