Chapter 34
34
GUY ‘FOSTER’
Five Years Later
‘Uncle Foster, watch!’ Ace, our nephew – Jess’s little boy – comes racing past us on his child-sized dirt bike, purchased by me.
He’s five years old now and a motocross prodigy. At least that’s what I keep telling him. Much to Jess’s disdain, he sees me as a superhero, and all he wants to be is ‘like me’ when he grows up. His words. I couldn’t be prouder.
Eve and I are living just outside of Portland, on ten acres that we purchased a year after we got back together. Eve is now a charge nurse in the ER, barking orders and saving lives – I’m kidding, she’s great at it, and as long as no relative, nor me, is brought in on her shift, she loves every second of it.
Matty spent two weeks here as he and I built my very own practice track. We’ve got berms, jumps, mud, and even a foam pit.
‘Both hands!’ Jess and Eve yell in unison when Ace rides by, one-handed.
‘He’s practically wrapped in bubble wrap you two, he’s fine.’ He’s also wearing every pad and bit of safety gear available to mankind. So, I’m not worried. I’ve lived through worse than a one-handed fall from two feet off the ground.
Stepping closer to Eve, I can’t help but chuckle at the synchronized worry in their voices. My eyes trace the lines of her face as she watches Ace with a mix of pride and concern. She’s always been so attentive, and so caring. And that’s one of the many things that drew me back to her.
I lean in slightly, speaking just loud enough for her to hear over the revving engines and excited shouts around us. ‘You know, one of these days, he’s gonna out-jump me. Then what are you gonna do?’
‘Talk my sister down off the cliff?’ she teases.
As Ace returns, beaming with pride, I tousle his helmet-clad head and share a knowing look with Eve. She smiles back at me, her worry melting away into amusement. It’s moments like these that remind us how far we’ve come – from broken hearts to this family we’ve built together – even the ones not related like Phil, Gen, Kait, Matty, and my buddies when they visit.
‘Ride with me!’ Ace yells over the engine.
‘You don’t have to ask me twice,’ I say, pecking a kiss onto Eve’s lips before jogging to my bike.
‘Be careful!’ she hollers after me, flashing me that gorgeous smile as I slide on my helmet.
I still race. Not as much as I did, but enough to keep me happy. Mostly, though, I coach new motocross riders, like Ace and his three buddies racing around my track. He placed in his first comp recently – the trophy is front and center of Jess’s fireplace mantle.
Ace takes off in a cloud of dust and I follow close behind, reveling in the roar of the engines and the wind whipping past us. He might be young, but he’s got potential. I can see the determination in his eyes, just like how I used to feel when I first started out.
As we hit a series of jumps, I can’t help but let out a whoop of excitement. The adrenaline rush is addictive. It’s moments like these that remind me why I fell in love with motocross in the first place.
After a few exhilarating laps around the track, and one big flip that I’m sure put Eve’s stomach in knots, Ace pulls up next to me, yanking off his helmet, his eyes shining with excitement. ‘That was awesome, Uncle Foster!’ he exclaims, his whole face lit up with joy. ‘I want to jump like that!’
I kill my bike and pat him on the back, giving him a proud smile. ‘You did great out there, bro. Keep practicing, and you’ll be beating me in no time.’
‘How about instead of beating anyone, we get this anniversary party started?’ Phil says, uncorking a bottle of champagne with a loud pop.
‘To ten years,’ Jess says, all of our friends and family repeating her words.
We toast, clinking our glasses together.
‘Ten years,’ I say, looking at my gorgeous wife.
‘Seems like only five,’ she jokes. ‘Yet I’m looking forward to eternity.’ Her eyes sparkle with mischief as she taps her glass against mine in a toast to our milestone anniversary.
The sun is beginning to set, casting a warm golden glow over our little celebration. Motorcycles and music fill the air, and laughter and chatter blend into the perfect backdrop for the evening.
As we settle into the festivities, surrounded by friends and family who have become our rock over the years, I can’t help but feel a surge of gratitude for everything that has led us here. From heartbreak to healing, from doubts to certainty, Eve has been my constant companion through it all.
I steal a moment with her, pulling her away from the crowd to a quiet spot overlooking the property. The engines have fallen silent now, replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves as fall starts to set in.
‘Forever with you won’t ever be long enough.’
‘I know,’ she says. ‘But it’s a good start.’
‘That it is, Jellybean.’ I kiss her lips sweetly, wishing time would slow down just a little so I never forget a moment. ‘Thank you.’
‘For what?’ she asks.
‘Being in my life. Without you, I could legit be dead. Or living without a purpose until the end of time.’
She smiles, kissing my cheek. ‘I’d do it all over again in an instant.’