Arie, Emmaand Casten were waiting outside the doors with Spencer and Aiden insidestanding in the back with Kyle. Jameson of course, went with Alley to the sideand spoke with Russ Campbell.
Castensmiled at me and kissed my cheek. “Hey mama,” squeezing my shoulders I knew hewanted something. “What my little delinquent spaz?”
“Can Ihave money?”
“Why?”
“I sawsomething that I wanted to get someone.” Casten gave me a little shrug hidinghis smile behind his hat he pulled down.
Handingover money was something I found myself doing a lot on race weekends. I neverhad cash. My kids stole it before it was ever in my possession.
Castenstarted to leave but I pulled him back by his t-shirt. “I don’t think so. Getback here.”
He did andstayed by my side the entire time.
Jostled,smashed, bumped, you name it, I was crammed inside the media center waiting formy husband to speak publicly for the first time since the accident. Though Ihated being in there, I wanted to hear this.
Eva,Tate’s wife found me before the press conference started. “How’s he doing?”
We hadn’tseen each other since Jimi’s funeral and she’d missed a lot of the drama thathad gone on with him not passing the exams. “He’s doinggoodbut still feeling…the loss.”
“It’s onlynatural.” Eva hugged my side holding me a little longer than she usually would.Eva was a big hugger. “Tate still feels the loss of his dad and it’s been tenyears.”
She nosooner spoke the words and then covered her mouth as though she said the wrongthing. “I know of anyone, you understand that.” She said regretfully.
“Don’tworry about it.” I assured her. “I know.”
I thinkEva understood I didn’t want to talk about it and stood beside as support.
Watchingthe crowd, most of which consisted of reporters but there were a few driverslike Tate Harris, who was retired this year but still running his own team, andJameson’s teammates Bobby Cole and Paul Leighty. Everyone wanted a glimpse intothe mystic that made him Jameson Riley.
Standingnear Arie and Casten, Spencer wrapped his arm around me when Jameson came intomy view.
He walkedin, Alley close behind him, with his head bent forward not looking at anyone.
“How doyou feel?” the first reporter asked him. “Do you have any setbacks since yourinjury?”
Jamesonnodded, his eyes focused on the microphone. You could feel it, if not see it,the significance behind his eyes in that moment. “I feel good. Sore at timesbut, I’ve recovered and I am ready to get back to racing.”
A few morequestions were asked regarding racing and the direction of Riley-Simplex Racingnow that Jimi was gone when that same reporter Jameson always had problems withasked if he felt the loss of his father now that he was back.
I wanted tolash out at the reporter and tell him to shove his tape recorder up his ass butI didn’t. What he didn’t realize was that now that he was back at the track, itwas painfully real again that Jimi was gone.
Jamesondidn’t look up right away. Instead his eyes remained on the microphone ascalloused fingers I knew the strength of ran over a Sharpie in his hand.
Soon hisgaze shifted from the reporter to me. We shared a moment and I winked, thoughhe never responded, I knew that his mind was elsewhere.
“Whether Iwant to or not, I get to deal with it.” The vulnerability in his voice wasenough to make me want to cry, which I had done a lot lately. “Yeah, I misshim. That’s a stupid question.”
ThankfullyAlley stepped in. “There will be no more questions regarding Jimi. You may askquestions related to racing and that’s all. If anyone asks about his family,the interview is over.”
Jamesonleaned back appearing a little more comfortable. A grin appeared as he crossedhis arms over his chest. “I’d listen to the lady. Don’t piss of Alley.”
The mediacenter was brought to life with chuckles. Alley smacked the side of his head asshe walked back to her place against the wall.
“See,”Jameson gestured to Alley. “She uses physical violence to control me.”
Just likethe man I always knew, his wit has the power to overcome the vulnerability hefelt.
