15

McQueen

The five stars say hi to me. I stay behind while the rest leave for a local hotel they booked. At least Caleb will keep me company. However, Caleb refuses to sleep. I stay up with Caleb.

I guess I'll stay up while Caleb sleeps. I stare at Caleb until he falls asleep, but it doesn't work. Caleb won't budge. I give up. I guess we'll be up all night. He and Adelaide are such loyal yet stubborn kids.

I've always stayed up all night, but the kids stay up 'll make my day better. Cruz and I stayed up at Willy's Butte too. However, our track of time died. We probably worked too hard anyways. Tonight, Caleb stays late, not Adelaide.

It's probably midnight again as the stars come by. I tell the stars to watch over Adelaide. She's not around. My focus turns to Caleb and him only. I could've been nice for Adelaide and Caleb being here. However, Adelaide vanished after the Charleston Five Hundred.

Caleb's just here, and we're in this serene room. No nurses and doctors drive around, and everything is dead silent. It'll be a good time for sleep. However, Caleb still stays awake.

"Dad, when will Adelaide be here?" Caleb asks, "I miss her."

"I…don't know," I say.

"You don't know?"

"Nope, and I'll never know," I say, "It's time to sleep."

Caleb will never budge. It reminded me of Adelaide thirteen years ago. Adelaide's curiosity kept her up all night. I stayed awake with her. I guess curiosity can be such a gift yet a curse at the same time.

Adelaide was five years old at the time, and she stayed up late. Wasn't she supposed to be asleep along with Caleb and Zachary? It turns out I was wrong. She was eavesdropping on me.

A portrait of Doc Hudson and I training at Willy's Butte along with a few racing items sit in the room. I miss him. All of the things that reminded me of him worsened. This unbearable grief kills me despite the many years of his presence.

It was over between Doc and I, but all those memories clouded my mind. They were sentimental, and I could cry tears of joy. However, my grief took all the happiness away. The only memory of him was the day we met.

The whole night kept Sally awake. I didn't mean to interrupt. However, she didn't mind staying awake for me. She was more concerned about me than this whole night. She didn't mind how late it was.

"You okay, Stickers?" Sally asked.

"Yeah, I'm doing just fine," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I hesitated.

"Just admit it."

I showed the portrait to Sally, and she faced me. She took a look at the portrait as it's placed on a table. We both embraced each other. I missed him. At least Sally understood what I went through. She knew Doc Hudson for a while as well, and my family friends knew him too. Well, they knew him longer than I did, but Doc Hudson taught me a lesson a long time ago.

Doc Hudson taught me "turn right to go left." I improved my racing on the dirt track. This lesson stayed with me, and it'll last forever. Well, it might end when the legacy ends. The legacy should've ended with Cruz, but Adelaide and Caleb extended it. Lucky for them though. They'll be the greatest racers someday.

Well, Adelaide went her way to be a racer some day. She always focused on the Hudson Hornet Legacy the most. That legacy motivated her to race. It always did. However, Adelaide took things way too far and got what she wanted.

Adelaide's loyalty can be too far. Doc wouldnot be like this. I never told Adelaide much about him. It's my fault for not sharing enough information about him with her. Of course Doc and I were friends, but Adelaide believed it was like this forever. Well, we were only friends for three years.

Now, Doc Hudson is gone, and I'm left alone. However, I still have my other friends beside me. At least Sally and Mater are here beside me. They're good friends to be around, and I can never betray their trust.

That trust was bound with me. It still binds to me, and that bind can never be broken. I forever promise to be who I am now, a humble racer. I was stuck in Radiator Springs for a week, and I learned my lessons. These lessons made me better than myself.

Ever since I settled in Radiator Springs, I help my friends and stay humble as I can. I would train with Doc Hudson, go tractor tipping with Mater, and I would go on a drive back to Wheel Well with Sally. After Doc's death, it was not the same, and it'll never be the same. I relied on my friends for training.

"Let's pack it all up," Sally said.

"You sure? Where are we going to put it?" I said.

"I don't know, but we're going to keep it. It's not going anywhere."

"Thanks, Sal."

"No problem. Now, it's time for bed by the way, good night, Stickers."

"Good night."

The portrait laid face down. The picture could never be seen. I hit the lamp switch off, but I turned it back on. A moving tire shows up. It must be one of the kids. Shouldn't they be asleep?

Sally fell asleep before one of my kids entered my room. One of the kids looked like a miniature Sally, but her bright blue eyes stared at me. It must be Adelaide. She resembled her mother. She always did.

The only difference was that Adelaide had blue eyes instead of turquoise. Adelaide also was built a little bit different from Sally. She had the looks of a Porsche, but she took after me a little bit. She'll always be my precious Adelaide to me.

Caleb and Zachary would also be my precious kids. However, Adelaide was precious to me most of the time. They're all adorable too, but Adelaide's resemblance to Sally struck me the most. I don't hate Caleb and Zachary. They're special in their own way, but Adelaide…my Adelaide…

She had a curious mind. Sometimes, she had a lot of energy. I guess she had the guts to stay up and disturb me. She's just a child. I can't be too harsh on her. I guess we could spend time tonight. Maybe, some father and daughter bonding time will do.

"Daddy?" she asked.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered, "It's time for bed."

"I heard it," Adelaide cried.

"What?"

"Something about missing someone."

Doc? No, my racing days were over. Adelaide, Caleb, and Zachary didn't need to know him. He was long gone, and they didn't need to live a life of racing. They didn't need to race under his legacy. They could just live a normal childhood. They didn't need fans and press around, they didn't need to compete against each other and win, and they didn't need anything having to do with him.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry if it disturbed you," I said

"Who was it?" Adelaide said.

"Oh, he's an old friend of mine."

"Which friend?"

I didn't utter a word anymore, and Adelaide started crying. It kept me up all night. Oh, little Adelaide. Memories about Doc Hudson trigger my memories. Adelaide insisted on having the lights on. Everything made her sad.

I lay Adelaide on my hood, but I couldn't let her cuteness distract me. I reminded her it was time to sleep. All the residents were asleep, the boys were asleep, and Sally was already asleep. Adelaide and I were not.

It never was always the first time I stayed late for Adelaide. Cruz and I were training, and I brought her there. She wasn't awake, but she was comfortable. Has she always dreamed during the night? Maybe.

Adelaide's crying continued. Oh no, what have I done? What should I do? I didn't mean to hurt her, but I can't tell her anything about Doc Hudson. Doc Hudson was gone for a long time. I had Adelaide, Caleb, Zachary, Sally, Cruz, and Mater, and I promised myself to look after them. They're my new family.

"It's going to be okay," I said.

Adelaide smiled and patted my hood with her small tire. Was that an "I love you" sign? It's too cute. She's too cute for a little child. Adelaide led me outside, but I stayed inside. It's already late.

I cried tears of joy after Adelaide calmed down. Good thing she'll go back to sleep. Adelaide yawned, she stayed here with a smirk on her face. She was so stubborn like I was, and she's probably going to grow up as Daddy's little girl.

I started crying. I didn't mean to. I was going to sleep. I miss Adelaide. That night still hurts. I was there for her all along. I'll always love my kids, especially Adelaide, my Adelaide. When will she be back to realize I love her?

The stars shine at the window again. I miss him. I would give one last chance to see him. Maybe he and the others would see my kids someday. Well, they can't. It's too late for them to see my kids, especially Adelaide.

"What's wrong? Caleb asks."

"Adelaide," I say.

"Oh, Good night, Dad."

"Good night to you too."