Page 80 of The Legend
I did notlike cold weather, never had.
We wereonly there about five minutes when Justin found me. I’ve never really looked atJustin as Lily’s father, I’ve always thought of him as my dad’s best friend anda fellow driver.
He wasn’tvery happy that morning.
“Whathappened between you two last night?” Justin demanded corning me inside thetent that was getting smaller by the minute. I think I’ve said this once beforebut I wasn’t exactly a big guy and anyone cornering me, especially my soon tobe father-in law, was intimidating.
“Nothinghappened, why?” I’ll admit my voice was frightened. You would understand if yousaw the way he was looking at me. It was similar to the way a wild animalstalked its prey.
“Well Lilis in tears, go see her!”
He didn’thave to tell me twice and I was inside my parent’s condo where she was gettingready with my sister, mom, and aunts.
“Lily?” Icalled out only to have Arie slam the door in my face.
“It’s badluck to see the bride before the wedding.” She told me through the door. “Getlost!”
Pushingpast her wasn’t hard. Arie was taller than me but weighed less than a hundredpounds.
“Listen tome!” I shook her shoulders. “I’m seconds away from kicking you out of here. Ineed to see Lily right now. Fuck the stupid traditions.”
She didn’tbudge, only crossed her arms over her chest. “No.”
“I’m notabove pushing my sister.”
“Youwouldn’t.”
“Don’ttempt me.”
“Mom?” shewailed pretending to be hurt like I actually did hit her. She pulled this shitso often when we were little no one actually believed her any more.
“Arie,”Lily called out from the bedroom. “...let himin.”
Dad wassitting on the couch eating cereal in his tuxedo. He was calm and collectedlike this whole day was no big deal. It probably wasn’t to him. He dealt withthis stress every single day withauntEmma.
“Can youbelieve this shit?” I asked looking to him for support.
“You haveno idea kid.” Dad laughed placing his cereal bowl in the sink. “I had to spendevery day inches away from my sister for years while we traveled.” He patted myback. “I don’t really have much sympathy for you on that part.”
No one hadsympathy for me today.
Lily wasin the bedroom dressed in her wedding gown, crying again.
“Lily,what’s wrong baby?” I pulled her in my arms.
“I’msorry. I feel like an idiot for last night.”
Pullingback to look at her, I wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her nose.
“Don’t be.It’s normal to have pre-wedding jitters.” Moving from the bed, I knelt in frontof her taking her hands in mine. “I love you and I can’t imagine spending mylife with anyone other than you. Do you understand that? You’re the only womanI want.”
A few moretears fell before she nodded.
“I know...I’m sorry for being like this.” She shruggedclosing her eyes. “I see your parents and my parents and I want that. I do. ButI get scared you...”
Shecouldn’t actually say it without crying. I knew what this was leading up too.
You see itall around you when you grow in racing—men choosing his career of adrenalineover women. My dad may be one of the greatest racers of all time but he owedmost of that to my mom. She was there for him no matter what. So he may have missedbirthdays and anniversaries to race but he had her to fall back on. Justin andAmi were the same way.
