Chapter 29 – Otis
The birthday party already seemed like a distant memory. It had been a great day, in fact I had been a little sad when it was all over. But the kids had started to get tired and so they had needed to get back to the hotel, and by the following day, even though it was Sunday, it was back to work.
“You ready?” Lars asks, coming over to me.
“Yeah. It’s been an interesting few weeks. I’m glad to be back in the car,” I tell him.
“I can see that,” Lars confirms. “You have been flying since practice on Friday.”
“Being in that car, I’m able to forget about everything. It’s just me and the track,” I explain.
“And that right there is why you are always going to be better than me,” Lars responds.
“Lars…” But I’m not sure how I can reply to that. Racing is the only thing that I have ever been good at. It’s basically my happy place.
“But I will say I love how you push me,” Lars adds. “That makes driving fun.”
“I do have to admit that I love racing with you more than anyone else. You drive like me,” I tell him, because it’s the truth. Lars brings out a side of me that no one else has been able to do.
“So, let’s give them a show,” Lars states, slapping me on the back before walking away.
“Please do not give them too much of a show. I want you back in one piece,” Jasper says, coming up to me, giving me a kiss.
“I’ll try,” I reply, giving him a smile.
Jasper has gotten quieter and quieter over the last few days, and I know that it’s because he is worried about me racing. I’m sure all he can see is the accident I had at Silverstone, even though that wasn’t my fault. Last night in bed, he had pulled me into his arms and held me tight all night.
“I don’t need you to try. I need you to be sensible,” Jasper retorts.
“Jasper, I promise I’m going to be okay,” I tell him. “Love you.”
“I love you too,” Jasper confirms.
“Otis.” Both Jasper and I turn to the sound of Marcus’s voice, and he comes over with his iPad in his hands and my stomach drops.
Clive and Marj had been quiet for so long that we got lulled into a false sense of security.
Over the last few days, more pictures had been appearing.
We all knew that it was no coincidence, that it was timed with racing starting again.
When there will be renewed interest in me.
“No. I don’t want to know,” I say over to him. “I’m about to go on the track.”
“Actually, this I think you will like,” Marcus states, and when he flips the iPad around there on the screen is Tina, Mason and Eden.
“Hi Otis,” Mason says.
“Hi Uncle Otis,” Eden continues, and Tina just gives me a smile.
“The kids wanted to wish you good luck,” Marcus explains.
“Oh, thanks guys,” I tell them.
“Otis, careful going uphill on Eau Rouge. That was the corner that Lars crashed in,” Mason says.
“I’ll be careful,” I tell him, and I love the fact that this ten-year-old is giving me driving advice. “Now, I need to get going. I’ll see you soon, guys.” With all of them waving, they disconnect the call.
“That was nice of them,” Jasper says.
“I have no idea why those kids have become so important, but they have,” I tell him.
“I think it’s because we both want to protect them, especially considering who their father is,” Jasper replies.
“Yeah,” I confirm. “Now give me another good luck kiss. I need to get in the car.”
Jasper comes over and gives me a kiss, not a deep passionate one, that wouldn’t be ideal in the middle of the garage, but I loved it all the same, making me smile and relaxing me even more.
“Otis, get in the car and stop making out with Jasper,” Lars shouts over to me.
“Oh, go get him,” Jasper whispers.
“I will,” I tell him.
Before I knew it, the race was over. It had gone as I’d hoped.
I had miscalculated some corners and locked up the brakes, causing Lars to overtake me, which I knew that he would have loved.
Then I had gone wide, and another car had passed me.
I had gone from first to third and the cars were pulling away.
But I had dug deep and pushed myself, and I had managed to catch up.
Within a few laps I overtake the driver in third and it’s just me and Lars battling for first, and on the final lap, I get the win.
“You are one fucking lucky bastard,” Lars states, as we come off the podium, but he’s smiling at me.
“Really. I’m exhausted,” I tell him. “I made some stupid mistakes out there.”
“Oh, I know. Made for a bloody fantastic race,” Lars continues, and his enjoyment is infectious.
“You almost got the win,” I start, “But I couldn’t let you have it.”
“Next time, let me have the win,” Lars states.
“Not a chance in hell,” I say with a chuckle.
Both of us are still chuckling to ourselves as we walk into the garage.
The place should be a hive of activity. I was expecting to be greeted by technicians congratulating me, but it’s all somehow sombre and they have pulled screens across the front of the garage.
That normally only happened when privacy was needed.
“What the fuck’s happened?” I ask.
“No idea, but it doesn’t look good,” Lars confirms.
“Where’s Jasper?” Suddenly realising that Jasper hasn’t come up to see me. I would’ve thought that he would be the first one there.
“Lars, Otis,” one of the techs says, “I think you need to go to the office.”
“Why? Has something bad happened?” Lars asks.
“We aren’t sure. Marcus came in about five minutes ago and everyone left, and we were told to put the screens up,” the tech confirms.
“That can’t be good,” I say to Lars, who nods his head in agreement.
We both turn around and head to the office at the back of the garage, and I’m trying to think what on earth could’ve happened. The elation I had been feeling at getting my win had gone, and all I’m feeling now is worried.
We knock on the door, but don’t wait to be called in before opening the door and walking in.
The room is a hive of activity. Vincent is on his phone, with Richard standing next to him.
Marcus and Charmaine are huddled together talking, while looking at an iPad.
David is sitting with Jasper with his arm around his shoulder.
No one seems to have noticed that we have entered the room.
“Jasper,” I say, going over to him, and when he looks up at me his face is white. “What the fuck’s happened? Is it Kimber?”
“No,” Jasper manages to get out.
“Then what?” I ask.
“Otis, I think there is something that you need to see,” Marcus says, “come and have a look at this.
“What now?” I demand, as I go over to him, giving Jasper one last look to see that he’s okay.
“It’s Clive and Marj,” Marcus states.
“What the fuck have the two of them done now?” I ask, but Marcus doesn’t answer me, instead he hands me over the iPad, and it looks like there is a video clip.
“Hit play,” Marcus instructs. “News broke just after the race. I found a recording for you.”
“Have they done some kind of interview together? Why can’t the two of them just leave us alone?” I say as I look at the iPad and hit play.
A reporter comes on the screen and I start to read the headline that is at the bottom of the screen ‘Clive Wilson and Marjorie Brown killed in car accident.’
“Is this true?” Not paying attention to the video that is still playing.
“Yes,” Marcus confirms.
Fuck. This wasn’t the news that I thought I was going to hear. I was expecting them to have announced some new drama that Jasper and I were going to have to deal with or maybe that Clive had gone after Tina again. But killed?
“Jasper.” I quickly hand the iPad back to Marcus and rush over to him. David’s getting up so that I can sit next to him.
“Clive’s dead,” Jasper mumbles.
“Yeah,” I confirm, but I’m not sure what else to say. I would never want them dead, but there is a part of me that’s glad that they can no longer come after me or Jasper. “Do we know what caused the accident?” I ask, but look over to Marcus.
“No. Says it’s still under investigation,” Marcus confirms.
“Jasper, baby,” I say, gently taking hold of his hand.
“Clive’s dead,” Is all he can say again.
“He is, he can’t hurt you any more,” I tell him.
A sob breaks out from Jasper, and I let go of his hand and pull him into me. I don’t think that he’s crying because Clive is dead, but more because he knows that it’s over. That Clive can’t come after him anymore.
“Fuck, has anyone called Tina?” I ask looking up.
“Yeah, Vincent called her,” David confirms, “She hadn’t heard. Vincent broke the news to her.”
“Jesus Christ,” I mumble.
“Vincent organised for a car to pick up her parents. They are on the way to her,” David confirms.
“Good,” I reply. “She can’t be alone.”
“Otis, are you okay?” David asks, looking at me with a concerned expression on his face.
“I have no idea. Jasper is my main concern,” I reply.
“You heard that Marj was killed too,” David says gently.
“I did.” And I realise then why David is concerned. He must have been expecting me to break down like Jasper. But Marj never hurt me like Clive did. Marj only ever wanted money and fame. Clive wanted to destroy everything Jasper had built.
“And you’re okay?” David asks again.
“At the moment I’m more concerned with Jasper. It might hit me later, but at the moment…” But I don’t add that I almost feel relief. That would probably make me sound crazy. “Has anyone called Kimber?”
“Shit. No,” Marcus calls.
“Jasper, can you give me your phone?” I ask him gently, it never occurred to me to get my phone after I had come down from the podium. I feel Jasper shift as he reaches into his pocket and hands me the phone.
I unlock his phone, opening the contacts and scrolling to Kimber’s number and hitting call, with it being answered almost immediately.
“Jasper,” Kimber says his name in a rush.
“It’s Otis,” I say. “You heard the news?”
“Yeah, how is Jasper?” Kimber asks.
“In shock,” I tell her.
“And you?” Kimber adds.
“I’m okay. I’m bringing Jasper home,” I tell her.