Racer's Heart©

Chapter 7: Grandfather?

What is he doing here? Maia's eyes were wide, her heart thumping. She ducked  back into the shed, but it was too late. Her father had spotted her.

He stormed over to the shed, followed  by Chris. "Maia, you come out of there right now!"

Shoot. He's very mad. Breathing in deeply the girl tried to prepare herself. She then stepped out of the shed.

"So, this is where you have been coming? Without telling me?" Henry snapped. "You lied to me! You're eighteen you should-"

"Easy for Henry," Chris interrupted calmly. "She only wanted a car of her own."

"She could have asked me!" Henry shouted in the man's face. He then turned and glared at Maia sternly. "You misused my trust. You tricked me and I will not-"

"Dad," Maia began slowly, her calm voice halting her father mid-sentence. "I'm sorry."

"-It was wrong-" Henry froze and looked at her. "What?"

"I said,'' Maia exhaled slowly and looked up at her father. "I'm really sorry Dad. It was wrong of me, I lied." she felt tears pricking her eyes. "I...I just was afraid if you knew you would take it away and I know that was wrong, but I just wanted a car-I had to have one," she looked at Chris who nodded encouragingly.

She glanced back at her father. "Dad, it's time for you to treat me like an eighteen-year-old, not your little girl. This is my car. I fixed it up-it was wrong to lie to you but it's not wrong for me to want a car of my own," she straightened, wiping the tears away and feeling a sense of calmness. "Dad. I fixed this car and I am going to race it."

"Maia," Henry said coldly, "We've been over this before. You are not allowed to race-"

"She fixed it all on her own," Chris interrupted gently, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "I watched her-she's as talented as working with cars as you."

Henry's eyes widened and he looked at his daughter. "Wait...you...you fixed it?"

Maia nodded, her face apologetic. "I'm sorry. Thai was where I was sneaking away to and I should have told you bu-"

"Honey," Henry gazed at the car and then looked at his daughter. "Honey, this is amazing! I never knew you were this good with cars!"

"That's because you never let me have one of my own, not even one to just drive around," Maia replied matter of fact. He had let her get her license and that was it-no more driving.

"You wouldn't listen even if I tried to tell you!" Now that she had started it was hard to stop, "You shut yourself away in your garage all day to escape reality..."

Henry looked as if he was struck. He was silent and Maia was worried she had spoken too bluntly. "Dad, I'm sorry, I-"

"No," Henry shook his head. "It's true; I shut myself away" with a heavy sigh he put both his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry Maia. It just hurts, I can't-"

"Son, you know she's right," Chris broke in quietly.

Henry looked at the older man. "Dad, we've been over this. It's how I escape my sorrows."

"It's how you escape the world," Chris retorted.

"Wait," Maia interrupted, looking from one man to the other. Her father had addressed Chris as dad. "Dad?"

"Yes," Henry sighed heavily. He frowned thoughtfully as if trying to find the right words to explain but then gave up and shrugged. "Maia, meet your mother's father-your grandfather."