The following monday...
Cal called Lightning with no answer. Hmm. Cal knew over the weekend, Lightning and Sally searched the office for the hint for the remote. Lightning kept Cal and Jackson in the know about that. Sally had been extra busy with looking into getting more information done on Dianna Swwann and Doc and Dianna's mother. It was a complicated matter. But Jackson was already here early and with what he hoped to be great news! Over the weekend he finished the car. So it just might run. Jackson was a little excited about it and to tell Lightning. If Lightning was around. Cal stared at his phone. He was about to call Lightning again but was distracted when out the corner of his eye he saw.. Cruz. With a kid? Her kid! oh. Cruz walked up with Miguel up to Cal. "This is Cal. He's mommy's boss. Sort of." Cal snickered and smiled down at Miguel. "He's cute. Visiting?" He asked. Cruz shoom her head happily. "Nope. I get him Mondays, Tuesdays, and wednesdays."
Cal was impressed honestly. "That's great Cruz. Good for you." "Yeah, I know!" "So you're growing up. That is so good to hear! No more Lightnin nonsense." Cal exclaimed then looked back at his phone. Cruz's brows lowered as she defended "Uh well.. I wouldn't say there was ever any.. Nonsense.." Cal called Lightning again. Nothing. He sighed. "What's wrong?" Cruz asked. Cal looked at her and her son answering "Just.. Trying to get ahold of Lightnin." "Oh. Well here he comes." She pointed out. Cal looked over and Lightning looked as if he just worked out. Cruz stared. Though it still wasn't fair and she deserved to be with Lightning, she was also trying to win back her son. Lightning could be a distraction. A hot.. sweaty.. toned.. Blonde.. distraction. Cal walked up to Lightning griping "Been tryin to call you. Jackson was looking for you. Thinks he finished the car engine." "Has he?" Lightning asked. Cal shrugged explaining "Figured I'd let you look over it. Be the one to see it first."
"Yea, I'll head up there now." Lightning exclaimed. Cruz spoke up and jumped in asking "Could I come with? Um.. I'd like to see if he did." Lightning stared at Cruz and hesitated but nodded. Nothing made Cruz so happy! Cal stopped Lightning adding "Also, I was hoping you could give a.. Motivational speach tomorrow. To the students and a few racers from the accident." "Me?" Lightning asked surprised. Cal nodded. "Um.. Thanks for considering me, but.. Do you really think I'm the.. best choice for motivational speaking?" Lightning asked with a chuckle. It was funny to him that Cal thought he'd be good at that. Cal nodded. "I think you're the best choice for a motivational speach Lightnin." He answered. Lightning stared a moment. It was just.. Surprising. "Uh.." Lightning muttered. "Sure.. Okay, yeah. I'm sure I can.. Think of something to say.." He answered. Cal smiled. "Great. I'll email you the details. I'll come up and meet with you guys in just a sec and see how Jackson's project is going. Kind of excited to see for myself actually. " Before he walked off real quick to attend another matter.
So Cruz and Miguel went up with Lightning. It was quiet in the elevator. Miguel stared at Lightning. Lightning noticed and glanced down. Miguel. The kid that was suppose to be his. Thank god he wasn't. "He's.. Getting big." Lightning said. Cruz glanced down at her son and smiled. Miguel was quiet. Lightning noticed. Miguel was really quiet. "Should get him on a few play dates.. Take him to the park.. You like slides Miguel?" Lightning asked the kid. Miguel hid behind Cruz but peeked around and nodded. "Theres a bright blue twistie slide at the park. Tell Cr... Your mom.. To take you there some time."
Cruz loved that. How good Lightning was with kids. Ofcorse he was good with kids, he had how own. She smiled. Lightning noticed and looked away. Crap. Almost to the floor. Cruz cleared her throat asking "How are you and Sally?" Lightning stared at her answering "Good.. We're good." Cruz snickered mentioning "Heard about the proposal. Congrats huh? Getting remarried.. Must be.. Fun. Hehheh..." she tried laughing it off. Lightning frowned admitting "We didn't get... We are going to get married just.. We didn't. Haven't yet." Cruz stared. "Oh.. I'm sorry, I just thought you two.. Uh.." "We were just.." Lightning sighed saying "Something came up." Cruz nodded and pretended to understand. "Yeah.. Oh, yeah, I get it.. Life happens... Yup.." she muttered. Lightning didn't say anything back. The elevator opened and the three walked out to Jackson who was in the driver seat already.
"Heard you might be done." Lightning called out. Jackson smiled answering "Oh yeah. I was actually about to turn her over for the first time." Cruz then made herself known saying "Hey Jackson." "Cruz? Come here! God, I've missed you." He stepped out and Cruz walked over and hugged him. Naturally his hand slipped to her ass. Cruz pulled away introducing "This is my son, Miguel." Jackson was surprised. Miguel looked up at his mom and asked "Why doesn't he look at me?" Cruz started to answer but Jackson did instead, "I'm blind kid. Means I can't see anything." "Oh.." "If you close your eyes though, you can see what he sees." Cruz mentioned. Miguel immediately closed his eyes and asked "But how he race?" Cruz frowned and stared at Lightning. Jackson sighed answering firmly with "I don't. I'm not a racer." Miguel was a tad confused but he was young and not following everything anyway. Lightning cleared his throat loudly, "Okay!.. Why don't you try starting her up. All looks good under the hood. Give it go."
So Jackson stumbled his way back inside the car and crossing his fingers turned the key. Nothing. Not even a click. "Fuck.." He muttered. Lightning immediately reminded "Little ears Storm.." Jackson brushed it off. "So what is wrong with it?" Cruz asked. Jackson stood up griping "It's a peice of crap, that's what's wrong. You gave me a dead and torn up wrecked can to begin with. Never even told me the kind of car it was! You set me up to fail!" Jackson yelled. Cruz and Miguel stared as Lightning corrected "I set you up to try! And you did! That's what I wanted from you Storm! I want to see you try!" Jackson shook his head. Kind of pouting. "You got this far, you can do this.. I'll help you find out what's wrong with it.. Okay?" Lightning offered. Jackson shrugged. He was tired of failing. And he was to much and too difficult to put back together a broken car let alone make it run! The elevator doors opened. Cal.
"Hey guys. So? does it run?" he asked. Jackson only growled in his frustration. Cal glared answering for himself "I'm gonna guess not.." Cruz took this as a hint to take Miguel out and around Radiator Springs, maybe the park Lightning talked about. "I'll be back later Cal.. Gonna take little man here to the park and maybe for some.. Ice cream!?" "Ice Cream!?" Shouted Miguel with excitement! Cal nodded and bid Cruz goodbye. This left the boys alone. Jackson kicked the car and fell to the ground as he lost his balance easily. "Does he even know that this is hi"-"No. Don't plan on telling him either." Jackson looked toward the older men and asked Lightning "Have you found the remote yet?" Lightning rigged answering "No.. Cleo just gave me a hint. Somthing in the mayor's office should give us a hint, but.. Sally and I wrecked that place. There's nothing there."
"Or nothing there that was there before." Jackson exclaimed. Cal nodded. "Makes sense." he added. Lightning frowned a bit explaining "But how can we know what was in there before Sally took back over now? There are no pictures and I don't think any of us could remember that office in details." Jackson didn't have an answer, but Cal did. "Videos.. The.. Um.. Video.." Lightning stared. He knew what Cal meant. THE tape. Lightning sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I.. Can't.. Ugh.. I'll talk to.. Someone about it." This immediately kind of pissed Lightning off. Cal was right. That didn't make him mad. It was the fact that Cleo was trying to make Lightning watch the tape and relive it. He was already sick of her games and part of him debated explaining to Jackson he couldn't do this and admitting he was to weak to help him.
Jackson growled and hit the hood hard with a bang! "Forget it McQueen! If you can't face the bitch!?.. Aaaahhh!" BANG! Lightning glared at Jackson. The fit he was throwing was ridiculous. So, Lightning tried to explain "Come on.. This is silly Jackson... You are so close to finding that thing that makes you, you. When I got here, you were excited and honestly a whole new person. Don't let the little thing throw you off. I'm telling you to keep going and keep trying. You're almost there." "Oh stop!" Jackson yelled toward Lightning. "It's not a little thing. You don't get it! You have no idea what it's like to see nothing! To see nothing but darkness and knowing that the thing that can give you that back! Is in the hands of a fucking drama queen! EEERRHHHH!!!!" "Jackson"-"No! Stop! I don't want your help anymore! Just.. Let me be!.. Let me.. Let me just give up..." the kid frowned. "I don't wanna try anymore.. I was fine until you came and disrupted my life McQueen!" Lightning sighed hearing this. He hated how the little things got to this guy so easily.
Cal then decided to step in, "Keep your head up Storm. You can't give up now? Yeah.. You're blind." "Cal?.." Lightning muttered. Cal motioned for Lightning to hold on and continued "You're blind and yet you built this car!.. Sure, she don't run.. Yet. Don't give up.. Be patient." Jackson shook his head. The kid didn't care. He used his cane to help him balance and walk past the two old racers and toward the elevator. He tapped the wall a few times before finding the button. "Where are you goin?" Cal asked. Jackson sighed answering "Home. I'm going back home.." Cal immediately looked at Lightning who asked "What? That apartment?" Jackson nodded and entered the elelevator then asked. "Can someone press the button or do I need to wait for someone to call the elevator down stairs?" Cal and Lightning glanced at each other before Cal pressed the button and stood by Lightning. Jackson looked up and said "I'm tired McQueen.. I don't wanna try and get hurt anymore.." Together, Cal and Lightning watched Jackson disappear behind the doors.
Cal felt bad. He saw hiw badly Jackson needed help and... "I failed him." Lightning muttered. Cal immediately looked at his friend and corrected "No, you didn't. He failed you. You tried to help." "Yeah, by giving the blind kid a wrecked car!? That was my last chance Cal! If I have no one here at this stupid center? The academy falls apart too! I put everything into this place for Storm!" Lightning shouted! Cal stared. He didn't really realize that before. "I'm sorry.. I.." Cal paused. Now he felt he should help Lightning out. "You could.. Take a few students... Get some.. Good reviews?" He offered. Lightning shook his head. "Not taking your students Cal. Thanks, but no. I should have made Jackson feel comfortable and should have made this center his safe place.." Cal sighed and nodded. "I'm truly sorry Lightnin. Let's.. See how the speach goes tomorrow?. Maybe it can turn into some kind of work for you?." Cal placed a hand on Lightning's shoulder for a moment in support. Before getting into the elevator himself. "I gotta get to my classes. You gonna be okay?" he asked. Lightning nodded. So Cal disappeared just as Jackson had.
Cal ran outside to find Jackson waiting for an uber. "Jackson!" he called. Jackson sighed asking "What do you want?" the young man growled. Cal caught his breath before answering that, "Come on man, don't quit. You were doin better than you realize." Jackson snickered. "You, of all people Cal, DEFINITELY don't get it. If only you could see the world like I do... I was comfortable. I was okay before McQueen promised to help me and possibly find my sight. That remote. But I should know better.. You can't depend on anyone but yourself in this world. I mean, his wife or girlfriend or whatever that bitch is, lied to him. She said the remote was destroyed and.. Well YOU heard her!.. " Cal felt bad for that to. It was cruel of Sally.
Cal felt he should remind "Sally only did that to protect Lightnin. She didn't want him hurting and seeing Cleo and"-"You don't think I hurt!? She makes me hurt! I went to that jail every chance I got and begged her for the remote!.. I begged her every chance I could and it HURT! That's when I found out, it's easier to just give up than to fight.. I was fine.. I was fine and accepted that I would be blind the rest of my life. Then McQueen put false hope in my head and now it's worse! Knowing I could be so close to getting it back.. It hurts again.." Cal could understand how giving up was easier than trying. But he didn't want to see Jackson fail and Lightning give up because Jackson gave up. He placed a hand on the young former racer's shoulder and explained "If you quit the rehabilitation, It's gonna get shut down. You are the only person in there right now.." "So?" Jackson snarled and yanked away.
Cal sighed continuing "Lightnin loses his academy if he doesn't get the rehab center running. To do that, he needs you." "What do you mean? Why would he lose his academy?" Cal shrugged answering "He put everything into the rehabilitation center because he had that much faith in you. He obviously believed you could help him and he could help you. I mean, how many blind people have you known to build a car!? And the therapist.. And the personal fitness trainer.. Lightnin really put a lot into helping you. And you're just gonna quit on him after a few weeks of tough work?"
Jackson frowned and stood there. Thinking. Maybe he should go back in and apologize and keep trying like Cal and Lightning wanted him to. The uber pulled up. Cal waited to see what Jackson would do. The young man turned slightly and replied "Tell McQueen I'm sorry.." And got into the car. Cal watched it leave. He couldn't believe it. After all that, Jackson betrayed Lightning knowing the academy could be closed down for some time with the closing of the rehab center...
Lightning returned home a little late that night. Sally and the kids were eating dinner. It worried Sally that he was late. Lightning walked over and to Sally, kissing her head of hair. "I tried calling.." She mentioned. Lightning sat down with a sigh. "I know.. Sorry.. I was busy.." He was very down. Sally frowned and asked "What happened today? Is it anything about.." She paused. The kids. "Our.. Prior mayor?" Lightning stared at Sally and shrugged. So Sally walked over and placed a plate of food in front of her love. "Eat. A good meal always makes you feel better." She said so tenderly. Lightning sighed. Looking over the twins making a mess, a painting of their food. Sally glared at them as they continued.
"Jackson quit." Lightning exclaimed. Sally began cleaning up from the twins and stared asking "Was it because of me?.." she was worried this would happen. Lightning shook his head. "He got mad that the car I had him building wouldn't start." Sally snickered replying "That was pretty awful babe.. Giving him a car?" Lightning shrugged. "I thought he could do it.. He did. The thing was built. I'll check it out tomorrow and see what was wrong with it while I'm there for my speach.." "A speach?" Sally asked. Lightning rubbed his eyes explaining "Yeah.. I agreed to give a motivational speach, last minute to a few students and former racers.. What am I suppose to say? Don't give up, unless you have me as your teacher because I'll motivate you to quit." Lightning said sarcastically. Sally glared at Lightning for that shot.
She let the twins run off to play after cleaning them up. Colton showed his dad that his plate was empty. Lightning smiled and messed Colton's hair up. "Great job rookie. Go on and play before I come tuck you in." "Okay dadda." His son replied and slowly jumped off the chair and rushed off after his siblings. Sally smiled seeing that. She sat down with her husband to be. "You have a ton of things to inspire you for a speach. Plus, I'll be there." she assured. Lightning raised a brow. "Why would you wanna hear an old man talk a bunch of kids into.. Whatever?" he asked with a smile. Sally snickered answering "Because I love this old man and I'm gonna support him, you. No matter what." Lightning loved this woman.
"You have the crash.. Your crash. You could have quit and retired immediately after that. You didn't. We are another example. We divorced and were over. Look at us now? And even after what happened with Cleo?" "I got problems after that.." Lightning griped. Sally frowned, but reminded "You're still kickin." Lightning snickered and shook his head. "Sorry he quit Light.." She muttered. Lightning nodded and sighed. "Means the rehab center will be closed down.. Means the academy will shortly after.." "Lightning I can give you money Stickers." "No. No, I don't.. Just not yet. I'm not at the point it's closing yet. Praying for a miracle.." he joked. Or at least tried to. But things weren't looking good for the racing academy...