Page 134 of The Champion
Only another racer could have reasoned with Axel when hewas like this. I’ve tried before but it’s always been Jameson who has calmedour little guy down. His fears broke through and he admitted, “I want daddyhere.”
I wasn’t exactly Axel’s favorite; I knew where I stoodwith him. Jameson first, me second.
By the grace of god I think, Lily came hopping around thecorner of his car and kissed his helmet. “Good luck Axel, I’ll be cheering!”she said with her excited blue eyes glowing toward him.
Axel perked up. “Really?”
“Yep, I made this.” She pointed to the sign in her handshe made that said:Go AxelRiley #9!
Awww, to be five again.
“See buddy,” I encouraged rubbing his back again. “Wewill all be cheering with you. I’m gonna video tape it too so daddy will seeit.”
“You mean he get to watch me later?” His anxiety washingaway as he spoke.
“I will show him as soon as I see him.” I promised andkissed him good luck leaving him alone with Lily for a minute. At five, theyhardly had much of a girlfriend/boyfriend relationship but they kissed on thecheeks.
Ami walked up holding Kale on her hip. “How’s he doing?”
Shaking my head as Lily reached in and hugged him, Ileaned into Ami’s shoulder. “How come she can comfort him but his mommy can’t?”
“Oh sweetie,” Ami cooed rubbing my shoulder with her onefree arm. “I feel the same way. Lily told me last week when she fell off themonkey bars that she wanted Axel.”
“How’d Justin take that?”
“He wasn’t there but when I told him later he wasn’tthrilled that Axel rates higher than we do.”
We both watched as Lily skipped away to sit in the standswith the rest of the kids and wave her sign as the cars rolled onto the track.
Tommy pushed his car off and then sat down beside me witha huff. “That kid is pickier than his father.”
I just giggled as he wiped sweat from his brow.
“Poor fire crotch.” I reached over to ruffle his orangecurls.
“Cut it out, people are looking at us.” He pushed myhands away.
“What are you talking about?”
“People...they’relooking.”
I glanced around; no one was paying any mind to us. “Noone is looking at us.”
His eyes glanced toward a woman off to the left sittingwith her son. “Someone is looking.”
Oh, I get it.Fire crotch had the hots for themama in front of us. Ami, sitting beside me, started laughing. This was mychance to embarrass fire crotch and I took every opportunity I could to act onthis and now wasn’t any different.
When I went to stand, his arm caught mine and pulled meback down roughly. “Don’t you even think about it shit head.”
“I’m thirsty.” I told him smacking my lips together. Amiwas now laughing so hard she was crying and snorting. I turned toward her.“You’re not helping. Stop it.”
This did nothing for her attempts and made her laughharder. Our kids noticed from two rows in front of us and looked back at us asif their parents had lost their minds. If only they knew we never had them inthe first place.
“Do not move.” Tommy warned and clicked his stopwatch. Ilost interest in embarrassing fire crotch when the four pace laps the kids ranwere completed, and the green flag was dropped. At this particular event, theyallowed for a one-way receiver in the cars attached to the helmets that helpedwith safety for the kids.
“Green flag,” Tommy told Axel as the cars all racedtoward the line.
If you have never been to a quarter midget race, you’remissing out for two reasons. The crazed parents and the little racers whocouldn’t keep their cars on the track. They never could complete more than alap or two without someone spinning themselves or someone else.
