A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE-Part 3
It was about 4:30 in the afternoon on a balmy spring afternoon in late April when Speed pulled the Mach 5 up the driveway to the Racer home. He was returning from the practice track at Pops Motors and was tired but elated as he always was after a good practice session. He had been really pumped and then had been disappointed when he stopped by Trixie's office to ask her to go for a ride with him tonight but found that she had already left for the day. So he decided to go home to rest and then call her at home later.
He killed the engine and was vaulting over the side when he noticed Trixie's Mercedes convertible parked in the carport. He sighed when it dawned on him that she left to come here and continue the seemingly endless planning for their wedding with his mother. Since he slipped the ring on Trixie's finger, Mom Racer had been involved to the point of obsession with planning the wedding with Trixie a close second. He mused a tad resentfully that since that time, he and Trixie hardly spent any time together alone and it was beginning to bother him.
Speed went into the carport and up to the side door to go in the house when he felt a tug on his pant leg. He glanced down into his kid brother's annoyed face and chocolate eyes.
"Hiya, Speedy. Are you goin' inside?" Spritle asked as his brother squatted down to talk.
"Yeah, kid. Why? What's up?" Speed wanted to know.
Spritle pouted as he replied petulantly, "Mom and Trixie are in there talking all mushy wedding stuff. I decided to steer clear and if you'll take my advice you'll do the same."
Speed chuckled, "That's okay, Sprit, it doesn't bug me as much as you. My wedding's gonna be the happiest day of my life. Mom and Trixie are just making sure that it's done right."
Spritle snorted derisively, "Yeah, well if there's this much fuss to gettin' married, I'll skip it. Besides, who wants to marry a dumb ol' girl."
Speed grinned at his brother. Although he was 11, Spritle had yet to reach the point where he was interested in girls and yet his success in go-cart racing was making him sought after by the pre-pubescent females in the area. He also had grown out of his cherubic baby fat and his features were showing the same classic attractiveness that his two older brothers had and was also showing signs of being the next generation of Racer heartthrobs. It was reminding him of his own pre-teen years when he was beginning racing under the tutelage of Rex. Just before the Crash and the Fight.
Speed's grin faded as he was again inadvertently reflecting on Rex's inauspicious departure. It was funny how the whole incident still made him upset when something would bring it all back. But he hid his feelings as he rumpled his brother's mahogany head. "Take my word for it, squirt, you'll change your mind about girls one day soon. I guarantee it." He opened the door to the mudroom and stepped into the house.
The sweet sound of feminine laughter hit Speed's ears as soon as he closed the door and he stood there for a brief moment to listen to his fiancée's lilting titter giving him a warm glow as he heard her joy. He knew that Trixie was showing some signs of stress due to all the planning and preparing for the wedding so to hear her musical laugh was like a beautiful song to him. How he loved that girl! Grinning affectionately he decided to make his entrance.
"Hi there, you two." Speed greeted as he strode into the kitchen from the mudroom and found it deserted. Puzzled he glanced about and then heard his mother call out.
"Speedy, we're in the parlor."
Speed headed in and over to the sofa where his mother and Trixie were sitting with a stack of photo albums on the coffee table. He sat next to Trixie and after exchanging a greeting kiss, he inquired, "What's with all the photo albums?"
Mom Racer smiled, "I thought it was about time to properly introduce Trixie to our family so I dug these out of the attic. Besides, we needed a break from all the wedding planning so I suggested this."
Speed groaned as he looped his arm around Trixie. "And why didn't you stop her, huh?" he asked his fiancée.
Trixie glanced at him quizzically. "Why should I do that? I've always wanted to see pictures of you growing up." She reached and took hold of one side of the first album as Mom began leafing through.
Speed gave a weary sigh. "Mom!" he protested but he was ignored as Mom began her presentation to her future daughter-in-law.
She pointed to a picture of a slender girl with mahogany curls and cornflower blue eyes in an ivory lace confection of a wedding gown standing next to a muscular but handsome black haired young man in a tuxedo. "That's my and Dragon's wedding. When my parents finally accepted the fact that I wanted to marry a professional wrestler, they put together a small but beautiful wedding. It really was lovely."
"You look beautiful, Mom Racer," Trixie breathed as she studied the photo.
"Yeah, Mom, you were gorgeous," Speed added.
Mom continued to show the two photos taken at her and Pops reception and honeymoon in Acapulco, Mexico and some of the pictures taken during the first months of their marriage. Then came the pictures of baby Rex.
"And this was Rex when he was just two days old," Mom said as she pointed her finger to a newborn baby clad in pale blue lying in a glass crib with the words "Racer-BOY" written on a card in the front. The infant had dark blue eyes and mahogany fuzz covering his head.
Trixie cooed, "Oh, how precious! He was such a beautiful baby."
Mom smiled sadly, a small tear tracing its way down her cheek. "He was. And he was a good baby too. He never cried overly much and he was remarkably healthy. Speed was a bit fussy and Spritle was colicky but Rex was the most serene of my three boys."
Speed examined the picture closely and saw how Rex was very calm, yet curious as an infant, his eyes huge and seeming to be searching.
"And this," Mom said as she pointed to another blue bundle with coal black hair and vivid cobalt blue eyes, "was Speedy just before we brought him home from the hospital."
"Oh, he's just adorable!" Trixie exclaimed. She gazed lovingly at her future husband, much to his growing embarrassment, signified by the blush creeping up from his neck to his face.
"Yes indeed," Mom said as she gave her middle son a fond smile. "The nurses at the hospital kept saying to me what a beautiful baby he was, they were all in love with him."
"Really?" Trixie said with a delicate brow arched at Speed. "I guess the female adulation started early, huh?"
"C'mon, Trix, cut it out," Speed said, chagrined.
Mom Racer continued, "And that is my baby, Spritle." She pointed to another dark haired infant with bright umber eyes.
"Aww, Mom!" Spritle protested from the kitchen where he was having a snack. "Why'd ya have to show her pictures of me? Show her Speedy's pictures, instead."
"She did, Spritle," Speed pointed out.
As his mother continued flipping through the pages with the celluloid recordings of his and his brothers' formative years and explained other snapshots to Trixie Speed found himself deep in his thoughts, going back to his earliest memory of Rex:
Flashback: 16 years ago
It was a warm early fall day and five-year-old Speed was riding his brand new shiny red tricycle
in rapid circles on the Racer home driveway. However, he soon grew bored with the repetitions and longed for new territory to ride upon. He also wanted to go faster and the narrow confines of the driveway prevented him from doing that. His twelve-year-old brother Rex hadn't come back from his martial arts class and so Mom Racer had insisted that her young son stay within earshot.
"Mommy?"
Mom Racer came and peeked out the screened door. "What is it, sweetie?"
"If I stay just on our sidewalk and don't go far can I please ride my trike out of the driveway? Please?" Speed beseeched, his blue eyes plaintive.
"Is Rex out there with you?" Mom inquired.
"No, he's not home yet," Speed said with a pout.
"Speedy, love, you know the rules. You're too little to ride away from the house without Rex. The answer is no. When Rex gets home, you can go on the sidewalk," Mom said firmly as she stepped away from the door.
"Rats!" the boy fumed. "She always treats me like a baby!" He plopped his chin in his hands and stared dejectedly out to the street, where the sound of neighborhood kids playing was drawing his attention. "It's just not fair."
Then Speed decided that he knew what was best for himself. With a determined glint in his eyes, he rode his tricycle down the driveway to the sidewalk and saw the kids in the neighborhood all gathered a few houses down, having a drag race with their bicycles. Grinning widely, Speed rode his tricycle over to the strip of sidewalk where everyone was lining up.
"Hey guys can I race too?" Speed asked, his eyes bright with excitement.
Tony Catarano, ten-years-old and the big man on the block scoffed. "Aw, get lost, kid. You're too little to race even if your old man makes race cars." He pushed at the handlebars of Speed's tricycle then leaned over and whispered something to his brother. Tony and his brother were deeply jealous of the fact that Pops Racer was an auto expert and their father just worked in a factory so any chance they could, they picked on young Speed but because of his size and fighting ability, they avoided Rex.
"Yeah, get lost," Bobby Catarano, Tony's eight-year-old brother echoed. The Catarano
boys would always tease Speed about his name and would pick on him at the playground whenever they had a chance. "You couldn't race us in this baby bike anyhow. So blast off." He too pushed Speed's tricycle, causing it to crash into a trash can.
Speed became angry as he saw an ugly scratch on his new conveyance. He dismounted and ran up to Bobby, his hands balled into fists. "You just caused my bike to get scratched so I'm gonna pop you!" He launched himself at the older boy.
Bobby whirled around and grabbed Speed by his shirt collar. "Look, you little creep
I could just pick you up and throw you. And that's what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna throw you in with the other trash!" He walked over to the trash can with the squirming, screaming boy and was about to deposit the youngster in it when a voice snapped. . .
"Put my brother down. . . NOW!" Rex Racer strode up to Bobby and glared right into the startled boy's face, midnight blue eyes flashing. The rest of the kids had gathered around to watch the tentative skirmish about to take place as Tony rushed over to his brother.
"Hey, Bob whatta ya tryin' to do? Get yourself kilt?" he took Speed out of his brother's hands and put him back on the ground. He grinned shakily at Rex. "Sorry about that, X-Man. Kids will be kids."
Rex turned his narrowed midnight blue stare to Tony. "Knock off the ass-kissing, Catarano. You and your kid brother have been pushin' my kid brother around long enough. If you do it again, I'll wipe up the street with the both of ya."
"Hey, X-Man, take it easy, okay? Tony said placatingly. He went and slapped his brother upside of his head. "Leave the kid alone, numbnuts."
"But Tony, you said that the little piece of crud needed to learn his place an' you tol' me to take
care of him." Bobby whined but he got another shot in the head.
"Ah shaddap, ya goon." He smiled a weaselly smile at Rex who had pushed Speed's tricycle away from the can and then picked the boy up and placed him on the seat. "We won't bug Speed anymore, X-Man, for sure."
"Yeah, well see that you don't. Or…" Rex took a scrap piece of a two by four and then effortlessly put his fist through it. He tossed the wood aside as the crowd of kids gasped and then he and Speed headed back to their house.
"Golly, Rex is that boss what you did back there," Speed gushed but Rex turned and looked
right into his baby brother's face.
"Why'd you leave the yard when Mom told you to stay there, huh? Those creeps wanted to
clobber you."
Speed grinned at his big brother. "Aw, they don't scare me. I could take 'em if they tried
anything."
Rex grinned at his little brother. Speed was small but scrappy and he never backed down from a challenge, whether it was neighborhood bullies or his own brother and cousin.
"Look, Speedy, you probably could but next time you decide to take Tony and Bobby on, wait
for me, okay? You almost gave Mom a heart attack when you took off."
Speed's big blue eyes were penitent. "I'm sorry, Rex. I won't leave without telling her anymore."
They headed back home.
End Flashback
Remembering the incident, Speed grinned to himself as Mom Racer spoke. "So what do you think, Speed?"
"Huh?"
Trixie shook her chestnut curls pityingly. "He did it again. Speed, I've told you that when you decide to leave, you need to take your body with you," she quipped.
Speed glanced at her quizzically. "You say something to me, baby?"
Trixie and Mom exchanged glances and Mom said, "Forget it."
Speed shrugged, "Okay." He stretched and leaned back, closing his eyes.
Mom shook her head and continued as she pointed to another group of pictures taken at a racetrack. There was one with Pops and his arm around a man who was slighter with light brown hair, "That's Pops and his younger brother Henry. They both wanted to go into business together." She sighed in a sad way.
"What happened?" Trixie wanted to know.
"They don't speak to each other anymore. Our family has an annoying tendency to hold grudges," Mom replied with a sigh.
"How come?"
Mom began, "It started with the race at Sunny Downs. When Rex and Pops had the fight that sent my oldest son away…"
Flashback: ten years ago…
The P.A. blared, "AND THE LEADFOOT 400 IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE FOLKS AND THE LEAD IS BEING FOUGHT OVER BY KABALA, THE RACER FROM KAPETAPEK AND YOUNG REX RACER, SON OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS DRAGON 'POPS' RACER, FORMER CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLER AND NOW TOP ENGINE DESIGNER. REX IS RACING THE MACH 1, POPS LATEST CREATION AND NOBODY SAVE KABALA HAS BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH HIM!"
In the Go Team pit, eleven-year-old Speed watched transfixed at the shiny red Mach 1 barreling around the track zipped by. His cobalt blue eyes were riveted to the one he idolized, his big brother Rex as lap after lap peeled away.
Pops came over and looped an arm around his youngest son. "How ya, doin' Speed?"
Speed looked up into his father's eyes and gushed, "Pops, Rex looks neato out there! I bet he's gonna win!"
Pops nodded with a slight frown. "Not so fast. He still has 50 laps to run and he's a bit careless with his cornering. Kabala's doing a better job and if he's not careful, he'll catch up."
"Oh, Drag, don't you have faith in your own son?" Mom Racer said reproachfully as she joined her husband and son. Six months pregnant, she folded her arms across her protruding belly and regarded her husband sternly.
"Anyi, I do have faith in Rex but he's only 18. He needs much more experience in racing than he has, and to race in Formula 1 he just doesn't have the experience, yet," Pops insisted. Changing the subject he gave his wife a sullen glance as he admonished, "And you shouldn't be here with all these gasoline and exhaust fumes in the air, especially in your condition."
Mom tossed her head. "Nonsense. The doctor says everything is fine. Besides, I've been around cars since we both started going together, gas and exhaust fumes don't bother me."
Pops grunted and turned his attention back to the track.
Speed was hanging on the wire fence intently observing the race as the crowd at Sunny Downs roared louder with each lap. The cars were then on the second to last lap as Rex got the white flag. Speed jumped down and scampered to the pit stall as he joined Pops and the rest of the crew as they cheered Rex on.
"Yeah, Rex come on! You can do it!" Speed cried excitedly as Pops and the rest watched Rex pass the flagman and head into turn 1. Pops face was impassive as he observed his oldest son go deep into the corners, close to the apron for turn 2. The racer from Kapetapek, Kabala was about a half second behind and his setup looked as neutral as Rex's but Rex was driving with aggression, pushing his vehicle as hard as he could as they headed into the back straight-a-way. Then as he went into turn 3 and 4 the was an almost imperceptible wobble in his rear end that signified that the Mach 1 had gotten loose that Pops eagle eye caught, causing him to frown.
Rex careened out of turn 4 and headed down the home stretch, the checkered flag in sight. As he roared by to take the checkered flag and to the thunderous cheers of the crowd, the car went out of control and crashed into the far wall, and Kabala pulled ahead to win. The Mach 1 caught fire as Rex was groggily trying to climb out.
"Oh dear heaven!" Mom screamed as Pops took off in a dead sprint to get to his son. She grabbed hold of her younger son as in his mother's arms Speed watched in shocked horror. The track officials came rushing to the car, spraying their fire extinguishers as undaunted by the flames, Pops reached in to pull his first born out of the flaming wreck.
"Rex! Rex, son are you all right?" Pops pleaded as he grasped him by the shoulders.
Coughing, Rex replied, "Yeah, Pops I'm okay. And I almost won!" In spite of his state, he was elated but Pops next words quashed his excitement.
"No you didn't! I saw and your driving technique was very bad, you haven't the experience to win any race and you destroyed my car!"
"But I can be a champion, Pops!"
"No you won't, I don't want you to get behind the wheel of a racecar again!"
Rex's eyes narrowed as his father's words hung in the air like the stench of the burned wreck behind them. "Well, then I'll just have to do it on my own. I'm leaving home, so good bye Pops." He then sprinted off.
Pops was staring off in the direction that Rex disappeared when Mom and Speed rushed up to him. "Dragon, what happened? And where is Rex going, is he all right?" Mom demanded.
Pops swung his eyes to his wife's agitated expression and aware of her condition, tried to soothe troubled waters. With a grin of reassurance he replied, "He's fine but we had a bit of a beef. He'll cool off and we'll see him later." He turned and saw the Go Team crew already hard at work retrieving what was left of the Mach 1. He took his wife's elbow and his younger son's hand and said, "C'mon let's go get something to eat."
Later when they returned to the house, there was a note taped to the front door addressed to Pops
Dear Pops,
I meant what I said earlier, I intend to become a champion race driver all
on my own. I'm sorry that you have no faith in me but I want this and I'm going
to do all I can to achieve it without your help or support. Tell Mom and Speedy
that I love them.
Rex.
End Flashback
Mom Racer brushed a tear away and sighed as she finished the story. "I was furious with Dragon about the whole thing but then I realized that my son had his father's muleheadedness and he was going to do what he wanted no matter what."
Trixie's eyes were soft with compassion at the pain in Mom Racer's eyes. "And that caused Pops and his brother to break ties?"
Mom nodded, "After Rex left, Henry and Pops then worked together at the Baboom Motor Company to build a new car to replace the one Rex had wrecked and Hank was chosen to drive it. He was about Rex's age but had been trained under a famous Formula 1 driver, Fireball Rust."
"The same guy who trained Speed?"
"Uh-huh. Hank ran in the new ER-X and as he was testing it at the Baboom Motors test track, he crashed. He hung on for a while but his injuries caused complications and he died. Henry was devastated, he was a widower and Hank was his only child."
Speed said softly, " I was 16 and had just gotten my license when we got the call. I rushed to National Hospital and I was the last to see him alive. Uncle Henry finally got there but he was gone."
Mom continued, "Henry blamed Pops for his son's death and vowed that he would never acknowledge Pops as his brother again. And that's the way it's been for the last five years." She sighed deeply then noticed the mantle clock. "Mercy, it's almost 6:30! I have to get these put away and then start dinner." She gathered up the albums and walked into the hall to the dining room.
Trixie turned and noticed how quiet Speed had become. He was sitting beside her on the sofa, staring off into space with a haunted look in his cobalt eyes that looked so bereft that her heart constricted just seeing it. She reached her arm around his shoulders and offered comfort.
"Oh Speed, sweetie, I'm so sorry for all the pain in the family. How horrible to watch your cousin die right before your eyes, my poor love. And to watch your brother leave and never come back."
Tears ran in a warm rivulet down his cheek as he leaned close to her. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his head in her soft shoulder as his anguish gushed out. Trixie just rhythmically stroked Speed's hair as he silently sought ease from the past.
Shortly after dinner Trixie left, sensing a need for her fiancé to be alone. Speed had protested at her leaving but she was adamant and before she left, she told him that if he needed to talk to call her, she would be home. He thanked her with appreciation, kissed her and told her he loved her. He then went up to his room, took and intently studied a framed picture of him and Rex off of his dresser. . .
Flashback: 10 years ago—the night after Rex left
Eleven year old Speed had lain on his bed crying since he and his parents got home and Pops read the good-bye note from Rex. The news drove Speed from the room in tears then Pops and Mom had one of the worse arguments he had ever heard so once in his room he slammed the door as not to hear. But the row reverberated throughout the house and no matter how he tried, he couldn't help but hear it.
"Dragon, how could you? How could you let our son leave his home like that? I swear you are one of the most pigheaded, obstinate men I've ever known!" Mom railed.
"Anyi, I didn't tell him to leave!" Pops bellowed.
"But you drove him to it. And right after a crash that he could've died in, what on earth possessed you?"
"I spoke the truth. If he wants to be a man, he needs to accept that he's not ready to race," Pops said with his arms crossed. Then he admitted, "Okay, maybe I was a bit harsh in saying for him not to drive again but--"
"You told him never to race again? No wonder he took off. Don't you know, he's just like you, stubborn! Like father like son." Mom snapped.
The arguing continued until the door slammed, signifying that Pops had left. Speed heard the start of a car and then the roar of it being gunned away. Then there was a soft rap on his door and then Mom stepped into his room. She approached the bed and sat down, reaching and gently stroking her son's head, his face buried in the pillow.
As soon as he felt his mother's touch, young Speed raised his head and craned his neck over to see her pretty sad face. She hadn't cried but then she probably wouldn't until she went in her bedroom and closed the door. She always made sure her children never saw her cry. He shot up and buried his face in her bosom as she gently cradled him to her.
"M-Mom? Is Rex ever gonna come home?" Speed sniffled as he pulled his head back to look into her cornflower blue eyes.
Mom gazed lovingly into her son's questioning face. "I wish I knew, Speedy, love." She sighed deeply as she continued to comfort him.
End Flashback
Speed sighed as he replaced the photo to its place on his dresser. He then picked up a glossy of Trixie smiling sweetly at him from a gold frame and lightly caressed the surface.
"Well, baby, who'd have thought that what's supposed to be the happiest time of my life is turning out to be a bitter reminder of one of the saddest," he said aloud to Trixie's picture. He kissed his fingertips and placed them on the picture, then replaced it on his dresser and went to lie on his bed staring out of the window at the starry sky despondently wondering just where his older brother was.
The next day, Speed was glumly reticent, there in body but not really in spirit. He made his practice laps at the Pops Motors track but he couldn't get last night's memories out of his mind. He pulled up to where his best friend was waiting, killed the motor, and leapt out of the cockpit. His dark mood did not go unnoticed by Sparky, who chalked up Speed's funk to a pre-wedding case of cold feet.
He tried to jolly his best friend out of it. "Hey buddy boy what's the deal? You got a bug or just a bad case of froze toes?"
"Froze toes?" Speed looked at Sparky strangely.
"Yeah, you know. Cold feet. You suddenly realize that you're bidding farewell forever to the freedom of the single life."
Speed shook his head. "No, that's not it. I've just been thinking about Rex a lot lately."
Sparky nodded, "That's understandable. I mean you'd want your brother there at your wedding."
"Yeah, but what's the point? I mean Rex is who knows where and he's not about to resurface just 'cause I'm gettin married," Speed lamented sullenly.
Trixie's yellow Mercedes pulling into the garage area interrupted their conversation. She alit from the front seat carrying a large picnic basket. She placed it on a workbench and drew up to the two men.
"Hi, guys," she said cheerfully as she gave Speed a kiss hello.
Hiya, Trix," Sparky answered with a wave. Speed just grunted.
"Well, if you're that happy to see me maybe I should just turn around and leave," Trixie sniffed with a toss of her chestnut curls. She turned to do that but Speed grabbed her arms.
"I'm sorry, baby. I just have some things on my mind. Of course I'm glad to see you." He leaned in to give her a kiss. They broke apart and he gave her a mild grin. "So what brings you out here today?"
"You didn't eat much at dinner last night so I brought you some lunch. It's such a groovy day I thought that we could have a picnic on the infield grass." She went over to the bench and hoisted the basket.
Sparky said, "I'll split for a while," but Trixie shook her head.
"No way, Sparky. I brought enough to feed an army so there's more than enough for the two of you and I don't eat much. So come on, guys I'm not taking no for an answer." She handed the basket to Speed, who glanced at Sparky and shrugged.
"C'mon Spark. Let's go." They followed the pert brunette obediently.
The trio sat on the infield grass and ate lunch under a cerulean sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. It was a pleasant time with everyone chatting amicably and conversation then switched to the plans for the wedding. As they were mostly finished, Trixie began to gather everything and put them in the basket as both guys leaned back to relax.
"So have you got everything all set?" Sparky wanted to know as he finished his sandwich.
Trixie shook her head as she took a sip from her soda. "Not quite. I have my gown to get fitted for and my bridesmaids need to get fitted too."
"Oh, and who are your bridesmaids gonna be?" Sparky asked with interest.
"Lilly Marker, Calcia Bone, and Janine Trotter."
"Janine Trotter, huh?" Sparky's hazel eyes lit up as if someone turned on a switch.
Speed and Trixie exchanged smirks as they took note of Sparky's animated manner when Janine was mentioned. About two years ago when Speed was giving Janine racing lessons, Sparky had shown a keen interest in the girl yet he had not asked her out. He was shy and tongue-tied, totally blown away by Janine's sweet face and sky-blue eyes.
Trixie giggled, "Uh-huh. And she asked me if you were going to be in the wedding."
Sparky's face broke into a wide pleased grin. "Oh yeah?" He glanced at his best friend. "Well, am I?"
"Sure," Speed replied matter-of-factly. "You're my pal, aren't ya?"
"You betcha," Sparky said. "So what am I, your best man?"
Speed said, "Y'know I'd really like to have Racer X as my best man. He's saved my hide more than once and he's been a real good friend."
Sparky's grin faded and he eyed Speed in a slightly hurt manner. "I thought that I was gonna be your best man, Speed. I mean, we've been pals a lot longer then you've known Racer X. We go back a long way. But hey, who am I to tell you who to pick for your best man, huh?" He shot to his feet and addressed Trixie, "Thanks for the great lunch, Trixie." He whirled and strode away as Speed leaped to his feet.
"Aw, come on, Spark, don't get pissed off," Speed shouted as he turned to follow but Sparky had jumped in his red GTO convertible. He started the motor and gunned the car out the driveway, leaving a cloud of dust.
"Damn it," Speed muttered as he turned to Trixie, "Now he's sore at me." He offered his hand to help her up and then took her basket as he walked back to the garage with her.
As they passed the far side of the garage, a mysterious masked man withdrew and headed to his yellow and black racecar. Before he turned the motor over he shook his head wordlessly and then started the car and drove off.
Speed was walking to Trixie's car with her and opened the door for her to climb in. He turned his head when he heard the powerful engine. That sounds like Racer X's car. "Excuse me for a minute, willya Trix?" He trotted over to the side of the garage and there was no car in sight. Shaking his head in confusion, Speed turned and headed back to his fiancée's car.
"What gives, Speed? Why'd you head over there? Was someone out there, Sparky maybe?" Trixie hit him with a barrage of questions.
Speed shook his head. "I thought I heard a car out around the side but I guess I was wrong." He leaned in the driver's side and smiled down on her, changing the subject. "So what are you planning to do with the rest of your day, sweetheart?"
Trixie donned her sunglasses. "I have to go down to the designers for my first fitting for my gown and I'm meeting Janine and Lilly for their fittings."
"Have any plans for tonight?"
"No, your mom and I are taking a break. Why, what do you have in mind?"
"Oh, I thought a little dinner then a nice drive to watch the sunset at Lake Icy Chill. We've had little time alone together lately so what'd you say?" Speed suggested with a twinkle in his eyes.
Trixie grinned coyly, "Sounds divine. What time you want me ready?"
"I'll pick you up about 6:30, okay?" He leaned in for a soft kiss. "Have fun and I'll see ya later. I love you."
"Okay. Bye-bye. I love you, too." She started the motor and pulled away.
Later in his room Speed had just exited the shower and was getting dressed when his phone rang. He reached and answered it, "Hello?"
"Hi Speed," a rich familiar baritone replied.
"Hey, Racer X! How ya doin'?" Speed said delightedly. "I'm glad you called but you caught me getting ready to go out."
"Uh-huh. And how is Trixie?"
Speed grinned, "She's been so busy with my mom trying to pull this wedding together she needs a break so I'm taking her out to relax tonight."
"Yeah, I'm sure she needs it," Racer X said.
"Listen Racer X, I'm glad you called. I want to ask you something. I'd be honored if you'd consider being my best man." Speed asked.
He was greeted by silence. "Racer X, are you still there?"
"Yes, I am. Speed, I am honored and flattered that you consider me close enough to you to ask me to be your best man but I think your best friend Sparky would be the more logical choice."
"But, I'd really like you there when Trixie and I get married," Speed protested.
"Well, I'd like to be. And I'd be happy to be an usher," Racer X explained. "But Sparky's your best friend and it's only right that you ask him to be your best man."
Speed said resignedly, "Well, I guess you're right. Okay, then, you can be one of my ushers. I'll let you know when we'll have to get measured for our tuxes."
"Fine. I'll be there. I have to go now so I'll be talking to you. Good-bye Speed, give my regards to Trixie."
"Will do. See ya." Speed hung up the phone with a thoughtful frown, something about Racer X always had a slight feeling of familiarity, like there was a bond between them that transcended through any rivalry on the track. He just couldn't shake the feeling that he'd known Racer X for a lot longer than just the time they had been racing together.
Later, at Lake Icy Chill, Speed was telling Trixie all about the phone call from the mysterious racer. She was in total agreement with Racer X that Sparky was the natural choice to be his best man.
"You know what you have to do tomorrow," she informed him, regarding him evenly.
"Yeah, I know," Speed agreed with alacrity.
The next morning, the Mach 5 rumbled into the garage stall at the Pop Motors practice track where a rather subdued Sparky was working on boring out a cylinder. He didn't look up even when Speed had parked the car, exited and came over to him.
"Uh-hiya, Spark," he began hesitantly.
Sparky gave his friend a brief glance, barely acknowledging his presence. "Hi."
Speed took a deep breath. "Look, can I talk to you?"
"Sure." Sparky didn't look up, still intently working on the cylinder.
"I was thinking, I'd really like you to be my best man," Speed said softly.
Sparky kept his head averted. "I thought that you wanted Racer X to be your best man," he sniffed.
Speed ran his hand through his coal locks nervously. "I did but I thought about the whole thing and you were right. We've been pals a lot longer than I've known him and you've been there for me through it all. Trixie and I both agree that it makes the best sense. So willya?"
Sparky leaned back and stopped what he was doing. "You mean it?"
Speed grinned at his best friend. "Yeah. So is it a deal?"
Sparky got up from the workbench and turned to face his friend with his hand offered. "Deal."
Speed patted his friend on the back and then they both turned to discuss the work Sparky had been doing on the cylinder.
TO BE CONTINUED . . . REX HAS HIS OWN MEMORIES TO CONTEND WITH AS EVIL PLANS ARE MADE FOR THE UPCOMING RACE.
NEXT---STORM ON THE HORIZON
Author's Note: For the flashbacks I used combined elements from the series, the original Tatsuo Yoshida manga, and the terrific Tommy Yune book "Born To Race" for the Racer family background—if you're a fan of Speed Racer you should check them out.