Page 86 of The Legend
Sway leftafter that and I made my way inside the office where Arie was filling boxeswith merchandise and then placing mailing labels on them. She looked up when thedoor opened her eyes wide for a moment and then she relaxed. “Hey dad, youscared me.”
“Sorrysweetheart.” I leaned against the table, my arms resting against the table.“What was that between you and Grady?” There was no sense in tiptoeing aroundit, she knew by my appearance that I knew something was going on.
“It’snothing dad,” she replied avoiding my stare.
“It suredidn’t look like nothing.”
Ariestopped packing the box she had set in front of her and sighed, the top of herhand dropped to the table. “Like I said dad, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Can’thandle huh?” I repeated sarcastically. “Arie...”by my deep sigh; she sensed my mood shifting and stood up to grab her bag. Istopped her. “I’m not going to get involved in whatever it is that’s going on.But I do not want you seeing Grady.”
She madeit to the door before she turned to look back at me, tears threatening. “Iassure you there’s nothing going on between me and Grady. He made sure ofthat.”
My stomachdropped at her words. The lingering glances Grady had given her along with hershy smiles over the weeks confirmed what I hated to even think about andwouldn’t let myself.
Tommystuck his head inside when Arie left. “Hey man, we need your help out here.”
The restof the night we finished up with the engine and had everything loaded bymidnight. Sway was waiting up for me when I got home. No conversation was had;instead, it was lingering touches and heated breaths. It was days like thiswhen I remember what was important and what wasn’t worth the fight. It waswhere the revolving door closed for the night and the going seemed slow to thebreathing in and out, the taking time to ensure that time was spent taking careof what needed to be.
Just likeany scheduled race, there’s a drivers meeting to go over rules and regulations.Then there’s a team meeting followed by the driver introductions. This timewith my wife was like introductions. It was a time where two heats that beatfor one another spoke to what didn’t need to be said.
I had alot on my mind that night but in her arms, skin to skin, none of that mattered.
13.Lights Out – Axel
Lights Out– The lights go out when the starter is ready to display a green flag.
After ourhoneymoon in Hawaii, it was back to real life and time for racing once again.Personally, I was looking forward to it. I enjoyed the time with Lily but I wasready to get back in the car.
This yearall the talk was about Frost Nationals in Knoxville in just a week. I couldhardly focus on anything but that once we returned. That was until Lily pulledme aside the night before we left for Iowa.
She satthere in front of me, chewing on her lip as though she was scared.
I kissedalong her tanned skin hoping this might ease any troubling thoughts she had butstill, her mood didn’t change.
Lily hadsomething to say, I just knew it but she seemed...confused?
Standingover her, I moved my legs in between hers. “Lil, what’s going on with you?” Myhands rested on the back on the couch trapping her.
“I uh...need to talk to you.” She looked up at me.
“Okay,”sitting down next to her, I pulled her across the couch wrapping my arms aroundher. “What’s up?”
Anotherfew minutes of silence, she sighed and closed her eyes. Her long lashes seemedto flutter for a second before opening. “I’m pregnant.”
I didn’tsay anything for close to five minutes. This was not what I was expecting tohear. I was thinking something along the lines of, “Let’s get a bigger house,”or “Can I get a new car?” Not, “I’m pregnant.”
“Wow, thatwasn’t what I was expecting you to say.” I finally said breaking theuncomfortable silence hanging between us.
“Oh,” herface fell slightly at my confession, her eyes dropping from mine.
“I didn’tmean it like that Lil...I’m justsurprised.”
She nodded;her eyes glassy with threatening tears. “Are you happy?”
“How couldI not be?” I reached for her, my arms wrapping around her tiny shoulders. “Ilove you Lil.”
I wasn’texactly sure what to think about her being pregnant. I wasn’t mad, no, that wasn’tit but I also wasn’t as excited as I hoped I’d be. Was that a bad thing? Wasn’tI supposed to be happy?
