Page 12 of The Legend
“I figuredyou would have heard this before,” he said.
I gave adismissive shrug, “I’ve heard some, I guess. I know they met really young andgot pregnant with me before they were married.”
“Well...it’s a love story...that’s for sure.”
I smiledand he continued.
“They metwhen they were eleven, nearly twelve. Your dad was racing sprint cars at GraysHarbor, the same place I met your grandma in 1977. You know, I think Jamesoneven won that night, first time in a sprint car and he won,” Grandpa, let out awistful snort, “anyhow, your mom and he met in the pits that night after therace. They seemed to mix instantly and become best friends. Believe me, therewasn’t a day that went by that those two weren’t either together or callingeach other.
“Jamesonwas not the easiest kid to be around. Racing was literally all he cared ‘bout.He was convinced by the time he was in the second grade that he was above theeducational system and actually wrote the school board a letter telling them hewould no longer be attending class. In the end, the little shit returned toschool but it was a nuisance to him and, aside from Sway, friends were not inhis plan. Even when they were young, he depended on her and I honestly don’tknow if he could’ve made it without her. His temper nearly ended his career a fewtimes.”
I knewthat. My dad had one wicked temper. If it blew, you didn’t want to be anywhereclose him or the objects he was throwing. I’d never seen anything like it but Iunderstood it as it was a known trait that defined him and eventually became atrademark.
“Yourgrandpa Charlie and me knew that eventually they’d end up together but it tookJameson a long time to realize that he could have more than just racing. Healso never understood she felt the same way. He thought for sure she was just afriend to him.”
“What madehim see she wasn’t?”
“Well,after high school, Jameson left to race the USAC and more importantly, a TripleCrown title. It’s all he talked about for years but I made him graduate first.After they left, the first year Sway was with him. Then she left for college.His first season, without her by his side, was tough. Like I said, he dependedon her, soon that dependability turned on him. When Sway finally graduated, shecame out to see his first Charlotte race...”Grandpa smirked, his voiced faded slightly, “I think you can guess how thingswent, after all, you were born out of wedlock,” I let out a small chuckle as hecontinued, “but what really changed during that first year was him breaking herheart. Neither one of them realized what they were doing to each other until itwas too late.” He sighed looking over at me. I glanced at him but focused onthe road in front of me while he talked, “he was an idiot in the beginning andwent about it the wrong way. I think at that point, when he broke her heart, itbroke him worse than her. He knew he was in love,” he smiled.
“Mom brokemy dad’s heart?”
“He’dnever admit it, but he fell hard for her and when she left, it shattered him,and his hauler.”
“So whathappened then? Did it take a while for them to get back together?”
“Ifthere’s one good thing I can say about your dad’s stupidity at times, he’sdetermined and dangerously so. It took only a few days and he was crawling backon his knees. You know kid, a love like that only comes around every once in awhile. They were lucky to find it at such a young age and keep it.”
“Do youthink it’s too hard to keep it?”
I wasthankful for the night masking my apprehensiveness. I never talked about myrelationship with Lily other than with my parents and mostly with my mom.
Grandpanodded, “I think you’ll did find it. That Lily is a nice girl, Axel. If youtreat her the way she deserves to be treated, you’ll do fine.”
I knewthat already. This was something both my parents instilled in me when Iexpressed my intentions of marrying Lily when I was eight. She’s always beenthe one for me. Not many people understand me. They think there’s somethingwrong with the way I only ever think of racing. But both my dad and my grandpaare like that. There’s nothing wrong with thinking that way and Lily understoodthat. Her dad was the same way.
“Ihonestly believe that your parents wouldn’t have survived without each other,”Grandpa added. “As weird as that sounds, the bond they have is even weirder todescribe. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”
“Not evenwith you and grandma?”
“No. Imean I do love your grandmother with all my heart and have for forty-fiveyears. She’s been the only woman I’ve ever loved. If something was to happen tome, grandma is strong enough she’ll go on, as would I. We both know eventuallyyour time runs out.” His brow furrowed in concentration as he looked out overthe passing street lamps in the distance. “But Sway and Jameson are different,”his eyes shifted to me. Feeling him looking at me, my eyes drifted from theroad, “did you ever hear about Darrin Torres?”
“A little,he and dad got into it a lot his first season in cup and he hurt mom when shewas pregnant with me, right?”
“Yeah,somethinglikethat. Well he hurt your mom and atfirst, we weren’t sure if she’d make it...oryou. Seeing Jameson broken like that is something I never could have imaginedseeing in that little boy who was sure he was above second grade because itwasn’t where the clay met rubber. If it hadn’t been for Sway, he would havewalked away from racing all together. And now look at him, well on his way tobecoming a legend in a sport that never wanted an open wheel kid from Elma.”
“So youthink if she would have died then, he would too?”
“In asense...yes. Without her, there’s no Jameson. As Isaid, the bond is strange but vital. I don’t mean that it’s perilouslyunstable. I mean, it’s just that strong.”
I thoughtI understood but to say I truly understand, I didn’t. No one could.
“Have youever seen twins and the way they react to each other?”
“Yeah, youmean like Lucas and Logan or Noah and Charlie?”
“No, bothbad examples,” he said immediately shaking his head disgusted. “Both sets arefucking assholes. I mean normal twins. The ones that have a connection to oneanother,”
“Well,aren’t they supposed to have some kind of ESP?”
