Acceleration (Tej Parker)

Chapter Ten

The next day, while Mia was out getting food from the market and the boys were working on their cars, Teagan sat with Tej working on the safe. They still couldn't crack the electronic tumbler, but she had a feeling they were getting close.

    "You hungry?" She hears Dom's voice say loudly. Standing up, Teagan walks around the corner to see a familiar face standing there.

    "Yeah," He says. She couldn't put a name to the face, but she recognized that voice anywhere. It was Vince.

    "Good," Dom says. "Cause you're saying grace."

    Teagan takes a few steps forward and watches Brian shake Vince's hand. Vice looks around with a shy smile before his eyes land on the blonde girl in front of him. He knew those freckles anywhere.

    "Red?" He asks. Teagan's smile grows into a grin and she runs over to him. He wraps his arms around her waist while hers go around his neck and he spins her around giddily. "You're not red anymore!"

    "Everyone needs a change," She says as he lets go of her. "And I see you've grown a beard."

    "Everyone needs a change," he repeats earning laughs all around.

    "Hold up," Roman walks over and the blonde looks at him. "Are you telling me, you used to be a redhead?"

    "Oh yeah," Vince says and pulls out his wallet. "I actually still have a photo of the original crew." Everyone gathers around to look at the picture.

    In the photo Vince actually had a smile and an arm around Mia's shoulders as he stood next to Dom who held Letty in his arms. Jesse stood on the other side of Dom and Teagan was on his back. Her red hair fell over his shoulders and she had on his beanie. Everyone was smiling, because it was their first successful heist about twelve years ago. Their family has grown a lot more since then.

*~*

    That night Teagan sat in between Tej and Han on the couch across from Roman who was handing out beers while the Spanish Brothers grilled up some meat. Roman opens a beer and hands it to Teagan who takes it gratefully.

    "So, we in Brazil," Roman starts off. "It's the good life."

    "Yeah," Tej agrees understanding.

    "So, you got a little more than ten or eleven million coming." Roman continues. "What are you going to do with your money?"

    "Me?" Tej asks and Roman nods. "Actually, man, I have been thinking about opening up a garage back home. Place where people can bring in their cars and not get completely ripped off. You know what I mean?"

    "Really?" Teagan asks and looks at the brown eyed boy next to her.

    "Yeah," He says and rests an arm on the seat behind her.

    "So, your dream is to start a day job?" Roman asks. "That's stupid. Like, why would..."

    "It's not stupid at all," Teagan interrupts and so does Tej.

    "I love what I do," Tej explains.

    "That don't make no sense to me," Roman says and everyone laughs a little.

    Teagan feels her phone vibrate for the third time that evening and pulls it out of her pocket to see three new voicemails. "I'll be right back," She says and stands up. Walking a few feet away she listens to the first one.

    "Teagan, its Tami," Her sister's voice rings through the phone. "I just saw the news. What the hell are you doing in Rio? Why are you on the most wanted list? What the hell are you getting yourself into? You told me you were done with Dom and his crew." A long pause happens and Teagan looks up at the ceiling. She loved hearing her sister's voice, but hated the circumstances of the call. "Whenever you get the chance, just call me okay. Or come home. Whichever's easiest? Bye."

    Teagan pulls the phone from her ear and presses the number two for the second voicemail. "Woods, it's your boss, Phil. Don't even bother coming back to LA, you're fired." With that the line ends. That one was easier to cope with.

    She presses three only to hear Riley's voice again. "Teagan, I saw the news. Whatever you got yourself into got you on the most wanted list. And I haven't heard from you in weeks so I'm going to make this easy for both of us. All your stuff is in the garage. When or if you ever come back, just grab your stuff and leave. My reputation is too important for me to be in a relationship with a criminal. Good bye."

    With that she sets the phone down to her side and lets out a harsh sigh. The only person that wanted her back home was her sister. Her boss fired her and her boyfriend officially broke up with her. Majority rules, she was no longer wanted by her friends and family.

    She fights back tears and puts on a strong face as she makes her way back over to the couch. Part of her wanted to sob, but another part was so relieved to finally get away from the suburban life. That was never her, driving fast cars and planning heists was always her future. Taking a seat next to Tej she smiles at him.

    "You never told us what you were going to do, Teagan," Roman says and she looks over at him. "What are your dreams?"

    "I don't know," Teagan says. "I'm just going to wing it from here on out. See where I end up."

    Roman gets up and brings a beer over to Mia and Brian. "We are less than 24 hours from the biggest celebration of our life. Y'all need a refill."

    "I'm good," Mia says refusing the drink.

    "No she can't," Brian says and everything clicks in Teagan's head. While Roman was fumbling over why she couldn't have a drink, Teagan stands up and walks over to her friend.

    "Are you serious?" She asks and Mia nods with a smile. "Congratulations."

    "Is that the reason you let him beat you in the quarter mile?" Roman yells figuring it out. "That was a baby gift."

    "No, that's messed up," Brian says unbelieving. "No, you're not taking that away from me." Everyone starts to argue over that fact and Tej takes a stand next to Teagan. He rests a hand on her back and leans forward.

    "Wait, wait, wait, hold on a second," he shuts everyone up. "So, did he just smack the ass or did he grab it and hold on to it?"

    Teagan elbows him in the side and everyone laughs. She takes a step towards her friend and embraces her in a hug. Brian breaks away from the group and walks over to Dom. All of Teagan's negative feelings regarding her boyfriend and job diminish as she celebrates the coming of a new family member.

    "Toast," Dom says loudly gaining everyone's attention.

    "Toast," Roman repeats. Everyone makes a circle.

    "Money will come and go," Dom starts off. "We know that. But the most important thing in life will always be the people in this room. Right here, right now. Salute mi familia."

    "Salute mi familia," Everyone repeats and clinks their beers together. Teagan puts the bottle to her lips and as she's drinking she feels a set of eyes watching her. Looking over at Tej, she smiles. This was her family, and she was finally realizing it.