The Legend

by Shey Stahl

  “They were pretty great, huh?”

  “Yeah at the time I’m sure we would have disagreed but now, yes they are.” Emma giggled. “I’ll never forget us getting caught in the tornado or the time we went to that race in Republic with the chickens in the turns.”

  “Chickens, that wasn’t even the worst part! You should have seen the fucking cow that wandered out there during the heat races.”

  As Sway and I had done, Emma and I took a walk down memory lane of all the moments throughout out our lives that stood out to us. Every one of them involved racing, as that’s all we ever known.

  “You don’t ever feel like by me racing, you didn’t get to do what you wanted as a child?” I asked sometime after we left and were now walking back to my truck.

  “No. Like I said Jameson, I loved every minute of what I do.” Emma shuffled through her purse to find her cell phone that was vibrating. “You have no idea what’s it like to watch you do what you do.”

  I laughed unlocking the door and climbing in. “You act as though it’s like going to your favorite concert every night.”

  “It was just like that for all of us.” Emma got inside the truck as well tossing her purse on the floor and then turned to face me. “That summer, the summer we all left home we could pull into any track in the mid-west or even the east coast and win. On any given night, it didn’t matter if Justin or Ryder or even guys like dad or Evans were racing. I knew, without a shred of doubt my brother could go out there and win. You have no idea what it was like for us witnessing that side of you.”

  I smiled in the darkness remember what that was like for us that summer.

  “When we left home, I remember how everyone would say, “Oh, he’ll be back,” but I knew you wouldn’t. You left home with something to prove and by the end of that summer when you won the Triple Crown at eighteen...I knew I had been a part of history and greatness and that you would continue to be.”

  Emma had never talked to me like this before and I wasn’t really sure how to process what she was saying to me.

  “I never grow tired of watching you race, just the determination and energy that radiates from you is enough to be notable but then it’s you. You have the raw natural ability in a car that really makes you a legend Jameson.”

  Sighing, I took in what she said before smiling back at her. “Kind of like dad.”

  I don’t know why I said that. I always told Axel not to compare himself to me but I do it with Jimi all the time.

  “No, you and dad are different. Dad was entertaining to watch but he didn’t drive like you do.” I must have given her a funny expression because she laughed and shook her head. “I guess what I mean is take Knoxville Nationals three years ago...do you remember that race?”

  I nodded carefully so she continued.

  “Dad goes out there and set fast time. He made this clean lap, smooth lines and pushes the car to the limit of that run. Kind of like he always did. Then you come out some ten cars later, dad still has fast time up until then. I watched from the pit bleachers like I always did when you qualify...and that’s when I see you staring at the track while you wait in line to qualify. You got out right before your turn and grabbed a handful of dirt in your glove, testing the consistency of it, then, you got back inside.

  “No other driver does this but you, and you do it every time. So when you go out onto the track and the green flag drops your lap, you run down low on the bottom along the front stretch and up high on the back stretch. You knew by testing the dirt the lines had changed and the moisture was gone out of the top groove without even experimenting on that first lap.

  “You didn’t drive the same as he did either. You poured every ounce of yourself into those two laps because to you, that wasn’t just qualifying. To you...that meant a good starting spot and anyone that has ever raced Knoxville Nationals knows where you start matters. And you broke his record and the existing record that was held there for six years.

  “That’s the thrilling part about watching you race, you put everything you have into every lap you make. I’ve watched you run for laps on flat tires, pieces hanging off your car, your brakes so hot they’ve melted the brake pads but you hang on just to give it everything you have. And it’s absolutely mesmerizing that someone can do that.”

  We were silent for a moment and then it made sense to me. “I think that’s why I’m retiring.”

  “What?”

  “I can’t do it anymore. And if I can’t put everything I have into it, I won’t do it.”

  “But you did at Charlotte and Dover.”

  “Like I said, I can’t just go out there with half of myself. So until that last race in Homestead, I will continue to pour every last piece of me into this until I see that checkered flag. To me, that’s what my team deserves from me.”

  “And that’s what makes you who you are Jameson. And that’s why all of us have done what we’ve done for you. We see that dedication, that energy you put into racing because it’s important to you. It’s import to us.”

  We were now sitting in Emma’s driveway. Noah was there standing outside with Aiden who looked annoyed at his son once again. I can’t say I was surprised.

  “Ugh…I wonder what they’re arguing about now.” Emma slumped in the passenger seat.

  “Who knows with those kids,” Aiden waived toward us and then slammed the front door leaving Noah standing by himself on their wooden wrap around deck that sprawled across the front of the home. Noah leaned against the railing and hung his head.

  “Looks like he’s upset about something,” I never knew either one of their boys to get upset as it was them usually upsetting others.

  “Yeah, Noah’s been having some girl problems these days. Apparently...his girlfriend dumped him for another guy...” she quirked an eyebrow at me. “...that guy being Casten.”

  “Say what?” That caught my attention.

  “Casten had nothing to do with it.” Emma jumped to his defense. “Girls just flock to him, kind of like they did with you.”

  “Uh...still do.” I pulled at my shirt as if I was hot.

  “Oh right,” she laughed sarcastically. “Still do.”

  “Casten didn’t...uh, did he act on it?” I would hate to think he would disrespect his cousin like that.

  “Oh heavens no, you guys taught him well. Casten basically told her to get lost and told Noah about it. He’s been pissy ever since.”

  “Maybe he needs his mom. Aiden never has dealt well with the girl problems.”

  Emma laughed rolling her eyes. “Yeah, you should have heard the sex talk. It consisted all of throwing a box of condoms at them and telling them to “Google” it.”

  Aiden was as shy as they came when it involved sex, I wasn’t surprised. I also knew that Aiden couldn’t make a decision to save his life and having an in-depth conversation like that problem gave him indigestion.

  Emma was about to get out when she stopped and turned back toward me. “Thanks for tonight Jameson. It was really nice to hang out with you.”

  “You too Em,” I smiled down at her. “You may be annoying but you’ve been a great help to me.”

  “Well, you’re still an asshole so all’s good.”

  Driving back to my house just down the street, I felt good about tonight. I had to fly out to Pocono tomorrow but tonight, I was spending the rest of the evening showing my wife, just how much I’ve loved her over the years.

  I made a detour to get her some ice cream and a new book that she had been talking about and drove back home. She was up in our room already while Arie and Casten were watching movies in the movie room with someone. I peeked my head in to say hello wondering if Axel was home only to find Easton and Tate’s son Jacob in there with them.

  “Oh, hey guys.” My eyes immediately caught the close proximity Easton was to Arie.

  Not to my surprise, they jumped when they heard me.

  “Hey dad,” Casten said with a smirk, he nodded in the direction of Arie
with a smart as look. He was a little instigator, always had been.

  Arie slowing scooted sideways away from Easton just a few inches and gave me a smile like she knew she’d been caught. I told myself that I wouldn’t interfere with her and her dating but the fact that Easton was a racer was unnerving for me. Since the deal with Grady, I knew that she and Easton were getting closer but it didn’t make me feel any better that she was dating again.

  Before I embarrassed them, I went upstairs to deliver the ice cream and book to Sway.

  She was emerged in our tub, candles lit all around her.

  “Is there a fire in here?” I joked stripping down to nothing in just a few seconds. I managed to grab two spoons from the kitchen on my way up so I set all that beside the tub next to the window and climbed in behind her.

  She grinned and looked at my body as I did so. “It’s easy to get you naked these days.” She waggled her eyebrows in an adorable come-get-me-type of way.

  “Could you be any more adorable?” I kissed the top of her wet hair and then pulled her against my chest.

  “That doesn’t hurt?”

  “No honey, I’m fine.” I was sore a lot more than usual these days but all in all I had pretty much made a full recovery from the accident less than six months ago. I felt good about that.

  “How was dinner with Emma?”

  “Good,” I chuckled remembering Sway warning me to not kill Emma when we left. “We talked a lot about that summer.”

  “When we left home?”

  “Yeah,”

  Sway exhaled contently. “I can still remember some of those shitty motels we stayed in and sleeping in the back of your truck just to make it to the next track.”

  “It’s hard to believe all that led us to here.”

  To me though, it wasn’t hard to believe. I think our whole lives led us in the exact direction they were meant to go.

  Twisting in my arms, Sway quirked an eyebrow at me, “Is that ice cream for me?”

  Kissing along her neck I responded in a low voice I knew would give her goose bumps. “Maybe.”

  Soon we had the entire pint gone, still sitting in the tub when she asked. “Will you sing to me?”

  “What do you want me to sing?”

  She shrugged carelessly. “Anything, I love to hear you sing and it’s been a while.”

  “All right...” Clearing my throat, I asked. “Slow song?”

  “Mmmm...Surprise me.”

  I leaned down so my lips were at her ear and began to sing.

  “You are my world…” I let my voice drawl out the way she liked and felt her lean further into my embrace. Her head tipped to give me better access to her neck I placed a soft kiss.

  “If you weren’t so good at racing...I’d tell you to become a singer.”

  “Well I am retiring...”

  Sway laughed, her body shaking in my arms distracted us. “No, I’m not sharing you with rock star groupies too.” She turned in my arms to straddle me in the tub. “Pit lizards are enough.”

  The flames danced across her wet skin tempting me even more. She knew when my eyes met hers what I wanted.

  She seemed to want to the same thing. We ended up in our bed not more than two minutes later.

  That night, Sway seemed different and had seemed different since the accident. Her gazes lasted longer and her touches seemed to linger. She told me she loved me more and more and late at night, I’d find her staring at me as though she was trying to memorize my every feature and every freckle.

  To be honest, I found myself doing the same thing. When you lose something, you find yourself clinging to what you still have. It’s a shame that it takes a loss to remind you of what you have.

  “I love you.” I panted against her shoulder rolling us over so I was on top of her.

  “Oh god,” she moaned, her body clenched around me. I took pride in knowing I could still satisfy my wife after twenty years of marriage. “I love you too.” She repeated before her mouth found mine.

  I’d never grow tired of those three words from her. Ever.

  The next morning, Sway was making breakfast before we needed to leave for Pocono that afternoon when I was standing at the back French doors looking at the pool. Of course, I was thinking of racing and our test session there a few weeks back. I knew with the right set-up we could gain some speed. As it was, the lap times were mid-pack from last year’s run meaning we needed to gain a few seconds somewhere if I wanted a top five car.

  That’s when I saw Easton limping across our back yard pulling a sweatshirt over his shoulders. Glaring, I watched him sneak down the driveway.

  Arie all but skipped into the kitchen after that.

  “Did Easton stay the night last night?” I asked avoiding looking at her. She wouldn’t want to see my glare.

  “No, why?” she actually sounded innocent. For a moment, I remember my sweet little angel when she was younger, squealing with glee and running to me when I’d come home on Sunday nights. She wasn’t a little girl anymore.

  “Oh yeah,” I motioned to Easton’s truck on the security screen. “Then why was he just limping down the driveway?”

  Sway burst out laughing. “That worked well for you.” She patted Arie on the back and handed me a plate of pancakes and bacon.

  Arie gave up and said. “Oh, don’t be a brat.” She sat down across from me at the table. “And I’ve been seeing him for months now.”

  “No way, I don’t think so.” I said firmly. “You’re not going to date him.”

  “He’s a nice boy, dad.”

  “If you have to say that he’s a nice boy, well, then he’s not.”

  Sway slapped my shoulder. “He is a nice boy Jameson.”

  I knew he was. I’d spent enough time around him the last month to know he was a good kid. But no one would be good for my little girl, that’s just the way it was.

  “I’m gonna need to talk to him.” I finally said after I finished my pancakes in silence.

  “Don’t bother.” Casten said when he entered the kitchen in just a pair of board shorts, his rusty hair sticking up on the left side. “I’ve already put the fear of god in him.”

  “Do you ever fully dress yourself?” Sway asked him and then noticed a tattoo on his arm. She grabbed it and pulled it toward her face, squinting. “When did you get that?” she looked amused when she read the scripture under the symbol.

  “Don’t ask.”

  Arie immediately started giggling to the point where she couldn’t breathe only to have Casten knock her off her chair and then start laughing himself.

  Watching them in a fit of hysteria, I had to laugh myself and I wasn’t sure what was even so entertaining. “I probably don’t want to know what that says, do I?”

  “No,” Sway managed to squeak out. “You don’t.”

  I never did figure out what it said but I knew it was probably something as stupid as the shit we used to do at his age when I found out Cole was behind it.

  Four Wide Salute – Sway

  I enjoyed mornings like this with our family goofing off. We were seldom all together.

  “So,” Casten began with the adorable smirk he had when he was up to no good. “What was all that noise last night? I was worried sick that something was wrong.” He looked between Jameson and me questioningly.

  Jameson, knowing his son, grunted some kind of reply and pushed away from the table to set his plate in the dishwasher.

  “Were you two...?” his smile grew wider.

  “Shut up.” I kicked my son under the table. “Don’t say that.”

  “That was childish.” Casten laughed which caused me to start laughing and then Arie.

  Jameson was about to say something when we heard the booming voice of Spencer. “Do I smell blueberry pancakes?”

  “Oh man,” Jameson banged his head on the counter in annoyance. “Why does he always come over when we’re cooking food?”

  “Sway,” Spencer laughed coming around the corner into th
e kitchen. “Your bra is on the front porch.”

  “See!” Casten cackled. “I told you I heard something.”

  Spencer, holding Madison, stood beside Jameson nodding arrogantly like he was proud of his little brother that my bra was outside. Hey, we may be pushing mid-forties but we still found ways to make the dyno testing interesting.

  Madison, Logan’s daughter, reached out to grab a handful of Jameson’s hair. Only problem, she had her sucker in that hand which was now in his hair.

  He was less than amused.

  Casten slumped forward at the table laughing again.

  “She does that on purpose.” Jameson complained of Madison. This wasn’t the first time she put something in his hair. Madison was definitely Logan’s daughter.

  Like I said, I loved mornings like this. My family was literally crazy but it was what I loved. It made me feel normal because there were people just like me.

  We couldn’t go a day without making fun of each other or someone calling someone an asshole but that was us. It was our way of a four wide salute.

  When we left that afternoon for Pocono, an interesting article caught my attention as we sat on the plane that summed up what Jameson’s decision meant. If I was being honest, yes, I was relieved to hear him say the words “I’m retiring,” because it meant that I would have a little more of the morning like today, and a little less of afternoon’s like this, flying around the country.

  But I also knew what he was leaving behind for this. And the article painted a vivid display of that dream that was captured.

  CHARLOTTE NC – SPEED NEWS

  Bryce Kulton

  FAST TIME

  Jameson Riley. It’s a name our sport knows very well, fear even. He was so fast, so agile, that no one knew how good he really was and no one wanted to find out. Back in his rookie year, 2003, they found out what that fear meant.