November Falls - 7. Chapter 7 - Ember

“Uh… thanks,” Brady accepted the coffee from me.

I couldn’t tell what he was more confused about, the fact I knew how he took his coffee, or that I was talking to him. Brady stood silently taking in our surroundings, his eyes everywhere but me. He shifted his weight nervously from left to right, and was getting that look again, like I was about to steal his pet or something.

“Let's walk,” I mumbled while staring into my coffee, sneaking a quick glance at Brady. Unfortunately, our eyes met, it’s weird I couldn’t tear mine away, while he searched my face to see if I was genuine.

“Okay…” his voice trailed off.

We walked in silence as I steered him toward the track, it will give us something to watch while we have this incredibly uncomfortable conversation. By the looks of it, Brady was thinking the same. The younger kids’ heats were running at the moment; I can see why AJ loves riding Motocross. Riding a motorbike on the road is the purest form of freedom I have ever experienced, but this, Motocross; the speed, the jumps and flying through the air, the challenge of the track, the show-off moves, it is something else. It’s written all over the kid's faces when they compete. The anticipation of the race, and the grin from ear-to-ear when they’ve finished a race, the atmosphere is electric.

“Ember–” Brady started, but I cut him off.

“Look, Brady, we are going to have to learn to be civil to each other for your kid's sake, and AJ. They’ve become pretty good friends in such a short time, and they have a lot in common. I spend a great deal of time with AJ which probably means your son will be around me.” I paused for a moment, looking at the ground, thinking to myself ‘one day I’d love to be a dad,’ “I’m not sure what your problem is or was with me – I could never figure it out – I still can’t. Maybe what your son said last night is true, but I find it hard to believe.”

“Ember–” I honestly don’t want to hear what he has to say.

“Don’t Brady! Your son seems like a nice kid. I’m close with AJ, and I want to keep it that way. I don’t want that…that, whatever shit you have against me being passed on to your son. If your boy isn’t comfortable with me, then one of us won't be able to spend as much time with AJ. I don’t want this to affect AJ, or my relationship with him okay,” I said firmly.

“Novy doesn’t know anything about our history,” Brady answered shamefully - I watched his throat bob as he swallowed nervously - “which is something I’d like to talk to you about.”

“Yeah, well I don’t. I can’t see how we can undo the past. We only have to get along so the boys aren’t uncomfortable around us.” I took the last sip of my coffee before continuing, “AJ knows about our history, I’ll have a chat with him. AJ’s a good kid, he’ll be respectful, and make up his own mind about you.”

“Sure, thanks,” Brady said defeatedly, his focus was on the race about to start. He turned to me with a look of determination but softness in his eyes, “Ember, I know you don’t want to hear this,” Brady’s eyes not leaving mine, “but I’m sorry, I’ve got to get this off my chest.” I went to shut him down, his expression changed to somewhere between ‘please,’ and ‘just fucking listen.’ “Look, I know you don’t want to dig up the past. I know how I acted back in high school, it makes me physically ill just thinking about it. Novy is all the good things I’m not or wasn’t back then. I’ve made sure he isn’t anything like I was growing up.” Brady sighed, looking over to the pits, then crushing his coffee cup.

“AJ is a great kid, you should all be so proud of him; even you Ember, talking to me now,” Brady looked away for a moment before fixing his eyes back on mine, “you’re a bigger man than me.”

We were both silent and watched as Hawko’s tow truck pulled in next to the track. He gave me a wave, and I nodded back at him. Brady cleared his throat, breaking my greeting with my friend. He nervously fidgeted, giving a wave to Hawko. What the… I internally rolled my eyes, Hawko had been the one that rescued him from the side of the highway, when he came back to town – of course they’re friendly.

“I’ll do everything you want to make sure that my son doesn’t pay the price for his dad’s stupidity. AJ, Justin and you; Novy thinks you guys make the sunshine; by the way, in High School, you did nothing wrong, it was all on me, Ember, all on me.”

With that said, Brady turned, walking back towards his brother, who had been watching us from the sidelines. Cameron put his hand on his older brother’s shoulder, asking him if everything was okay. The younger Douglass then looked back at me as they walked to their pit.

I made my way back to the pits, at war with myself at the new and improved Brady. It’s got to be a façade; the guy was a giant douche bag. It’s hard to believe him, he’s like an entirely different person. I noticed Justin had returned, and I was fired up, confused, pissed off, and a million other things,

“Okay! You want Brady - four weeks! You hire him, manage him, but if I get one complaint or look from him the wrong way, he’s out, and you’re telling him. If it all goes wrong, you’re fixing it,” Justin stared back at me blinking with a confused look on his face.

“Okay, sure,” Justin said surprised at my outburst.

I needed to get my head around everything, nothing was how it was supposed to be. Twenty years ago this guy went out of his way to make my life miserable. Walking off I can’t help but think, ‘Man I’m an ass,’ I’d been a bit of a prick to Justin, it wasn’t his fault. He had been hounded by the other Douglass too; That man! With his ‘someone stole my puppy look’ all the time, the sexy lean body and his eyes, hmmm those eyes. Argh! Frustrates the shit out of me, why can’t he just be the dick from back in high school. Today, he’s everything I’m attracted to. Of all people, Brady Fucking Douglass, god damn it.

<>-<>-<>

I was standing with Justin and the Douglass brothers, it was all very civil. Never in a million years did I think that would be possible; not without a little bloodshed anyway. AJ and Brady’s son are on the track, they are killing it; if AJ keeps this up, he’s going to win, with his buddy right behind him. We were all grinning from ear-to-ear and cheering over the noise of the bikes. AJ came to the turn where we stood, spraying us with dirt, Brady’s kid followed suit - shitheads.

Justin bumped me with his shoulder, flicking his chin in the direction of Hawko’s tow truck. The sounds of ‘Pink’ blasting away; His newest glittery twink leaping around in the cabin, waving his ass around like it was on fire, making the whole truck rock. Hawko seemed amused and somewhat unfazed while he watched the boys ride as he sang along. They were both entirely oblivious to the attention they were drawing, having the time of their lives. I chuckled to myself, this big rough, tough guy, loves his little shiny twinks. The Douglass brothers had both heard the commotion and were looking on, they weren’t laughing at my friend, which surprised me, they were grinning, Brady has a killer smile. Damn it!

“Good for them,” I heard Cameron mutter to his brother.

Justin gave me a bemused look, I shrugged my shoulders. Not something I expected to come out of either one of their mouths. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Brady. He was a puzzle, not one that I want to solve, but still, I just can’t reconcile the man next to me, with the one I went to high school with. Nothing tracks. They say people can change. I find it hard to believe he’s changed that much, but so far all the evidence points toward it. Why do I feel like I’m being pulled down the rabbit hole with this guy?

“And on the final lap, its number 175 in first place, 386 in second…” a man over the loudspeaker announced. Shit! 175… that’s AJ…

“Hey, Justin, AJ’s in first place,” as we looked away from the twink-mobile to see AJ and Brady’s kid come first and second.

High fives and back slaps were rapidly being exchanged. I spun around, Brady and my hands collided in a high-five. When our hands connected it was… I don’t know but it was something, something I didn’t expect to feel. It was electric; a connection, it was as if time stood still. My eyes met with Brady’s, his face lit up like a 1000w bulb; that killer smile, oh my god, those soft sweet looking lips… What the hell am I thinking. November get a grip… Jesus. I saw Cameron frown as he looked at Brady then me. then continued to celebrate, giving Justin a high-five around us. Hawko was blasting the horn on the tow truck, his twink bouncing up and down in his seat giving us all the thumbs up, grinning like a loon.

There were cheers, and congratulations coming from everyone who walked past, even Justin and Cam Douglass were slapping each other on the shoulder, laughing away. I saw a flicker of something in Cameron’s eye, between him and Justin, they were both grinning like they’d won the race. Hmm… maybe the Douglass’s have changed. As far as I was aware, Justin loathed Cameron only slightly less than I disliked Brady. Even though my dislike for Brady seems to be thawing, I’m not quite ready to give up my ridiculous bitterness toward the man. He’d changed who I was, as a teenager, which bled into my adulthood. That part’s on me I guess, but I still feel the scars, and at times they feel like open wounds.

“Hey Uncle Ember,” AJ’s voice seemed so distant, “Uncle Ember... “

My gaze left Brady slowly but then flicking to AJ.

“AJ, that was brilliant buddy. I’m so proud of you,” both boys were grinning from ear to ear. “Both of you, you killed it.”

“Uncle Ember can I use your mobile phone so I can call my folks,” I quickly handed over the phone and AJ moved away to call his folks.

“Good job mate,” I high fived Brady’s son, “you two are quite the blocking team.”

The boys face flushed red, from the heat and sweating from the ride, but the grin on his face said everything.

“Thanks, Mr. Mcain.” The kid blew out an excited breath, “I haven’t had a ride like that in a long time. AJ is awesome.”

AJ handed my phone back, then gently punched his friend in the arm, “That’s was totally awesome, we should ride like that all of the time. I can’t believe we won.”

My nephew is something else, he didn’t see it as just a win for him, but something they’d accomplished together.

“We should start our own riding team,” AJ said at the top of his lungs then looked over at me.

I put my hands up in protest, “I can barely afford you, let alone two of you. A team is a lot of responsibility and on a more significant budget. There is a lot involved. It was one race don’t get ahead of yourselves.”

“Just a thought,” AJ said a little deflated from his high. Now I feel like an asshole.

“I’m not saying no AJ, but it’s not all that easy, you boys enjoy your win we’ll look into this more at a later date,” I countered more positively, I didn’t want to be the one to kill the kids high after his accomplishment.

AJ’s face lit up again, thank god.

“Can riders 175 and 386, come over to the presentation area,” blasted out of the speakers, the boys both ran off, laughing and giving each other a side hug along the way, we all made our way over to the presentation area. Even Hawko and his plaything came along.

I tapped Justin on the shoulder, he looked around at me, smiling away. “Hey, Boss,”

“Hey you, Buddy, what’s the go with you and Cameron Douglass, huh?” with a crooked eyebrow for added effect, keeping my voice low so the Douglass brothers couldn’t hear us.

“I don’t know what you mean,” his said as his neck and face started to turn a bright shade of red.

“Oh-okay, then tell that to your face, mate,” I chuckled walking off. Leaving Justin using his mobile phone as a mirror, checking his face and neck on the screen. I couldn’t help but burst out laughing, Justin busted me and mouthed “Oh, fuck off,” while laughing at himself too.

The boys received their trophies, AJ yelled out “Uncle Ember can you video this. I want to post it on snap chat, while Brady’s kid and AJ were taking selfies with their buddies, “Sure no worries, AJ, I’ve got this,” Kids and their social media drives me up the friggin’ wall.

Walking back to the pits we were greeted by AJ’s folks and Mr. and Mrs. Douglass, Brady or Cameron must have called their parents. Mr. Douglass headed straight for me, with his hand out.

“Hi Ember, I heard you and Justin helped Novy out, setting up his bike before the race. That was very kind of you,” I shook his hand, I’ve dealt with the man a few times before, ‘The Chop Shop’ holds the tender for all mechanical repairs for his company fleet, along with their personal cars.

“If you’ve used any parts or oils, please put them on my business account,” Mr. Douglass told me.

“Nah, Mr. Douglass, it’s fine, any friend of AJ’s,” I said waving the man off in a friendly manner.

“Ember please, Timothy,” said Mr. Douglass, “Kate and I have known you for some time now, I think we can drop the Mr and Mrs can’t we? Plus we don’t want you to be out of pocket, that’s all.”

“Mr. Douglass, Timothy, sorry, it really is okay. AJ and your grandson are good mates I don’t mind, Justin did most of the work anyways,” I chuckled.

“Hey Ember,” Aaron yelled out, Timothy and I turned in his direction, “The kids want to go out for dinner to the ‘The Yard’ to celebrate.” Aaron side eyed his wife, “Can you ask April for me, she never says no to you mate.”

April piped up, “What am I invisible or something, the boys asked me first Aaron…” smacking Aaron on the arm, chuckling, “Come on help the boys pack up so we can head off.”

April had swung into full planner mode, organising everyone and everything.

“Are you all going to join us at the ‘The Yard?’ the boys are keen to celebrate, plus I think I’d struggle to separate them at the moment”

I looked across to AJ and Novy. The sounds of their laughter and the energy of their excitement were all around us, it was almost infectious. Timothy looked at Kate, a curt nod between the two of them.

“We’d love to April thanks,” Timothy turned to Brady and Cameron who was helping Novy load up the trailer, “come on boys, we’re going to the ‘The Yard’ to celebrate, my treat.”

I blew out a breath of resignation, Fantastic!