Page 171 of The Legend
Simplexwasn’t happy about the race in Knoxville that nearly killed the driver thatmade their companies millions over the years. But I was close enough withMarcus and Melissa that they understood why I raced sprint cars still. Itdidn’t stop them from asking that I not race anything other than the cup caruntil the season was out, but they did understand me.
To me,sprint car racing was who I was. And that’s when I understood completely thatwhat happened in Knoxville had nothing to do with me. Regardless of the wholeGradyissue, my dad died doing what he loved. Not manypeople can say that happened to them. He didn’t suffer months of battling anaggressive cancer or die in a car accident going to a shit job he hated.
He wasdoing what made him Jimi Riley.
Me, Sway, Casten,and Arie took off to Mooresville from Michigan to see Axel and Lily in thehospital, oh and the new addition.
Lilylooked exhausted as did Axel. He’d been up all night making sure she and thebaby had everything they needed and then he had to leave for the start of theGreat Northern Tour in Grand Forks Michigan.
Justin wasthere in the room holding the baby when we got there. He wasn’t giving him upuntil Sway pouted and basically stole him.
“What’shis name?” I asked peeking over my wife’s shoulder at him. He looked just likeAxel did when he was born—even had the signature rusty mess of hair.
Axel and Lilylooked over at Justin leaning against the far wall. Justin smiled. “JackAnthony Riley.” Lily said softly.
Not manypeople knew this but Justin had a twin brother when he was born but he diedwhen they were just a few months old. And his name was Jack.
“That’sbeautiful you guys.” Arie gushed when she walked in the room. “He’s adorable!”
“You looklike shit.” Casten told Axel who really did look exhausted. “But you lookbeautiful.” He leaned down and kissed the top of Lily head.
“ThanksCasten.” Lily said smiling up at him.
“Stopthat—don’t touch my wife.” Axel said pushing Lily and Casten apart.
I was sureI was going to separate the boys when Sway motioned for me to come over andthen handed the baby over to me. Since our kids were little, I hadn’t held ababy.
Nervously,I reached out and cradled my arms as she placed him gently in my arms. I lookeddown at him and he looked up at me. “I’m your grandpa.” I told him softly andkissed his forehead.
Ugh,that sounds so old.
“How aboutwe just are his aunt and uncle?” Sway whispered in my ear.
Hesneezed.
Sway,being the witty shit I’d always known my wife to be, said, “Aw...can you believe it baby, he sneezes andblinks.”
I justlaughed and held Jack close to my chest. He whimpered the same way Axel did andsnuggled into my embrace.
Axellooked between me and Sway. “Huh?”
Sway andJustin started laughing before Swayrattedme out.“When you were born Axel...your dadwas utterly amazed that you were real.”
“What didhe think I’d be?”
Castenbegan to answer with, “He probably—”
“Allright,” I spoke up before he’d say something inappropriate. “I knew he wasreal. I just didn’t expect him to be so...active...I guess.”
I lost trackof what they were saying when Jack followed me with his gray glassy eyes. Hewatched every movement I made like I was a shiny toy he’d never seen before. Tobe fair, I stared at him just as closely, remembering my kids when they werethis small. It felt like it was just yesterday.
It’s adifferent feeling when you see one of your grandchildren. I understood why myparents and Charlie looked at Axel the way they did when he was born or any ofthe grandchildren.
You watchyour children from the very beginning. Wondering all along what they’ll be likewhen they’re older. Then they have children. I don’t know that I can expressthe feeling I had but it was intense.
There’ssomething beautiful about the beginning of life. They’ve done nothing wrong,never lied, never had their heart broken. They haven’t had to deal with death,or the pressures of life, they’re just new—new to the world.
They makeeverything in the world seem so minuscule compared to their precious existence.
