The Racing Line | M.V.

38. Misunderstood

Max's childhood was a tough one.

Around the time he met Liv as children and they became friends, his family life was tumultuous. There were a lot of things he didn't understand. Like why his parents were separated or why eventually they were getting a divorce. He didn't understand why his father wasn't allowed near his mother. Something about an order of restriction?

He didn't understand why his father disappeared for a few days to go to court and what 'assault' or 'probation' meant. But most importantly, he didn't understand why he had to leave his mother and go live with his father alone. Away from his sister Victoria and the mom he missed dearly. Specially because of his relationship with his dad. Max loved his father, but sometimes it didn't seem like his father loved him, and even though he was only eleven, he could tell.

"Is that your mom?" Liv asked during one karting weekend when they were eleven. Max's dad was talking to a brunette woman as he prepared Max's kart.

Max and Liv were doing a track walk. The rest of the kids didn't do them and Liv had only started doing them because Jos always forced Max to walk the track at the beginning of a race weekend. She mainly began joining him because he always looked so lonely walking the track by himself, but as it turned out it did help her get familiar with the tracks. Which helped her during the races.

"No" said Max with a frown as he kicked a small pebble out of the track "My mom isn't here".

"Why is that? I don't think I've ever met her, just your dad" little Liv asked as she hurried her steps to catch up to Max, who was growing taller than her and his long legs were making it difficult to catch him.

At this point, Max and Liv had been really good karting friends for a year. Hanging out every race weekend and sometimes talking over Facebook, but they had never really talked about their families. Max always felt out of place when he did, but Liv hardly ever shut up, so he knew her curiosity would not rest.

He sighed "My parents are getting a divorce" he said as his cheeks flushed red. "My dad is not allowed to be near my mom, so I live with him so he can train me to be a racing driver one day".

Liv looked at his embarrassed face and frowned "And your mom lives alone?" she asked. Max thought that sometimes she truly didn't know when to shut up.

He shook his head no "No, I have a little sister. She lives with her and I live with my dad".

Liv could sense it hurt him to even talk about it. There was a certain shame in his voice, the kind only kids feel whenever they don't understand something but they feel that it's wrong. He didn't need to say the words, but Liv understood, his family was broken. But in a way, so was hers.

"I don't live with my mom either" she shrugged like it was nothing. "Or with my dad".

Max turned to her blinking rapidly. He had never met another kid who didn't live with their mom "Really? You don't?"

"No" she shook her head no "I live with my brother Sergio. The rest of my family lives in Mexico. We don't really see them but sometimes we can call them on the phone or we email. But It's just Checo and I here" she said with a tight lipped smile, and there was something about the way she said it. So casual, so normal... it made Max feel like she understood him. Like he wasn't out of place. He finally belonged.

"I thought you said his name was Sergio?" he asked confused "Who is Checo?"

Liv chuckled "That's him, I have different names for him. You'll catch up".

From then on Max stopped hiding, at least from Liv. As time went by he realized he had been right, Liv understood. She always understood. That's how she became his confidant, his secret keeper, his professional liar and protector.