I don't take them.
She crosses the finish line first, arms shooting up even before the kart slows, screaming loud enough to drown out the engine.
I pull into the pit area behind her. By the time I climb out of the kart, she's already scrambling free, rental helmet askew, stumbling slightly as she runs toward me.
"Dad! Did you see how fast I was going?!"
The word hits me like a round I didn't see coming, center mass, no vest.
Dad.
I can't move, can't breathe, can't do anything but stare at her while she grabs my hand with both of hers, tugging with all her eight-year-old strength.
"Dad, come on! I want to see my time!"
Already pulling me toward the lap time board mounted on the wall, digital numbers glowing red against black. Her helmet slips further sideways. She pushes it back one-handed and doesn't let go of me with the other.
"Look! Look at my time! I beat you by like a whole second!"
"I saw."
My voice sounds wrong, rough. I'm still standing where she dragged me, one hand flat against the board, eyes on her instead of the numbers.
"Can we go again? Please? I want to beat my own time."
Those gold-flecked eyes look up at me, wide and waiting.
"One more race." My hand finds the top of her helmet and steadies it. "Then we talk about something."
Her eyes go calculating.
"Is it a good something or a bad something?"
"Good. I hope."
She squints at me. "Okay. But I'm still going to beat you."
She does.
Second race ends the same way, her arms up, howling triumph, rental helmet sliding sideways as she celebrates. I coast to a stop and watch her through the plexiglass barrier.
The attendant helps her out. She barrels toward me again, and this time I'm ready when she crashes into my legs, arms wrapping tight.
"That was so fun! Can we come back next week?"
"Chesca."
Something in my tone makes her pull back and look up. The rental helmet finally slides off completely, and I catch it before it hits the ground.
Her hair sticks up in every direction, cheeks flushed, eyes bright.
"What?"
I kneel and put us at eye level.
"You called me something. During the first race."
She replays the moment in her head, brow furrowed.