Page 60 of The Champion
“We can do this, just be patient and charge to thefront.” Kyle said after they fell back to tenth when a lug nut stuck on theright rear during a pit stop.
“Cautions out, cautions out...smokerin turn two,” Aiden told him around lap two hundred.
“Who is it?”
“Forty-two, stay high.”
“Pit road isooopppeeen.” Aiden exclaimed. “Watchthe ten car...he’s taken fuel only.”
I was surprised he was returning to a normal mood. Allweekend he and Emma had been fighting, and refused to tell anyone why. Idecided to try again.
“What’s with you and Aiden?”
“Nothing...why?”she responded without looking up from her magazine.
“Well for one, you two have barely spoken these last fewdays and two, you haven’t stopped crying.”
Emma finally looked up from her magazine and glanced overat Axel, then back to me.
“Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Emma was the type of girl that cared so much abouteveryone else she put her own feelings aside. She was crazy, yes, but she wasprobably the best friend and sister anyone could ask for.
I didn’t mind crazy people for two reasons: If not for pureentertainment value—they made you feel slightly better in regards to your ownsanity. For this reason, I surrounded myself with them.
“I never did thank you for everything you’ve done lately...thanks.” I said slinging my arm around hertiny shoulders. “With the wedding...thebaby shower...all of it, thank you.”
She burst into tears. “You’re...welcome.” She wailed clinging to me.
“Okaysee...something’swrong...what is it?”
As the race continued, Emma poured her heart out to Nancyand me. She explained that Aiden was feeling neglected by her spending all hertime planning the wedding and then Charlie’s funeral and on top of that...she was pregnant.
The worst part was that Aiden told her they weren’t readyfor kids and the she should have talked to him about it before she went off herbirth control pills. Which she didn’t.
Emma was so excited by everyone having babies or becomingpregnant, she stopped taking them—without his knowledge. This wasn’t the firsttime Emma did something without thinking clearly—she had a tattoo on the backof her neck that would make most men blush.
As the race neared the end, so did our conversations.There really wasn’t much advice I could offer Emma besides being there for herif she needed to talk. Nancy was too focused on the fact that there would onceagain be another baby for her to love...andknit for.
When the caution waved, Jameson came on the radio. “Whew...it’s incredible how fast this thing isnow.”
“I take it that means no changes?” Kyle laughed.
“You touch anything besides my tires and I’ll kick yourass, Kyle.” Jameson teased.
“I’d like to see that.” Aiden added.
“How many tires did Paul take?” Jameson asked once theywere back on the track. Paul must have only taken two because he beat Jameson outof the pits to land himself in first place.
“Two.”
“Fuck!”
“We can still catch him.”
“Glad you’re so positive.” Jameson let out a chuckle, theradio cracked.
“You should try it sometime.”
