Page 172 of The Legend
I watchedmy mom carefully when she came by the hospital to visit with Emma and Lexi.
Theybrought a shit load of baby stuff but I was more distracted by the pure joy onmy mother’s face. I hadn’t seen her happier than the last time I saw her withmy dad.
She saw meholding Jack, her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and she was beside me in aninstant. “Oh Jameson...” she gasped coveringher mouth with her hand. “He’s so beautiful.”
Looking athim now, I could see some of Lily’s features in his chin and nose but the restwas identical to Axel.
The girlswere beginning to hover imperiously so I gave Jack to my mom. They shiftedtheir hovering to her.
Mom washesitant in her movements for a moment. Maybe she was afraid he’d cry. But hedidn’t.
Mom had away with babies and her first great grandchild wasn’t any different. Though sheliked to say Logan’s daughter, Madison, was her great grandchild, Jack wastechnically the first by blood.
My momlooked at me again. “I watched Axel win the other night and he did the samewing dance Jimi used to where he bowed to the crowd then rested his head on thewing for a moment.”
Nodding, Iremember watching him on SPEED the other night and witnessing that myself. TheWorld of Outlaws was doing a lot to keep Jimi’s memory alive with reverting toa 3-wide salute as opposed to the standard 4-wide salute prior to the feature.But it was things like Axel imitating dad’s wing dance that provided us thebest comfort that he would forever be remembered for his contributions to theseries.
I found aplace in the corner, next to Casten and watched the girls coo over the newbaby.
Castenchuckled wrinkling his nose a little. “How pathetic,” and then his oncedisgusted face turned amused and mischievous. “I wonder if they’ll let meborrow him.”
“No!” Axelbarked from his place beside Lily. “You are not using him like you do toMadison.”
“Youdidn’t use Logan’s daughter as bait, did you?” I asked my overly confident son.
“Pleeeeease,” he rolled his eyes. “Like I need to usea baby to get girls,”
Swaystepped beside me wrapping her arms around my waist. She had tears in her eyesand whispered. “She’s so happy.”
I glancedover toward my mom sitting in a chair holding Jack with Emma and Alley standingover her looking down at him. She really is happy.
Kissing mywife’s forehead I whispered back with, “I wish they were here to see this.”
And I saidthey because not only was my dad not here but hers wasn’t either.
A new lifewas added but we still felt the void of the ones that were gone.
I bowed myhead, looking at the tile floor beneath us as Sway ran her hand up and down myback in an attempt to comfort. Nothing would bring them back but the memorieswere good ones. That we had, we had the memories.
And now,new ones were being created. Like watching my first born son, hold his.
Axel wasbeaming with delight when I said goodbye as we headed back to the track for therace tomorrow. I threw an arm around him and pulled him into a tight hug. “Ilove you buddy. I’m proud of you.” I whispered so only he would hear.
He had toknow that I wasn’t talking about him becoming a father. I was talking about himin general and everything he had accomplished.
I felt himchuckle softly before his breath caught in his throat and I was sure he was onthe verge of tears. “I love you too, dad.”
29.Inside Line – Axel
InsideLine – The shortest line around the track. Also, the part of the track that isclosest to the infield. On some tracks, depending on the grooves, this may bethe ideal line in a race.
Becoming adad was strange. Becoming a husband and having someone rely on me was strangetoo but then you add another human being depending on you, its nerve wracking.
I foundmyself calling and texting Lily multiple times a day just to make sure theywere all right and didn’t need anything. Thankfully Lexi and Arie were dotingAunts and spent as much time with her as they could. I also tend to believe ithad something to do with Jack. He was the sweetest little boy.
I neverimagined I would love him so much but when I heard his first cry and then helooked up at me, I was hooked. I was now one of those dad’s that carriedpictures in his wallet, bragged and had tons of videos on my phone of him justbreathing.
Castencalled me a pussy and asked if I still had balls but I think deep down heshowed tact. I frequently noticed him holding him as well when he had thechance. And yes, there were the occasions when he used my new born son for thesake of getting a woman’s attention.
