71 Blacktop Obsession
"Going somewhere, were you?" Dominic asked as Kaidyn got in her car, quietly shutting the door.
"Oh my fucking God, Dom!" Kaidyn almost punched him, holding her chest. Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest already when she had snuck out, now she could feel it beating in her temples.
"Watch your mouth, Kaidyn." He pointed at her, not looking happy.
"Trying to give me a heart attack?"She asked, looking angry.
"Trying to disappoint Shayde again?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or just trying to run again? I am guessing both." He asked, shaking his head. He made Kaidyn look down, wincing from that question.
"I just wanted to go for a drive." She sulked. "You don't understand." Kaidyn accused.
"Well maybe if you hadn't given Shayde a reason to not to trust you, things would be different." Dominic said.
"Yeah. I know." She admitted. "I am always messing up. I know. Go ahead and tell me how much I screw up and how much grief I cause her. I already know this." Kaidyn said, waiting for him to really start yelling. Her eyes got watery.
"No tears, you're not pulling that with me. You know how I deal with tears." Dominic took a drink of his Corona. "Start it up, let's get on the road. We're heading to the beach." He said, staring straight ahead.
"What? Really?" She asked, her mouth dropping open.
"Well, obviously I can't drive. I have been drinking." Dominic stated with a slight grin. "Lets go, Kiddo." He said, loving seeing her shocked expression. He knew she was trying to figure out if he was serious.
"Thank you." She said quietly. "I needed to get out of there." She admitted with a heavy sigh.
"Don't thank me yet. You're not out of this yet, I am sure there will be consequences." he said. "Straight road, about 5 minutes up there, straight shot." he pointed with the hand that had his Corona in it.
"Can I hit the nos?" She asked, her hand itching to hit it. She waited for him to say no.
"I guess but if we go in the ocean because you can't stop, I am not helping you out." He said, shaking his head, hoping that would deter her.
"Okay." She said, hitting the nos, not giving it any hesitation. She pulled up to the beach, drifting in on the edge of the beach. She got out, rather proud of herself and looking smug.
"You can drive, I'll give you that. Whoever taught you how to drive did a hell of a job." He grinned.
"Hmm, I wonder who that was." Kaidyn laughed, loving that he had taught her. She got her love of cars from him.
"You handled it perfectly. Come on, let's go have a talk." He said, opening the door to get out.
"Oh now that is a compliment from Mr. Dominic Toretto." Kaidyn giggled, making her voice deep when she said his name. She sat on the hood of the car and Dominic leaned back on his elbows on the hood and they watched the waves roll in. "That was exactly what I needed." She smiled contentedly.
"So what made you think you were gonna go out and run again?" Dominic asked, looking at her.
"I don't know. I am just dealing with some stuff." She played with the bracelet on her wrist. She never took it off because it was one Shayde had given her and she loved it so much.
"What kinda stuff?" He asked. "Talk to me, Kiddo." He said.
"You already told Shay, I am sure it's just a matter of time before she is here." Kaidyn sighed, assuming the worst.
"I haven't yet. But I will if you don't talk to me." Dominic threatened, raising a threatening eyebrow.
"What do you want to talk about?" Kaidyn asked, playing dumb while nervously twirling her bracelet.
"Ok, I can just text Shayde. I don't want to play games." Dominic said, annoyed.
"It's not easy to just 'talk' about things, Dom." Kaidyn rolled her eyes.
"Try it." He shrugged. "Just start by answering my questions." He suggested. "Why are you always running?" he asked.
"Because I feel like a caged animal." She replied, shaking her head.
"You're not caged, Shayde wants to protect you." He said, watching her shiver a bit. He took off the outer shirt he was wearing over his wife beater and put it around her shoulders.
"I know. But sometimes it's just too much. I can't explain it even if I wanted to honestly. Time goes missing, there are things I can't remember that I feel I should know…" She stopped talking, lost in thought for a moment. "I get these feelings that make me uneasy and stressed out. It's just not an easy way to explain it. I think I am just crazy." Kaidyn admitted, looking out at the ocean. She choked back her tears and tried to not cry.
"I know it's tough. You should try talking to Letty, she lost her memory, Kaidyn. She might be able to help you." He suggested.
"No, I'm good." Kaidyn folded her arms. "I don't think she would understand. I am sorry, I cannot do that." Kaidyn shook her head.
"You always are so damn stubborn." Dominic laughed, shaking his head, ruffling her hair. "Some things just don't change." he said.
"I know. I am a handful and I am a burden. I think maybe that is why I try to run. I just think if Shay didn't have to put up with me, she would be a lot better off." Kaidyn's eyes glistened with tears.
"Now, that is definitely wrong. Shayde would kill for you and she loves you more than she loves herself. I know this for a fact." Dominic said, reaching over to wipe Kaidyn's tear. "What I want to know is who are you hearing this from because I know no one in our family has ever said anything like this to you." He said, his voice softer.
"It doesn't matter, does it?" She asked, her voice a whisper.
"It does. Because whoever said it is very wrong and needs to be dealt with and set straight." Dominic said with a grimace.
"That's all I heard for six months when I was in juvie. And I am starting to feel like they are right." Kaidyn sniffled, her voice a bit hoarse. "My doctor says I will never get my memory back and that can be a burden on families. I don't want to be a burden, Dom." She said, her voice hoarse.
"Kaidyn, I can't even tell you how lost and worried Shayde was without you those six months. She was a wreck and I thought at one point she was going to lose her mind. Seriously." Dominic put an arm around Kaidyn, rubbing her back.
"Not Shayde. She never breaks." Kaidyn wiped her eyes, looking shocked.
"Not true, everyone has a weakness. And sometimes you can love someone so much that they are the very thing that can break you. You are her thing. She loves you. I can't tell you how much she loves you." Dominic said, taking a drink and finishing his Corona.
"I love her too. That's why I don't want to burden her or make her sad or disappoint her. I really just want her to know how much I love her. But I rely on her so much I am sure it's hard on her." Kaidyn said, sniffling.
"She wouldn't want it any other way. She would not be able to live without you. As I said, you are her thing that keeps her going in life." He promised.
"I don't know. I hate having to deal with myself and my issues so I can't imagine it's something she wants to do." Kaidyn said sadly.
"Stop letting yourself think like that. You can get your memory back and even if you don't you still have your life and family who love you." Dominic said, thumping her in the back of the head playfully. "Finally a grin." he smiled at her, relieved to see he could still make her smile.
"It feels like things are changing and I am scared. I don't know why but I am seriously scared, Dom." Kaidyn said, her eyes wide.
"Maybe it's just because it's all new. You got Shayde and Hector and Han and the boys, you're gonna be okay." Dominic promised.
"Dom, What keeps you going?" Kaidyn asked, leaning back and crossing her legs on the hood.
"Our family." He replied, looking up at the moon without hesitation. "Kiddo, family is everything. You know that." he said. "If I teach you nothing else, just know that family is the most important thing anyone can have. It's not money, cars, things. It is simply just family." he said, looking her in the eyes.
"I don't have my parents. I have Shayde." She said quietly, staring off in the distance as if she was deep in thought.
"You have a big family and we all love you. You got me, Shay, Han, Hector, Tej, Roman, Brian, Jesse, Letty, girl we all love you. We will always be here for you." He promised. "We are your family." he said.
"I love all of you guys too. I know you think sometimes I make stupid choices and I am sorry. But I hope you know I never take any of you for granted." Kaidyn said, looking into Dominic's eyes with tears in her eyes. He gave her a big hug.
"I don't think that at all. I am sorry I ever said that." he rubbed her head. "I got a temper and I make mistakes too," He said, his voice deep.
"I don't think you or Shayde ever make mistakes." Kaidyn laughed while wiping her tears.
"Oh, we do. Trust me. We have made many. Too many to count, I promise you. But that's another time and place for that conversation. I am not allowed to tell you stories because it might give you ideas." he teased.
"Funny. So are you gonna tell Shayde?" She asked.
"She's gonna already know. I can't promise she won't be mad. But you knew that when you grabbed those keys so whatever happens, you will just have to face. That's what having choices means. You are free to do as you choose but not free from the... " he started.
"Consequences." She finished for him.
"I learned that the hard way, Kaidyn. Shay and I just don't want you to have to go through what we did." Dominic said, getting up off the car.
"Can't we just stay out here all night? It's so pretty." She sighed, not ready to go back and meet her fate.
"No, we can't. Better to turn yourself in than to try to run." He said, flicking her ponytail. "But I will let you run the nos once more on the way home, do we gotta deal?" He asked, picking her up from the hood and putting her in the sand. She threw some sand at him playfully.
"I guess you got a deal." She nodded, getting in the car. "Isn't it cool how there are two lanes and a straight shot to the house? It's like, perfect for racing." Kaidyn said, revving the engine.
"It's almost like someone built this straight blacktop for racing and for you, huh?" Dominic asked, holding onto the side of the window, waiting for her to push the nos. She giggled and pushed it, ready for the adrenaline rush.