Epilogue
EPILOGUE
TRISTAN - FOUR YEARS LATER
After the kids dropped tired in the playroom, Haelyn and Esmeray joined us in the viewing box that was rented specially for our family. It was a little after an hour and a half when all of us were moving from side to side as Serrari and Wizz were racing for the first place.
This year, Gorig’s team abandoned the idea of racing after at their first race the car was dismantled and their driver almost died on the circuit. But with or without him, we still had some strong competitors.
“Come on,” I muttered under my breath.
Our car was a little behind Wizz in a curve, but I knew he could have him. I just knew it deep down in my bones. But why wasn’t he doing that? He had two more minutes and the race was about to be over.
My throat locked when Wizz passed us by a mile and I slapped a hand on the window. “What is he doing?”
A hand on my shoulder helped the tension ease away and my wife kissed my neck. I breathed out, letting my hands drop beside my body. “We have to win.”
“We will. He’s just letting him taste the victory and the adrenaline rush into his blood so when he doesn’t expect it, we drive past him at the finish line.”
I turned to look at her. “Who’s idea was this?”
She bit her lip. “Before coming up here, they were changing his tires and I knew they kept being next to each other on the circuit, so I had to think fast. When I told Andrew, he said it’s a good idea and might be the only way we can outdo him.”
“He’s doing it.” I heard Kiaran with excitement in his voice.
I didn’t have time to register that my wife told me she spoke with the driver and most likely saved the race before I turned around to follow the cars.
Andrew was in front of Wizz the slightest and stayed that way long enough to give me a heart attack. “Come on, come on,” I breathed.
Right before the last curve, Andrew advanced and left Wizz behind and when he raced past the finish line… I turned to stone. I couldn’t believe what just happened.
Cheers from all over the circuit brushed my ears and my eyes swelled with tears. Fuck, I was turning sentimental, but we won.
We won. We fucking won.
Andrew got first to the finish line and my wife—my fucking amazing and smart wife—guaranteed us the win. All the work, the struggles, and the stress paid off at this very moment.
Haelyn and I did it.
“Oh my god.” I heard Esmeray scream. “You won!”
“Congratulations, brother.” Kai clapped me on the back.
“I’ll go take some photos to show everyone how cool my brother is. You smashed it.” Kiaran came to me and ruffled my hair.
But I couldn’t react, I couldn’t do anything else besides catching my wife’s cheeks into my palms. I could barely see her through the tears.
“Do you realize what you did?” I whispered as tears swam down on her cheeks. She nodded her head, biting the inside of her cheek. Haelyn put her arms around my neck. “You are fucking brilliant. Have I told you that?”
“Yes,” she cried. “But I like hearing you say it.”
I smashed my lips into hers, tasting the saltiness of her tears before looking back at her stunning face. “You’re brilliant, Haelyn Ross, and there was no way I would’ve been able to do this without you.”
She smiled weakly. “That’s why we are a team, right?”
“We’re a team,” I repeated and right when I dragged her to my chest, Cairo rushed into the room, followed by Diane.
Diane offered me a soft smile and I returned, glancing down at our daughter who had an F1 jersey on her. I didn’t know how she managed to run when the material flooded on the floor, definitely too big for her size.
“Win, win, win,” she sang-songed, her hands curling on our legs.
I scooped her up in my arms and my wife and I kissed her adorable little cheeks. She grinned from ear to ear and I decided on the spot that this image right here—the one with my wife and daughter in my arms—was everything I needed to live from now on.