The Tale of Love & Racing: Sarina's Story

Chapter 37: "Shelley is ready to torment with both of us."

Thursday March 1, 2018 – Las Vegas, Nevada

It felt weird to be at the track a day earlier than practice, but that was just now part of the routine for Chase. Although he wouldn't be on track until tomorrow, Sarina had a pair of practices later on that day, and being the supportive boyfriend, he wasn't about to send her across the country by herself. That's why they'd flown to Las Vegas late Wednesday, letting her get in a good sleep ahead of the pair of sessions.

"When is the first practice?" Chase questions as he comes out of the bathroom following a quick shower. 

"2," she answers as she glances at the text message from Rudy earlier. "I was going to make my way over to the garage about a half hour before to talk with Rudy, and get ready." Chase nods his head agreeing, knowing the plan for day was all on her shoulders. It was all about her doing whatever necessary to be comfortable and have success. 

"I'll make sure to be dressed in time." He then flops on the couch, towel casually wrapped around him as he glances over at the laptop screen. He knew the track by the video, and had a pretty good idea as to what was going on. "What are you watching?"

"Kyle's on-board video from here last spring..." He rolls his eyes, going to hit the exit button, but she pulls his hand away. She already could see what he wanted, based on the fact that he hadn't gone to find his clothes immediately after the shower. Sometimes he was just too obvious. "You're not going to distract me from this with your sexiness..."

"You need to lay off on the studying, though. It's one thing to be prepared and ready to go, but it's another to go insane." It was no lie she had been putting in more hours of watching video and speaking with Rudy, but Chase knew it was a projection of her frustration from the week before and that strive to be better. Knowing he'd done that before himself at times, he knew the role he had to play moving forward this weekend. "All work and no play makes Sarina a boring ga-"

"I told you that your sexiness wouldn't distract me." A smirk forms on his face as he lightly takes the laptop away from her, setting it aside. She may say those words, but he knew the actions to change her mind.

"Your eyes say differently..." He then takes her hand with his own, placing it over his crotch. If only she could feel what she did to him then maybe she'd deal with it. "Come on...."

"What has gotten into you lately?" He looks at her surprised. That wasn't the response he was looking for, thinking things would be mutual at this point.

"Excuse me, but last weekend was your fault..." She shakes her head no, making him laugh. She couldn't get away with the innocent lock much longer in his eyes. "You're the one that told me that you were turned on..."

"You initiated the first motion with a kiss along my lips." He shrugs his shoulders as he pulls her closer to him, if that was even possible. 

"It's a good distraction, though." She rolls her eyes, though couldn't resistant the temptation as her lips found his once again. She was about to work the towel off of him, when her phone went off with a text. Why did it seem life had to always get in the way? 

"Just ignore it. You can check it lat-"

"It may be Rudy, and based on last weekend, I kind of don't want to ignore him..." Chase reluctantly let her go, not able to deny that. Rudy was one to be focused on work and that had created an odd relation between the pair. However, Rudy put himself in the line and got knocked out in trying to keep Alison from what happened. He figured the crew chief deserved a benefit of doubt. "Of course that'd be the next step...."

"What's wrong?" Chase could tell by the puzzled look on her face that it wasn't a simple text from Rudy as they predicted, or something that would've been easily ignored. He had to admit his own mind was beginning to swirl in knowing what was possible these days.

"Alison may be tormenting with you, but it seems Shelley is ready to torment with both of us." Chase looks over confused as he glances at the text message. What could be worse than Alison's recent behavior? "It seems a motion has been filed by Shelley and her lawyer, I guess, to have the clause we put against Chris lifted."

"Is that the no psychological evaluation-consideration one?" She nods her head as he lets out a sigh. "Great..." Normally Chase would be sitting there being the positive reinforcement based on the events, trying to encourage Sarina it'd work out, but positivity was hard to find with the latest trail of events. If things were even remotely headed that way, then the police would have Alison is custody already.

"I called the lawyer when Shelley spoke of possibly doing this. She said someone could file an appeal of this nature to get the psychological ban lifted. She said that there was a 5% chance of that happening." Chase nods his head, not even liking those odds. To him, that meant it would probably still happen given everything else lately. 

"Welp, that means there's a 95% chan-"

"There's a very slim chance that someone gets caught up in a plane crash not once, but twice in their lifetime. There's a very slim chance of someone getting drugged, not once but twice. However, we've seen both happen to you, Chase. My life has been about bending every single odd and not always in my favor. Do you realize what I am saying?" He couldn't deny her argument, as he slowly nodded his head. Her words just reinforced his feelings, beginning to wake the nerves.

"I get the frustration, fear, anger – everything that you're expressing. But let's look at this another way. There's only a 5% chance that it can get overturned. Then even if it does, he needs to show the ability that he should be transferred to a psycholo-"

"He has faked it before, multiple tim-"

"And that's on record now, thanks to my statement and his records being submitted. So whoever ends up with his case will look for signs of that, decreasing his odds big time. But even if that happens, he needs to successfully rehab himself, and then make it through release trial and who knows what the terms would be." He takes a deep breath, wrapping an arm around her as he holds her tightly. It was hard to say these words and try to be the positive reinforcement given things lately, but he knew it was the only way they'd function in the days ahead. "I know it's hard to see right now, and I know it's hard to bear. But Sarina, it's going to be okay. We're not going to have to worry about your brother. We'll deal with this battle, just like we've overcome everything else so far." She then glances up at him.

"Even Alison?" He lets out a sigh, but nods his head. That was a harder one to simply make up an easy speech for, given her history and the fact they'd danced with death a couple times.

"She didn't hurt you too bad, and we're still together, right?" She nods her head. "Well, that's progress. Besides, I don't care what she has to drop off for me to read anymore. I'm not her puppet. I'm going to live my life the way I want, and she can kiss my ass." Sarina had to chuckle a little. It was great to hear the confidence laced back in his voice. 

"Even if that includes extreme make-out sessions together?" Chase smirks back in return.

"Of course...."

"So you don't think it's weird that I get this news about my brother, and I immediately want that still?" He shakes his head no as he brushes a piece of hair out of her eyes. He already knew why she was filing the request. He had utilized a similar mechanism himself.

"You want a distraction so you don't want to think about your brother and what he did, the same way I wanted to keep going over notes with Alan at Atlanta to not think about Alison's notes. I know it's not healthy either, as you should always face what you're feeling head-on, but I understand how hard that can be to do that. So I'm letting you compromise by accepting a distraction for now, but knowing you'll tell me when you're ready." She smiles, lightly kissing his lips.

"You're amazing...." She then deepens the kiss a little more, as he takes her phone, throwing it back on the table with the laptop.