Page 206 of The Champion
How the hell do I answer that one?
I thought I knew how Sway might have felt knowing I sleptaround before her but hearing those words from my daughter made it that muchmore real to me. I was just like Ricky when I was his age. I went for who waseasy and less likely to have strings attached. Ricky was a racer too as he wasmore than likely playing by those same rules.
Rules I didn’t want my little girl knowing even existedbut they did.
“There’s not much I can offer you on that sweetheart.Guys are jerks. Do you want me to beat him up?”
“No, you’ll get arrested. Besides,” she smiled softly,her green eyes brighter from her tears. “Kale broke his nose anyway.”
“Kale...Justin’sson?”
“Yeah, he’s a nice kid.”
A small laugh escaped me before I threw my arm aroundher. “Good for him.” I honestly didn’t think that little runt had it in him.“It doesn’t make the pain go away though, does it?” I remember comforting Swaythis very same way when that jerk off Dylan Grady broke her heart and hated thesimilarities my kids were now facing with their own lives.
She shook her head. “No. I just want to be grown up now.”I watched her brush some hair behind her ear, her face one of sadness andresignation. She clearly believed this pain would hurt forever.
“Don’t rush it.” I told her. “When your childhood isgone, it’s gone forever. You can’t get it back.”
“Mom says I’ll remember though.”
“Yeah...you willbut just live for now. That’s something I never did.”
“You’ve always lived this lifestyle, haven’t you?”
I nodded. “I have but it’s what I wanted.”
Arie and I sat there for close to an hour before she saidshe was tired and went to bed. Making my way downstairs, I checked my phone tosee when Sway would be home.
Emma was still on the couch, now watchingTop Gun.
I threw myself down in one of the leather chairs acrossfrom her glaring at the television on the wall. “I hate teenage boys.”
“That would mean you hate yourself. You act like ateenage boy.” Emma replied gazing at Tom Cruise on the screen.
“Don’t you have a home to go to?”
“Yeah but my asshole sons are there with their stupidgirlfriends.”
“Don’t like the Double mint twins?”
“Fuck no,” Emma sighed her eyes remaining on Tom Cruise.“Fake little bitches.”
Charlie and Noah were dating twins. They were blondeannoying superficial twins that nearly everyone in the family couldn’t stand.
Apparently Charlie and Noah could though.
“Am I still cool?” I asked kicking my legs over theottoman. “I used to be cool.”
I’m not sure why I asked Emma. I knew she’d give me aresponse I didn’t want, but I asked anyway.
“No, you’re not cool. You’re old.” Emma replied with noregard to my feelings.
Grabbing the remote, I turned off the television. “Gowatch TV with the Double mint twins then.”
“You’re an asshole too!” She yelled after me as I stompedback up the stairs.
Later that night when Sway got home, I pulled the boysaside.
