“Mary, I don’t know what you want me to say,” I paused, searching for any words that might help to convince her, but none came.
“Okay, Ava,” she said. “I’m going to go.”
“No, Mary! Please wait…”
I heard the sound of her breathing on the other end of the line. She hadn’t hung up. I swallowed hard, not believing what I was about to say.
“I’m,” I began, clearing my throat. “In love with him. I love your son, Mary.”
Once again, she exhaled deeply into the receiver. “Ava, I already knew that. I knew that from the moment I met you. I need to know if it’s strong enough to get Dyson through this. Are you strong enough?”
Her revelation shocked me. If it was that obvious to her, it must have been to everyone else, Dyson included.
I shook my head.
“Honestly, Mary, I don’t know if I’m strong enough for anyone, anymore. But I do know I’m telling you the truth.”
“Okay,” she said, pausing for a moment. “If that’s true, you need to come here - to Pomona. If Dyson finds out that I’ve been talking to you, he’ll take off. This is the only way. Can you come?”
“I can try.” I began, hurrying to explain. “It’s just that my nephew, his school, my job, everything is terrible right now and…”
“No, Ava. That’s not good enough. I need to know. Can you come?”
After a deep exhale, I stared into the distance, into the deep orange glow of the setting sun, towards the West.
Towards Dyson.
“Yes,” I said, at last. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
AVA
Even though I hated having to put off my conversation with Simon, I knew how upset he would be. The last thing I wanted to do was leave home right after telling him. Instead, I decided to wait until I returned from Pomona. I didn’t like keeping secrets from people, least of all him, but I felt as if I had no choice.
Late the next afternoon, I arrived in California, and after picking up a rental car, I drove to Dyson’s childhood home. His mother asked me to park down the street and walk up to the house, in case Dyson happened to see.
Walking along a sidewalk that led to their home, I noticed the front door open. Mary and Dyson’s brother, Chance, exited and walked towards me. We met about halfway up the walk to their house. We hugged and exchanged greetings briefly before Mary began to speak.
“I’m so glad you could come, Ava. I know that I was short with you on the phone. I didn’t mean to be.”
I shook my head. “It’s fine. I understand. I’m not upset at all, and I’m happy to be here.”
Chance stood there with his arms crossed. “I don’t know if I’d go saying that just yet. He’s in a pretty foul mood.”
I looked up at him. “What do you mean?”
Mary also glanced in her son’s direction for turning back towards me. “You’ll see soon enough.”
I nodded and looked towards the driveway. It appeared to circle around the back of the house.
“Where’s Dyson now?”
Chance nodded and gestured with his thumb behind him. “He’s in the garage, working on one of our motorcycles.”
“Okay,” I began, smoothing out the lines of my clothes for a moment. “Can I… Should I go back there now?”
Mary and Chance looked at one another.
“Well, that’s why you’re here, right?” Chance said, winking at me, looking every bit like Dyson in that instant.
Straightening my posture, I nodded, “Yes. Well… wish me luck.”
The two of them stepped aside, and I began to walk away.
“Hey, Ava.” Chance called out.
I did half-turn over my shoulder and looked at him. “Yeah?”
“If you need me, I’ll be right inside the house.”
I frowned. “I’m not so sure I like the sound of that.”
He waved me off. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. It’s just that he can be a hothead sometimes. That’s all.”
Before I turned to walk away, I replied, “Yes I’m well aware of that. Thanks Chance.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Less than a minute later, I made my way around the back of the house. Their home sat at the end of a cul-de-sac and backed up to a large open area. Standing there, I imagined brothers Dyson and Chance riding motorcycles and getting into who knows what kind of trouble out in those wide spaces. Suddenly, a banging noise from inside the garage brought me back into awareness.
I ran my fingers through my hair and tried to prepare myself for whatever might happen. My steps came slowly at first, but I reminded myself of what had to be done. Before long, I began to march in the direction of the garage.
As I circled around the rear of it, the inside came into view. Everywhere I looked, there were parts to bikes, motorcycles, cars. Almost anything that you could ride or drive looked to be there. In the background, loud music thumped. And then, right in the middle of all of it, I saw Dyson. I entered, staring at him.
Wearing only a pair of beat up old jeans, Dyson hovered over a motorcycle chassis. Tugging at the end of a long wrench, he flexed his bicep with each crank. His muscles glimmered with a sheen of grease, sweat and effort. While I watched him, I remembered the feel of his powerful hands on my body. Amid all the craziness, I’d buried the need he’d awoken within me. I felt the most inopportune sensation between my thighs.
Focus, Ava. Focus.
Just then, Dyson lifted his head and looked right at me. Reaching around his backside, he produced a rag and swiped it across his forehead. I stood there, looking at him, without saying a word.
He began to walk in my direction, wiping his hands with the same rag. Just before he reached me, Dyson picked up the remote control to the stereo and turned it down.
“What are you doing here, Ava?”
Every cell in my body yearned to reach out and consume him. Overcome with lust, I barely managed a response.
“I, um, I came here because…” I began, trying to keep my mind clear.
Dyson sensed my discomfort. He took the opportunity to lean against the doorway of the garage. “Because…?”
I summoned the last bit of determination I had. “I came here for you. I came here because I believe in you, and I want you to race again. I want you back out there doing what you love.”
He nodded and tucked the rag in the front pocket of his jeans.
“Okay,” he began, crossing his arms at his chest. “That sounds good. Now how about you tell me why you’re really here? If someone from the team sent you, I’m not interested.”
Whatever attraction I felt dissipated after his comment. In its place, the frustration I’d experienced with him in recent days returned.
“Why do you say things like that to me? I’m being honest with you. No one sent me.”
Dyson looked at me for a second and nodded.
“You’re right, Ava. I shouldn’t have said that.”
After he finished speaking, Dyson shoved himself away from the wall and turned his back on me, walking in the direction of his motorcycle. For a second or two, I watched him before speaking.
“So what? So that’s it? You’re just going to quit? Just like that?”
Without turning to face me, he replied, “Yep. Just like that.”
When he finished speaking, he reached for his wrench and resumed work on the motorcycle. Biting my lip, I marched towards him, moving as quickly as my legs would carry me. I walked around the other side of the motorcycle and stopped, snapping my hands to my hips and scowling down at him.
Sensing my presence, Dyson stopped mid-twist and looked up at me.
“What?”
“What do you mean ‘what’?” I began, glaring at him. “You are second in the points race behind Gunter. You have a chance to become the Formula One champion. Doesn’t that mean anything? What the hell has happened to you? Why are you… ”
Dyson slammed the wrench on the ground. It sparked on impact. “Just shut up, Ava! Shut the hell up right now! Don’t talk to me about what’s at stake! Fuck!”