Racing for Freedom

EPILOGUE



“You can do this Dash, I know you can.”

I swallow, staring at my car and the racetrack, then turning back to Slade.

“I don’t know Slade, I’m so nervous…”

“We’ve been over this, we’ve been practicing. You can do this, you were born to do this.”

“And you?”

He grins and leans against his car. “Oh you know, I’m going to do the before races but that’s fine by me. One day I’ll be where you are, but right now, you deserve this moment and you’re going to kill it.”

“I couldn’t have done this without you Slade, you know that right?”

He tilts my chin up and brings his lips down onto mine in a sweet, deep kiss. When he pulls back, I’m panting and staring up at him through hooded lashes.

“No, baby, you did this all on your own.”

I grin at him and stroke his cheek. “This’ll be you soon, you’re free to do what you need.”

He grins. “Oh I know, this time I’m going for it my way.”

I frown a moment and then whisper. “Have you seen Michael?”

He shrugs. “No…and I’m good with that. He’s tried to call, but I don’t think he’d dare come back here Dashy, not after what Colby did to him.”

I smile and kiss him again. “Well, my dad is pretty scary when he wants to be.”

Slade laughs and rubs his hand. “I know, I think he just about broke my hand when he shook it earlier.”

“Oh? Why were you shaking my dad’s hand?”

Slade grins, “That’s for me to know…”

I shove his chest and grin, but before I can answer Payton and Lucas come rushing over. I beam when I see them, and I rush over to give them a hug before the race.

“You’re going to be amazing!” Payton laughs.

“I hope so!”

Lucas puts an arm over my shoulder and nods his head at Slade. They have an understanding now, they’re not friends but they’re cool around each other.

“How are you feeling?” Lucas asks.

“Nervous as hell.”

“You’ll do well Dash, we all believe in you.”

I grin and roll my eyes. “You’re all too nice, someone give me a wakeup call because this can’t seriously be happening.”

Slade pulls me from Lucas’ arms and kisses me. “Oh baby, it’s happening.”

~*~*~*~

Five laps in and I’m coming third. I’m keeping my distance, just like my dad taught me. I’m keeping a steady place, but at the end, I’ll fight with everything I have to make sure I get at least second place. Ten laps, five down. I can do this. I suck in a breath as I pick up speed, sliding around the corners with ease. I am made for this. I can do this. As I take a massive bend, and soar out the other side, I know I’m coming in close.

By the second last lap, my heart is beating so fast I can hardly breathe. All I can hear in my head is a loud ba boom, ba boom. I’m here. I’m doing it. No matter what, I’ve done well, I’ve made it this far. I’ve lived my dream and I’ve succeeded even when everything around me was drowning. I made it. I did it. I am it. The lines become a blur as I take the final bend, I can’t hear anything. I can’t feel anything. My eyes are focused solely on the road in front of me.

When I cross that finish line in second place, I’m not at all disheartened. In fact, when I get out of my car I’m screaming with happiness. Second place in the championships, second freaking place! That’s not first, but it’s damn close. When I set eyes on my father, he has tears stumbling down his face. He knows exactly what second place is. No, it’s not first and it’s not a win but I made it. I did it. I got in that car and I pushed on. That, in my heart and his, means more than first place ever could.

When I reach my little group of fans, I leap on Slade. He’s mumbling incoherent words about how amazing I was. My father pulls me into his arms next, telling me how proud he is of me. How my mother would be so proud. Those are the words I most wanted to hear, above all else, I want her to know her death will never be forgotten and we’ll always fight for her, for us, for this.

“Dasha Jewel?”

I spin around to see a man in a suit standing beside Slade.

“That’s me?” I say, my voice high pitched and excited.

“My name is Martin Jepode, I was wondering if we could have a word?”

I nod. “Now’s fine.”

He smiles at my father, obviously knowing who he is.

“Great race out there,” he says to me.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll get right to the point, I saw your race and have been watching your racing now for years. You did really well out there and I was wondering if you would consider letting us sponsor you?”

My squeals of joy were his answer. He laughs and steps forward, shaking my father’s hand.

“I guess I’ll be seeing more of you and your daughter, Mr. Jewel.”

“Thank you Martin, this is truly a gift.”

Slade is grinning and his eyes are glassy with pride. I beam and shake Martin’s hand as he tells me he will contact me next week.

“Thank you,” I say to him. “Thank you so much.”

He nods. “I can’t let good talent go to waste, see you next week Miss Jewel.”

When he’s gone, I turn and hug everyone once more. Slade suddenly looks a little nervous as he meets my father’s gaze.

“What?” I ask.

Slade swallows and turns to me. Then before I can say anything, he’s on his knee in front of me. One knee. One…knee. I gasp and my hand covers my mouth as I hear the crowd in the stand behind us go silent. Soon, more people catch on and everyone becomes silent as they watch Slade take my hand. Tears thunder down my cheeks as I stare down into the aqua eyes I love so dearly.

“Dasha Anne Jewel, I know what we’ve been through. I know what we’ve endured to find our happiness. I’ve hurt you, I’ve been an ass and I’ve not been there when I should have been, but Dashy, I’m here now and I want to be here for the rest of your life. You’ve been my best friend for a long time now, but more than that, you’re my heart. Some people find one or the other in a person. They might find a friendship that lasts forever, or a love that lasts forever. I’ve found both and I’ve found it in the one place I want to call home for the rest of my life. Dashy, do me the honor of being my wife. Will you marry me?”

I sob loudly as I drop to my knees in front of Slade. He finally let’s go and a tear tumbles down his cheek.

“I’ve always loved you Slade, the minute I laid eyes on you I knew you’d change my life. Good and bad, back and forth, we’ve been through it all but we’re still here. You’ve been by my side even when you didn’t have to be. So my answer to you, Slade Devaroe is yes, always yes.”

The crowd roars but I can’t hear anything, I can’t see anything but him. My happiness. My lifeline. My reason for breathing. I cup his face in my hands and I kiss him with everything I have inside, I give him my soul, I give him my heart and he gives me his. When I pull apart from him, my next words are whispered but they mean everything, they are everything.

“We’re free, Slade. We’re finally free.”

It was a freedom race for both of us, but finally we found our finish line and we crossed it together - both of us winners.

THE END