Life Is Worth Living

Chap 7 "Why Racing"

Brian's POV
"It's still not our choice either," I nodded. "You have to ask your Uncle Dom."
"Why do you wanna race, Emma?" Dom asked.
"I have my license, I'm out of school, and I need something to do. Mom and Dad does it," Emma shrugged. "I just thought maybe I can do it too."
"We have our reasons," I replied. "Why we started, why we are going to quit, and why we won't let you."
"She deserves to know," Dom nodded.
"Yeah, you can keep it from her," Han nodded.
"Leena, wanna explain your side of the story?" I asked.
"Emma, I started at the age of fifteen," Leena nodded.
"How old were you when you had me?" Emma asked.
"Your grandparents were creative," Dom replied. "You were a made baby. You were made from Leena's egg and Brian's sperm but not the natural way."
"Your father and I were together in middle school," Leena sighed. "You were conceived when I was thirteen." Emma was horrified. "Grandma and Grandpa did this to you. Grandma's friend, Ruby carried you. Four months after you were born, Grandma and Grandpa was killed." I sighed. "A year later, your father went off the grid."
"Except I was known as Aaron Pultzer back then," I nodded.
"Letty babysitted you while your Uncle Dom taught me how to drive," Leena nodded. "I started racing when I was fifteen years old. At the age of sixteen, I met your father again, but I didn't know because his name: Brian O'Conner. He was an undercover cop and ate at the family store everyday." I looked at Leena. "Tuna sandwich every single day since the first day. I swear, it was a horrible sandwich." I chuckled. "Age eighteen, I married your father and age twenty, we robbed the biggest drug deal guy in Rio, moved around a lot and at age 24, we stayed in Spain."
"Why didn't you tell me this?" Emma asked.
"I'm still your mother," Leena replied. "And he's still your father. The past is the past."
"I started because your Uncle Dom was my target to take to jail and I had to blend in. Your mom didn't have a choice because she needed to provide for you," I explained. "Racing got us into a lot of trouble. Especially by breaking your Uncle out of prison. We were FBI's most wanted. Agent Hobbs, he's an FBI agent and he finally got our names cleared today. We're going to stop because we have a family now." Leena nodded. "We won't let you because we don't want history to repeat itself."
"Emma, I understand where your parents are coming from," Tej nodded. "Maybe you should hold off on that situation."
"Give us four more years," I nodded. "Then we will think about it. At least take some music lessons or something."
"No, she's going to college so she can graduate at twenty," Leena replied. "Keep her out of trouble for those four years while Jack grows."
"You can always take up playing the acoustic guitar," Dom smiled. "Isn't that what you did, Leena?"
"Yeah, wrote a song, had a video produced, but we never had it aired because we would be caught," Leena nodded. "I couldn't do that to my family."
"Yeah," I nodded. "Emma, we are in LA. You find something that will help you out."
"Looks like it's time to fill out college applications," Emma sighed as she stood up.
"Alright," Leena sighed.
"I wished we still lived in Spain," Emma angrily stated.
"Watch that tone," Dom responded. Emma left the table and went inside the house. "Why is the first one the troubled one?"
"I was just like her when I was younger," Leena replied. "You barely let me do what I wanted."
"Why does she still want to live in Spain?" I asked. "This is our home. The place where we wanted to build a family."
"Yeah, well, Emma isn't happy about it," Leena sighed. "But I grew up here."
"So about that song," Rome stated.
"No," I nodded. "Not the time Rome."
"I'm performing it at Emma's party," Leena sighed. "It's not easy being a mother but it has to be done."
"The only reason she's acting the way she's acting is because she wasn't disciplined," I replied. "We should've been a lot more harder on her."
"How could we be?" Leena asked. "She was never a troubled child."
"She's probably going through a phase," Tej nodded.
"A one that involved racing?" I asked. "The one her parents tried to keep her away from?" Tej shrugged. "I don't think it's a phase dude."
"I honestly don't know anymore," Leena nodded. Jack started crying. "It's time for your nap. I'll be back."
"Alright," I nodded. Leena went inside. "We should be happy and free now that we are home. Except, one isn't happy."
"No, she's not," Rome nodded.
"She better be happy," Dom replied. "I'm getting an extra room added on just for Emma."
We cleaned up and went inside. "So, Han, you're really going to Tokyo?" Leena asked.
"Yeah, it's just something I gotta do," Han nodded.
"Come back and visit sometime," Leena smiled and hugged him. "We'll miss you here." Han left. "Well, I guess it's time for the two of you to go to Miami."
"Yeah," Rome nodded as he hugged Leena and so did Tej. "That's where our home is."
"Back to Barstow?" I asked.
"Nah, man," Rome nodded. "I'm a millionaire. I'm gonna go out and see where it gets me."
"You have fun with that," I nodded. "I'm gonna see you at my daughter's sweet sixteen, right?"
"You tell Emma Uncle Rome never misses a celebration, especially when I know your wife over there might kill me if I do," Rome nodded. "So, I'm not taking any chances on my life."
"Good choice," Leena nodded.
"Mom, Dad," Emma walked down the stairs. "I don't want a sweet sixteen party."
"Well, that's new," Leena was surprised. "Why not, sweetie? You've been planning this since you were like fourteen."
"I know but I just don't want one anymore," Emma replied. "I guess after the incident in Spain, I don't want a party." I looked at Leena. "Especially when my party could be ruined by one of the last minute missions like when you and Dad had to go to London for."
"Well, it's whatever you want," I replied. "Just know that we are not going to have this I change my mind situations at the last minute, okay?" Emma nodded. "As of right now, no sweet sixteen party."