Lightning sat the dinner table. Alone. Just a bottle of rum next to him. The rain began hitting the windows and roof of the house loudly. He sighed. Sipping the rum. Tonight was hard for him. Memories and bad dreams keeping him up. And Sally wasn't here. He looked at the time. Almost 11pm. He sighed. He knew he could call Sally but he didn't want to worry her or sound like a weak person because of bad dreams. How pathetic would that sound? Lightning opened up his social page and began looking his family's pages.. Some of his friends.. Random business partners... Racers... He shut off the screen and tossed his phone on the table before drinking more rum. Sally was right. He needed out of this contract. And it wasn't because of Tiffany, but himself. He could feel the depression getting worse being alone. He needed to be around Sally.
Lightning felt something run down his cheek. He wiped his face and noticed his eyes watered up. He was really hurting. And drinking wasn't working. Man, he was messed up. So Lightning went on to his bedroom, grabbed out a few of the pills and took them. He knew taking one more than usual mixed with alcohol wouldn't hurt him, but would make him pass out and sure enough within seconds of laying down in bed, he was out cold...
Sally woke up early. Getting her ironing coffee. It was a nice morning, Quiet. Maybe too quiet. Sally placed a hand on her belly. She knew she wasn't;t pregnant. That would just be too easy and it seemed things never came easy. ;Knock, knock, knock.' Sally looked towards the door. Hesitating. Could be press again. 'Knock. Knock.' She sighed then walked over and opened the door. The sun gleamed in and he caught her eyes. Sally's smile creeped up in a beautiful way. "Ben!" She said with excitement! "Come in! How are you!?" She asked with a. Huge smile on her face. Ben walked in answering, "Good, good." The two hugged. Sally artful not to spill her coffee. Ben then asked, "Is Lightning still on hi trip?" "Work. Yes. How is Dad?" "He misses you and worries a lot about you." "I'd expect noting less." She giggled. Ben gazed at his ex. Oh how he enjoyed seeing her every year. "Sorry it had to be so late this year." Sally apologized.
Ben shrugged it off as the two walked into the living room. "It's no big deal. Actually worked in my favor. I've been overworked at the hospital recently." The old couple sat on the couch together to continuing catching up. "Speaking of hospitals.. How is Lightning? The incident?" Sally's smile left her face. She stared at Ben. He was talking about the shooting. He had to be. "Um.." Sally muttered as she set her coffee down. She sighed, "Well.. It's been a rough recovery. He has scars, but over all I think he's doing well. It makes the race track feel... I don't know. I get nervous and I'm super nervous when we get back this season. No man should have been able to sneak a gun in like that! And they still haven;t found the man!.. I've worked with police before.. And honestly.. I doubt they are still looking for him.. I just haven;t told Lightning that.." Ben stared at his ex wife, He placed a hand on her shoulder then asked, "Are you safe?" "Yeah, of course. Just.. Minty, Lightning's Mom wanted him to quit after that. Part of me wishes he did.. Is that selfish?" "No, of course not! That is an understandable feeling and longing. He probably should have." "Yeah.. But then he wouldn't be able to complete his dream." HIs dream was almost shattered with a force that he had no control over He's lucky to have good doctors in that situation." Sally thought back to it. How scary it was!
She leaned in over Ben's shoulder.Just relaxing on him. His scent was a good familiar that made her feel at ease. All the recent stress faded away in Ben's arms. Sally smiled a little and felt as if she could fall back asleep now. All her worries were in the back of her mind in his care. And that's all she needed right now. Ben smiled down at her. Holding her close and kissed the top of her head. He loved her and he always would love Sally...
Lightning walked up to O'Reilly's office and knocked. He could hear him inside on the phone it seemed. No answer Lightning sighed and debated even going through with this. Talking to him about quitting. He knew that O'Reilly would not allow it, but he had to try. Maybe a push is what O'Reilly needed to get this into overdrive and actually find an. Easy and clean way out of this contract. That, or wait another month... He's be home. But after the end of the season he'd have this all over again. He couldn't do it again! SO Lightning knocked again. This time O'Reilly answered with a "Come in!" Lightning slowly did. Watching O'Reilly hang up the phone as he did. "Lightning! How is my favorite racer?" Lightning snickered hearing that and admitted, "I hear that a lot... I"m fine. Just.. I need to talk to you about something." O'Reilly leaned back in his chair and seemed concerned. "What's up?" He asked. Lightning sighed and approached closer before beginning.
"I want to go home. I need to go home." "Okay?... Why? Is something up?" "Yes. I thought I could do this, but I can't. I"-"You are homesick? Aren't you use to being away from home all of the time?" O'Reilly asked. Lighting came closer, sitting in one of the chairs in front of his boss's desk before answering, "Yes, but this is... I need to be home and prepping for the season." "I see. Well... I guess I could arrange a quick trip there and back for you." "No, I want to quit." Lightning announced. O'Reilly stared at Lightning. It was silent at first. O'Reilly sighed and was thinking. Lightning could tell he was thinking. That made the racer nervous. "Well... You can't just quit, McQueen." Lightning stared at the floor a moment before back up at O'Reilly, "I can if I pay you back all of the money, right? That's the terms. If I break the contract, I owe you everything I was paid?" "That and more. Rent.. The cars.. fuel.. bodyguards.. Who do you think paid for all of that at the track after you were shot? I can become a financial burden for you, Mr. McQueen. I would really hate that for you and your wife. Considering you two are trying for a family now." Lightning's brows lowered. How?... Never mind. "You don't have to technically come back for the coming years as we originally planned." O'Reilly did admit. "But you have to finish this month out and then we never have to speak again." "Is that true?" "Yes. We have to write new contracts for each new season or year. However you best describe it. Next years is not even written yet. But you are in the current one. You have to finish it." "Fine." Lighting snarled as he stood. "I'll finish this month and then you and I are never doing business together again." "Great. It was nice while it lasted." O'Reily replied with a snarky smile. Standing and reaching out to shake Lightning's hand. Lightning glared and walked out, slamming the door. No way he was shaking that snake's hand.
O'Reilly sat down and sighed. He grabbed his phone and dialed up a number then said, "Bring me my daughter now."...
Lighting was furious and frustrated. He had to talk to Sally about this! SO he grabbed out his phone and called her up in a hurry. It only rang a few times when she answered,
Hello?
"Sally, I have to get your help with this O'Reilly contract. The guy is screwing with me!"
What do you mean? Are you sure that you're not over reacting?
"Over reacting!? Are you kidding me? You know the things he has done!"
I mean.. I know of the tings Tiffany has done. O'Reilly has been amazing to us.
"I... No, he hasn't."
So is it all O'Reilly or Tiffany?
"It's... I mean.. Both are screwed in the head, but.. I think O'Reilly is forcing Tiffany to do some of the things we have caught her doing."
Like going to the movies with you?...
"... I said I was sorry."
Lightning... I just don't know what you want me to do.
"Because you won't even listen. O'Reilly will not let me quit. I need to get out of this, the best I got is he will let me finish this year and then I don't have to work for him anymore, but I don't feel safe here."
Safe? Why? What happened?
"Technically nothing, but I just know I pissed him off and now he's going to do something about this and get me to stay. Tiffany told me of one of his plans.."
Okay, firstly... Tiffany can not be trusted.. Secondly, I've read this agreement back to front, Stickers. You just.. Unless you pay him back every penny and some then you are stuck.
"Yeah, I know and.. I can't risk that."
You could pay him back.
"No, I.. I just know it won't be that easy..."
I don't understand you... You sound extremely paranoid and...
"I am! I mean the guy is a snake with a lot of money!"
Stickers...
"Yeah?
You've been so.. Strange at times.. Not all the time, but.. Ever sense your accident at the track...
"Accident? I didn't.. You mean when I was shot?! I am not acting strange, you are not listening to me."
I am listening, Lightning.
"..."
I'm gonna go. Just.. Watch yourself and come home soon. I love you.
"I.. I love you to..."
Bye.
"Bye.." Lightning hung up and slowly realized.. He was on his own. Even his wife was turning sides.. No one was believing him.. This really angered him! How dare Sally not be on his side! SO angry in fact, why not let O'Reilly have his way and then maybe she would see! They would all see how screwed up the man was! But that was wrong and Lightning could not allow himself to be someone's puppet like that. Not after how hard he had worked for everything he had. He would never let someone control him like that!...
Next few days was not going well. Lightning would have a hard time sleeping, stay up late with tv or drinking, porn once it twice.. Sally wasn't answering the last few days. So he stopped trying to call her. He didn't want to be a bother any longer to her. Was he being paranoid? Was he actually actin strange? Maybe O'Reilly wasn't.. NO he was a bad guy.. But maybe Lightning could just get through these last two weeks and then he would be home. Finally home. That sounded amazing! Well.. Did it?.. FOr some reason, it felt as if he and Sally became further apart these last couple of months. That wasn't how marriage was suppose to be? Was it? The only people he had seen in a marriage as h grew up were a few. Most didn't last. His Mother and Step Father.. Ended badly... His Brother and his wife.. Ended in death, technically. But Neil had prior wives.. Two divorced and never spoke again. He sighed. Even the woman he was going to marry... They didn't last.. The only good influence he had ever seen was Cal. Even Strip had been divorced! Flo and Ramone seemed madly in love all of the time but the thing was.. They had both been married before.. Sally. She had been married before to. Lighting sighed and shook the thoughts out of his head. He was not going to be one of those guys. He wanted his marriage to last and he would work hard to make sure it did. Sally would to, right?...
Another day, another depressing morning. Things had been pretty easy going lately. Kind of weird. Sally crossed his mind, but he didn't want to bother her. SO he allied up someone else. HIs best Friend. If anyone could make a smile on your face, it was Mater. The phone rang.. A few times.. Mater might not answer..
Hello?
"Mater!"
McQueen! How is it up there in north or South Carolina?"
Lightning chuckled, "It's.. Beautiful here, Mater. How are folks back home?"
Awe wees all good. Ramone been not havin many customers this past month, so he's helping out with the cafe a lot. Lizzie started sellin these new bumper stickers with your face on them. Kind of funny though. Oh! Rusty and Dusty swung by last week and it was funny! Rusty tried Flo's special with the spicy sauce you know? And I swear he was drinking from the sink behind the counter for thirty minutes! Freakin out about how spicy it was. It was funny. When you comin home?
"Just two more weeks, Mater. I can't wait to be home... How's Sally?"
Busy as usual. Runnin the motels and all. She seemed upset for a bit there but Ben came up and she perked right up back to herself.
".. Ben?.."
Yeah. She said you and her talked abut her coming home and agreed she needed that.
"Um... Okay."
Everything okay?
"Yeah, of course. No need to worry here. I'm fine, great, actually..."
Oh.. Uh, okay.. You just, you sound-"I'm fine, Mater. No worries. Tell Sally I'll be home soon."
Alright. We need to hang out more.
"Agreed. I'll talk soon, buddy."
Alright, goodbye!
Lightning hung up and took a deep breath. Ben was there, Sally was lying again. He was tired of her. Absolutely sick of her shenanigans. A part of him might have even slightly hated her for his. Ignoring him and then seeing Ben back home. Yeah, like 3% of him hated her. Maybe more like 13% hated his wife now...
Lightning and Tiffany sat down in her office. Tiffany opening up the to go bag of food she grabbed on the way over. "Kind of weird you wanted to meet up for lunch like this." She pointed out. Lightning shrugged replying, "Yeah, well.. Change of heart." Tiffany smiled and placed Lightning's bowl in front of him before taking out her own. The two sitting at her desk and enjoying a meal together. "So how are things going?" Lightning asked. Tiffany shrugged, picking at her salad. "Well.. In all honesty, my Dad has started taking privileges away by the days.. I barely have permission to use my office as it is. But when he heard we were meeting, he gave me back my keys temporarily." Lightning stared. "Why?" He asked. Tiffany snickered and reminded, "I told you if we didn't make it look like something was going on between us then he was going to disinherit me. He slowly is.." Lightning hated that for Tiffany. She did not deserve that. Her Father was evil and controlling and manipulating.
"I'm sorry for that..." Lightning mumbled. Tiffany sighed and ate her salad. Lightning then asked, "Could you not get your own lawyer?" Tiffany giggled. A little before asking, "Do you think my Dad wouldn't find out and how would I pay for it at this point? I have a limited budget now." "He really is awful..." "I know.. But.. He's my Dad... Can't choose your family, right?" She joked. Lightning sighed. Tiffany deserved so much better. She had so much potential but O'Reilly was stripping that and her confidence away by the years. That was not fair nor right. "How is Sally/" Tiffany asked. Lightning only scoffed. No words, no answer. Tiffany snickered asking, "Is it that bad now, huh?" Lightning shook his head and admitted, "Things aren't good. But.. Nothing I can't fix. I just need to talk to her." "What happened? I thought a little McQueen junior was on its way?" Lightning snickered replying, "Not at this rate. We were trying. Were. I'm not having a baby with a liar." "Oh.. That bad, huh? I mean is it that surprising? She is a lawyer. She's been trained in the arts of lying and manipulation." Lightning stared at Tiffany. She was right though.
The two finished up there meal and small chat and began to walk out of the office. O'Reilly and one of his parters were walking this way. Tiffany sighed and whispered, "I'm sorry if my Father makes you uncomfortable..." Lightning glanced at Tiffany as her Father got closer and closer to passing them by. He may not be able to fix things with Sally right now, but he could help Tiffany not lose everything. Lightning glanced at O'Reilly then back at Tiffany and gently shoved her against the wall, holding her arms above her head and making eye contact.. Closely.. Lips an inch away from hers. He put his lips to her ear and whispered something that made Tiffany blush bright red! O'Reilly stopped and motioned for his partner to stop. Lighting saw this in the corner of his eye. He stepped back and stared at Tiffany. Giving her a small half smile before waving at her and saying, "I can't wait to see you tonight. Come by around six. I'll be waiting." He smiled so charmingly then walked away. Passing O'Reilly and bumping his shoulder against his boss in a ride way before disappearing. O'Reilly was a little shocked at the racer then looked at his blushing daughter and snickered. Proudly smiling...
