by Paige Steele
Race day is here and the pits are crazy early on. My mechanic and I start to go over the bike, top to bottom, when we are greeted with a couple of our sponsors.
The 100% Goggles representative walks over, handing me two pairs for practices then tells me he’ll be back around with the heat race ones, followed by the main event pairs. They were already told what gear I’ll be wearing, so I’m given ones that match perfectly. It’s been raining off and on all day, which may make the track a little muddy, so the tear-off sheets are already attached to the front of each pair. The lens sheets fit perfectly and can only be torn off when I fly over a jump, it’s the only time I can take a hand off my bars. Once the dirty one is torn off, it gives me a clean view again.
Turning our attention back to my bike, my mechanic tells me he’s switched out my tires to give me more grip in the corners that I’m going to need. He decided this after our track walk this morning. As we squat down in front of the bike, I look over to see black leather boots, knowing right away who they belong to. I would know them anywhere, they are my favorites.
“Hey, Cupcake,” I say, without even looking up at her.
“Hey.”
“What’s going on?” I glance up at her.
“Nothing, just coming over to wish you good luck.”
“What no bet?” I chuckle.
“Oh, we can bet,” she laughs back at me.
Taking her hand, I lead her in the trailer to the second floor lounge.
“Let’s see…” She taps her finger to the side of her face, giving the impression she’s trying to figure out what to bet me.
“How about this…if I win both my heat and race, then I get to tie you to the bed tonight.” Walking toward her, I make her back up until she’s against the wall; my smile is more mischief than before.
“Okay but if you don’t, I get to tie YOU to the bed.” She returns my smile with one of her own, before standing on her tiptoes to give me a kiss to my lips. She ducks under my arm to escape as I respond to her comment.
“That’ll never happen, Cupcake, but I’ll let you believe it might.” I wink. She knows damn well, win or lose, her in charge is NEVER going to happen in the bedroom.
“Then you better win, big boy.” She snickers as she lands on bottom step, looking back up at me.
“Oh, I’ll win alright. On and off the track.” I snicker back.
“We’ll see. Good luck, Jes.” She blows me a kiss, opens the mirrored sliding doors, and walks out.
I’m left standing there, smiling.
My qualifying practice goes well, I’m second fastest behind the winner of the East Coast series. The same asshole that I wanted to punch yesterday. It’s not where I want to be, so I’ll have to get out of the gate fast tonight. I want a lead on him and everyone else, right from the start.
Back under the tent, I find myself back having a conversation with my mechanic and manager.
“I need more grip in the corners. I don’t feel like I’m coming out of them at top speed,” I tell him, so he knows where I’m losing time. I need at least three to four seconds cut off my time. It may not seem like a lot, but on the track it’s everything. It can make the difference between being in first or being in the back of the pack.
I pull my jersey off my body, using it; I wipe my face off of the sweat and dirt. The rain finally stopped but the track is a mess early on. By the time we go out for our heat races it should be better, and by the main, it should be in perfect condition.
Heading in the trailer, I take a quick shower. I have to get ready for the autograph signing I will be doing with the other riders on the Yamaha team. As I walk out, I see Cooper directly across from me, under his tent.
“Hey, Coop. Track doesn’t look to bad, huh?” I say, as I make my way to where he’s sitting at one of the tables.
“Nah, not really. I’d like it to dry up a little more, but other than that, it’s good. Where’d you finish?”
“Behind the dickhead on the Honda from the East Coast.”
“No worries, you got this.”
“How’d you do?”
“First, but I had guys all over me.”
“What about Ryan?”
“He slid out in one of the corners, so he had a shitty practice. Hopefully his heat will be better.”
We chat for a few more minutes before I walk over to the captain chair that is waiting for me. I flip my hat backwards for the signing, grab a black Sharpie and take a seat. There’s at least a hundred or more lined up to get a poster, an autograph, or a picture with their favorite rider. After forty-five minutes, the chain is put back in place and it’s over.
I watch Maddie under the Hyped Energy Tent for several minutes. She is so good with fans, making them feel special when she’s with them. The young boys watch each of the girls with love in their eyes. How can they not, each of them are gorgeous.
She sees me out of the corner of her eye. Smiling wide, she winks at me before turning to do another photo. I can’t help but fall more in love with her every day. Just the sight of her warms my heart and soul.
I get drawn out in the second heat, but I still need to get ready and head toward the track. I’ll line up right after the first race takes off. This also gives me the chance to see them in action and what happens in the first race. My mechanic starts my bike, twists the throttle several times, giving it gas to warm it up. I take over as I slide my goggles over the other side of my bars. Throwing my leg over, I sit down on the seat. After grabbing my helmet, my mechanic sits behind me as we take off towards the stadium.
I sit on my bike at the gate I picked, watching the race on the jumbo screens in front of me in the stadium. The placement tower displays the numbers of the first five riders in the race, which makes it easier for fans to follow along with the race, as the front runners get mixed in with lappers. And as luck would have it, the same jackass that beat me out for the fastest lap time is out there leading it.
The gates drop in my heat, and I gas my bike as I go in the first corner. I give it all I can to get there first. Not seeing anything or anyone but the track ahead of me, I know I got out of it in the lead. As I ride around the track, I know there are bikes all over my back tire; the minute I screw up they will go flying by me. Keeping focused on every jump, tabletop, twist, and turn, is what needs to be done to stay in the position I’m in and to take the win. And I do just that as I cross the finish line.
After my interview with the TV host, I’m off to the tent, with my mechanic in tow, on the back of my bike. Once back, I let him take it as I jump off and head inside the trailer. My helmet, goggles, and gloves are left on the stand to my left as I walk in, before I drop onto the stool on my right. I unbuckle my boots and slip them both off then standing back up; I remove my jersey followed by my gear pants. I’m now standing in just my knee-high racing socks and athletic underwear, which are skin tight and perfect under my gear for racing.
“Wow, now that’s a sight.” I hear from behind me.
“I bet the sight behind me is way better.”
“Haha, I doubt it.”
Turning around, I see Maddie standing with her legs shoulder width apart, hands on her hips, with a flirtatious smile on her face.
“Yep, I was right. Cupcake, you look smokin’ hot today.” And she does, in her second skin, black leather pants, bright yellow, tight tank top that shows just the right amount of cleavage, with, of course, a pair of boots.
“What are you talking about, you’ve seen me all day, and I haven’t changed.” She giggles.
“Yes, but I didn’t have a chance to properly tell you…you look amazing.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her, grinning.
“Well, thank you.” She curtsies in front of me.
I lean in, giving a quick kiss to her lips, without touching her with the rest of my sweat-covered body.
“Let me grab a shower, then I need to refuel,” I say, rubbing my stomach, “and call Grandpa.”
“Sounds good.”
&nbs
p; She slides open the doors, walking out, as I make my way to the small shower stall that we have in the truck. After ten minutes, I’m clean and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Maddie is outside and has been captured by fans for more pictures.
When she sees me out of the corner of her eye, she excuses herself, coming in my direction; I can’t help but smile. Pulling her close to my side, I bring my lips to hers. Once we break away from each other, her head rests for a moment on my chest, just over my heart.
My team manager comes over to discuss the main event, and what he saw while I was racing the heat, as well as the main douchebag from heat one, the East Coast Series winner. The fucker still has a second and half faster time, which means I need to get a better start than him and pray he gets stuck in the back of the pack.
While we are talking, Maddie walks over and starts to make us each a plate. The small buffet is set up on a long table. The driver of the truck cooks for the team and anyone else that gets invited over. Some sponsors usually make their way under the tent at some point.
After our conversation ends, I find her already sitting at one of the tables. She has dished up chicken, rice, broccoli, and a tossed salad for me. Her plate looks the same. I take the bottle of water down it in one chug. I know my body needs to replenish everything I just burned on the track.
Pulling out my phone, I click on Grandpa’s number. He’s funny with his little flip phone still. When I insisted he and Gramma have one, they thought I had lost my mind. “We don’t need no stupid phone,” he said to me. Once I bought it and handed it over, with my number already programmed in, as well as Maddie’s, their doctors, two of their neighbors, and a few of their other friends that they go play cards with, they thought it was amazing how they could just call them at any time, from any place. They now realize how safe it is to have one on them at all times.
“Hey, Grandpa, how’s everything going there?” I try to sound upbeat, they love to come to the finals so this is tough for him, I know.
“How’s the racing going?”
I can hear the sadness in his voice and breaks my heart.
“I think I was second or third in practice for lap times and for the heat…I got drawn out in heat two and I won that.”
“Good, Son. How’s Maddie? She with you?”
“Yeah, she’s here, but she’s just about ready to head back to her tent to get ready, and she’s doing good, Gramps. What’s Gramma up to? Can I talk to her?”
He clears his throat before he speaks, then a deep breath comes out through the phone.
“No, Son, she’s sleeping right now.”
“What’s going on? Everything okay?”
“Nothing you need to worry about right now. I need you to concentrate on this race and win it. You hear me? Don’t worry about us here. We’ll talk after the race.”
Something doesn’t settle right in my gut, but I tell him what he needs to hear. I don’t want him worrying about me too.
“Alright, Gramps but when I’m done racing, I’ll call.”
“Sounds good, now bring back the win for you and your team. I love you, Son.”
“I intend to. Thanks, Gramps, I love you, too.”
MADDIE
I kiss Jesse good luck and goodbye, as I walk back over to my tent. It’s time to freshen up to go in front of the crowd, racers, and cameras. I’m doing the thirty second board tonight, so all eyes will be on me and I mean that literally. The camera for the TV will be pointed directly at me, so every viewer that tunes in will see me as well as everyone in the stands and racers.
I’m about to walk in the Hyped Energy trailer, when my cell rings. Looking down I see Jesse’s Grandpa’s face on my screen. Knowing that Jesse just talked to him minutes ago has me wondering what’s going on.
“Hey there, Mr. Anderson.”
“Hello, Maddie.”
“How are you and Mrs. Anderson doing?”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. You’re not with Jesse anymore, right?”
“No, I’m back at my tent.” He has me concerned at the way he asked if Jesse and I were still together.
There is silence for a moment and I have to ask if he’s still there. I sit on the couch inside the trailer not sure how this is going to go.
“Maddie, I need you to be there for Jesse during what maybe the hardest thing he’ll ever go through.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Anderson, I’m confused. What’s Jesse going through? I just left him and he was fine.”
“And he will be until after the race.”
“You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”
“Maddie, my wife passed away about an hour ago.”
“OH MY GOD, does Jesse know? I need to get back to him.” I jump up to leave when I hear his voice yell through the phone.
“NO!” he shouts at me. It stops me dead in my tracks.
“What do you mean no? He doesn’t know yet?” I ask, just as the first tear trickles down my cheek.
“No, and I want it left that way. I need his head in the game while racing. He needs to focus.”
“Sir, no offense, but he won’t care about this race once he hears. He’ll want to be back home with you.”
“And that is exactly why you won’t tell him until he finishes what he started and wins the race.”
“He’ll never forgive me for not telling him. I can’t do that.”
“Maddie, the only reason I’m telling you now is so you can get everything together for him, to come home, when he’s done racing. Once you tell him, he’ll want to leave immediately.”
“I know but, sir, he needs to know.” Tears have taken over my eyes as we talk.
“Again, Maddie, no, he doesn’t, not until he’s done with what he went there to do. My wife, his grandmother, would want it this way. She went peacefully in her sleep, but not until she told me she loves us both and asked me to take care of our boy. And that is what I’m doing. So please, I’m asking you again not to tell him until after the race.”
I sit on the couch, not saying anything as I’m at a loss for words. More tears flow out freely down my cheeks.
“Maddie, please.” The pleading sound in his voice breaks my heart even more for him and Jesse. I know what this is going to do to Jesse, and possibly us, but I agree.
“Okay, I’ll do it,” I whisper back.
“Thank you.” A sigh of relief comes out in his words.
“I’m not sure he’ll ever forgive me for not telling him as soon as I found out.”
“He will when he understands why I asked you to hold off from letting him know.”
“I hope so.”
“Just be there for him. Get him through this race and home safely to me. Please.”
“I will.”
“I’m going to let you go and get back to work, while I gather her belongings from her hospital room. I wanted to pack them myself.”
“I wish we were there with you.” I sniff as tears continue to fall.
“Shhh, no more tears. You need to go get him off the starting line.”
“That might be hard to do now. My face isn’t going to look that good on camera, all red.” I swipe both of my eyes with a tissue I grabbed off the stand next to where I am sitting.
“You can and will for his sake. Again, he can’t think anything is wrong, if he doesn’t see you there tonight, he’ll be worried.”
I agree again and hang up the phone. I understand what he is saying, but this might just ruin everything we’ve built. I know he’d walk away from the race tonight and fly home immediately. That is exactly what Mr. Anderson doesn’t want to happen.
I call the girls in to tell them and to figure out what I should do now. Josie, Kenna, and Ansley walk in all smiles, not understanding that I’m about to drop a terrible bomb on them.
“What the hell?” Josie asks as soon as she looks at me.
“Oh, Mads, what’s going on?” Kenna and Ansley pretty much say it at the same time as all three of them start to hug
me.
I stand there with my face in my hands, as I sob a bit more, before I can gather myself enough to tell them. They all continue to hold me while we stand in the middle of the small room. Leading me over to the couch, the girls all tell me to sit and tell them what’s going on. So I do.
“Once I got back here, Mr. Anderson called me. He wanted me to know that about an hour ago Mrs. Anderson passed away.”
“Why are you here then and not with Jesse? He must be freaking out,” Kenna questions.
“That’s the kicker. He doesn’t know. Mr. Anderson didn’t want to tell him before he raced, and he doesn’t want me to do it either.”
“And you agreed?” Josie sounds shocked.
“I did. But only because he begged me not to. I couldn’t tell him no,” I explain.
“Oh shit, honey.” Josie leans down in front of me and grabs my hands in hers, giving them a squeeze.
“I know, right? How the hell am I supposed to go out there and smile and act like nothing’s wrong, when Jesse’s world is about to fall apart?”
“He wants him to win, huh?” Ansley asks.
“He does and he said that Mrs. Anderson would want it, too. That’s when I caved. I didn’t want to, my first thought was run and tell him, but after he explained that it would be her wish for him to finish what he came here to do, I said yes.”
“Then we’ll help you,” Kenna states.
“Hell, yes we will,” Josie perks up to say.
“Yes, what do you need us to do, Mads? We can help with whatever you need us to do,” Ansley agrees with the others.
“Thanks, you girls are the best. I love you all, I hope you know that.” I sob a little more with a tiny smile, knowing they are by my side.
“We are kinda great, huh?” Josie smiles back.
“Yeah, ya kinda are.” My smile doesn’t reach very far on my face, but I want her to know she’s right, they really are just that…great.