The Champion (Racing on the Edge) (7 page)

An hour later, Jameson came back with ice cream and
chocolate.

Of course, I forgave him. He had chocolate. I also
thought the fight was somewhat entertaining.

It wasn’t long and I was feeling like I hadn’t gotten the
chance to snuggle with my son. It’d been a full twenty-four hours since he was
born and I think I’d gotten to hold him for maybe an hour. He’d been passed
around so much I thought for sure he’d have motion sickness.

Jimi and Nancy couldn’t believe how much Axel resembled
Jameson as an infant. He even had the same scowl when things didn’t go his way,
which happened a lot. I wanted to tell him, “If you think this sucks kid wait
until we take you home. At least there’s supervision here.”

When I finally did get to hold him, I spent hours
surveying him. I memorized every little detail about him from his rusty loops
of hair, his adorable chubby cheeks, his cute button nose, his long fingers and
the tiny little rolls on his legs. Everything about him was perfect and we
created him.

It was hard to believe that what started out as
complicated ended in this perfect little being.

For only being born at 34-weeks, he was incredibly
healthy,
tiny
, but healthy.

Aside from when he was delivered, we’d yet to hear him
cry. The nurses assured us everything was fine but it just seemed strange to me
that a baby wouldn’t cry. Even when he was hungry, he just simply let out an
adorable flailing whimper.

Charlie came later that night and Jameson stepped out
with Van to get a real meal.

I loved that him and Van went out together. Van spent his
fair share of time holding Axel as well, which sent me into a full-blown
emotional shit storm. Much like the time I decided to watch Father of the Bride
and the day Jameson and I got married.

I couldn’t imagine how he must feel seeing us together as
a family, knowing his was gone.

All this reminded me of the fact that the man currently
holding my baby, was dying. In the days following the wedding, Charlie’s
appearance was shocking. He was losing incredible amounts of weight, his eyes
had dark circles under them and some days he couldn’t even form a complete
sentence.

Today was a good day.

“He is beautiful, Sway.”

“He is, isn’t he?” I gleamed. I was one proud mama
wizard.

“You havin’ more?”

“I think I’ll wait until I’ve actually left the hospital
before that happens.” I told him with the same enthusiasm I exuded after being
told I had to go through labor in the first place.

I knew Jameson and I’d probably have more, after all, we
did make one adorable flailing spaz.

“Don’t worry Axel Charles,” Charlie assured him. “your
parents are crazy but they’re pretty cool.”

Axel stared at him as though he knew he was in for an
interesting life.

Of course, I started crying watching my son and father
bonding. I was emotional. I cried at everything the last day or so. I thought
this would have ended when he was born but no such luck, it was worse.

The following day I was released to go home, which was
awesome. I hated staying in the hospital after having to spend so much time in
one when I was pregnant with Axel.

Leaving was another story altogether.

It took Jameson, Spencer, Aiden
and
Van to figure
out how to put the goddamn car seat in the Expedition. How this was so
complicated was beyond me.

Once in the car and ready to go, Jameson was the doting
father he’d become these last few days and had Axel so bundled up from the snow
that I couldn’t see anything but his tiny eyes.

“I think he’s too hot.” I told Jameson when he started
the car.

Jameson turned around to look at us in the backseat. “
Nah
...
he’s toasty.”

“His little cheeks are red.”

“Cause he’s toasty. I’d rather be toasty then cold.”

“How do you know that’s what he’d want
...
maybe he likes the cold?” I suggested.

“No
...
he doesn’t.”
he said evenly. “Now let’s go.”

He then proceeded to pull onto Ensign Road at five miles
per hour. Here was a NASCAR Champion driving five miles per hour because his
infant son was in the car
...
how ironic
is that?

I made him stop at Norma’s on the way home so I could get
a hamburger. I was starving from that ridiculous shit they called food in the
hospital. I was actually amazed some people didn’t die just from ingesting that
shit.

When we pulled into our driveway on Summit Lake, our
entire goddamn family was waiting for us.

Jameson and I just sat inside the car for a few minutes
watching them before Jameson turned around to look at us in the back seat.

“We’re never going to get them to leave, you know that
right?”

“Let’s just play nice, for now.”

“So you say
...
I’m
tired.” His head fell against the steering wheel. “This has been exhausting. I
just want to go to bed.”

“Really?” I challenged smacking the back of his head.

“Sorry.” He replied softly ignoring my eye contact.

“That’s what I thought. Now help us out.”

With the help of my annoyingly protective husband, we
made it inside the house and prepared ourselves for an evening with our family.

Jimi and Nancy brought over
Papa John’s
pizza for
everyone. I think I devoured half a damn box just by myself.

“Go get Lucas.” I told Jameson after I finished feeding
and changing Axel for the third time tonight.

Axel was constantly hungry and then constantly pooping.
It was an endless cycle. Most parents say, be prepared for no sleep. Well they
should warn you that when they are awake, all they do is shit and eat.

Occasionally they cry.

“Why?” Jameson looked at me confused, his eyes following
Lucas down the hall.

“He’s wearing my maternity bra.” I told him rocking Axel
in his room. “It’s weird.”

Jameson took off to find Lucas.

I was
not
impressed with Logan and Lucas that
evening. They were either crying or laughing. I couldn’t understand how two
six-year old kids could be so annoying.

Around nine that night, everyone finally left and we were
once again alone with the baby.

You know that feeling you get when everything is right in
the world; you’re calm and collected?

That was not us at all, especially when it came time to
bath him that night. Andrea and Nancy offered to stay but we were adamant that
we could do this on our own.

Half way through the bath, I was ready to call them.

We had more soap and water on us than the baby, and let
me tell you, we had an abundance of water and entirely too much soap for one
baby.

Poor Axel just whimpered away. It was evident he sensed
we had no idea what we were doing.

“You have got too much soap on him.” I told Jameson while
he tried to wash his baby boy parts.

“No I don’t.”

“Yes
...
yes you
do.”

“No I don’t.” he stated firmly turning to glare at me
holding our soapy baby in the air.

What did Axel do? He peed mid-air all over Jameson.

This made me happy.

“Apparently
you’ll
need more soap.” I told him
handing over the soap giggling hysterically.

My giggling turned to shrieking when Jameson turned Axel
on me.

I was now the one being peed on while Jameson laughed his
ass off. This made me unhappy.

“
Whhaa
...
whhaa
...
” Axel started crying and momentarily
shocked us.

I say momentarily because he was still peeing on us.

“See
...
he doesn’t
like his mommy peed on.” I smiled at both of them holding a towel up to cover
the stream.

“I’m sorry little man,” Jameson set him back in the
water. “mommy asked for it.” He turned to look over at me, amused. “Husband one.
Wife zero.”

“Oh hell no, we’re not starting that again.”

“Yes
...
yes we
are.”

For being only four days old, Axel made the most
expressive faces. The one he was currently making made me smile. It was a set
scowl at Jameson, and kind of resembled the one Jameson gave most people. He
wasn’t impressed with our argument. I guess I wouldn’t be either if I was naked
in a bath and the two people who were supposed to be washing me were arguing.

Eventually we finished the bathing ritual. I couldn’t
believe how much work these tiny humans were.

So far, today I got up, fed him, burped him, changed him
and then rocked him to sleep. I must have done that ten times.

Once I finished up and he was asleep for a nap, it
started all over again a few hours later.

It was exhausting. I felt bad for women who have twins or
triplets or worse, six babies.

What were they thinking?

I didn’t get any better at being a new mommy. In fact, I
think it took a turn for the worst after a few days. I couldn’t understand
where the normal version of me had disappeared to. It was like she was on
vacation.

“Is that normal?” Jameson asked me.

“Is
what
normal?”

“The crying
...
it
can’t be normal,” he ran his hand over the back of his neck. “can it?”

“What the fuck did you think was going to happen when we
had the baby?” I snapped. “They cry.”

“Well,” he lifted my chin for me to look at him, tears
falling down my cheeks. “I would expect it from the child
...
not from you.”

“I’m sorry!” I wailed. “I have no clue what I’m doing and
neither do you!” the baby’s diaper was on backward, how that was possible was
beyond me, you’d think he would have noticed when he put the straps on. This
was our fifth day of being parents and one would think we would have been
getting into the swing of things, but no. “I’m so tired. Last night
...
I tried to breastfeed Mr. Jangles thinking
it was the baby, imagine my surprise when I felt fur and him purring. I just
need sleep!”

What did Jameson do? He started laughing.

“At least you didn’t try to breast feed me,” his face became
completely serious. “That would have been
...
”
he paused for a moment. “
Awkward
.”

I slapped his shoulder. “Can’t you breastfeed? I need
some sleep.”

“Not happening. I don’t care if Aiden thinks he can. I’m
not doing it.” He told me taking the baby from me while I continued to cry.
“But I
will
feed him the milk you’ve been pumping.” He offered looking
down at me as I fixed my bra, gazing at the enormous foodbags. “They’re huge.”

“Don’t remind me.” I pushed them together for fun. “They
resemble Dolly Pardon’s breasts, only full of milk.”

Jameson just laughed and carried Axel out of our room so
I could get some sleep in our new Egyptian cotton sheets Emma purchased for us.

And if you’ve never slept on Egyptian cotton sheets,
you’re missing out.

The following day Jameson and I were supposed to do an
interview with Maggie Summers from SPEED. Alas, there I was hiding in our
master closet from Dana.

While organizing my shoes by color out of pure boredom, I
heard Jameson enter the room and open the door, smirking.

“Why are you on the floor? Get up.” He reached for me.
“The reporter will be here soon.”

I put my fingertips to his lips and “
shh’d
” him
and then mouthed the word, “Dana.”

Didn’t need to say much else.

“Who let her in?” he seethed in a flat but timid voice.

He was still scared of Dana, his peppy stalker fan, and
for good reason. The woman had some stagger issues for sure.

“Emma.”

“I’ll fucking kill her.” He went to stand but I pulled
him back down with me.

“If Dana see’s you
...
she
won’t leave.”

His chin jerked up as he thought for a moment. “Good
point
...
I know where Emma lives. I can
pay her back later.”

Emma and Aiden recently purchased a house together in
Mooresville next to the one Jameson had built for us. Jameson was not happy
about that by the way. This is also why we planned to live in the Summit Lake
house this year instead of the one in Mooresville. Sure Jameson was going to
spend the majority of the year on the road, but once Axel was a couple months
old we planned on traveling with him.

After much discussion following Axel’s birth, we decided
I would step down as general manager at the track for now and concentrate on
being a family. Jameson hired Andrea to take over which turned out to be a
better idea. She was better at the planning than I was.

“How long has she been down there?” Jameson groaned
throwing one of his shoes at the wall.

“Ten minutes, maybe.” I leaned back against the wall,
pulling one of my black heels from under my ass.

He looked around the closet. “Where’s the baby?”

I held up the monitor. “In his room with Lane,”

We could hear movement on the monitor so I turned it up
and listened.

“There, there, baby Axel. I take care you.” Then Lane
started humming softly to him. “Me not allowed to pick you up so I just rock
you.” Lane let out a little giggle. “You sure are cute.”

Both Jameson and I smiled listening to Lane pacify Axel
who had started his little whimpering. He reminded me of a little puppy with
the whimpering.

“How the fuck are we going to get out of here?” Jameson
finally asked after thirty minutes in the closet together.

“I’ll go check to see if she’s gone yet.”

I army crawled out of the closet and peeked over the
stairwell to see Dana closing the door behind her.

Thank god
.

I wasn’t sure how much longer I could contain Jameson in
the closet without resorting to sex, which wasn’t an option. It had only been a
week and I had no fucking clue how in the hell the two of us would make it five
more weeks without sex.