T2 - Racer's Heart

Chapter 23

A good two months passed before anything interesting happened. We visited Mia almost every day, I enjoy spending time with my godson and I get my practice in too. During one of our trips Dom showed up by himself and there was something on his face. Something in his posture that didn't sit right with me.

Mia took Nico inside to nap so Vince, Dom, Brian and I went to the back. Before I could pull a chair up Brian pulled me into his lap and I got comfortable there.

"It's weird, huh?" Brian asked them.

"What's weird?" Vince asked.

"We got everything, you know, down to the beer and the barbeque." Brian replied.

"I miss the beer." I told them.

"No beer for you for a while. The only one allowed to get drunk is baby, he or she will get milk drunk like Nico." Vince chuckled.

"Yeah, no alcohol in the foreseeable future." Dom said.

"None of this feels . . . I don't know, it just doesn't feel like home. Maybe it's because, uh, you don't realize how much you appreciate something until somebody takes it away. I don't know." Brian finished.

"The place probably changed so much, we wouldn't even recognize it. Police must have tossed it when we left trying to find clues or evidence or whatever." I added.

"Yeah, everything's changed." Dom said, back in that far away tone.

"So what's up with you? Where's Elena?" Brian asked him.

"Yeah, what's going on, man?" Vince asked.

"Here . . . taken a week ago." Dom replied, handing over a manila envelope.

"Diplomatic Security Service." Brian muttered.

"Hobbs." Vince growled.

I was curious so I opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. My gasp shocked the guys and I was just in total disbelief, this isn't possible. Brian pulled one photo out of my hand and Vince grabbed the other.

"No, that's not possible. We buried her." I muttered.

"You know, I used to do this shit all the time as a cop. This is exactly what cops do. He's messing with your head, Letty's dead, Dom." Brian told him.

"I need to know for sure." Dom replied.

"You can't trust him, why would you trust these are real photos?" I asked.

"That's why I have to do this. I need to find out if there's any chance, Charlie . . ."

"Then I'm going with you." Brian said, interrupting him and shocking me.

"Me too, brother." Vince added.

"You've gotta be kidding me. I thought this was over." I said, shaking my head at them.

"Both of you said you were going to leave this life behind." Dom argued.

"Bullshit we were leaving the life behind." Brian replied.

"He's right, we're family. If we have a problem, we deal with it together. Mia and I will feel safer knowing that you're out there together, the three of you, watching each other's backs." I told them, realizing how true it is.

I'd rather the three of them run off together because that triples their chances

"You're stronger together, you always were even when you don't want to agree. Now go get Letty, bring her home." Mia said, walking up behind Vince.

"What about you two?" Dom asked.

"I'll stay here with Mia until you guys get back. Dom, maybe Elena can stay with us." I said.

"I like that idea, if we're together than the two of you stay together as well." Brian said and Vince agreed.

"Well we're agreed, the three of you, four with you, need to get ready. I'll see you tomorrow Charlie, the sooner you leave the sooner you get back and we can go back to our regular lives." Mia told us.

"Dom, let me know when you talk to Elena." I told him.

"I'll call you tonight, she won't say no." he replied.

On the way home I was really silent, there's a lot going on here. I haven't begun to process it yet, I don't know how to process it. We buried her, I was there for it and now she might be alive. It makes no sense because why wouldn't she have come back home?

We're her only family and she loves my cousin more than anything. I can't see her staying away from us after whatever it was that happened on the road that night. I'm confused, very confused and I don't know what to think.

"Babe, are you okay?" Brian asked, taking my hand and kissing my knuckles.

"I don't know, B, we buried her. You were there, we buried her! Is there something you didn't tell me about her case?"

"No, I told you everything. The only thing I can think of is the fact that it was a closed casket. None of us, not even LAPD saw what went into the casket."

"So you're saying this might be possible?"

"I guess so, I don't know but I need to find out too." he said, sighing.

"I just can't understand why." I told him.

"Why she would stay away, I know. I don't understand either and that's if this is all true."

"Brian, promise me you'll be careful. Promise me that you'll be back, we need you." I pleaded.

"Nothing in this world could keep me from you and this baby. I will be back, I promise." He said when we pulled up in front of the house.

"I'm holding you to that, O'Conner."

"You go ahead and do that." He replied, kissing me softly.

That night as we laid in bed I found that I couldn't sleep. The worry and the concern for my family kept me tossing and turning. I don't want to bother him so I walked outside, to the back balcony.

"Your daddy and your uncles are stubborn men, they can't leave good enough alone and always have to be the heroes. They live with adrenaline in their veins and gasoline for blood but then again so do I. Which means I'm not much of a good role model but I'll be one for you, I promise.

Things are gonna change so much now. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing but it's happening. It all comes back to what I was telling you. The men in your life, all of them, are the best men I've ever known. You're lucky to have them in your life, they'll spoil you rotten. We're lucky people my little pancake, very lucky and I can't wait for you to get here and meet them." I said, rubbing my nonexistent belly.

"I think I'm the lucky one, I get to have both of you in my life." I heard and then I felt arms around my waist.

"You should be asleep." I argued.

"I was but then I woke up."

"I'm so sorry babe, I didn't mean to wake you up."

"You didn't, the bed felt too empty. I know when you're not next to me." He said, nuzzling my neck.

"How are you gonna sleep in London?" I asked.

"I don't know but I can already tell it's gonna be horrible."

"Take one of my shirts." I told him.

"What?"

"One of my shirts, they smell like me. I need you to be at your best and if you're sleep deprived you won't be of any help to them."

"That's a good idea, now come back to bed with me." he said, pulling me inside.