As they came around turn 4 the number 3 Oreo car pulled along side the number 8 Budweiser car. They ran head to head until the #3 pulled out front and took the white flag. As they came out of turn 2 the Bud car saw it’s chance and moved along Side the Oreo car. They barreled down the straight away and the #3 car made a choice that would forever change the lives of those involved. As the start finish line approached the #3 tapped the bumper of the #8 and took the checkered flag. The #8 started to spin and slammed into the wall head first.
What an ending to the 58th Daytona 500. Tough luck for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was hoping for one more victory here in his final Nascar season but what a return for the #3 car and what a day for DEI,” Michael Waltrip exclaimed from the Fox Broadcasting booth.
Sydney climbed down from the Oreo pit box as the #3 car spun donuts through the grass on it’s way to victory lane. “That was one hell of a finish,” Sydney said.
“Thanks mom, think I gave him a run for his money on that one.” Cordy said flashing that famous Earnhardt grin. “Where is he? He pissed I spun him? He did get 2nd , right?”
“Yeah, he placed 2nd. I don’t know what’s keeping him.”
The reporter made his way to Cordy, “Wow, what a finish! How you doing Cordelia?”
Cordy winked at the camera “I will tell you what that old man still has it in him. Didn’t think I was going to take him there for a while but it was a great race. I want to thank the whole Oreo crew, the guys back at DEI for working so hard…”
“Cordy!”
“What the…Lee what’s wrong?” she asked seeing the terror on his face.
“Dad’s hurt. It’s bad.”
“Oh shit.” Lee, Cordy, and Sydney all took off running for the care center.
Ty Norris stopped them before they got in, he looked pale. “They are taking him to the hospital, we have to go. Sydney?”
“Yeah, I am back, how bad is it?”
Cordy and Lee went ahead with Tony Jr. and Ty was thankful, “I didn’t want to say anything in front of the kids. There seems to be some major head trauma, he wasn’t breathing when they pulled him from the car. It isn’t looking good.”
When they got to the hospital Dale had already been taken into surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain and to stop internal bleeding. They had resuscitated him in the ambulance but it wasn’t looking good. Cordelia collapsed in the waiting room “Oh God, this is all my fault, I may have killed my father.”
“No, don’t even think that. This is not your fault” Sydney knelt next to her daughter and held her as she cried.
Word had spread throughout the track and the hospital waiting room was filling up. Sydney sat on a couch with Cordy laying next to her with her head in Sydney’s lap. Sydney was stroking Cordy’s strawberry blond hair wondering how she would ever get through this. Cordelia was 19 and one of Nascar’s hottest rookies on the circuit. If Dale didn’t make it, she wasn’t sure Cordy would ever get back in the car. It had been almost an hour since the wreck and Cordy had cried herself to sleep out of pure exhaustion. Lee was sitting with Tony Jr. Ty, and Kerry. Michael Waltrip walked in and sat in a chair next to Sydney. “Teresa, Taylor, Kelly, and Brenda are on their way. They should be here in about an hour and a half. How you doing? How is she?” he asked looking at Cordy.
“She’s not good, me, I am coping for her. God, Michael he has to be…”
“He will be. That damn track isn’t taking both of them.” he said almost breaking down.
She grabbed Michael’s hand, “Mickey, how on earth did we ever get here?”
“Does he know you are back in town?”
“No, I was going to see him after the race.”
“You know he never stopped loving you? He may have married Barbara but it was always you his heart was with. Don’t get me wrong, he was happy to see you with Steve, he knew he made you happy and that was what he wanted more than anything and he wouldn’t trade a second of those five years with Barb because it got him Lee. But none of that changes how he feels for you, how he always will.”
“I don’t think Steve ever truly believed I was over him.”
“Were you?”
“Part of me wasn’t, we have a daughter together, but I truly loved Steve, I still do.”
“But you love Junior?”
She just looked at him, they sat in silence for the longest time, “You know I still remember the day he walked into my life.”
Nineteen years earlier…
As she slid down the pit wall she watched the sun come up over turn 1. An erie quiet settled around her and she knew that within a few hours, the quiet would be replaced with roaring engines, teams barking orders, and screaming fans. Basically, complete chaos. “God, I am going to miss this.” she thought as she tried to piece together the events of the previous night and figure out how everything went to hell so fast.
Flashback to the previous night
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I am talking about you acting like a 2 bit whore in front of everyone.” Devon screamed at her as they walked back towards the garage area.
“Excuse me? You want to explain to me what the hell your problem is.”
“What are you too stupid to figure it out for yourself. Well, here, let me help. You were carrying on with Park like a schoolgirl in heat. I should have known you would cheat on me. Once a whore always a whore. How many times, huh? Who all have you screwed behind my back?”
“Oh… my…I can’t even believe this. You are so messed up. We have been together for over 9 months and you think I actually would cheat on you. You have never been able to let go of this. Steve and I are friends, we were talking, that’s all. Come on, what was I suppose to do? When you disappear with your car buddies, I needed someone to talk to. You haven’t exactly been there for several months.”
He cut her off, “I have a job, I drive racecars, remember? I can’t…”.
“Oh give me a break…it has nothing to do with your job. You are jealous over something that happened before I ever even knew you existed. I was young, yes I screwed up but it never happened again. Get over yourself, great you have a job, newsflash, Steve does the same damn thing and has a schedule a little more hectic than yours, he still finds the time to be my friend. You don’t care, you haven’t for a long time, that is if you ever did. You will never trust me you never have, since the day we met, I just never saw it until now. I have wasted 9 months of my life with someone who was never even there. Well, you can go straight to hell Devon. ”
She turned around and walked away knowing he wouldn’t stop her. Of course, where was she to go. She couldn’t exactly go stay with any of his teammates, she only knew one other person at the track, hopefully he wouldn’t mind the late night call.
End flashback
In the operating room the doctors worked frantically to stop the internal bleeding. Dale’s brain was working overtime as the events of his life passed through his subconsceince. He went back to a day in April nineteen years earlier.
Junior wandered out of his coach wondering why he was up and ready to go so early. He was probably just too pumped up to sleep, it was Talladega after all. He had a couple of hours before the drivers meeting and figured a walk might do him some good. As he headed out of the garage and towards the pits he spotted a figure sitting on the track. As he got closer he started to recognize the young lady sitting in front of him. “Sydney right? We met last night at Jeff’s.”
Sydney looked up at him “Dale, yeah, what are you doing out here so early?”
“Couldn’t sleep, thought I would come watch the sunrise, you? I can go if you are wanting to be alone.”
“No, please sit. Yeah, couldn’t sleep either. This is my favorite time of day around here. It always amazes me how something so peaceful can be so insane in such a short time. I really am gonna miss it.”
“You know we race here again in October.” he joked.
“Yeah I just don’t think I will be here for it.”
“Why? Don’t want to see me win two in a row?” he said with a sly grin.
A grin fought it’s way to her mouth and she couldn’t help but laugh, “Don’t you mean 5 in a row? You have already won the last three here, so after today?” She stopped getting serious again, “No, it’s just me and my boyfriend broke up. So I don’t really see me at the tracks too much anymore. This is his job and even though I was doing Pr work for the team, I don’t have much reason to be here anymore.”
“Oh man, I am sorry, I didn’t know.” Junior said trying to figure out how to get his foot out of his mouth.
“It’s ok. It just happened late last night, after the party actually.”
“Weren’t you dating Devon from the ARCA series?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“I am sure you have better things to do than listen to my problems?” She really didn’t want to bother him with her issues. She had already been enough of a problem, she didn’t need to get him involved too.
“Look, you don’t have to if you don’t want but I can be a pretty good listener and hey we have the time.”
She met his stare and saw concern and an eagerness to try and help.
“Well, to make a long story short. We had been dating for over 9 months and I thought everything was fine. Apparently last night he decided he was jealous of Steve.”
“Park?”
“Yeah, we met several months back, here in October as a matter of fact. Anyway, we hit it off right away. Nothing ever happened, we are just friends but Devon didn’t believe that and everything came to ahead last night after Jeff’s barbeque.”
“Surely after nine months he didn’t just stop trusting you. Don’t get me wrong I am not saying you did anything, I am just saying, as a guy, usually something has to happen for us to just stop trusting our girlfriends.”
“He never trusted me. I don’t know why we ever dated in the first place. See, before I met him I cheated on a guy I was dating. I don’t even know if it counted as cheating, we had only been together for a few weeks and I never would have called him my boyfriend. None the less, I am not proud of it and it never happened again. Stupidly, I told Devon and I guess he assumed I would cheat on him. Man, it was almost like he was looking for it to happen.”
Jr. just looked at her dumbfounded, “you are telling me he broke up with you for something you not only did before you ever met him but something that happened during a few week ‘relationship‘?” Sydney just shook her head. “Well then, he is an idiot.” She just looked at him. “I am sorry but most of us have done things in our youth we aren’t proud of, that is what are youth is for. To figure out what we are doing before we screw up our adult lives.”
Sydney just laughed, “thanks, I think.”
“So what did you do, last night, I mean?”
“Told him to go to hell got my stuff out of his hauler and left. It was then that I realized I didn’t know anyone here. So at 10’oclock last night I knocked on Steve’s door . I feel horrible, of course he wanted to know what was going on, then he wanted to go ‘talk’ to Devon, which I stopped, but he still didn’t get any sleep because of me and here it is a race day.”
“What are you going to do today?”
“I figured I would watch the race then figure out a way home.” Now, that he mentioned it, she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She hadn’t thought about getting home.
“Where is home?”
“Winston-Salem.”
Just then Steve walked up and sat on the wall to the left of Sydney. “Hey you two watch ya doing?”
“Just watching the sunrise” Sydney answered. “I am sorry about last night. I just didn’t know where else to go. I didn’t mean to keep you up half the night.”
“Don’t worry about it. I am fine. You were up early though. I left the coach open in case you want to go back and get some rest today. Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate it. We were just discussing what I was going to do today. I want to see the race, so I will stick around until it is over. Figure it out after that.“
“Well, you can watch from either pit, it doesn’t matter, just let us know.” Jr. said standing. “Guess we had better get to that meeting.” Sydney then realized just how long they had been there talking. The three of them headed back towards the garage when Steve suddenly stopped. “Steve what are…” Sydney started to ask when she saw him. Devon was standing in Labonte’s garage and before anyone knew what happened Steve was in his face letting him know just how much of a dumb ass he was. Sydney and Dale both grabbed an arm and drug him away before he could do too much damage.
Sydney had gone back to Steve’s coach to try and get some sleep before the race started. Jr. just looked at Steve while they waited for the meeting to start. “What?” Steve barked. “Oh, nothing, just wondering why you almost took his head off back there. I know he is an ass but come on…little overboard don’t you think?”
Just then Mike Helton walked into the room and started talking about the day’s race, “Look she is just a very sweet girl who doesn’t deserve the way he treated her.” Steve said as he stared ahead and Jr. thought there has to be more to this story. He wandered how into this girl Steve was, of course he wanted to see his friend happy but to tell the truth he knew he could get use to having her around.
“Not going to say goodbye?”
Sydney turned around to face Junior, “ I guess it won’t be five in a row, huh?” she grinned to let him know she was joking with him. In a major upset, Steve took the lead from Jr. in turn three of the last lap and held on for the victory.
“Yeah, well it’s ok. I am glad to see Park back on track. Anyway, back to you, where you headed? How you getting back to Winston.”
“Actually, I have thought about it and I am headed to Arizona. Devon lived in Winston-Salem. Not much point in me going there.”
“Hey guy’s what’s going on?” Steve asked stepping out of the garage.
“Congrats, I was just giving Jr. here a hard time about the race.” she said hugging Steve.
Junior interrupted, “she was telling me how she was about to head to Arizona. Why don’t you fly back to Mooresville, you can stay with one of us. Come on we can celebrate Steve’s win today.”
Steve wasn’t sure what Jr. was up too but he knew Sydney didn’t need it. “Look Syd you are more than welcome to stay with me but I don’t want you doing anything you aren’t comfortable with.”
“ I appreciate the offer but I really should head home. I haven’t been there in a while and I should catch up on some things and figure out what I am going to do now.”
Steve may have been willing to give up and let her go but Junior wasn’t. “Come on, tell me you couldn’t use a good party and a night full of fun. This weekend didn’t go exactly as you planned.”
“Junior, if she doesn’t want to go then she doesn’t want to go.” Steve said raising his voice.
Junior just glared at Steve and decided it was time to go. “Fine whatever, I’ll see you around.” With that he turned and walked back towards the coaches.
Junior walked onto DEI’s plane and his eyes searched the cabin rapidly. Ty, Jade, Mikey, Buffy, blah, blah, blah, Steve. Steve alone. He walked towards his seat pausing at Steve‘s seat, he didn’t say a word. Shit. Junior decided not to say anything, just go home and forget everything.
Sydney snapped back to reality when she heard Michael ask “What made you not get on that plane that day?”
“He did.”
Sydney sat at the airport contemplating what the hell was going on. She hadn’t stayed at her place in Phoenix for more than a night or two in the last six months. What was in Phoenix? On the other had, what was in North Carolina? No job, an ex she never wanted to see again, no place to stay, Jr. Oh yeah, Junior, why the hell was he invading her every thought. She didn’t know anything more than what you could read in the paper or hear on the radio and that wasn’t all he was. The man proved today how complex and confusing he could be.
“Flight 289 nonstop to Phoenix, now boarding at gate32.”
Why didn’t she just get on the DEI plane with Steve? Jr. certainly was acting like he wanted her there but Steve really wasn’t. Oh what the hell was she thinking? She wasn’t the type of girl Jr. went after. She just broke up with Devon last night. “Man Syd, snap out of it.”
“Final boarding for flight 289 to Phoenix gate 32.”
Sydney picked up her bag and walked towards the gate.
Later that night as Jr. was laying on the couch watching some bad made for tv movie and playing with Buddy his cat he heard someone at the door. He debated not going to see who it was, all he wanted to do was relax and do, well nothing. They knocked again. “Oh man, I do not feel like a party tonight.” He jumped up and walked to the door, by the time he got there he saw a familiar figure walking down the driveway.
“Sydney?”
She stopped and turned “Hi, thought I had the wrong house for a minute. So, the offer still stand.”
He grinned, “You bet, come on in.” he took her bag and stepped to the side so she walk through the door. “So what happened you weren’t on the plane and Steve didn’t say you were coming.”
“Steve doesn’t know I am here. I was sitting at the airport with my ticket to Phoenix and started to get on the plane and couldn’t, I don’t know why, but here I am.”
Within a matter of seconds he was next to her on the couch and his mouth was on hers. She wanted to push him away and pull him closer all at the same time. As he pulled her off the couch and towards the bedroom her head screamed for her to stop but her body disagreed and she closed the bedroom door behind them.
She woke up early the next morning to find Jr. sitting, staring out the window. “You ok?” He answered her with a sigh and walked over and sat on the bed. “Sydney, we shouldn’t have…” she cut him off by pulling him down on the bed. “I know. Dale, just hold me. We will deal with this in a little while.”
“Sydney, we really should talk about this.”
“Dale, please,” and with that he wrapped his arms around her and they fell back asleep.
When he woke up a few hours later she wasn’t by his side. He walked into the kitchen to find her making lunch, she sat a plate in front of him and sat down to eat herself.
“Sydney,”
“Look Dale, I know last night should never have happened. I wanted it just as bad as you did and now we are realizing how wrong it was. I don’t regret it though, I needed to feel like a complete person again, like someone cared. You did that. You gave me that. It never has to leave this house. I hope we can go from here and be friends. I have decided I am going to move down here and see where things go. There is nothing for me in Phoenix. Maybe I can find a job down here and not have to give up the races.” He just looked at her. “Dale, say something please.”
“I don’t want you to think that I just used you last night. I know you are coming off this breakup and I feel horrible about what happened. I don’ t even know you and I swear I don’t just fall into bed with women like that. I know my reputation says differently but I swear I don’t. It just seemed so right last night.” It did feel right, every part of it, so why did he feel like he had been kicked in the stomach today.
“If anyone used anyone, it was me. I knew what was going on in my head and I didn’t try to stop you. So what do you say we just start over, here and know.” she smiled as she took another bite of her lunch. “You know what would be a great way to start over? Helping me find my clothes then maybe a place to live.”
He smiled, “I think I can handle that.”
Teresa, Taylor, Brenda, Kelly, and Karsyn all arrived a couple of hours later. “How is he? What is going on? Teresa asked.
“The nurse came in a little while ago, said the surgery is going well but it would still be awhile.” Sydney said hugging everyone.
Teresa hugged her “It is so good to see you again. I was so sorry to hear about you and Steve. I couldn’t believe it when I heard you guys were getting a divorce.”
“I know but it really was for the best.”
“How is Bryan?” Kelly asked.
“He is doing great, he is 13 now, can you believe it? He is staying with Steve in New York over the summer, racing go karts actually. I just talked to them a little while ago. Steve saw the race, he is pretty upset, sends his love and prayers. Told him I would keep him updated on Dale’s condition.”
Cordelia had woke up and was sitting with Taylor and Karsyn. Her and Karsyn were more than just cousins they had become good friends and Karsyn was only a couple years older that Cordy. And even with the 13 year difference between Taylor and Cordy they were extremely close. When Steve retired from racing he, Sydney and Bryan moved to New York but Cordy decided to stay with her dad and pursue racing. Cordy was only 14 and Lee was 5 when Dale and Barb divorced and Dale got custody of Lee. Dale was now racing and trying to raise 2 kids. Taylor was 27 and tried to help Dale the best she could. She became a good friend and like a mother figure to both kids and Sydney was very thankful that she had been there for all three of them.
Sydney sat watching the emotions run across Cordy’s face.
“She is strong, she will get through this, we all will.” Buffy who had now joined them said.
“Man, it seems just like yesterday that I found out she was on the way.”
Sydney found herself in an old scene. Wondering how everything went from being so right to so wrong so fast. She found a great little cottage on Lake Norman, she was doing PR work for Roush Racing with their Truck series drivers Jon Wood and Kyle Busch, she had become best friends with Steve and Jr. and was happier than she had been in years. She had run into Devon a few times at the tracks and he would glare and talk behind her back but she didn’t care, she knew she was where she was suppose to be.
Until now. She called Steve right away and asked if he was busy and if he could do her a huge favor.
“I will be right there.” he was worried she hadn’t sounded that upset since the night she knocked on his coach at the track.
“What is going on?”
“I didn’t want to go alone. Can you drive?” “Sure, where are we going?” he asked as he started his car.
“ To my doctor. I think I am pregnant.” she just stared ahead not able to meet his eyes.
Not knowing what to say, he just drove.
He sat in the waiting room not knowing what to think. When she walked out he stood and she just asked, “can we go home.” They drove in silence all the way back to Sydney’s. He didn’t have to ask he knew by her actions what the doctor had said. They pulled into the driveway and she jumped out of the car, running into the house. He knew she wanted to be alone but he wasn’t about to leave her now. She needed him. He sat quietly on the couch waiting until she was ready to talk.
When she came out of the bedroom her eyes were puffy from crying but yet she tried to smile at him. “How did I know you would still be here?” She sat down on the floor at his feet and looked up at him. “Guess I don’t have to tell you, huh?”
He scooted off the couch and onto the floor next to her, “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. Well, I mean I am going to have a baby. There is no other option. I just don’t want him back in my life.”
“Devon?”
“Yeah, I have worked hard at getting myself out there and back on my feet, I don’t need him. I don’t want him but I can’t in good conscience not tell him. It is his baby and no matter how much of a jerk he was to me he has a right to know.”
“How far along are you?”
She laughed, “You know I don’t know. I just wanted out of there. My due date is in January.”
“Well, no matter what, you know I will be here for you.” He put his arms around her and they sat there until there was a knock on the door.
“Come in”
Jr. walked in, “Hey, guys what do you say we hit the clubs tonight?” He froze when he saw them sitting on the floor and saw Sydney crying. “What’s wrong. What happened.”
Sydney looked at him the shock showing on her face. “January, 7 months, that means 2 months ago, Oh God…” she looked from Jr. to Steve the reality of it all sinking in.
Steve looked at her, “Syd what is it?”
“Devon and I hadn’t been together for 2 months before we broke up” she started crying all over again. “Oh no, how could I have let this happen?” she started getting hysterical and Jr. knelt down beside her.
“Sydney what is it? It can’t be this bad.”
Steve looked at her and tried to calm her down, “Come on, take a breath, if not Devon, then who?”
She just looked from Jr. to Steve then down at her hands not able to face either one of them. Steve couldn’t understand she had never mentioned anyone else. She was fine a few minutes ago, why on earth was she so upset all of a sudden. He looked at her then at Junior and all of a sudden started to realize what was happening. “You have to be kidding me. Oh man, Sydney tell me it isn’t so.”
Sydney couldn’t face him, “Steve I am so sorry. I should have told you sooner but I thought it was all behind us.”
Junior was at a total loss. He had no idea what was going on, all he knew was that Sydney was hysterical and Steve was getting more and more upset by the minute. “Look will someone please tell me what is going on.”
Steve stood “I don’t think I need to be here for this.”
“Steve, please don’t hate me.” she said through tears.
Steve stopped and turned at the door, “I don’t hate you. This is just something you need to deal with together, without me.”
“Doctor his vitals are improving, they seem to be getting stronger.” the nurse said as the doctor stiched up the incision in Dale’s stomach. They had stopped the internal bleeding but his brain was still swelling and they had to stop the pressure. “I don’t know why but let’s be thankful for small miracles, we need to relieve this pressure now.”
Now Jr. was really confused. Why was Steve just leaving? “Syd, you have to tell me what is going on? Please?”
She pushed herself up on the couch and he stayed kneeling in front of her. She grabbed his hands and looked up at him. “Oh Jr. I am so sorry. I don’t know how I could have been so stupid as to let this happen. I know that this might ruin everything but I hope it doesn’t. You are one of my best friends and I don’t ever want to lose you.” He started to say something but she wouldn’t let him, she had to get this out while she had the courage too. “Wait, let me finish. I thought it was Devon’s but when I started to do the math in my head I realized it was impossible for it to be his. You are the only other one.” she paused and looked away. “Dale, I am pregnant.”
He dropped her hands and when she looked back at him she saw the battle for control going on in his head. He walked over to the fireplace and stood there with his head down and his back to her. She just sat there quietly, knowing saying the wrong thing now would be detrimental to the whole situation.
After several minutes he turned and looked at her. She looked lost, her eyes were all puffy and he could only imagine what had been going through her head when she thought the baby was Devon’s. He knew she would have done the right thing, she would have hated it but that is who she was. So, this isn’t how he pictured starting a family but he knew he could handle it. There would be a lot of PR work for DEI and Jade to do, but it could be dealt with. Sydney would make a great mom and they were best friends, that might work better to their advantage than if they were dating. He saw Syd stand and start to leave the room.
She couldn’t take the silence any more, she had to get out of there. She walked into the kitchen and was leaning against the counter crying when she felt his arms wrap around her waist, his hands stopping to rest on her stomach. “Stop crying, everything is going to be fine.”
“How can you say that. Do you know what the press will do to you when they find out you are having a kid by some one night stand.”
“First of all, you are my best friend, not ‘some one night stand.’ Second, no this isn’t how I imagined all this but you are going to make a great mom and I can’t think of anyone I would rather be the mother of my child. You know I would rather it be mine than Devon’s, I don’t want him back in your life. Syd, we will handle this and we will make it work. I promise.” she turned to face him and just wrapped her arms around him. They stayed like that for the longest time.
“I have to find Steve and make sure everything there is ok. He has to be hurt that I never told him about us.” she said wiping at her eyes.
“We have to decide when we are going to tell Teresa and Jade. We need to tell everyone else but I think we should start there and figure out what to do with the media.”
“ I agree. Let me find Steve, you set up something with Teresa and Jade and I will call you later to find out when and where to meet you guys.”
There was no answer and the door was open so Steve pushed it and yelled out for Junior. “I am in here” came the reply.
Steve followed the voice and found him sitting at the kitchen table with a few empty beer bottles in front of him. “So how drunk are you?”
“ I’m not. I’ve only had a couple, thought I would calm my nerves, sounded better than it tasted.”
“You alright?” Steve asked sitting across from him.
“You know it is weird, if you had told me yesterday that this would happen, I would have freaked out and ran for the hills but I’m not. Not sure how the rest of the world will react but I really am ok with it. How are you?”
Steve looked at him for a second knowing full well what he meant by the question, “You know for the longest time I wondered what things would be like with Sydney, would they work out, could we be more than friends. I decided it wasn’t worth the risk of losing her friendship. She is better than that, better than a one night stand.”
Junior felt like he had been slapped, “I know you think I used her, I swear I didn’t. Steve, you have to believe me, I would never do anything to hurt her. It was a one time thing yes, but it wasn’t cheap. Even two months later I can’t get past the feeling I had that morning. We didn’t tell anyone, we weren’t hiding it from you, we just never talked about it.”
“I know, I have talked to Syd and she told me everything.” he laughed, “she told me not to come over here and give you a hard time. What are you guy’s going to do?”
“We have a meeting with Teresa, Ty, and Jade tomorrow. After that I am not sure.”
“That ought to be fun. I don’t envy you on that one.” Steve said.
“Yeah, but I think it will be ok. I mean everyone will be shocked but they all love Sydney and I don’t know, I just have a feeling it will all work out. I keep wondering, what the hell would my dad be saying right now?”
“He’d kick your ass, then hug you and tell you it will be ok. He was one of my best friends, Jr. and he would have been there for you no matter what and so will I. Here is your one warning though, she is one of the most important people in my life, hurt her and answer to me. Understood?” Steve stood to leave.
“Completely. Hey Steve, thanks.”
Sydney felt a chill go through her as she thought about Junior, helpless and alone struggling for life on the operating table. The thought took her back to another helpless body she couldn’t help, she had gotten some help from above then and prayed for it again.
The season progressed quickly as did life. Over the next few months Sydney moved into the guest room at Dale’s and they turned the remaining guest room into a nursery. Everyone at DEI was understandably shocked as was the rest of the racing community but Sydney was welcomed into the Nascar family with open arms. She continued her PR work and was able to travel to the races for awhile. Which made Jr. and Steve both happy because they could keep an eye on her. She had decided that she would stop traveling around eight months. It was already starting to get difficult and she was only 6 and a half months along. It was October and the race was here at home so it gave the drivers a welcome opportunity to spend more time in their own beds and houses. Sydney rode to the track the morning of the race with Jr. and then headed to Roush garages to go over some interviews from the previous weeks truck race. When she finished there she headed to Juniors garage to tell him she was going to watch the race from Michaels’s pit with Buffy.
“Well, like I said once a whore always a whore.”
“Devon. Gee and to think I had gone all these months and never once missed your voice.”
“So do you even know who the father is? I can‘t believe Jr. is going along with this whole story. Either that boy is really stupid or he is asking for a DNA test and that part didn‘t make it too the 5 o‘clock news.”
“Get out of my face. My life is none of your business. Stay away from me.”
As she walked away she saw Jr. heading towards them with a concerned look on his face. “What the hell is going on?” Devon just grinned and waved over her shoulder. She put her hands on Jr.’s chest and started pushing him back towards his garage. A few of the guy’s from Jr.’s garage had wondered out Sydney just begged them to help her get Jr. to his car.
“Dale everything is fine. He is just being an ass as usual, he didn’t touch me. Now calm down you have a race to run.” He grabbed her hand and they started to walk to pit road in silence. When they got to the car he climbed in and she leaned in as she always did to wish him luck. “Drive the wheels off this thing. Come home safe.” She slapped the driver’s door as she always did and walked away.
She passed Tony Jr. on her way to Steve’s pit, “Good luck. He is so pissed off I feel sorry for the other 42 cars out there today.” Tony just laughed and waved as she walked by.
She stuck her head in Steve’s car and then quickly walked to the 15 pit. Mikey was just climbing into his car, “good luck” she yelled as Slugger and Buffy helped her atop of the pit box.
“How you feeling today?” Buffy asked noticing how flushed she looked.
“I was fine up until the little show you all just missed.” She went through the events that just accured as the engines started.
It was a pretty uneventful race and with every lap that went by Sydney felt worse and worse. There were 10 laps to go when she felt a sharp pain rip through her stomach. She grabbed Buffy’s arm and one look at Sydneys face told Buffy something was seriously wrong.
“Syd, what is it, what is wrong?”
“Oh God Buffy, I think I am in labor. No, it’s not time, it is too soon.”
Buffy yelled for one of the crew guys to go get first aid. “Someone get Jr. over here now.” They got Sydney into the ambulance and she was crying for Jr.
Buffy was holding her hand, “They are going to take you to the hospital, don’t fight them. They are getting Jr. now, I will get him there I promise.”
Jr. was climbing out of the car when Buffy came running down pit road. “Buffy where is she? What happened?”
“Come on we have to go, she went into labor a few minutes ago. She is on her way to the hospital.”
Jr. ran through the hospital doors with Buffy right behind him. He stopped and turned “Teresa?”
“I will call her and everyone else. Go!”
He ran to the nurses station, “Sydney Morrison? She went into labor and was brought in a few minutes ago. I am the father.”
“Right this way.” He was lead into the emergency room where Sydney was already in full blown labor.
“Dale, thank god you are here. It is too early. Why is this happening?” Sydney sobbed.
“Shh, you have to calm down. It is going to be ok.” He looked at the doctor questionably.
The doctor responded “We tried to stop the labor but we can’t this baby is coming now. Sydney we need you to push. Come on Sydney, now.”
Sydney started pushing as best she could through the tears and pain. “Please help my baby.”
Jr. started crying and was trying to stop himself trying to be strong for her. “Come on baby, you can do it.”
The labor was fairly quick. They rushed the baby out as quick as it was born. “Where did they take it? Why isn’t it crying? What is going on? Jr. please find out.”
“O.K. baby.” He kissed her forhead and walked out of the room. Steve came walking into her room. “Hey girlie” Steve said. “How you feel?”
“Do you know what happened?”
“No, they took the baby down the hall, Jr and Teresa went to talk to the doctor.” Steve said. “They are going to be moving you to a private room in just a few minutes, did you bring anything in with you?”
“Umm…I don’t know…I think Buffy has everything.”
After she was settled in a new room, Jr. walked in, visibly upset. He just looked at Steve who got up and quietly left.
“What is going on? Jr. where is our baby?”
Jr looked at her not knowing what to say, “It doesn’t look good. They are putting her on a ventilater because she can’t breath on her own, her lungs aren’t fully developed. She will be in an incubator and they will have to tube feed her because they will have to paralyse her. She only weighs 4 pounds. If she…” he started to cry again and he couldn’t bring himself to look at her. “If she survives there will be a chance of brain damage. We just have to take this day by day.”
“She? A little girl? We have to name her?”
“Syd, we do but we have to look at the reality of this. Baby, there is a good chance she won’t make it.”
“Get out. If you are going to talk like that, then get out and leave me the hell alone.” she screamed.
Teresa had relayed the doctors news to everyone and when Steve heard the comoation he went back into the room, “Dale come on let’s give her a minute.” Sydney had turned her back to both of them and layed there crying. Steve and Dale walked out of the room feeling completely helpless.
The waiting room had become a grim reminder of the days events. Flowers and stuffed animals were everywhere. People sat praying, crying, or they just sat, wishing and hoping. The media had gotten wind of what had happened when Jr. pulled into pit road with 5 laps to go and never returned. Jade had gone out and given a brief comment on the birth to keep them from hounding hospital personnel and the family. Teresa and Steve were trying their hardest to contact anyone who needed to know so that Jr. wouldn’t have to go over the story a million times.
Suddenly, the door to Sydney’s room opened and she walked out.
Junior jumped up and ran to her side offering an arm to steady her, “You shouldn’t be out of bed.”
“I want to see her.”
“Syd, you need to rest.”
“Junior, I am going with or without you.” With that he put his arm around her waist and they walked quietly to the nursery. A nurse led them in and to an incubator in the back of the room, she then left without saying a word.
She couldn’t bring herself to look at her yet so Sydney read the card attached to the incubator Cordelia Grace Earnhardt 4lbs 2ozs 16 in long. When she finally looked up her breath caught in her throat. Laying in the incubator was this tiny body so helpless and fragile. She was already starting to bruise from all the needles and tubes and Sydney couldn’t take anymore. “Oh God, get me out of here.”
Jr. led her back down the hall and to her room. He helped her into bed and asked if she needed anything.
“Just leave me alone please.” Jr. didn’t know what to do so he just left. He found himself in the church chapel, feeling more alone than he had ever felt before. “God, dad, I don’t know who I am looking for more right now. I need some help though. Dad, of all the times since you have been gone, I need you more now than ever. I don’t know if I am strong enough to get all three of us through this. I keep trying to figure out what you would do. What I should do. Just give me the strength.”
Jr. spent the next couple of days by his daughters side. Sydney didn’t want anything to do with either of them or any one else for that matter. She was released from the hospital and refused to go home but also refused to see her daughter. Steve stayed by her side as much as she would let him and Dale was glad for that but also felt a bit of jealousy in the fact that he needed her, as did Cordelia. Steve and Michael had left on Thursday for the race in Virginia. Junior stayed behind and it had been decided by Jr., Teresa, and Ty that Ron Fellows would drive the Budweiser car until Dale was ready to return to racing.
The days quickly turned into weeks and overall Cordy was doing better. She had gained a pound over the past month but she still hadn’t been conscience nor was she breathing on her own. The doctors were optimistic but not 100%. They still had a long way to go but she was fighting and that was the best sign anyone could ask for right now.
5
“Sydney wake up. Come on darlin wake up.”
“Junior” she said half asleep. “No, come on Sydney, look at me.” As she opened her eyes she found herself staring into the face of Dale Sr. “What the…” she said startled. “It’s alright, I know you are scared but I am here to help.” Dale said staring at the girl. The dark circles under her eyes and the obvious weight loss concerned him.
“Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with Junior? Why me? We never met, you don’t even know me.” Sydney said trying to make sense of what was going on.
Dale just grinned at all the questions, he stood and slowly walked to the incubator and stared at the tiny body laying motionless inside. “I am here because of Jr. but in order to help him I need you. I also thought that it was about time I met my new granddaughter and the woman my son has fallen in love with,” he said with a sly grin. “Jr. never knew it was possible to love someone as much as he loves this little one and now he is afraid he is losing her.”
As the tears started to fall Sydney stood and walked to her daughter, “ Are you here to take her away from us?” As Dale lifted his head to meet her stare he shook his head, “ She is an Earnhardt, she is strong, and she knows how to fight, she just had to start earlier than the rest of us. My main concern now is my son. He is more lost now than he has ever been and it breaks my heart to see his in pain. He does love you, you know?” Sydney nodded, “I know and I love him, I just…”
Dale cut her off, “I am not here to guilt or pressure you into anything. I would rather you remain his best friend forever than to do something you are unsure of. The last thing I want is to see him hurt again. I just want you to promise you will follow your heart, listen closely to what is says, it will never steer you wrong.” He looked back down at Cordy , “Man, she sure is beautiful. Remember Sydney, everything in this world happens for a reason, whether we understand it or not. Don’t take those things out of your control out on yourself. They both need you.”
As Junior entered the ICU nursery he was shocked to see Sydney asleep in a rocking chair in the corner of the room. It was the first time she had been in the same room with her daughter since she was born. He hated to wake her, it was the first peaceful sleep she had had in over two months but she had to eat something. Sure losing all the baby weight after the delivery was normal but it was the additional 20 pounds that he was worried about.
“Sydney, wake up. Come on Sydney, I brought dinner,”
“Dale?”
“Yes baby, come on wake up. I have food for you.”
As Sydney opened her eyes she saw Jr. holding a tray. “No, not you, where is he?” she asked looking around the room for Dale Sr. “Who? I am the only one here.” Dale said setting down the tray and becoming worried with the way Sydney was acting. She shook his hand off her arm as she stood and went to Cordy. “Get the doctor.”
“but Sydney she is the same, what is going on?”
“Now!” she half yelled. “Come on baby, open your eyes, it is time.” she said much softer and concentrating on Cordy.
Jr., Teresa, and the doctor walked into the room and didn’t say a word. After the doctor looked over Cordy he told them that she was the same as she had been. “Just wait.” Sydney pleaded getting impatient. “Sydney, let’s go take a walk and get something to eat.” Jr. said trying to gently pull Sydney away from their daughter. The stress was really getting to her and he was so worried that he would lose both of them if something didn’t give soon. “Jr. would you just back off? Give her a second.”
As the doctor started to leave he heard Teresa gasp “Oh my…” Sydney and Junior turned and looked back at their daughter and saw what they both knew had to be the most beautiful blue eyes in the world staring back at them. The doctor hurried back to the incubator and called for a nurse to start getting her vitals to find out what was going on. A few moments later the doctor joined the three of them in the waiting room with the news they had been waiting for. “I am not sure what happened, but her vitals are getting stronger by the minute, we have taken her off the ventilator and she is now breathing on her own. Apparently all the prayers and love she has received worked.”
“Can we see her?” Sydney anxiously asked.
“We will be taking her out of the incubator in a few moments and you can go in and see her after that.”
Teresa grabbed her cell phone and started making calls. There were a lot of people who were anxious to see the newest member of the Earnhardt clan.
Jr. just looked at Sydney not sure of what had just happened. “Sydney, how did you know? I have heard of maternal instincts but come on what just happened here? How did you know she was going to wake up just now?”
Sydney just smiled, “Cause, your daddy said she would.” As Sydney walked out of the room and towards the nursery Teresa’s phone fell from her hand and Junior found himself glued to the floor not able to move or speak.
“Doctor, his blood pressure and heart rate are rising rapidly.”
The doctor looked at the monitor and back at Dale, “What the hell is going on?”
“Two months is along time to wait, ready to hold your daughter?” the nurse asked as she put the bundled up little girl into Sydney’s arms and quietly left the room, giving mom and daughter time for some much needed bonding.
Junior stood in the doorway just watching for the longest time. How he could love someone he just met so much he would never know but he loved everything about both of them. All he had to do now was to hold on. For some reason he knew everything would be fine. He had felt his presence all day but when Sydney had mentioned him he knew his dad was there and at that one moment he knew that no matter what, he always would be.
Sydney noticed him and motioned for him to come over. She stood and handed Cordy to her daddy. “You know I am a little hungry, I am gonna go grab a bite off that tray you brought up earlier. I’ll be back in a little while.” She kissed Cordy’s head, then Junior’s and left the room. She was met in the hallway by Teresa, Taylor, Kelly, Kerry, and Steve.
“Everyone else sends their love and said as soon as you all are home and settled they will be over to see you.” Teresa said as she wrapped her arms around Sydney. All at once, the tears started to fall and Sydney couldn’t stop them. Steve quickly jumped up to catch her. They sat there for several minutes, her finally giving in to the guilt and tears that had wanted to fall for so long.
As she finally calmed down she looked up at Steve, “You know, you are always in the right place at the right time.” Steve just wiped her tears away and held her close.
Hearing the comoation out in the hall Junior walked to the doorway and watched as Sydney fell to her knees and Steve sat there comforting her where he should have been. Steve looked up in enough time to see him watching them closely. He met Junior’s stare with an apologetic one of his own. He cared for Sydney a lot and knew she cared for him but he knew her and Jr. were in love, they just needed to admit it to themselves then each other. “Go.”
Sydney looked up at him, “What?”
Steve looked down at her, “You are one of my best friends and so is he. Go to him. You guys are already a family, you know that. Sydney…”
“I know, I just hope it is as easy as you make it sound.” she said as she stood and smiled at him and then headed to the nursery.
When she got to the door she stopped to listen to Jr. talking to his daughter. “I can’t believe you are finally here in my arms. You want to know a secret? I was so scared when I first heard you were on your way. Driving 180mph is nothing compared to the idea of being someone’s daddy. You know what though, your momma showed me just how amazing you were going to be and I found myself counting the days until you arrived. I love your momma so much, oh I know she loves me but I guess sometimes love just isn’t enough. Now don’t you worry beautiful, we might not be the big happy family I thought we would but you are going to have two parents who love you more than anything else in this world. I promise you I will do everything in my power to be the daddy you need.”
“You already are.” Sydney said as she came through the door, “You were there for her when I should have been. I have a lot of making up to do to both of you. Dale, we are a family. We always will be.” She knelt next to the chair and placed one hand on Dale’s leg and the other on Cordy’s head. “This is everything I have ever wanted, this is my family.”
“What about Steve?” Jr. said placing Cordy back in her crib.
“What about him?”
“Come on Syd, I saw you two out there. He has always been the one you go to, not me. You may have fallen into bed with me but when you need support, mental or emotional, you go to him.”
“Junior…” just then the door opened and Teresa and Taylor walked in. “Hey, you two why don’t you guys go home and get some sleep. You certainly won’t get the chance once she comes home.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” Jr. kissed Cordy on top of the head and walked out.
Sydney grimaced at the distance he was all of a sudden putting between them. She kissed Cordy, gave Teresa a hug and went after Jr.
He was waiting in the parking lot by the time she walked out of the hospital. “Well, at least he didn’t leave.” she thought as she climbed up into the truck.
Christmas came and went at the Earnhardts, and Cordy came home in Jan very close to the original due date. Not a whole lot more was said between Jr. and Syd about the day in the hospital or Steve. They both wanted to mention it on several different occasions but things were moving so quickly bringing Cordy home, that it just never came up. Comments had been given to the press all along but since a press conference had never given before Sydney went into labor, Teresa decided that it was time to introduce Cordy to the world.
“We will schedule it for the conference room here at DEI for tomorrow afternoon.” Teresa said. “Jade can you decide which media we want to allow and start making calls?”
“I had already been thinking about it and I think we should go with Nascar Illustrated, Sporting News, Charlotte Observer, USA Today, and maybe Sports Illustrated if anyone has any other ideas let me know I will start calling when we are done here.”
“That should work. Everyone else will have to get the inside scoop elsewhere. We will meet here tomorrow at 11am and the press conference will start at noon.”
“I don’t like this.” said Jr. quietly causing everyone to look at him. He looked up when he realized all eyes were on him. “Well, I don’t.”
“Why? This was partly your idea?” Jade asked confused.
“I know but why do we have to bring her here? Why can’t we just do the conference, tell it how it is and move on?”
“Junior, you know it isn’t that easy. They want to see her and if we don’t let them on our terms they will try and do it on there own. That will end up a lot worse in the end. Which reminds me. Figure out now how you are going to address the issue of giving up your championship contention last season, you know they are going ask.” Teresa warned.
“How about this? My family,” he paused looking at Syd, “my daughter is more important than any damn championship.” He stood and walked out.
Sydney stood, “Teresa can you watch Cordy for a little while.”
Teresa knew what was about to happen and just shook her head.
“Thanks” Sydney said and left the room.
"Doctor, his heart rate is increasing again.”
“With the amount of pressure on his brain and the stress his heart is under he won’t be able to take too much more of this.
“I am afraid we may be losing him.”
By the time she caught up to him he was sitting on the floor against one of the cars being prepared for Daytona. She scanned the room and gave out a sigh when she realized they were alone. Jr. looked up and met her stare.
“Dale, we need to talk.”
“ I know. I have been trying to avoid it as long as I can but I…we can’t anymore.”
“So, I don’t know where to start.” she said as she sat down next to him.
“I do. You know I love you, it isn’t any big secret and I know you love me, but I also know you aren’t in love with me. I have done a lot of thinking about all of this and it’s ok.”
She just looked at him, “Junior…”
“No really, I wouldn’t trade any of this for anything in the world. Cordelia is my life and you are a part of that too. You always will be. Do you love him?”
“Steve?”
“Yes. He loves you. I know he does. He doesn‘t have to say it, I know the look.”
“I don’t know, I care about you both so much. Jr. I don’t know how I feel about any of this. I just want to concentrate on Cordy and making sure she is ok.”
“Syd, just follow your heart, wherever it leads you, promise you will do right by it.”
Sydney just looked at him and smiled.
“What?” Junior asked puzzled.
“A very wise man told me the same thing once. You are very much like him.”
Junior looked at her realizing who she meant and decided not to ask what happened that day in the hospital. That belonged to her. “ I don’t know how he did both?”
“What the races?”
“That and the family thing. So many drivers do it but…”
“What? Junior what is it?”
He just looked at her tears forming in his eyes, “They have their families at the tracks with them. I am going to miss so much.” With that he broke down. After all these months he finally was allowed to cry all the tears to let out all the pain he was feeling, and he did. Sydney just put her arms around him and let him cry.
After a few minutes when he started to calm down, she looked at him and asked “Is that why you have been holding on so hard too us?”
He nodded his head, “I don’t want to miss her growing up, I want to be a part of her life, all of it.”
“Junior, you will be. We will work it out. There is no reason why we can’t still be at the track with you on the weekends. I still have my PR job that will take me to the tracks and if that doesn’t work, I will figure out something else. You won’t miss anything, I promise.”
Junior just hugged her. She leaned up and gently kissed him and they sat there holding each other crying.
As everyone waited in the waiting room unaware of the tragedy taking place in the operating room, Sydney recalled how her and Steve almost never made it to the alter.
The press conference went as planned, they allowed a few photos of Cordy to be taken and they answered questions for over an hour. Afterwards Teresa pulled everyone together before they left. “I received a message this morning from Steve. He has left town for a few days, he didn’t say where he was going, when he would be back, nothing. I have no idea what is going on but there are only three weeks until Daytona and one of my drivers is missing. If anyone heres from him, convince him to get his ass back here ASAP.”
Junior and Sydney ran into Mickey in the parking lot as they were leaving, “Hey, did you here about Steve?” Junior asked.
“No, what happened?”
“Don’t have a clue. He left a message with Teresa saying he was leaving town for a few days, no other info. Needless to say Teresa is pissed.”
“Man, I knew he was acting a little weird yesterday but to just disappear, huh.”
Sydney just looked at him, “What do you mean acting weird? What happened yesterday?”
“I ran into him yesterday outside the shop, I was going to check on the cars, guess he was doing the same thing.”
“Mickey get to the point.”
“Oh, well, he looked upset about something and I noticed he was watching you two talk. I asked him what was going on. He said something about you guys being a family and he left.”
“You guys were listening in on our conversation?” Junior asked getting irritated.
“No, we couldn’t hear you, we could only see what you were doing. I didn’t even see you guys at first. I noticed Steve was staring at something that’s when I saw you guys on the floor.”
“Mickey, what did you think when you saw us?” Sydney asked realizing what Steve was thinking.
“You two looked like you were more together than you have ever been.”
“Well, we have decided Syd is going to move out.” Junior said.
“Huh, didn’t see that one coming.”
“Mickey, if you see Steve please tell him to get home, now.”
“Will do. See ya guys.”
No one heard from Steve for several days. Sydney and Cordy moved into her old cottage at Lake Norman. Her and Junior decided that during the season Sydney would keep Cordy during the weekends but would come to the tracks as much as they could. During the week Junior would keep her unless he had an out of town appearance. Sydney wanted Jr. to be in Cordy’s life as much as he could be and to tell the truth she did love him and didn’t want to lose him in her life all together. She was starting to realize that she did have feelings for Steve, maybe she always had. She was wondering how differently things would have been had she gone to Steve’s that night instead of Junior’s when the phone rang.
“Sydney, it’s Michael, thought you would want to know I talked to Steve this morning.”
“Where is he?”
“ He is at home, he stopped by DEI got his ass chewed out and said he was headed home.”
“Thanks Mikey.”
She dropped Cordy off at Juniors telling him she would pick her off tomorrow. She then headed over to Steve’s trying to decide what she was going to tell him. She sat in the car for a moment collecting all the nerve she could and then walked up to the door and knocked. When the door swung open she was greeted by a blond in a Harley tee and a pair of boxers, “Can I help you?”
Sydney tried to regain her composure “Um…yeah…is Steve here? You know this is probably a bad time, I will catch him later.” She started to walk away when she heard him.
“Who is it babe? Sydney?”
She stopped and turned to see him coming off the porch towards her wearing only a pair of jeans. At this point it was pretty obvious they were more than friends. “Hey” she said “I…um..we were pretty worried about you but obviously you are fine so I am going to go.”
“Yeah, I am sorry about that I just had to clear my head. Come in, have a drink.”
“No, I really need to get going. We can talk later.”
He watched her get in the car and disappear down the driveway. “That was odd.” he mumbled to himself.
“Who was that?” “Just a friend.” he answered. “Yeah, Park keep telling yourself that she’s just a friend.” he thought to himself.
Sydney got home grabbed several beers out of the fridge and collapsed on her bed in tears. She awoke to the sound of Cordy crying. “What the hell?” She saw Junior standing in the doorway. “I thought you were going to watch her for me tonight?”
“I did. When you didn’t come to get her this morning I took her to the shop with me and started trying to call. When you never answered I got worried. I decided to just come over, I banged on the front door for a few minutes and remembered I had a key. So here we are. What‘s up?”
“What time is it?”
“4 oclock”
“Shit” “Syd, there are enough beer bottles here for one of my parties and I have a feeling you didn’t invite friends. What is going on?”
“Junior I just want to forget it, ok.”
“Go take a shower, get cleaned up.”
When she got out of the bathroom Junior handed her a plate of food, “You need to eat with all the alcohol you drank. I fed Cordy and she is sleeping now. You need anything else?” He started towards the door.
“You can stay”
“No, I can’t. I really can’t.” He knew if he stayed now, he wouldn’t ever want to leave.
She knew why he wasn’t staying and didn’t blame him, “Junior thanks.”
“I’ll see you later.”
The days passed and everyone was busy preparing for Daytona. Sydney found herself so busy at Roush Racing that she didn’t even realize how quickly time was passing. If it hadn’t have been for Cordy she probably never would have seen Junior. She couldn’t complain though because at least she didn’t have to face Steve. She hadn’t seen him since the night in his driveway.
“Damn it. I’ve gotten the pressure relieved and the swelling is going down but his blood pressure is too high. His vitals are falling apart. I don’t understand why this is happening. I can’t find any medical reason to explain it.”
Junior had noticed how distant she had been with not only him but everyone, he wasn’t sure why but he had his suspisions and if Sydney wasn’t talking well he’d have to get the story elsewhere.
Steve was in the shop working on one of the cars when Junior walked in, “Hey Jr. what’s up?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You and Sydney? What is going on? I thought this is what you wanted?”
“Junior, what in the hell are you talking about? I haven’t talked to Syd in a couple of weeks. I just figured between work, Cordy, and you she doesn’t have time.”
“Me? Steve, Sydney moved out 3 weeks ago. We aren’t together. We talked to Michael and I thought she was gonna tell you everything.”
“Then what the hell was going on in here the day I saw you guys? It didn’t look like nothing.”
“We were talking about us, you, Cordy, everything we needed to figure out. We decided that we, her and I, weren’t going to work. I do love her but that isn’t enough. I thought she came to talk to you the day you got back into town?”
“The day I got back, she did but she said, oh man…how stupid can I be? Don’t answer that. She came over and saw, well, I had company.”
Junior just looked at him.
“Don’t look at me like that. I thought you two were together and I needed her out of my head.”
“Did it work.”
“No, made me want her more. That explains why she was in such a hurry to get the hell away from me that night. Oh, man I have to talk to her. Where is she?”
“She’s back in her cottage at the Lake.” Steve started to run out the door and stopped, he looked back at Junior, “Are you ok?’
Junior looked at him, “I just want her to be happy, she can’t be with me. Do that, make her happy, and yeah, I will be ok.”
“Thanks Junior.”
Sydney found herself in the hospital chapel. “It seemed right at the time. No it was right, for all of us. At that point in our lives it was the right choice. I know it was.” she said finally breaking down and crying now that she was all alone.
Sydney was working on a press release when she heard someone banging on her door. “Goodness, what is all the racket, you know I have a sleeping baby in…” she swung the door open to find Steve staring her in the face, “here.”
She couldn’t say anything and she didn’t have to before she knew what was happening Steve had pushed her gently through the door and his lips were on hers. She felt a feeling go through her she hadn’t felt in a long time. As she wrapped her arms around his neck he kicked the door closed behind them and walked them towards the couch. When he broke away from her he just grinned, she looked up at him not able to catch her breath, her eyes said it all.
“Junior told me everything. I am so sorry, I should have been here sooner. I swear she meant nothing I was using her to get over you.”
“Can I assume it didn’t work?” a grin appearing on her face.
“What do you think?” with that he kissed her again.
No it was right. It may not have been forever but it was right, look at all she had. Bryan was one of the two best things in her life.
As she sat against the pit road wall watching the sun rise over turn 1 she never imagined her life turning out this way. Five years later she had a beautiful daughter who was now 4 and a half years old and an amazing husband whom she loved more than she ever thought humanly possible.
“Cordelia, stop climbing on the wall you are going to fall and get hurt.”
“No, I won’t.”
Just then Steve walked up to her and sat down, “So much for dresses and frilly bows, huh?” he just laughed as he watch Cordy run up and down the track.
“Jr. is going to have her behind the wheel of a car before I know what hits me, hell he has already had her under one.”
“You better believe I am and she’s gonna drive the wheels off it.” Junior said with a grin as he hopped over the pit wall.
“Daddy!” Cordy screamed as she ran into his waiting arms.
“Hey June bug, what are you going to do today?”
“Watch you and Uncle Stevie race.”
“Good answer.” he kissed her and put her down as she started squirming to get her feet back on the ground.
“I hate to break up the moment but we have a meeting to get ready for.” Steve said standing and pulling Sydney up off the ground.
Junior chased Cordy down the track ahead of Steve and Syd. Sydney looked at Steve and said, “I need to tell you something.”
“Shoot.”
“Well, I’m pregnant.”
Junior stopped not sure if he really heard what he just thought he heard.
“Are you sure?” Steve asked stopping dead in his tracks.
“Yes, two months along.” She said eagerly.
“Woohoo!” Steve yelled loud enough that they were sure he woke up some people in the infield.
“Hey, congrats you two. Cordy did you hear that you are gonna have a baby brother or sister. What do you think about that?”
“I want a puppy.” They all just laughed.
As Junior and Cordelia walked on Steve wrapped his arms around Sydney, “I love you Mrs. Park.”
“And I love you Mr. Park.” He kissed her and they headed back to the garage area hand and hand.
“Doctor, what should I tell the family?”
“Nothing, I will go talk to them as soon as I clean up.” He looked back at Dale and headed to the waiting room.
Sydney was headed back to the waiting room when she saw the doctor walk in. She numbly walked to the door. “He made it through the surgery, barely.” Sydney paused in the doorway. “You all need to be prepared, there is a good chance he won’t make it.”
“Oh God no…” Cordy screamed as she fell to the floor crying. Sydney and Michael rushed to her side. Taylor held Lee as he cried and the room fell silent as the doctor started to speak.
“I know how hard this is but you need to know where we stand. The next 24 hours are critical, if he makes it through the night his chances of survival will increase. If he does make it, we are looking at the possibility of brain damage, he could slip into a coma, there was a great deal of head trauma. I will keep you all informed and updated on his condition.”
“Can we see him?”
“We are moving him to a private room in ICU, normally we would only let in immediate family but under the circumstances, I think it will help if he know you are here. Just no more than two people at one time.”
“Thank you doctor.” With that he left the room.
“Cordelia, do you want to go first.”
“No, I can’t not yet.”
“Ok, Brenda, Teresa, you go first.”
When they came back they decided that even though he was so young, Lee had a right to see his father, Taylor took him in, and then Kelly and Kerry went. Sydney finally convinced Cordy she needed to see him, she had been in this position before and knew Cordy would never forgive herself if she didn’t go see him. They didn’t know what to expect, but they did know that everyone that went to see him looked sick when they came back. They walked into his room arm and arm and weren’t prepared for what they saw.
“Oh God,” Sydney said choking back tears. He was so pale, the only coloring in his skin was the bruising from the surgery and the wreck. His face was very swolen and his head was bandaged, there were 2 IV’s in his hand and a tube in his throat helping him breath.
“Daddy? Can he hear me?” Cordy asked as she sat next to him.
“Hopefully, talk to him anyway.” Syd said standing at the foot of the bed.
“Daddy, I’m here. I am so sorry, I didn’t mean for this…” she started crying. “Come on dad, you can beat this. Do you remember when you decided to put me in the #3 car?” Dale had bought the rights from Richard Childress Racing, he decided that Cordy was the driver to put it back on the track with. Oreo jumped at the chance to become the number one sponsor of an Earnhardt driven #3 car.
“You sure about this dad? I am only 18 and a rookie, what will everyone think?”
“Since when do I care what everyone thinks and besides it’s time. You will be 19 by the time Daytona rolls around. I am announcing my retirement for the end of next season, what a better time for the #3 to come back. Anyway, my little girl is going to put the #3 back in victory lane at Daytona and in her rookie season.”
“No pressure there,” she laughed. “Hope I don’t disappoint you.”
He looked at her, “You can wreck this car on the first lap, I will never be disappointed in you, never forget that, I love you.”
“Well, I did it daddy. We put the #3 in victory lane, again. Wouldn’t grandpa have been proud? I hope you are. I love you.” and with that she ran out of the room.
Sydney thought of going after her but understood how she needed some time alone. She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers. “This isn’t how it is suppose to end. God, Dale, I am so sorry for ever hurting you. I am sorry we lost touch over the last few years, you were one of my best friends. You changed my life. Had I gotten on that plane to Phoenix think of all I wouldn’t have, that we wouldn’t have. I don’t regret a second of our time together. Please don’t give up, we all need you. You are strong, I know you can win this one.”
Sydney fell asleep with her head on Dale’s arm, she awoke to a gasp. She saw Mickey standing in the doorway. “I am sorry, I just didn’t expect him to look like…”
“I know, it’s ok.”
“Steve is on your cell phone.”
“Thanks.” She kissed Dale’s hand and took her phone leaving the room.
When she hung up with Steve she went back to the waiting room. “Steve and Bryan are flying in tonight, said they would get a hotel and be here in the morning. We can’t all stay here, who is going where?”
“I am not leaving.” Cordy said.
“I am not either.” said Lee.
Mickey and Buffy went back to their hotel as did Junior’s crew and Ty. Brenda, Kelly, Karsyn, Teresa, and Kerry were going to stay at Junior condo on the beach. Syd, Cordy, Lee and Taylor all stayed at the hospital.
Sydney didn’t get much sleep that night as she was pacing back and forth between the waiting room and Dale’s room. She was on her way back from the nurse’s station when she saw Steve and Bryan. “Mom” Bryan yelled as he ran into her arms.
“Hey baby, how are you?”
“Great I won my race this weekend.” he said excitedly then just as quick his face turned sad.
“That’s my boy, hey what’s wrong?” she asked as they walked into the waiting room where Steve was hugging everyone.
“I feel guilty being so happy when Uncle Dale is…”
“Hey, you stop that. You know as well as I do that Dale would high five you and ask how much of a lead you had on the other racers. So don’t beat yourself up.” she hugged him and sent him off to talk to Lee.
“Hi Steve, how are you doing?”
“I am ok. How you holding up?”
“Oh, well I’ve been better but under the circumstances I guess not too bad.”
“Steve. God it is so good to see you.” Teresa said as everyone showed up at once.
“Hey buddy.” Michael said “Like a reunion in here. Syd how is Dale?”
“Well, he made it through the night but other than that there isn’t any change. No better but…”
“no worse.” Steve said finishing her sentence.
She smiled, “You want to see him?”
He nodded and she led him down the hall to Junior’s room. “Oh man” Steve said when he saw him, the tears already welling in his eyes. Sydney touched his arm and left them alone.
Steve looked at his friend helplessly, “Man are you even in there? We have been through so much in our lives. Yet, we have always made it back to our friendship. It may not have always been the shortcut but we made it back. It can’t end like this.” He said finally breaking down. Steve sat there for awhile and suddenly started laughing, “Do you remember when you told me and Syd that you weren’t coming to our wedding, man, I thought she was going to kill you.”
“What on earth do you mean you are not coming to our wedding?” Sydney yelled.
“I can’t.” Junior said not looking at either on of them.
“Junior, man, you have to. You are our one of our best friends and you are flower girls father, you have to be there.”
“Guy’s, you know I am happy for you but you know how I feel and what if I do something stupid.”
“Like what?” Steve looked at him.
“Oh I don’t know how about that whole if anyone sees any reason for these two people not to get married, come on you know my mouth has a mind of it’s own.”
Sydney started crying.
“Syd please don’t cry. You know I can’t stand to see you cry.” Junior said.
“I won’t try and make you go, you are one of the most important people in my life and the wedding won’t be the same without you, a part of us will be missing. It is your decision though.”
“She made you so guilty that you had no choice but to go, for the record, I wouldn’t have wanted you anywhere but there that day. She always did have a way of getting whatever she wanted from both of us.” He got silent for a moment, “You told me once you couldn’t make her happy and at that point of our lives maybe you couldn’t, but now you are the only one who can. It’s your turn, Junior, your turn to be happy and to make her happy. Come back to us, come back to her.”
Sydney stood outside the door listening and crying. “I know you are out there, come in.” She walked in and he wrapped his arms around her. They didn’t say a word, just stood there, Sydney finally crying the tears that had wanted to come for so many hours. With Steve she could break down and she knew he wouldn’t let her fall, he never had and he never would.
“Junior get up. Man never have been able to get your lazy ass out of bed. Come on, get up.”
“What? Dad, huh.”
“Yes, now get up.”
“Dad, what are you doing here? Is it time to go?”
“Why have you stopped fighting? That isn’t the Earnhardt way.”
“Dad, it’s too hard. It hurts so much, I just want it to stop. Please make all the pain go away. Daddy please.”
“The hardest part of life is to live in it. Yes, some days hurt like hell but it is those that don’t that make you get through the ones that do. You will not give up, your daughter never did and neither will you.”
“Cordelia”
“Yes, Cordelia, Lee, and all those people sitting in that waiting room praying for you. And them.” Dale looked at Steve and Sydney. “After everything that has happened in your lives, here they are supporting you, praying for you, loving you.”
“Sydney.”
“Now isn’t your time, you have many more years to live, things to do. You have a son who wants to follow in his father’s footsteps, a daughter who will need to be walked down the aisle, grandchildren to be born, and a woman who needs your love. I can’t guarantee that every day will be perfect but your strong enough to get through those days.”
“Daddy, don’t leave me, again.”
“I will always be with you. I am so proud of the man you are, I always have been. Don’t ever forget that. I love you Junior.”
“Dad?”
Something caught Sydney’s attention. “He moved.”
“What? Steve looked at Junior then at Sydney.
“He just moved, get a doctor.”
“Syd, I don’t think…” just then Steve noticed Juniors fingers, they wiggled. “Shit” Steve ran out of the room.
Sydney grabbed Dale’s hand “Dale I am here, everyone is, come on, come back to us.”
Steve walked back in with a nurse then headed to the waiting room to tell everyone. The nurse checked his vitals and as the doctor walked in Dale’s eyes popped open.
“Dale.” Sydney said as the tears fell down her cheeks.
“Dale you have a tube in your throat that has been helping you to breath, we are going to remove it, I don’t want you to try and talk yet. Squeeze my hand if you understand me.” Dale slightly squeezed the doctor’s hand, “good”
Dale’s eyes met Sydney’s. He was pleading with her, “It’s ok. Everything is going to be fine.” Sydney tried to reassure him.
“Daddy!” Cordy yelled as she and Lee ran into the room, “Is he ok? Is he?” Steve had followed them back in the room and he grabbed her trying to calm her down. Sydney held Lee in her arms.
The doctor ushered them out of the room, “Come on, let the doctor examine your father” Sydney said as her and Steve pushed the kids out of the room. She met Juniors stare before she left, she smiled and nodded at him.
“Is he going to be ok?” Teresa asked when the doctor came back from Junior’s room.
“There is going to be a long hard rehab but he is alert, he knows who everyone is, his memory seems to be intact, he is following instructions, and has good motion with his arms and legs. There are some speech and vision problems but that is to be expected with head trauma. He will have to go through some therapy for it but it can be corrected.”
Cordelia, Lee and Sydney went back to Dale’s room after the doctor left. “Hey daddy,” Cordy said through tears.
“Hi…ba..by.” Dale stuttered.
“It’s ok, don’t try right now, just rest.” Cordy kissed his cheek and Lee gently hugged him.
Dale just grinned.
“Now there is that Earnhardt charm we all know and love.” Sydney smiled at him and sat down next to him, taking his hand in hers.
“Syd.”
“Shh, we can talk later when you are stronger.”
“No…I…ha..ve…to…tell…you…I…” Dale said getting frustrated that the words just wouldn’t come out.
“It’s ok, baby.” She put her head on his arm and he reached out to touch her hair with his other hand. She smiled up at him, “I love you too.”