Racer's Heart©

Chapter 10: It's back?

Licking her vanilla soft cone, Maia glanced at the photographs that hung on the walls around her.

When she was younger her father had used to bring her and her mother here after her mother's races to celebrate.

She always loved looking at the photographs of the events and historical figures that happened in her hometown of Pinebrush.

"I just got off the phone with them," Henry said, sliding into the red booth, across from Maia. "They said they will send a patrol car out looking for it and will notify us of any updates."

"Thanks," Maia looked at him gratefully then turned back to the photographs. She used to always love to see if she could recognize anyone in the photos. One frame hung on the wall above their booth. It was a black and white newspaper clipping of a teenager in white jumpsuit, a helmet tucked under one arm. She was standing next to a corvette-her wavy auburn hair streaming down her shoulders. She is around Maia's age.

"Hey dad," Maia pointed at the newspaper clipping. "That's Mom, right?"

Looking at the picture, Henry nodded, "Yeah," he smiled slightly. "She was your age then-that was the day she won her first professional league meet."

Maia looked at her father. "She looks happy."

"Yeah," Henry smiled at the picture. "She had a never-ending enthusiasm and optimism; she always managed to look on the Brightside of any situation no matter how horrible and find a plus side to it."

Maia was surprised that her father was talking about her mother-let alone so calmly. This was the first time in years she had even heard him reference her in such a way. Staring at the photo she suddenly realized something. "Dad, is that a corvette?"

"It's hard to tell with the black and white coloring," Henry frowned as he squinted at the photo. "It is," he seemed thoughtful for a moment. "You know it looks like-"

"My car," Maia finished. "So that's why it looked so wrecked when I found it, from the crash," She cringed at the word crash and realized she should not have referenced the event which caused her father and her so much sorrow. Shoot, now Dad will close up!

Strangely enough her father spoke in a calm voice as he looked back at the photo. "Well you did a good job fixing it up though I am not sure how it made it to the junkyard," he winced slightly. "Perhaps your mother's sponsor sent it there."

"Maybe," Maia saw the pain now in her father's eyes and changed the subject as she looked away from the photo and instead at him. "Thanks for asking me out," she grinned. "This ice cream really hits the spot."

Henry smiled at her, "I'm glad to hear that," he stood up, "You ready to go home, it's late."

Eating the last bite of her cone, Maia nodded. She followed her father back to his gray truck. They drove in silence-a happy silence-back to the house.

As they pulled up the long driveway to the top, the truck's headlights reflected off a shiny red surface.

Henry hit the brakes and Maia's eyes widened.

There, in front of them, parked in front of the garage-was none other than the corvette that had been stolen just a few hours ago!"