Before You Go

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

My parents named me June, for summer, because I was due on the solstice. I was born on the first of July. My late arrival would set the standard for the rest of my life—a bit of a slow pace, late bloomer, always a couple steps behind. It'd always been this way, through everything from first words to womanhood. Including, it seemed, the latest news, which stared accusingly at me on New Year's morning from the beady headline of some sports tabloid.

Charlie Yang signs with Helios Racing for the upcoming 2024 season.

Now it made sense. Last night, and Charlie's hesitation, words seemingly on the tip of his tongue. Once more, I was the last to get it.

It was just like I'd told him the night before—car stuff really did go over my head. Because this I simply could not understand. Charlie had maintained a seat with the number one racing team, Marchetti, since he'd entered Formula 1. It was almost unthinkable for him to look elsewhere. But he had. Looked right at Helios and its team principal. My father.

And maybe it was just because I'd never gotten it. Never understood how cars could be bigger than life. I'd made peace with it as a child, not yet immune to the thrill of it all. Bound by my father's legacy and his passion. But then it transformed into Joshua's life, swelling ever bigger. At the very least, I had hoped the crash would have been the line. A chance for the family to come together and really grieve.

But just five months later, it'd been announced my father would take over the team principal position for Helios. And now this. Even when I'd been certain there was nothing else he could do to betray me—betray Joshua's memory—he somehow found a way to surprise me. There was nothing sacred left between us.

This realization was what allowed me to sit through an unbearably long rideshare back to the very house I wished to never set foot in again.

My dad was in the dining room when I burst inside. "Appa!" The blood was all rushing to my head, muting my hearing, making my vision swim. "You fucking bastard!"

Respect had always been mutually lacking in our relationship, but I had never once talked to him like this. I half-expected him to send me away immediately. He didn't. He met me in the foyer, napkin in hand—he'd been in the middle of breakfast. "Junie," he said calmly. "Let's keep it civil, please."

"Civil? Civil? I've just read the news—the news—about Charlie! You couldn't even tell me! I had to read it! Because you're such a fucking coward!" Tears were hot in my eyes. I could feel a couple leaking out in a scalding stream. Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady myself. "You know, it's crazy, really. Just when I think you couldn't be any bigger of a piece of shit, you somehow manage to blow my fucking mind!"

My father sighed. Gestured toward the dining room. "Come eat, June."

"I'm not hungry."

"Catherine made fresh-pressed orange juice. At least have a glass of that."

I barked out a laugh. "You know what? Fuck you. And your stupid cook."

I heard his hand cracking against the side of my face before I even felt it. The sting of the blow came a few seconds later, sending me reeling, more tears pricking at my eyes, this time from the pain. His ring had caught the corner of my mouth. A gasp escaped me, then a laugh of disbelief. He'd never hit me before. "Nice one," I told him, palm pressed against my jaw. "And you wonder why Mom left you."