The Third Grade

8.1

The next morning, Dylan goes to the garage to help with the car.
"Looks good," Dom says as he squats behind Dylan, wrapping an arm around her as she puts the decal on the car.
"Thank you," Dylan says with a smile as Dom kisses her on the cheek a few times. Vince walks in the garage with a wrench in hand as he glares at Dom.

"I have to make a parts run for Harry," Brian tells Dom as he and Mia walk out of the office.
"Drive safe," Dom says with a nod.
"Bye," Brian says to Mia with a smile. Dom and Mia walk outside with Brian. Dylan is left with her brother and Letty.

"Isn't there a test or something you should be studying right now?" Vince asks Dylan with a glare.
"Don't worry about it, V. I can handle it," Dylan answers him as she crosses her arms across her chest. "I know what I got to do, okay?"
"No, I am worried about it," Vince tells her as he waves the wrench around. "You're not doing enough of it."
"Get off my back," Dylan says as she glares at Vince before Letty slides out from under the car that she was working on.

"Vince, don't you think your sister is entitled to a little happiness?" Letty asks as she looks over at Vince.
"Of course I think she is entitled to happiness," Vince answers her as he glances at Letty. "I have to make sure she keeps moving forward." Vince looks at Dylan, who is glaring at him. "You don't belong here." Vince looks back over at Letty. "What do you care anyway?"
"She's old enough to make her own decisions," Letty tells him with a glare while Dylan nods in agreement.
"Whatever," Vince says before walking out of the garage.
"Thanks, Letty," Dylan says which causes Letty to nod before Letty sighs and follows after Vince. Dom walks back in as Dylan moves some of hair out of her face while shaking her head.

"You okay?" Dom says as he stands in front of Dylan.
"Yeah," Dylan says with another sigh. "Just my brother telling me that I don't belong here."
"I'll be back," Dom says with a fire in his eyes.
"Dom, don't worry about it," Dylan says as she grabs his arm before she smirks. "What you need to be worrying about is who is going to stay by your side."
"You going to stay by me?" Dom asks her, causing her to lightly smile.
"Maybe," Dylan answers him as she leans against him.
"Maybe?" Dom asks as she takes his top off.
"You don't always have to be such a tough guy," Dylan tells him with a smirk before she kisses him. As they kiss, Dom's hands travel down her body before stopping under her butt. Dom picks her up, causing her to giggle as Dom carries her over to the couch in the corner before he sits down with her in his lap as they go back to kissing. Dom goes to slide his hands under her shirt but Dylan's cell phone starts ringing.

"Ignore it," Dom mumbles as he starts kissing her neck while she checks to see who it is.
"It's the hospital," Dylan says concerned as she quickly removes herself from Dom's lap. Dylan answers her phone before listening to what the nurse has to say. Dom watches as Dylan's face changes from a frown to one of horror before quickly walking over to her. Dylan finishes the phone call before letting out a scream of pain. Dylan goes to drop to the floor but Dom catches her.
"She's gone. My mom is gone," Dylan repeats as she cries while Dom holds her. Vince receives the call a few minutes later and Letty is the one to comfort him.

Over the next few days, the siblings do not leave each other's sides except for a few moments here and there. The team is there for them every step of the way. At the funeral, Dom keeps an arm wrapped around Dylan's waist to support her while she and Vince hold hands. The days following the funeral, Dylan throws herself into her school work or helping at the garage. Everyone worries about her because the once loud spitfire now only speaks when she needs to.

A week later, everyone besides Vince is at the garage because the car is done.
"You ready for this?" Letty asks as Brian, Dom, and Dylan get into the car. Brian revs the engine in response, causing everyone besides Dylan to smile. They are driving around testing everything thing out before they come to a red light and pull up beside a Ferrari.

"Nice car. What's the retail on one of those?" Brian asks the guy driving.
"More than you can afford, pal," The guy says as he revs his engine. "Ferrari."
"Smoke him," Dom tells Brian as he glances back at Dylan in hopes of seeing her smile. As soon as the light turns green they take off. The cars stay side by side until there are two cars in front of them. Brian has to weave through traffic in the other than before they are beside the Ferrari again in front of the two cars. Brian then takes the lead and leave them in the dust. They pull up to a restaurant and get out before the Ferrari finally passes by.

"So, what's wrong, Brian?" Dom asks as Brian plays with his shrimp.
"Nothing, man, I'm fine," Brian answers him.
"Come on. Obviously something's off," Dom says as he glances at Dylan. "Right D?" Dylan nods in agreement without looking up from the food.
"Look, I have my good days and bad days just like anybody else," Brian tells them with a shrug.
"Brian, don't lose that cool of yours. That's your meal ticket," Dom tells him with a smirk.
"My meal ticket? I can't pay for my own shrimp?" Brian questions him.
"I got the shrimp," Dylan says as she pulls the tray towards her, only to pick at it like Brian had been.

"No, that's one thing about me you don't understand. I don't take handouts. I earn my way, every step. I just gotta earn something extra on the side, like you," Brian rants before he eats some of the shrimp.
"What do you mean, like me? What's that supposed to mean?" Dom questions him.
"That's what I mean," Brian says with a shrug.
"What does that mean, like me?" Dom asks him while Dylan glances at Dom.
"Don't try..." Brian starts. "I'm not stupid, all right? I know that there's no way you paid for all that shit you got under the hood..." Dom motions for him to quiet down. "There's no way you paid for what's under the hood of those cars by doing tune-ups and selling groceries. Whatever it is you're in on, I want in on it, too." Dom and Brian stare at each other intently before Dom reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out a piece of paper, handing it to Brian. "Well, what is this?"
"Read it," Dom tells Brian.
"What is this for?" Brian asks as he looks at the paper.
"It's directions. To Race Wars. We'll see how you do. Then we'll talk," Dom answers causing Dylan to finally smile because despite everything, she is still excited for race wars. Dom smiles as he sees the real smile on Dylan's face.