Racer's Heart©

Chapter 16: Family Conference

That night Maia sat on the porch to the house. Her eyes were glued on her corvette sitting in the driveway. It was a warm, comfortable night. Crickets chirped and the full moon gave a mystical glow to the yard.

She had won her first race-yet she felt unsatisfied. Was it because she had not won the race after all-the car had. But how?

There was the creak of the screen door being opened.

"Mind if I sit down next to you?"

Maia looked up to see her grandfather standing behind her. With a shrug, she moved over on the step to make room. "Sure."

Chris sat down with a grunt and for a few silent moments, both just surveyed the car.

"It's one heck of a ride," Chris finally spoke. He grinned at Maia. "Your one heck of a driver-congrats on your race."

"Thanks," With a sigh Maia said halfheartedly as she rested her chin on her knees.

"What's the matter Maia?" Kindly, Chris placed a hand on her shoulder. "I thought you'd be jumping off the roof since you won."

I didn't, the car did...somehow. "Grandpa," Maia looked at him thoughtfully, then at the car. "What do you know about Mom's car?"

"Well not much," Chris frowned. "I didn't even recognize it until your father showed me that newspaper," he put one hand on his chin thoughtfully. "She insisted on using the corvette even when the other racers got new cars-said she couldn't take him off the road, not after all they had been through."

The old man gazed at the car, a far-off sparkle in his blue eyes. "She loved it; there was nothing she adored on this earth so much as that car," he shrugged. "After the race-her sponsor had it dropped off at the junkyard and well that's where it sat for years."

Her eyes on the corvette, Maia listened in rapture. "Did she like driving it?"

"Oh you bet," Chris chuckled softly. "Since the day it found her on her sixteenth birthday she never was separated from the driver's seat for long; it was driving at a cruise that she first met your father," he seems though again. "She always said the car seemed special, as if it had a mind of its own."

Maia was caught on these words and now looked at her grandfather as he continued.

"Nobody else could get it to start and run but her and now you," He smiled, "it was smooth under her hand-she was a good driver."

Maia mulled over the man's words. Mom thought this car was special too. She stared at the corvette, gleaming in the moonlight. Why?

There was a sudden click as the screen door shut.

Both looked up to see Henry standing on the porch.

"Hey son, what took you so long?" Chris asked, with a somewhat reprimanding yet gentle look. He nodded at the phone in the man's hand. "Someone call you?"

"Business call," Henry looked at Maia, his tired face brightening a little. "So, exhausted after the big day?" He patted her on the back and kissed her on the head.  "You did great, honey."

"Thanks Dad," Maia stifled a yawn. She was exhausted.

"You should get some rest," Henry suggested. "You look all tuckered out."

"I am, I think I will turn in," Standing up, Maia hugged her father and kissed her grandfather on the cheek. Opening the screen door, she glanced back at the car. What are you hiding?

Suddenly an idea occurred to her. She looked at her father, "Dad, is it okay if I run over to town tomorrow?"

"Town?" Henry seemed slightly puzzled. But he finally nodded. "Sure."

"Great, I'll think I'll see if I can do some research on Mom's car; goodnight," Maia turned and entered the house.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Chris looked at his son. He patted the step next to him. "Something on your mind?"

With a heavy sigh, Henry sat down besides his father. Gazing at the car, he shrugged, turning the phone over in his hand. "Nothing more than usual."

"Uh-huh," Chris turned and looked at the car now too. "It was right for you to let her race. I know how much trouble you are having letting her go."

"No," Henry shook his head. He glanced at his father. "I...It's just. I don't want to think about the day when she is gone-when the house will be quiet."

"How would you know? You're never in the house," Chris said with a raised eyebrow. He then added some more kindly, "Henry, you have to let her go. Racing is in her blood. One way or another she is going to escape your rules. The choice is up to you if you want her to stay a part of the family."

Henry sighed, glancing at the corvette. "I know, I know."

There was silence for a few moments, the crickets chirping merrily on, the wind whistling over the plain.

"That car, he's something special," Chris finally broke the silence.

Henry nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, sure is. Just like she was."

"She would have been proud to see Maia," Chris said softly.  "You know that-she would be proud of you too."

"Yeah," Running a hand through his thick hair, Henry exhaled. "But she was stubborn-wouldn't listen, kept racing."

"Henry," Chris spoke kindly to the man as he looked at him. "One day you need to wake up. Melina would hate to see you this way. You're broken-you're killing yourself; you need to live, for Maia's sake."

Silent, Henry gazed up at the sky. "You're right, dad, and I tried. But it's hard when every day I think of how she is gone," he stood up abruptly and began walking across the lawn.

"Where you going?" Chris called after him.

"To the garage," Henry disappeared inside the building.

Shaking his head, Chris sighed. Something other than the car needs fixing around here.