Page 129 of The Legend
Once thedoor opened, Willie shot out knowing he didn’t want any more of the verballashing. I motioned with a nod for Arie who was still standing near Easton. Hishead bent forward with his arms crossed over his chest never moving when Ariestepped way.
Arieentered the office closing the door behind her. “What happened between you andEaston?” Jameson asked her but keeping his eyes on the wrench in his hands, hisbody relaxed as he slouched in his chair.
“Nothinghappened with me and Easton.”
“Then why washe fighting with Grady this morning?” Jameson looked at her as if he knew shewas lying and that only pissed him off.
“Pleasedon’t go crazy dad. If I tell you the truth, you have to keep calm.”
“Tell me.”He demanded dropping his gaze to the wrench again. I stood there trying tofollow everything that happened this morning and, without a doubt, I wasconfused.
“I hadbeen hanging out at the shop a lot trying to help the guys and get themerchandise trailers loaded. That’s when Grady started talking to me. We wentout for lunch one afternoon and kind of got to be friends. I told him I wasn’tready for dating or anything like that so we stayed talking but he said that hewanted more. So I stopped hanging out with him. Then one night, right beforeThanksgiving, we went to a movie. Grady told me that if I didn’t...” tears streamed down her cheeks, sheswallowed over her tears trying to hold back. I moved to comfort her. She letme for once and then quickly swiped the tears aside straightening her shouldersas if to say she wasn’t going to breakdown. “Grady told me he would dosomething to your car if I didn’t sleep with him. So I did. We uh...” Arie let out a frustrated sigh looking somuch like her father in that moment. “Just like every other lying bastard Iseem to get wrapped up in; he used me and did it anyway. So yeah,” her voicerose with each word. “I got more shit to deal. I once again gave myself to asack of shit and he destroyed my family because he could. He knew all alongthat he could use me and he did.” Arie looked at Jameson, embarrassed. “Thatnight before the race, I know you saw our interactions together and I’m sorry Ilied to you. I just couldn’t take seeing the look on your face that you haveright now.” Her voice lowered. “The look that says you’re once againdisappointed in me.”
“It wasn’tup to you to take care of.” Jameson told Arie. She bowed her head as if she wascompletely ashamed of herself. “I don’t want you to ever get involved again.Understand?”
Arienodded, nearing tears again, she began to walk away when Jameson called out toher. “I’m not finished Arie.”
I gaspedat his tone, sharp like a razor but dull too. I had never heard him so angrywith our kids. Fear of the outburst I saw coming pricked my skin and I wantedto comfort her and tell him to take it easy on her.
Shestopped, weary, but didn’t turn around. Her hair fell over her shouldersblocking my view of her face. I looked at Jameson trying to tell him to stopand to take it easy on her but he looked right through me.
“Next timecome to me before you go making deals with my employees. It’s not your place toget involved and I don’t want to hear about my daughter giving herself to menfor the sake of my safety ever again. I mean it Arie, I better not hear ofsomething like this again.”
Jameson’seyes dropped to his desk and the door slammed behind Arie.
“Whathappened out there?” I asked moving to sit on his desk.
Hewouldn’t look at me as he stood. “Take Arie home.”
“Jameson?”I tried to reach for him but he threw his hand up away from my grasp. “I willsee you tonight. Please take Arie home.” He repeated.
I waited afew minutes inside the office noticing he must have thrown a few things withthe broken glass from the picture frame he smashed. It was one of theJARRacing crew, Grady included.
Taking adeep breath, I was determined to get through to him and get over this.
When youthink about it, most of us, our intentions are usually pure. We want to do theright thing. Arie wanted to do the right thing. But still, we, as any human,push boundaries set between us and others to get what we want or to justify thebad we’ve done into the good we intended to do.
But,unfortunately there are these things called limits. And we were finding out thesignificances behind those now. Grabbing my mocha beside me, I pushed myselffrom the thoughts and made my way back into the shop.
“I don’tgive a shit!” Jameson yelled over his shoulder before the door slammed shut. Iwasn’t sure what he was talking about but it seemed the boys did. Spencer,Aiden, Tommy, Willie and even Casten, were here now, all gathered in the shop.
“That wentsuper.” Tommy laughed from his place on the floor.
“Get uplazy!” I kicked his thigh. “You were absolutely no help with controlling him.”
Tommyrolled to his side and then got up. “Excuse me, but he shoved me today. Nofucking way I was helping out with that argument.”
“Why didhe leave?” I asked looking to any of them for an answer. Arie moved to standnext to me, ready to go I assumed.
“ApparentlyGrady is planning on confronting Jameson before the dinner.”
“Is hereally that stupid?”
“Yes.”Arie said sarcastically and then looked at the floor. “I’m ready to go wheneveryou are.”
Willie andTommy looked at each other curiously. I decided it was time to leave. I tookArie with me as we headed to the banquet hall.
“I’m sorrymom.” She said when we pulled into the parking lot. “It’s like I don’t thinksometimes and go with an impulse.”
