FLASHBACK: April 3rd 2001

“Come on here we go, another bite, yum yum yum,” Lisa May snuck the spoon into her daughter’s mouth. “Come on little Annie, you’ve got to eat these yummy carrots.” Little Annie was not amused as orange goop ran out of her mouth, she swung her little arms in anger and gave a look that could melt ice. “OK, I get it, not your favorite,” Lisa laughed.

The door opened and Tom May walked in, dirty from head to toe in coal dust, he dropped his lunch bucket on the counter and dropped heavily into a seat. “What’s for supper?” he asked.

“It’s nice to see you as well,” Lisa said.

“Yeah, sorry, it was a long day,” Tom said.

“I know honey, these 12 hour shifts are killing you,” Lisa replied.
“Yeah, I’m really hungry,” Tom said.

“I’ve got a roast in the oven, be ready in like 15 minutes,” Lisa said.

Tom looked over at the oven, then over at the baby in the high chair, “How’s our little angel doing?”
“Well other than I can’t get her to like carrots, great,” Lisa answered.

“Smart kid,” Tom laughed.

“Oh hey, the weather is really nice today and I was going to see if you’d watch Ann for a couple hours before it gets dark I really want to go for a ride,” Lisa said.

Tom’s smile turned to a frown, “You know that I’m going over to Red’s tonight, the game is on. Anyway I thought we were done with the bike thing?” Tom asked.

“I never said I was done with anything, I said I’d stop riding when I got pregnant, I didn’t say I’d quit for the rest of my life,” Lisa said.
“Yeah, fine, but I can’t do it tonight, I don’t see what’s so wonderful about riding around on that stupid bike, it’s like a god damn toy!” Tom yelled as he dragged his filthy body out of the kitchen.

Lisa tried in vain to fight back the tears, and then nervously returned to her baby, “Come on Lisa, gotta eat this shit.”

NOW:

Lisa took a look behind her and saw nothing, not a single rider as far as the eye could see. Her two breakaway companions both glanced back as well. For the last 15 miles they had been working like a well-oiled machine, each taking 30 second pulls and recovering in a minute of draft. The gamble had paid off, and unless something crazy happened they were all guaranteed at least 3rd place. The two girls in front were both wearing “BikeTech” jerseys and trained together, they were more than happy for Lisa to fall in with them when her horsepower helped them get away from the pack, but now they both looked unhappy to see her hanging on behind.

Lisa had a pretty good idea what would be coming and wasn’t surprised when the 2nd rider cut across the road and stood on her pedals. Yeah the ol’ one two trick, Lisa thought. I’ll chase down this one and as soon as I catch the other will launch. I think not. Lisa watched as the rider quickly moved up the road but made no move to follow instead pulling in close to the other BikeTech who had just realized that Lisa wasn’t going to play their games.

“You’re not going to chase?” the rider asked. Lisa just shook her head. “You’re happy with third then?” the girl asked. Again Lisa just shook her head. She wanted to win of course, but felt like she little chance of that, if she stayed on her wheel she could probably out sprint this chick and claim second. “Well I’m not going to haul your ass to the line for free!” the woman yelled. She cut left across the lane and stood on her pedals, but Lisa was on her in flash. Just as I thought, this is the stronger of the two, the first was just a diversion. She’s attacking her own team mate up the road, could they be any dumber, Lisa thought.

With one team mate up the road the BikeTech woman was attacking, and attacking hard. With a quarter mile to go she had caught then moved right past her team mate who was flagging. Lisa chanced a glance and saw the first attacker was cooked, she couldn’t even grab her wheel. Maybe, just maybe, Lisa thought. The finish line was in sight, the woman in front of her showed no signs of slowing, she kept her head down and pumped the pedals furiously. When Lisa was sure she could wait no longer she pulled out of the draft and gave everything she had into the sprint. Her opponent did the same. Lisa’s lungs were gasping, she couldn’t provide her body enough oxygen and her legs were burning, she was neck to neck with the BikeTech woman, she let out a scream and pushed past the pain and past her opponent, beating her to the line by half a wheel. Lisa threw up a fist in triumph and screamed again.

“Oh my God Mom, you just won!” those were the first words she could hear when the pounding in her ears faded. She looked around Ann was at her side and another girl, no wait is that Marley in his sister’s clothes. What the hell? She felt a bit unsteady and thought she might faint but a strong hand steadied her.

“Oh hey Paul, umm, thanks,” Lisa said.

“Congratulations, looks like after all this time you’ve still got it,” he said.

After shaking a few hands and hugging her fellow breakaway riders Lisa gingerly walked back towards the van while Marley pushed her bike and Lisa steadied her. “OK what’s the deal Marley, was the cycling kit getting uncomfortable?” Lisa asked.

“Well yeah, but that’s not exactly the problem,” Marley answered.

“OK, what exactly is the problem?” Lisa asked.

“I don’t want to keep you from dinner tonight, you know with that guy,” Marley answered.

“Oh Marley that’s really sweet, I really appreciate it, but I don’t think so. I’ve put you through enough, it was a stupid idea, I’m really sorry, I can’t put you through more,” Lisa said.

“Really it’s OK Mom,” Marley said and Ann let slip a chuckle and Marley shot her a look of daggers.

“What? Sorry, I feel like we’re in the plot of some kind of cheesy old sit com or something,” Ann said.

“No Marley, I’m sorry but this whole situation isn’t good, after the podium presentation you can put your clothes back on and we’ll blow this Popsicle stand,” Lisa said.

Marley wasn’t sure why, but he really wanted to go to dinner with Paul and his family, he thought back to the shower, and earlier when he first met Mandy, her smile was like the most wonderful thing he could imagine. She was so… so perfect, and then there was Paul, he was like the perfect Dad. Of course there was the girl clothes, well that sucks. Marley held up his arms and looked at how his ruffled sleeves billowed out around his hands, he liked that. Kind of like a pirate, the thought.

Lisa collapsed in a folding chair while Ann showed her Mom the photos she had taken of her crossing the line and Marley helped her Mom change into sandals and brought her bottled water from the van. She wasn’t really ready to get up when the announcement was made for women’s cat4 winners to come to the podium but her two excited kids dragged nearly dragged her there. A small crowd had gathered around, husbands and kids mostly. Both bike tech girls looked less than thrilled as they were called up to the 3rd and 2nd steps. The podium announcer took a look at his notes and then addressed the crowd “Now ladies and gentlemen it gives me great honor to call up our cat 4 ladies winner. This lady is returning to racing after an over 15 year hiatus, former state champion Lisa Mattingly May!”

“How the heck?” Lisa said a bit confused.

There was a nearly riotous applause from their right and the May’s saw Paul, Will, his daughters and a cluster of other folks all applauding their heads off. Lisa shot them a dirty look then a broken smile and started heading towards the podium. Ann was jumping up and down and screaming, and as a boy Marley considered such over the top enthusiasm to be inappropriate, but considering his current state of dress and the way the other girls were celebrating Marley decided to let himself go. “Yeah Mom, yeee haaaa, go Mom!” Marley screamed as he bounced up and down.

The announcer gave the women their medals and then paused to address Lisa, “Lisa is it true your daughters are here racing with you today?” he asked.

“Errhhmm, Yes, they did very well in the juniors race earlier,” Lisa answered.

“Lets get them up here, come on girls,” the announcer said.

Ann and Marley looked at each other, but didn’t move, in a flash Mandy was behind them pushing them forward. “Come on don’t be shy,” she said with her winning smile. Marley and Ann joined their Mom and the crowd clapped again. Marley saw a man with a very professional looking camera taking some pictures and felt his stomach twist. Lisa put her arms around her two kids and bent low saying, “Smile big girls.”
After the podium crowd dispersed the Mays were surrounded by a small crowd of folks, most of them had been in the bike club with Lisa 16 years ago when she was 20 year old racer with unlimited potential. “We just never could understand where you went, it was like one minute you’re winning races left and right and then then you kind of disappear over that winter and we never see you again,” Will said.

“It’s kind of a long story,” Lisa said.

“Well I’m glad you’re back, and I really hope you’ll take me up on diner after the race, we really need to catch up,” Paul added.
“Oh that’s so kind of you, but we’ve really got to get back to Bent Fork, right kids,” Lisa said. Marley and Ann stayed silent and Lisa just frowned.

“That’s really too bad, maybe some other time, but make sure you’re up front in a couple hours when we do the final presentation and give out the swag,” Paul said.

“Oh I don’t know if we can stay that long,” Lisa said.

“Oh, well OK,” there was a moment of awkward trepidation and finally Paul reached out to embrace Lisa, she returned the hug with both hands wrapped around Paul’s back and they kind of held it for several seconds. Ann and Marley shared knowing glances again, there was something between their Mom and this Paul, something from the past. Even Marley, who would be first to tell you he had no idea about girls and relationships could tell. Although she was very good at hiding it, they knew how much their Mom missed having a man around and Marley felt horrible for messing that up.

Several minutes later Marley, Ann and their Mom were crossing the parking lot. “So spill it Mom, what’s the story?” Ann asked.
“What are you talking about,” Lisa replied.

“You know, Paul, you guys were, you know, like together,” Ann said. Lisa smiled but said nothing. “Come on Mom, tell us,” Ann begged.
“Nothing to tell, just drop it,” Lisa said. “Now son, why don’t you get in there and get your clothes back on and we can head home,” she said as they approached the van.

Marley couldn’t take it any longer, “I want to stay, get the free swag, whatever that is, and go eat dinner with Paul.”
“Now Marley we talked about this, we’re in deep enough as it is, let’s get you back to normal and just forget this whole thing,” Lisa said.
Marley crossed his arms and tried to stand strong, “No, I don’t want to, we’re staying.”

Ann let out a surprised laugh, but Lisa did not appear amused, “You don’t tell your mother what we going to do or not do Little Miss,” she said before she realized that she was addressing her son and not her daughter. Lisa was torn, a big part of her knew the right thing to do was to come clean, tell everyone that she had entered her son in the girl’s race because they were late, but if she told the officials that they would take her son’s and probably her medal away, which really isn’t that big of a deal. The big deal would be the fact that she would probably not be welcome back at future races, all her old friends would think that they were cheats and that she entered Marley in the race so he could beat girls. Besides all that why does Marley want to go to this dinner so bad, why isn’t he more eager to get out of his sister’s clothes. I’ve always wondered… God, I’d love to see Paul again, and it seems he’d like to see me, but how do I tell him about this?

Lisa realized her kids were waiting for some kind of reaction from her while she was lost in her thoughts. She took a deep breath and said, “OK, Ann would you please load my bike up on the rack, Marley and I are going for a short walk.”