Chapter 25 Koby
Koby
March - Phillip Island, Victoria
Picking up my phone from the bench, I message Rayna:
I have a surprise for you in my pit box.
You know we aren’t in our 20s anymore? There is too much hard concrete and a need for unusual positions.
Not that kind of surprise. Though you have given me some ideas. ;)
I’m intrigued. Coming. xo
Tossing the phone back on the bench, I’m already in a leather racing suit and I have pulled one that will fit Rayna along with helmet, boots and gloves.
She floats around the corner, smiling as her eyes hit me.
“What’s this big surprise? Why aren’t your bikes packed up?” She scans the bikes and confusion furrows her brow.
Gesturing towards the gear, I offer. “We didn’t get to hit the road on your bike over the summer. Thought we could take these around the track. Get you back into it with no traffic.”
She contemplates, biting her bottom lip. She finally smiles through her trapped lip. "I don't know. Triumph team owner on a Ducati…"
Rolling my eyes at her repeating my line, I laugh. "You got any new stalkers I need to go pummel?"
She giggles, “Alright, let’s do it.”
We head out on track once she’s geared up, taking it slow. She used to ride all the time, but it’s been over a decade since she was regularly riding. After a few lazy laps, it’s like she never stopped.
Opting for a quick stop at our favourite corner of the track, we dismount, placing our helmets down, and stare out at the sea. Enjoying the wild thrashing of the waves crashing against the coastal rocks.
“Thanks for doing this.” Rayna breaks the silence between us.
“Anytime. How do you feel?”
“Good. Glad I did it on track to get used to a bike again. Don’t have to worry about the insane city drivers.”
“You’ve never not been able to do something you have set your mind to. You have unbelievable determination. Always have.”
She leans over and kisses me lightly. My hand reaches to the collar of her leathers.
The sound of squeaking leather as I fist it and drag her back to me. Crashing my mouth over hers, as she lifts her hands to my sides. Her mouth opens, while I push my tongue in. My leathers gripping against hers as my other hand wraps around her waist.
The heat of the kiss — a wonderful juxtaposition to the blistering cold of the Antarctic winds swirling around us.
“Few more laps and then head back?” I ask.
“Let’s head back now. We have all season to do this, and I can already feel my joints hurting.”
“Well, I don’t want to completely wear you out on track with what I have planned for you when we get back to the room.”
I see the sharp inhale at the thoughts that flash through her mind, and I love to keep her guessing.
“Lead the way, Rookie,” she breathes.
Rayna is finishing up in the shower as I am on the lounge, waiting for to get dinner. Flicking through the TV to pass the time, when my phone breaks the mindless channel hopping.
“Hey Leni, how you going?”
“Hey Kobs, I have Louie and Mitch in here with me.”
They join in with greetings.
“Everything okay?” I shut off the TV and stand up. This can’t be good news.
Louie speaks. “I tried calling Mum but she mustn’t be near her phone.” He pauses and I know what he’s going to say. “Brax has been called away to be with his mum. The nurse spoke with him this morning, and I sent him off to the airport as soon as he got off the call.”
“Okay. Thanks for letting me know. Do you need any support from us?” I ask.
Leni answers, “Brax was very thorough. We’ve been spending every day as soon as we were back glued to each other going through everything he had planned.”
Rayna enters the room with a huge smile. My face stays serious and she knows it’s a sensitive call.
“Rayna and I will look to head over next weekend between our races but anything any of you need, please don’t hesitate.”
They answer in a chorus of thank you’s and chat soon.
“Brax went to be with his mum?” Rayna asks.
“Yeah, this morning. I’ll book some flights to head over to meet with Leni and Louie and make sure everyone is going okay with this transition.”
“Sounds good. I am going to get some kind of meal care package sent over for Brax so he can focus on being with his mum and not miss out on eating.” She opens her phone and sits on the lounge.
Sitting by her side, our hands interlock tightly as we finish our set tasks in silence. Feeling helpless in the situation.
May – The Bend, South Australia
Maisie, a new journalist in the paddock runs up towards me.
“Koby! I’m so sorry to bother you, but Oscar said you wouldn’t mind if I asked you some questions?”
“If Oscar sent you, then I cannot say no,” I joke. Oscar, my PR Director, wouldn't send media to me without a good reason.
She smiles brightly and pulls out her phone to record in one hand and poises her notebook in the other.
I like Maisie. She has been a great addition to the visiting media.
She has more knowledge than some of the others who have been covering the sport for years and has been asking everyone she gets in front of insightful questions.
She looks to be twenty-nine or thirty-one?
I can never tell anyone’s ages, though. Her hair is light brown with deep blue streaks through it which throws off my estimations.
She asked questions about leading the championship a month out from mid-season break, any plans for changes for an edge on the bike to maintain our lead and a few questions about losing crew members across the sports.
We wrap up her questions quite quickly. She shuts off her phone and stows her notebook back into her bag.
“Are you looking forward to the mid-season break?” She asks.
“Yeah, we have plans to stay around here and head through some wineries.”
“I didn’t realise you were married?”
“Oh, nah. Rayna and I are together. I was married, but I’m now divorced.”
“Sorry! That was a little personal of me. Hope I didn’t cross a line.”
“Not at all. Are you married?”
“Yeah. Actually one of the hospitality coordinators, Stan.”
“Yes, I know Stan. Great to put a name to the face.”
“I know! I have spent years hearing Stan talk about you all, and now I get to finally meet you all.”
We discuss Maisie’s change of career a few years ago and how she was determined to do something she loved, which she fell into sports journalism and the struggles of being a mature age student.
Going through mid-season plans in greater detail, and how much I am enjoying spending time with Rayna and which sports Maisie will be covering over the next few months.
Talking about my girl has made me miss her, so once we finish up chatting, I head over to Rayna’s pit box.