“Yeah, I’m by the front door, Ma.”
She walked into the foyer with a smile on her face. “Did I also hear your father talking?”
It was a good day for her. She remembered not only me, but my dad too. Though I hoped to make him a faint memory from now on. “Yeah, he had some things he needed to do.”
“Are you okay?” She reached up and ran her fingers down my cheek that had two days of stubble on it. “You need to shave.”
I stroked my scruff and shrugged. “Maybe I’ll keep it for a bit. See if I like it.”
She nodded. “I do suppose you can do what you like seeing as you’re over thirty.”
I nodded my agreement. “Yeah, I guess that’s how it goes.” I sighed and reached for her hand. “We need to talk for a second, Mom. Some things have happened that are going to affect you for a little bit.”
“What is it?” she asked.
I didn’t know how to do this. How do you tell your mother that her husband of thirty-nine years had just left the house with plans to live with another woman? “Uh, Dad…well…I don—”
She held up her hand. “You don’t need to say it, Brooks. I know I have issues remembering things, but I know what’s happening. He’s gone.”
I hung my head.
“And he’s not coming back,” she said simply.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” I whispered.
She laughed lightly. “There isn’t a damn thing you need to be sorry for, Brooks. Nothing could have kept him here. He did well for a while, but you and I both know that your father only thinks of himself.”
“But it still has to hurt, Mom.”
She shook her head. “It does, but knowing that he wasn’t in it forever while I was makes me hate him instead of feeling sorry for myself.”
“He wants you out, Mom. By Friday.”
Her head snapped back, and she cringed. “Lord. That’s rather soon, isn’t it?”
“I want you to come and live with me.” I knew I had said before that having her live with me wasn’t something I could do, but if it came down to having her live with me to sticking her in some home where she would be neglected, I knew what I would pick instantly. “I’m not sure how exactly we’ll do it, but I know you’re going to be there.”
She tilted her head back and smiled sadly. “I don’t want to be a burden to you, Brooks.”
I shook my head. “You’ll never be a burden to me, Mom. Why don’t we get a bag packed for you, and then we can head over to my house?” I didn’t want to be here any longer than I needed to be.
“We have three days, Brooks. Do we really need to move that quickly?”
I wanted to do it right now because she was in a good state of mind. You couldn’t even tell that she had onset dementia or her body gave her troubles. “We need to get you settled before my next race, so we have no choice but to be quick.”
She nodded. “Then I guess I better head upstairs and get to work.” She reached up and cradled my chin. “I love you, Brooks. I just want you to know that I raised the best boy ever, and he became one of the best men.”
She headed back upstairs, and I sighed.
That went easier than I had hoped, but I knew we were just at the beginning of the road we were headed down.
Things were going to be tough for a while, but I knew that eventually Mom and I would come out on the other side stronger and happier.
My dad was out of the picture, and the only thing I cared about was getting my mother the love and support she needed.
It was crazy how one moment in time could completely fuck with the path you were headed down.
Racing had been my life, but that was all about to change.
*
Chapter Fourteen
Frankie
“Give it here.”
“No, I got it.”
Remy walked past me and crouched next to the car. “While you took a three-week vacation, the rest of us were working.” He looked over his shoulder and smirked.
“Is that why you guys lost last weekend?” I leaned against the workbench and crossed my arms over my chest. “I’ll wait for whatever lame excuse you have for losing.”
“Hey, I figured it out.”
I laughed. “Yeah, because I told you what was wrong.”
“Well, dammit, that’s what happens when you run tests without anyone knowing. If you would have let me know you were using two different brands of springs, then the problem wouldn’t have ever happened.”
“It was a test. I didn’t know if it was going to make a difference or not. I had planned on doing a couple of passes with the old springs, but I happened to heave a wrench at Brooks before I got that far.” But now I was back.
“You pack for tomorrow?” Remy stood up and wiped his hands on his pants.
“Not even close. What about you?”
Remy looked toward the front offices. “I have to say, it’s pretty damn nice having Harlyn. Not only does she keep my bed warm, but she also packs me all up for the races.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll make sure to let Harlyn know you appreciate everything she’s doing as your maid.”
“Do that and you’ll have to sleep with one eye open,” Remy threatened.
“You’d have to actually be at the house for me to worry about that.” Ever since Remy and Harlyn hooked up officially, he had been staying at her house according to Jay. I had only been back for two days and I had only seen Remy when he picked me up from the airport and when we were at work. The same went for Jay, but that was typical. He was always off chasing some chick and never at home much.
Once we were done with work for the day, Remy took off with Harlyn, Jay showered at the house and then he was gone for the night.
“Don’t hate,” Remy laughed. “You can’t blame me for hanging at her house instead of at the duplex with you two.”
“Hey, you two done with the car yet?” Roc stood at the entrance to the shop with his phone to his ear and a scowl in his lips.
“Yeah. Just buttoning everything up,” Remy replied.
“Good. Get the hell out of here when you’re done. We leave at the ass crack of dawn in the morning. It’s only a three-hour drive, but we need to be set up asap to make sure whatever voodoo you did to the car is working.”
“It’s gonna run good,” I promised.
“Yeah, we’ll see,” Roc grumbled. “If you hadn’t taken off, we wouldn’t be in this mess that we’re in.”
I had heard that same sentence at least ten times since my feet hit the ground in Leeds Square. “You just gotta trust me.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Roc walked back into office grumbling under his breath.
“You sure it’s gonna run?”
I looked over at Remy. “You really doubting me?” I knew what I was doing. Everything Remy had done to the car, I did the opposite because it was what needed to be done.
“I’m just glad you’re back, and I don’t want you getting fired for the second time.”
“Quit. I wasn’t fired,” I clarified.
“Technically you were suspended, and then you quit,” he laughed.