Mandy stood staring out at the beach, the water, and then the sky. She felt his hands on her hips, his mouth nuzzling her neck, “Mmm, smell good.” he said burying his face in her hair. “Vanilla.” She laughed and took his hands pulling his arms around her waist. “Wow, this place is starting to look great.”
“Yeah, but the sky isn’t. What if it rains? What will we do?”
“Babe, it’s Daytona, it’s going to rain.”
“I know but…”
“Mandy,” he turned her to face him. “I love you, it’s going to be perfect, no matter what.” He kissed her.
“I love you too. Come on, we better get back to the track.”
They found Teresa, Ty, and Kelly checking out the stage and setup for the Earnhardt Tribute Concert. “Hey guys, what’s up?”
“Oh hey you two, just making sure everything is set for tomorrow night. How’s the beach looking?”
“Everything is starting to come together and look great.” Mandy said hesitantly.
Teresa looked at her questionly, “But?”
“Mandy’s worried about the weather.” Dale said pulling her to him again.
“Oh, it’s going to rain, it’s Florida. It’s going to rain tomorrow, I am sure but.”
“Yeah, I know it’s going to be perfect. Where is my daughter?”
“Taylor Nicole has Karsyn, Macy, Caitlyn, and Taylor over in Mikey’s coach.”
“You left that poor girl with 4 kids. She will never baby sit for us again.” she laughed and headed towards the coach.
After she left, Kelly and Dale sat in one of the rows as Teresa and Ty went to talk to the stage manager. “She’s really worried isn’t she?”
“Can you blame her? We announced our engagement 9 months ago and said we were getting married four months later. Here we are trying for a third time.”
Kelly laughed, “Man, you guys really have had problems with this.”
“This wedding has to happen in two days or I don’t know what she will do.”
They were interrupted “Junior, hey man, what’s up?”
“Mr. Chesney, Kenny, dude what is up? You remember my sister Kelly?”
“Yeah, how you doing?”
“Hi Kenny, I’m good how are you?”
“Oh we are doing great. This is my wife Celeste.” his hands rested on her very large stomach, “This is our daughter, she will be joining us any day now.” Kenny said with a grin.
“Hi, nice to meet you.”
“Dada.” Dale felt the arms around his leg.
He bent down and picked up Talyor. “Hey munchkin.” He pulled Mandy to him “Kenny, this is my fiancée Mandy and this is our daughter Taylor.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“Same here,” she looked at Celeste, “You look like you could sit down for a bit, come on.”
Mandy and Kelly led Celeste to a seat as Kenny and Dale stayed and talked. “Our daughter?” Kenny looked at Dale, “Think I missed something.”
“Actually, she’s Mandy’s from a previous marriage but I am in the process of adopting her.”
“Wow, we really have some catching up to do.”
“Well, there is a huge barbeque tonight at my condo, why don’t you come by. It’s kind of a pre concert, pre wedding party.”
“Cool sounds great, we will be there.”
When Dale and Mandy got back to the condo Mikey, Buffy, Kevin, Delana, and Dale’s so called “posse” were there cooking and setting up for the BBQ. Dee and Buffy were talking wedding plans when they walked in. “Hey girl, so how does the beach look?”
“Perfect” she said sarcastically “I am going to go put Taylor down for a nap before everyone gets here. Kelly is bringing the girls with her later.” she directed to Buffy.
Buffy and Dee looked at Dale as he walked in and sat down. “What’s up?”
“I think she thinks this isn’t going to happen, again.”
Kevin and Mikey wondered in, “Why what did you do now Lil E?”
Dee shot her husband a look, “Shut up, happy.”
“She’s worried about the weather.”
“So we will improvise, everything will be fine.” Buffy said.
“That’s what I keep telling her but we haven’t had the best of luck with this so far.”
“Yes, but she called it off the first time.” Mikey reminded him.
“Yeah, but in all honesty I am glad she did. The winter wedding would have been gorgeous but that’s what her and John did and I wanted something that was just ours. The second time Taylor got so sick we couldn’t go through with it.”
“Thank god.”
Everyone looked at Buffy. “I am not glad she got sick but come on, you two can’t get married at a freaking courthouse like you were going to do.”
Mandy walked back in and everyone looked at her and got quiet. “Well, I certainly know how to make an entrance.” Dale pulled her onto his lap and kissed her cheek. “So what were you all saying about me?”
“How I am marrying the woman I love in two days no matter what.”
“Yeah…”
Just then the front and back door swung open at the same time.
“Dale!” a male voice yelled.
“Mandy!” a female voice called out.
“What the hell?” Mikey yelled jumping out of his seat.
Mandy recognized the voice and jumped up. “Lexie!”
“Dale the grill is on fire.”
“What?” Everyone ran out back. The fire was quickly extinguished. “So who likes well done? Lexie, want a burger?”
She laughed, “No, but hey Junior, it’s good to see you.”
Introductions were made and Mandy went to Steve. “Hey, thanks for picking her up for me.”
“Not a problem,” he looked over at Lexie “not a problem at all.” he muttered and started to walk away.
The look didn’t go unnoticed “I don’t think so, what was that?”
“What?” he realized he was busted. Dale wandered up handing him a beer. “I am sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, do something about it.”
Steve choked on his beer, “What.”
“You don’t, I will.” She grabbed the Bud out of Dale’s hand.
“Hey that’s mine.” Dale yelled as Mandy passionately kissed him. “That’s ok you can have it.” He laughed chasing Mandy out towards the kitchen.
Steve watched them go and caught Lexie looking at him. He smiled and was headed over to her when the doorbell rang. “Got it.”
“Uncle Steve!” Macy, Caitlyn, Karsyn, and Taylor Nicole all yelled tackling him all at once. “We haven’t seen you in so long.” Taylor Nicole said. “I sure have missed you.”
He hugged all of them “I have missed you guys to. Hey Kelly.”
“Hey Steve, how is everything?”
“Pretty good.” He eyed Lexie , taking one of the bags and helping Kelly to the kitchen with them.
Chapter 2
As the guests started arriving Dale heard Taylor crying and a slight banging on the bedroom door. He knew she must have crawled out of her crib again and was trying to get out of her room.
“Hey Tay girl” he picked her up and sat down in the rocker with her.
“Dada.” he loved hearing that word come from her. He would make sure that when she was old enough to understand he would tell her the truth about her father but he thanked God everyday that she was going to officially be his very soon.
She played peek a boo in his shirt like she loved to do. “Where did Taylor go?” She would peek her head out of his shirt, “There she is.” he tickled her belly and she giggled.
“Car?”
“No car today.”
“Car.”
“Hey you two. What ya doing?”
“Hi mamma.”
“Hi baby.” She ruffled her hair before getting a diaper and change of clothes for her.
Dale stood and lay her on the changing table “She climbed out of her crib again.”
“We are going to have to get her a regular bed before she hurts herself.”
“A racecar bed?” Dale asked changing her diaper and clothes.
“Car?” Taylor looked up at them.
“What else?” Mandy rolled her eyes and laughed. “So much for pink bows and frilly dresses.”
“Look, then we will have it for our son.”
“Our son? Gonna let me in on this plan?”
He kissed her “Maybe, love you.”
“Love you too.”
“Wuv you.” Taylor said.
Dale picked her up “And we love you munchkin.”
Mandy watched Steve and Lexie for the rest of the evening. They would flirt and smile from across the room but when they got near each other they would both clam up like a couple of school kids. “Oh for God’s sake.”
“What’s up babe?” Dale asked walking up behind her.
“Those two.” She pointed to them sitting 4 feet apart on the same couch not speaking.
“Why do I feel you are about to change that?”
Mandy walked over and sat between them. “I warned you.”
“Amanda?”
“Stephen?”
“Warned him about what?” Lexie asked.
“About how if he didn’t take matters into his own hands I would.”
“About what?”
“Mandy don’t.” Steve added.
Mandy looked at Steve then turned to Lexie “About how adorable he thinks you are.”
“Oh lord.” Steve said dropping his beat red face to his hands.
“You had a chance, just imagine what I will do if I have to come back over here later.” She walked away and they watched as Dale pulled her into her arms.
Steve stood “I am going to go crawl in a hole now.”
Lexie looked at him and grabbed his arm before he got away, “There room in that hole for two.”
Dale was talking to Kenny and Celest when Mandy joined them.
“Well I don’t know what you did, but it seemed to work.” Dale said wrapping his arms around Mandy.
“Huh?”
She turned to see Steve start to walk away and Lexie grab him and pull him back down on the couch next to her. They were sitting even closer and Steve would occasionally sweep the hair out of her face.
“Guy’s thanks for dinner but we are going to take off. Celeste isn’t feeling too well and I want to make sure she gets a good nights sleep before tomorrow.”
“Sure, you know our coach is at the track, just in case we needed it, so if you need to lay down or just get away let me know and I will get you there. Ok?”
“Thanks I may take you up on that. Gonna be a long day.” Celeste answered.
Dale walked them to the door and then joined Mandy back where they were watching Steve and Lexie. It was like a switch had been thrown and they were acting like long lost sweethearts.
“Damn I am good.”
“I agree.” Dale said as he pushed his tongue into her mouth.
The rest of the evening was one major party and as the evening wore on people started leaving one by one to try and get some sleep before the concert the next day.
Steve and Lexie stood outside leaning against his car making out like a couple of teenagers. Finally, Lexie pulled away. “If you don’t leave now, you aren’t going to and that would be a bad thing,“ she questionably looked up at him. “Right?”
“I wouldn’t call what would happen, bad, per say.” He laughed.
“I didn’t mean that.” she playfully smacked at his chest. He caught her hand and pulled her back into his embrace and back to his waiting lips. After a few more minutes she pulled away again out of breath and looked up at him.
“I know and your right I need to leave now.” so he lowered his head and found her mouth again. He plunged his tongue into her mouth and she gladly accepted it. His hands traveled from her neck down her back and to her waist. He slipped one hand farther down to rest on her butt and pulled her as close to him as he possibly could. After a few more minutes of kissing he finally pulled away.
“I will see you tomorrow.” Lexie said and walked away quickly knowing she had to.
Chapter 3
The concert started early the next afternoon and the weather wasn’t too kind. It would rain for 20 minutes then stop for 20. The show went on as the stage was covered and the fans didn’t seem to mind too much. Earlier in the day Celeste had taken up Mandy’s offer and was napping in their coach. As it grew nearer to Kenny’s set Mandy grabbed a golf cart and went to get her. “You ready?”
“Yeah,” she slowly stood holding her back.
“You ok?”
“Yeah, this kid just really needs to get the hell out of me.”
Mandy laughed, “I know the feeling. When are you due?”
“A week and a half.”
“Oh wow, then you really want her out.” Mandy laughed as they headed backstage.
Mandy was sitting with Celeste and as the end of Kenny’s set grew nearer Mandy noticed Celeste holding her stomach.
“You ok?”
“I don’t know.”
“You are in labor aren’t you?”
“Maybe, the pain is pretty far apart but it is pretty intense.”
“Ok stay here.” Mandy went and found Dale. “Get him off that stage, now!”
“What? Why?”
“Celeste is in labor and unless you want to deliver another baby I suggest we get her to a hospital.”
Dale walked out on stage at the end of Kenny’s song. “Hey, Daytona give it up for Kenny Chesney.” the applause was deafening. “Kenny has got a prior engagement and needs to leave but lets give it up for him one more time.”
Kenny walked over to Dale, “What are you doing? I have 3 more songs.”
“Celeste is in labor, we have a car waiting to get you two over to the hospital.”
Kenny looked over to the backstage area and saw Celeste doubled over and Mandy holding her up. He ran to her and wrapped her in his arms and helped her to the car.
Dale walked up behind them, “You want us to come with you?”
“No stay, I will call you later let you know what’s going on.”
“Yeah do. Good luck man.”
Mandy joined Dale and they watched as the car drove off. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear. “I can’t wait till that is us. Can we start trying tonight.”
She turned to see the grin on his face that she knew was there. “No, but it sounds like one hell of a way to kick off our honeymoon tomorrow night.” she returned his grin with one of her own.
“Love you.”
“Love you too.” she said as they watched the next band take the stage. “Have you seen Lexie lately?”
“No, not in a while actually.”
“I am going to try and find her.”
“Meet you back here in an hour for Brooks and Dunn?”
“It’s a date, Mr. Earnhardt.”
Mandy had looked all over for Lexie and was about to give up when she stuck her head in a backstage dressing room. She wasn’t prepared for the sight she would see. “Oh shit, um sorry.” She quickly shut the door and leaned against the wall in the hall.
“Damn.” she heard from inside the room.
“Mandy?” she heard as the door swung open. “Oh hi, you are still here. Um, we were just…well we went to get popcorn and…”
“and Steve had you backed against the wall with your legs wrapped around his waist. I have a daughter, I am pretty sure I know what you were doing.” Steve joined them not making eye contact with either of them. Mandy found his embarrassment amusing, “Your shirt is buttoned wrong.” she motioned to Lexie and then took the popcorn out of Steve’s hands. “and it works better if you pin her against a wall where she can grab on to a door or something to help steady herself, gives you more leverage.” she grinned and walked away shoving a handful of popcorn in her mouth.
After the concert the girls were heading back to the condo, while the guys were staying at a hotel down by the beach. “Mmm, I don’t want to let you go.” Dale said as Kelly yelled for Mandy to hurry up.
“I love you and I will see you tomorrow.” she looked to the sky “hopefully at the alter.”
“I love you too and this time tomorrow we will have started our honeymoon and our lives as Mr and Mrs Earnhardt. I promise.” he kissed her before letting her go.
“Tomorrow.” she said as she walked away from him backwards.
“Tomorrow.” he repeated.
Since the wedding was on the beach, the groomsmen were wearing khaki shorts with baby blue button down shirts. The bridesmaids were in baby blue tank sun dresses. Dale was wearing khaki pants with a white button down shirt and Mandy was in a white tank sun dress. The bouquets were pale blue gerber daisies. There weren’t many decorations needed on the beach, some tiki lights had been brought in for the sunset ceremony and some extra palm trees had strategically been placed .
Mandy woke to the sound of rain. “No, no, no. Damn it.” she looked out the window as the tears sprung to her eyes.
Lexie was at her door on que. “Come on in.”
“Now stop right now. It is suppose to clear up this afternoon. It’s going to be…”
“Yeah yeah, perfect.”
“Look I am sorry about yesterday.” Lexie tried to change the subject.
“Why? You sorry you had sex with Steve?”
“NO! God no.” she grinned. “But I am sorry you”
“Lexie, you two are adults. I was a little shocked and I have too say although he isn’t too bad to look at, I saw more of Steve yesterday than I ever needed too, but it’s no big deal. You think something is going to come of this?”
“I don’t know, I am suppose to head back to Duluth in 2 days.”
“But?”
“I really like him, I don’t know, I could have just been a one night stand, so to speak, to him.”
“If I have learned one thing about that man over the past couple of years, he is just as shy as he comes across and he doesn’t have one night stands. Don’t worry if Steve thought you were important enough to do what I saw you guys doing, I bet he wants something to come of it.”
Just then her cell phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Hey baby.”
“Dale.” he heard the tears threatening to fall.
“I love you and I am marrying you today, no ifs ands or buts. Got it.”
She smiled “Got it. I love you too. I wish you would have stayed here last night.”
“Bad luck remember?”
Mandy laughed “Bad luck? This is the third time we have tried to get married and there is a hurricane going on outside. Give me a break.”
Dale laughed “We will be together soon and then we have a whole week to ourselves before we have to be back in Daytona, not to mention the rest of our lives.”
“I just want to be in your arms.”
“Soon baby, give Tay a kiss for me. I love you and will see you soon.”
“I love you too.
“Bye love.”
Lexie had left her to talk to Dale and joined the rest of the ladies in the kitchen. “How is she?”
“A wreck. She’s on the phone with Dale right now.”
“I swear if it doesn’t stop raining, mother nature and I are going to have a long chat.” Dee said walking to the door to answer it. “Guy’s what are you doing here? You are suppose to be at the beach.”
Kevin Mikey and Steve walked in. “We have an idea and wanted to run it by you guys.”
“Where is Mandy? We don’t want to upset her.” Steve said smiling at Lexie and stepping closer to her.
“Too late. She’s upstairs. What’s up?” she said returning the smile.
Everyone had noticed the connection between Steve and Lexie, especially since they were all over each other at the concert. Mikey stepped up and patted him on the back. “Down boy. Since it’s raining we were going to go rent or buy a tent, that way if it doesn’t stop we can continue the wedding anyway.”
“I think that is a great idea.” Teresa said.
Mandy walked in, “What’s going on? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. Stop worrying that pretty lil head of yours.” Mikey kissed her on the for head and ushered the guys back out to the car.
“mamma cakes.” Taylor said from her high chair.
Mandy kissed Taylor on the head “Umm pancakes your favorite.” she said eyeing the girls.
Teresa stepped up, “Ok we need to finish breakfast and get going on hair and makeup. We don’t want to be late.”
A few hours later, Mandy was on the phone to Dale again and Kelly, Teresa, and Buffy were trying to get the kids ready while Lexie and Dee helped with Mandy’s last minute preparations.
“Talked to Kenny this morning, Annabeth Chesney was born at 3 am this morning. Mom and daughter are just fine, dad’s a wreck.” he said with a laugh.
“Oh that’s great. Guess we can mark those too off the guest list.” she laughed. There was a knock on the door. “Your chariot my…wow…lady.” Mikey said stepping into the room.
“Who’s that?” Dale asked.
“Mikey.”
“Wow, girl you look gorgeous. Hey Dale, I am keeping her for myself.” He yelled loud enough for Dale to hear him.
“My ass you are.” Buffy said walking in.
Mandy laughed “Dale just said the same thing. Ok, I have to go. I will see you soon. Love you.”
Chapter 4
They got to the beach about an hour before the ceremony was to start. They had rented a few small beach huts to use as rooms for the bride and groom. They were touching up Mandy’s makeup and hair and Mandy just pushed them away and paced between the door and the window stopping only to look at the rain falling outside.
Steve was with Dale in the grooms room, “I can’t believe Mandy walked in on you two,” Dale couldn’t say with a straight face.
“Yeah, well you can think it is as funny as you want. I have to live with the fact that your soon to be wife walked in on me and her best friend while my jeans were at my ankles.” he said burying his face in his hands.
Dale snickered. “If it makes you feel better, she said you have a great ass.”
“Why would that make me feel better?”
Lexie had wandered into the room to check on the groom. Dale looked up as she walked through the door setting the umbrella down. “How is she?”
“A complete basketcase. She just keeps pacing the floor and staring out the window. The tent worked out great.” she said sitting on Steve’s lap and changing the subject noticing how Dale was getting more upset.
“Yeah, problem is since it was such short notice it will only hold the guests. They didn’t have anything bigger. We spent all morning moving all the decorations into it so they didn’t get ruined.” Steve said wrapping his arms around her waist. Dale just looked at the couple and started laughing again. Steve just glared at him “Shut the hell up.”
Mikey and Buffy walked in “What are we going to do? I just left Mandy and she is getting more and more upset by the minute.” Buffy said.
“Yeah and the weather is getting worse the wind is starting to pick up. We can’t keep the guests out there in this for much longer.” Mikey added.
“I don’t know but there will be a damn wedding.” Dale said obviously getting aggravated.
Kelly came in a couple minutes later, “Well, someone better do something cause Mandy just ordered everyone out of the brides room.”
“Damn it.” Dale exclaimed as he started for the door.
“Dale take an umbrella, it just started pouring.”
“I don’t care.” and with that he wandered out in the rain running towards the brides room. When he got there Mandy was sitting on a bench staring out the window with Taylor on her lap. He stood there quietly and listened.
“Mamma ad.” Taylor said laying her head on Mandy’s shoulder.
“Yes baby, mamma’s sad.” she looked back out at the rain, “Mamma’s beginning to think someone is trying to tell her something. Maybe I am not suppose to marry Dale. 3 strikes and we are out.”
Dale quietly walked towards her and sat down wrapping his arms around her and pulling them to him. “Don’t you dare think that.”
She knew his touch, “Dale.” she whispered. “Why can’t we just have a normal wedding?”
“Where would the fun in that be?” he laughed but his humor was lost on her. “I am sorry, baby it’s going to be ok.”
“I wish everyone would stop saying that. It isn’t, it can’t. Look outside Dale.” she sat Taylor on the ground and stood getting upset and upsetting Taylor in the process. “It is pouring down rain, this is our third attempt, we failed at this Dale, failed miserably.”
Dale picked up Taylor as she started whimpering at Mandy’s yelling. “Baby…”
Just then the door opened and Teresa ran in out of the rain. “Dale Jr you know you aren’t suppose to see the bride before the wedding.”
“There isn’t going to be a wedding.” Mandy said as she grabbed clothes and Taylor out of Dales arms. “Go find the girls if we get them out of these we can return them.”
“So we postpone, we will try it again tomorrow or…”
“I said no.”
Dale felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He knew if he didn’t marry Mandy right now there may never be a wedding. She was the end of her rope and was letting go quickly. “Like hell!” he grabbed Mandy’s arm and pulled her towards the door. “Teresa get Taylor.”
They were soaked before they ever got to the tent “Dale what the hell are you doing?”
He didn’t say a word as they stepped into the doorway of the tent and let Teresa in.
“Dale what is going on?” Lexie asked as everyone stared at the very soaked couple.
“Where is the reverend?”
“I am right here.” he said stepping up.
“You afraid of a little rain?”
He smiled “Nope not at all.” He took the jacket and umbrella from Teresa and followed Dale and Mandy out to the palm tree archway they had made.
“Dale you are insane, we can’t do this.” Again Dale said nothing.
Realizing Dale was serious about the wedding, Mikey and Steve started opening the doors to the tent so everyone could see.
Lexie threw the bouqet of flowers to Kelly “No point on ruining these, gee, how does my hair look?” she laughed and ran out the door.
“What the hell are you doing?” Mandy yelled over the rain and ocean. The wind had kicked up now and waves kept crashing on the beach just feet from their alter.
“Being your maid of honor, I am not missing this.”
“You are going to get sick.”
“Who the hell cares?” Kerry stepped up next to Dale patting him on the back. “Let’s do this.”
The five of them were soaked to the bone with in a matter of seconds and the reverend went throught the very condensed ceremony. Dale and Mandy were quickly pronounced husband and wife and Kerry, Lexie and the reverend ran back to the tent.
Dale wrapped his arms around Mandy and kissed her like it was the first time. Mandy suddenly didn’t care about the weather.
Lexie stood just inside the tent watching and crying as she felt a jacket go over her shoulders and arms wrap around her waist. “You look good wet.” Steve said with a sly grin.
She shivered and didn‘t know if it was from the rain or Steve‘s breath on her neck. “Oh you think do you?”
“Uh huh.” she grabbed his hand and shifted her weight back into his arms as he kissed her neck. “What do you say, you stay at the hotel with me tonight? I would kind of like to finish what we started yesterday.” he whispered in her ear.
“Mmm,” she turned in his arms and kissed him deeply. “That answer your question?”
Steve just grinned as he returned her kiss.
Mandy and Dale finally pulled away from each other, “I love you so much.”
“I love you too Mrs. Earnhardt.”
The reception was huge and everybody who was anybody was there. The wedding was the talk of the evening and Dale knew he would be taking a lot of ribbing for a long time to come.
“That was the strangest wedding I have ever been to, figures it would be my nephew.” Tony Sr. said
“Well, Dale here doesn’t ever do anything normal or small.” Mikey added.
“Can’t wait to see what they do for the anniversary. Tidal wave pool at the water park?” Kevin laughed.
“Ok, if you guys are done giving my husband a hard time, I would like to borrow him for a few.” Mandy said grabbing Dale’s hands and leading him to the head table.
Lexie and Kerry gave their toasts along with a few others. Dale stood, “Ok, I guess I will say thanks to Kerry and Lexie, think I need to go over those speeches again, don’t think they were completely complimentary.” he laughed. “I need to do something that should have been done during the ceremony this afternoon but well, you all know that joke by now.” He nodded to Kelly who put Taylor down and told her to go to Dale. He motioned for Mandy to join him as he scooped Taylor up in his arms.
He pulled a necklace out of his pocket and handed it to Mandy. “What is this?”
Dale turned back to the crowd. “I got word three days ago that the adoption papers had been finalized.” Mandy looked up at him and back down at the necklace. It was a silver race car and on the back the date that the adoption was finalized and Taylor Louise Earnhardt had been engraved on the back. “The date may not be her birthday but it will always be one of the two most important dates of my life.” He smiled at Mandy.
Mandy was fighting back the tears as she fastened the necklace around Taylors neck. “Car.” Taylor said excitedly as everyone half laughed half cried.
“Yes baby, that is your car. Kenny was suppose to do this song tonight live for us but he is a little preoccupied with his wife and brand new daughter so the band is going to give it a go alone. Mandy the two of you have changed my life and I will never be able to thank you enough for letting me be part of your lives.” Dale said as he lead both of them to the dance floor and as the band started they danced their first dance together, as a family.
With a little luck this ol' truck will get me home today
With a little more I'll still have this job tomorrow
Weather man says a wet weekend he just might be right
But rain or shine you'll be mine tonight
That's all I need to know
In a world where most things come and go
I'll always have you to hold
And that's all I need to know
Heaven knows I ain't even close to bein' God's gift to women
But in your arms I feel like I am
I don't know it all, I sure can't solve
The problems of the human race
But I know how to bring a smile to your face
That's all I need to know
In a world where most things come and go
I'll always have you to hold
And that's all I need to know
Darlin', say it one more time
You will forever be mine
That's all I need to know
In a world where most things come and go
I'll always have you to hold
And that's all I need to know
I'll always have you to hold
That's all I need to know
Chapter 5
The season flew by and Dale secured a 3rd place finish in the points. The relationship between Steve and Lexie became quite serious very quickly. Lexie hated having to go home and really hated the time they spent apart. Mandy wasn’t really surprised when she moved to North Carolina but she was shocked that she moved into Steve’s after just 2 months. She wasn’t worried though she knew Steve would treat her great and honestly, she wanted her best friend closer especially since her and Dale were trying to get pregnant..
Mandy and Dale decided right away that they wanted another baby. They had been trying since their wedding night 6 months earlier. Mandy still wasn’t pregnant and she was quickly becoming alarmed that something was wrong. Both Dale and Mandy had been tested and they now sat in the office waiting for the results.
“I hate doctor’s offices.” Dale said looking around.
“I know, it will be over soon.” she said taking his hand in hers. Dale sighed. “What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on hun, what’s up?”
“Let’s face it, it’s me. I am the reason you aren’t pregnant.” he said staring ahead at the doctor’s empty chair.
“We don’t know that. We don’t know that there is even a problem.”
“You have Taylor. I am the obvious choice.” he laughed, “You know all those years of dad yelling at me to not follow in his Kerry footsteps. I thought I had done so well, didn’t mess up. Hell I can’t even screw up right.”
“If there is a problem it’s probably me. Don’t forget I almost killed myself and Taylor when I was pregnant. I may have done permanent damage.” She paused tearing up, “I may not be able to give you the son you want.”
Dale stood and pulled Mandy into his arms. “I love you no matter what.” The doctor walked in and they all sat. Mandy wiped at her tears and Dale asked the inevitable. “What’s the problem?”
“Well, it’s not just one problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well it seems you both have problems with fertility.” Mandy and Dale looked at each other then back to the doctor. “Now there are options.”
“Wait, both of us? What do you mean? Are you saying we can’t?” Mandy choked and was getting more and more scared by the second. Dale grabbed her hand knowing how scared she was and not feeling too confident himself all of a sudden.
“It’s not impossible but it is going to be hard. Dale, your sperm count is low, now its not so low that you can’t have children but it is a concern. Mandy, I pulled your records from your first pregnancy and it seems there was a lot of permanent damage done. There is quite a bit of scarring. Put both of you together and we have problems.”
“We delivered that first baby at home, did we do something wrong?” Dale asked worried.
“No the delivery was perfect, a doctor delivering her wouldn’t have made any difference.”
Mandy interrupted, “It’s the stress I put the baby in, it is my fault.”
“No one here is too blame, these things happen and they happen a lot.”
“So what were the options?”
“If you choose to pursue fertility treatment, first and foremost we get you on fertility drugs. Dale no smoking, no alcohol, and a healthy balanced diet will all help your sperm count.”
“Ok, not a problem, then what?”
“Where we go from there is up to the two of you, how invasive, how expensive, and how drawn out you want all of this to be. You can continue to try the good old fashioned way but honestly I think your chances of that working are slim. You can stay on the fertility drugs for a while and see if that alone works.”
“Do you think it will?” Dale asked knowing Mandy was in too much shock right now to be paying much attention.
“It could but I don’t think it is your best option.”
“What else is there?”
“Your other options are GIFT, what you know as a test tube baby, insemination, invitro fertilisation, or there is always the option of a surrogate. But surrogacy seems a little drastic at these early stages.”
Mandy and Dale looked dumbfounded. “You said something about a best option, what is that?”
“I believe In vitro is your best option. Here is some information on it.” He handed Dale the papers. “Look, it’s been a long afternoon. Go home , get some rest, do some research on your own and when you are ready to move on let me know.”
Dale stood pulling Mandy up with him. “Thank you doctor.”
The ride home was in silence, when they pulled up they found Steve and Lexie waiting for them. “Date night, pepporoni and American Pie.” Lexie said holding up the pizza and movie.
Mandy started crying and ran past all of them. “Mandy. What’s wrong?” she yelled after her then turned to Dale.”
“Tonight’s not a good night.”
Lexie saw the tears in Dale’s eyes, “Oh God the doctor’s appointment. What happened?”
They walked into the living room. “Apparently, I don’t have enough sperm and what I have she is shooting out of the water, so to speak. The doctor gave us some options and said it’s not impossible it’s just going to be hard. Mandy is taking it pretty bad.”
Lexie shoved the pizza box at Steve and headed upstairs to Mandy. She found her crying in her bedroom. “Hey, wanna talk?”
“Oh Lexie, Dale has to be so disappointed. What am I going to do?”
“Dale isn’t disappointed in anything. Yeah he wants a son but he loves you and he loves Taylor so much you would think he was her biological father. He has been there since day one, hell he delivered her. He could never be disappointed as long as he has the two of you. You two need some time alone, to just be together, me and Steve will take Taylor for you guys tonight. Where is she?”
“Oh shit, she’s at Kelly’s, we forgot to pick her up, oh my God I forgot my own daughter.”
“Calm down, Steve and I will pick her up on our way home. This isn‘t the end of the world.”
“No you don’t have to.”
“We are going to . Call me tomorrow and let me know when you want to get her.” She grabbed a few things out of Taylor’s room and headed back downstairs.
“How is she?”
“Pretty upset but she’ll be ok. You guys will get through this.”
“What’s this?” Steve asked taking the bag from Lexie.
“We are baby sitting tonight.”
“Shit!” Jr exclaimed realizing what they had done.
“Your as bad as her chill, it’s ok, we will get her.” Steve looked puzzled at Dale’s shock. “I’ll explain in the car.” she said ushering Steve out.
Dale didn’t see Mandy at first, then he found her in the room they had emptied, that was to be the nursery. “Mandy, come on babe. Let’s go take a nap.”
“I am so sorry, Dale.”
“Don’t do this to yourself. Listen to me, it’s not going to be easy but since when do we do things the easy way? How many dates did we have that ended in tears before we got one right, it took us three tries to get married, girl, we haven’t done anything easy. I met you by delivering your baby in a snow storm.” he grinned when he got a half smile from her. She started to stand and Dale swept her off her feet and carried her to their bed.
He laid down beside her and as she turned into him and buried her face in his chest she whispered, “I love you.” Soon they were both asleep.
Mandy woke several hours later alone, “Junior.” she reached for his pillow and breathed in his scent. That could always make her smile.
She wandered downstairs and found him on the computer, pizza in hand surrounded by papers. He grinned, “Lexie said we don’t need to be cooking tonight.”
She kissed him, tasting the sauce on his lips. “Mmmm, give me a piece. What are you doing?”
“Homework.”
“What have you found?”
“The whole in vitro process takes about 4-6 weeks. So if we started it now they would transfer the embryos at the end of February. Which means you would deliver around November if you went full term. there is a chance you could have twins which means you would go earlier.”
“Twins? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We don’t even know if this will work.”
“My end is pretty easy. Do my thing in a cup.” he half laughed. “Your part is pretty invasive though. A lot of tests and exams.”
“Dale I will do what ever is needed.”
Dale tried to choose his words carefully and speak as calmly as he could. “Mandy, do you really want a baby this bad?”
“What? How can you ask me that? Don‘t you?” she said standing and raising her voice.
He grabbed her arm, “Whoa, listen to me, I know you do. I just want to make sure you are doing this for the right reason and not because you think I deserve a son. I love you and Taylor and if it ends up being just the 3 of us for the rest of my life, I will live perfectly happy forever. Yes, I want a child of our own but Tay is my daughter. If you are unsure about any of this, please tell me. I won‘t be upset.”
“I love you so much and if this doesn’t happen, then I will have to deal with it, but I really want to try and do all we can to have a baby. Our baby.” she read the computer screen. “So are we going to do this?”
“Yeah, looks like we are.” he leaned over and kissed her.
Chapter 6
“So do they give you a magazine, maybe a video?”
“What?” Dale said looking up from his magazine in the shop. “What are you talking about?”
“Do they give you something to get you in the mood? Does Mandy get to go with you, then you don’t need the magazine. Could save the office money in videos.” Mikey said as he contemplated the whole process.
“Mikey, shut up. I don’t know how it works.”
“Are you nervous? I mean you are going to go put Mr hand to work in a little room all by yourself. It’s not like they don’t know what you are doing in there.” Dale looked at Michael his mind racing all of a sudden. “Then you have to hope it is all confidential. Talk about a 5 oclock news break.” Michael turned on his announcers voice “Dale Earnhardt Jr. whacking off in doctors office.”
“Mikey! You know I wasn‘t nervous till you opened your big fat mouth. Now shut up.”
“I am just saying…”
“Well stop, cause you are upsetting my husband.” Mandy said from the doorway.
Neither of them heard her come in. But Dale grinned as he saw her standing there hands on hips. “Ha ha, your in trouble now.” he stuck his tongue out at him over her shoulder as he hugged her.
“Stick that tongue back in your mouth.”
He pulled away from her and just shook his head, “Still don’t know how you do that.”
“Ha ha who’s in trouble now?” Mikey mimicked.
“I swear you two are worse than a couple of children.”
“In all seriousness,”
“Do you know the meaning of that word Mikey?” Mandy asked sitting next to him.
“I am trying here. What are they doing today?“
“Well, they are taking the sperm and egg sample. They will then basically combine them and make the embryo’s. Then about 4 or 5 weeks they will transfer them and hopefully I will be pregnant.”
“Do they know why you guys are having so many problems?”
“Well, I really messed up my insides with all the trouble with Taylor.”
“Yeah, and my sperm count is low.” Dale said getting aggravated that Mandy kept blaming this on her completely.
“Hazard of the job.” Mikey said.
“What?”
“Yeah, it seems they are starting to link race car driving and low sperm together.”
“Are you serious?” Dale half laughed.
“Yes, I know for a fact they said the high temperatures and dehydration was a cause for the problems Schrader had. Plus I know a lot of the guys who it took a while for their wives to conceive.”
“You?”
“I could play macho and say no me all man.” Mikey beat his chest like Tarzan “But it actually took me and Buffy a few months longer than we had planned.”
Mandy shook her head, “Well, way to go Tarzan.” she laughed. “We are going to be late, you ready?” she asked looking at Dale.
“Ready as I am going to be.”
“Take notes, I expect details.” Michael yelled after them.
Dale just flipped him off as they walked out the door.
A few weeks later it was Dale’s turn to calm Mandy’s nerves. They were getting ready to transfer the embryo’s. “Calm down, everything is going to be fine.” he said as he squeezed her hand.
She looked up from the exam table, “I know I am just scared.”
“Of what?”
“What if it doesn’t work?”
“Baby, we have been through this before. Yes, it will be disappointing but it’s not the end of the world. I love you and Taylor and we will get through it, together.”
The doctor walked into the room. “Ok, Mandy you ready to get started?”
She smiled at Dale, “Yeah, let’s do this.”
The doctor told Mandy and Dale that she couldn’t travel with him for a few weeks, she needed to take it easy and give the embryos evey chance to take. Four embryo’s were transplanted and they wanted to give Mandy’s body every chance to accept one of them. Kelly was keeping Taylor for her the first weekend to give her plenty of time to rest.
Two weeks later, Mandy found herself back in the doctor’s office alone this time. “Mandy you sure you don’t want to wait till Monday when Dale can be with you?”
“No I really want to know now.”
“Ok, the nurse will be in to take the blood sample and we should have the results in about 30 minutes.”
“Thanks.”
A little while later the doctor walked in and handed her a couple pieces of paper. “What are these?”
“Your prenatal prescription, a diet to be followed and your next appointment date.” he smiled.
“Your serious. I am pregnant.”
“First try. It seems your body just needed a little push. You need to be careful due to the scaring but there is no reason to believe this won’t be a normal pregnancy. So don’t worry, you won’t do either of you any good. I will see you in a few weeks and we will see how things are looking then. Congrats.”
“Thanks.”
When Dale got home the next night he noticed the house was fairly dark. He stuck his head in Taylor’s room and found her small racecar bed empty. He headed to the bedroom and also found it empty. “What the hell?”
He finally made his way to the future nursery. Mandy was sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of the room. “Hey daddy.” she smiled.
“Speaking of, where is our daughter?” he asked leaning down and kissing her cheek. “Missed you this weekend.”
“Kelly is keeping her tonight.”
He noticed the tears, “Why? You feel ok? What‘s wrong?” his mind raced.
“Nothings wrong, I am perfect.”
“Then why are you crying and why does Kel have Taylor again this weekend?” he asked getting worried but then noticed her hands resting on her stomach. “Mandy?” she smiled.
She nodded. “I am sorry, I didn’t wait for you. I just couldn’t, I had to know.”
He pulled her up and into his arms as the tears rolled down his cheeks. “It’s ok. Oh my God, we are going to have a baby.” She captured his lips with hers and he walked them back to their bedroom. He pulled away “Damn we can’t do this can we?”
“No, not for a few weeks.” she said leaning into him wanting him more right then than she ever had.
Dale gently pushed her back onto the bed stripped down to his boxers and climbed in beside her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as close to him as he could get. “I love you, I love you so much.” he whispered into her hair.
“I love you too.” They fell asleep in each others arms still not believing that they were really going to be parents again.
The next several weeks were rough for Dale and Mandy but especially Taylor. She was use to having Dale around and traveling with him but the doctor wanted to wait till Mandy’s next appointment to clear her to travel. Dale and Mandy agreed not wanting to take any risks.
It was Thursday afternoon and Dale was getting ready to head to the airport and Taylor was none too happy about it. “God, I don’t know how many more times I can take this?” he said trying to comfort a crying Taylor. “Every week I have left her crying hysterically.”
Mandy saw the tears in his eyes. “Look I know it’s hard but hopefully after Monday I will be cleared to travel with you again and we won’t have to do it anymore.”
Taylor wrapped her tiny arms around his neck as he tried to hand her to Mandy. “Shh, baby girl, I will be back in a few days.”
“Car dada.” she cried.
“You can’t go see the car with daddy today.” He finally just forced her to Mandy as she screamed even louder. He kissed Mandy, “I love you. See you Sunday, it‘s Martinsville so I shouldn‘t be too late.” he said wiping the tears from his eyes.
“I love you too, it’s going to be ok. Be careful this weekend. Try not to worry about her, we’ll be ok.” she bounced Taylor on her hip. “Give daddy a kiss.”
“Wuv you.” she said as she kissed him.
“Love you too baby girl.” he kissed Mandy again and ran out the door to his truck.
Monday morning Lexie took Taylor so Dale and Mandy could go to the doctor’s office. The doctor came in, “So how you feeling Mandy?”
“Good actually, no morning sickness yet so I am happy with that.”
“Yeah, it is still early.” the doctor laughed.
“Gee thanks.”
“Been getting enough sleep, you look good so I am assuming you are following my guidelines.”
“To the word.”
“Good, then let’s see your baby.” He spread the gel on to Mandy’s stomach and ran the paddle over it.
Dale saw her jump and being the nervous first time father worried. “You ok.”
“Yeah, it’s just cold. Stop worrying.”
“That’s right, you were there for the delivery but this is your first pregnancy?” the doctor smiled looking at Dale.
“Yeah, little nervous, I guess.”
“Well, let’s see what this little one is up to.” He moved the wand over her stomach, “Huh.”
Dale and Mandy both looked up at the doctor. “That is never a sound you want to hear your doctor say. What’s wrong?” Mandy asked squeezing Dale’s hand.
“No nothing’s wrong. They look great.”
“They?” Dale looked at Mandy, the doctor and then back to the monitor.
“Yes, looks like twins. Guess 2 of those embryo’s took.”
“Oh, my gosh. Twins. They are healthy?” Mandy wanted to laugh about Dale’s twin comment a few weeks earlier but was concerned.
“Everything looks perfect, Mandy stop worrying. That is just going to cause unneeded stress.” He turned the monitor off helped Mandy sit up straighter. “Ok, well, this changes our gameplan slightly.”
“What do you mean?” Dale asked still more worried than excited. “Will she be able to carry them without any risk to her?”
“You two need to calm down. You are going to drive yourselves crazy. Yes, you were having trouble conceiving but there is nothing to show that she can’t have a healthy normal pregnancy. You will have to start a special high calorie diet and I will want you in here more often than a single pregnancy, just to keep an eye on them and make sure they both are growing normally.”
“Ok, can I travel with Dale to the races? I won’t if it’s too much but not being able to is driving me crazy.”
“I see no reason you can’t. Everything is looking normal, just take it easy, make sure to get lots of rest, eat right, drink plenty of water just common sense. This will be a little more strenuous than your first pregnancy. You will be more tired probably more hungry but I don’t want you to treat it like a handicap. Live your life, just live it carefully.”
“One more thing doc?”
“Yeah Dale?”
“I was wondering…um…” Dale felt like a school boy who just got caught with his pants down.
Mandy grinned knowing what he wanted to know. “I think what my husband is trying to ask is whether we can start having sex again? It has been several weeks.”
The doctor grinned as Dale blushed. “Yes, it will be perfectly safe.”
“Great, thanks doc.” Dale said grabbing Mandy’s clothes as the doctor left the room.
They rode to Lexie and Steve’s in silence. Taylor met them at the door. “Mama dada.”
“Hey Tay, how’s my girl?” Dale said picking her up as Mandy leaned over and kissed her cheek.
“Hey guy’s how did the doctor’s appointment go?” Steve asked leading them to the living room where Lexie was gathering Taylor’s toys.
“Hey, so how is everything?” she turned to see the look on Mandy’s face. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong, it’s just….”
“Twins.” Dale finished.
Steve couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Twins? Way to go man.”
Mandy and Lexie just shook their heads, “Men.”
When they got home later that evening Dale had an idea. “You know babe, I have been thinking about this anyway and now it seems like a perfect idea.”
“What is that?”
“Let’s build a new house. Hell they could have it built before the end of the season. I was thinking of adding a few rooms to this place but this was my house pre you and Tay. Now with the twins on the way I want ‘our’ own home. What you think?”
He carried a sleeping Taylor to her room and changed her clothes then tucked her into bed. Mandy stood and watched him with her. She smiled as he joined her back in the hall. “I think it is a great idea. We can start designing it right away. I would like to be in before the twins come.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Know what else is a great idea?”
“What?” he asked as she grabbed his hand.
She led him to the bedroom and grabbed something out of the closet and walked into the bedroom. She reappeared a few minutes later in a see through black lace teddy, garter belt and stockings included. “Wow,” he choked. She joined him on the bed and pulled his shirt over his head. “You sure we should?”
“You heard the doctor. It’s perfectly safe.”
That was all Dale needed to hear. It had been way too long, they couldn’t have sex before, during, or for a few weeks after the process started. The few weeks turned into a few more than they expected and he had had enough of not being able to make love to his wife. He pulled his own jeans off and covered her body with his. He wanted to go slow and take his time at this but knew he couldn’t. “Mandy.” he pulled the straps of her teddy off her shoulder. His tongue found her breast and he sucked the nipple into his mouth. He eagerly sucked her breast into his mouth, as her hands ran down his back and back up to his hair.
He rolled off her and pulled the thong down her hips then pulled his own boxers off. He stared down at her and grinned. “What you looking at?”
“Just thinking about how I am leaving those stockings and garter on you tonight.”
Mandy laughed “Well, enjoy the view while you can pretty soon I will be so big these stockings won’t go around my ankle.” She pulled him down on top of her and kissed him before he could say anything. He tried to roll them over “Don’t.”
“What? Why?”
“In a very short time, I am going to be too big to have you like this.” she looked up into his eyes. “And I really just want you right here right now. Please.”
Dale dropped his mouth to hers and without another word was inside of her. “God, I love you so much.”
They spent the rest of the night in each other’s arms and woke the next morning the same way. They heard Taylor trying to get out of her room.
“You stay here I will get her.” Dale grabbed his boxers and a tee and went to get her. He brought her back to their bedroom and the 3 of them spent the next hour in bed before heading out to start their day.
Chapter 7
Everything started getting back to normal with Mandy and Taylor traveling with Dale again. Everyone was much happier and they were finally getting back into their old routine. They had hired an architect and the plans for the house had been drawn up and construction had already begun. They were building farther back on Dale’s property and once it was done the house they were in now would be torn down and the landscaping would begin.
Mandy was now 15 weeks along and she was already bigger than she was with Taylor.
“Well babe, your carrying 2 babies you are going to be bigger.” he walked up behind her in their bedroom and wrapped his arms around her.
“You could barely tell I was pregnant with Taylor at this point and I already can’t button my pants. And do you remember how big I was the day we met? I am going to be twice that size.” she grumbled.
Dale nuzzled at her neck, “Yes I do remember that day. I remember how beautiful you were. I remember the feeling I had when Taylor was born and I can’t wait until we bring these two home to our new house.” His hand rested on her stomach and he did notice the rounded tummy she was getting but he was fascinated by it and couldn’t wait till he could feel the babies moving. He leaned down and kissed her bare belly. “We will go shopping after the appointment if you want?”
“Are you offering to go maternity clothes shopping with me? Never thought I would see the day. You feel ok?” she placed her hand on his forehead and laughed.
“Yes smart ass. Now go get ready I will get Taylor changed.” He smacked her on the ass before heading to Taylors room. He found Taylor sitting on her bed playing with her baby dolls. “Morning munchkin.”
“Hi dada.” she stood on her bed arms up for him to pick her up.
He did just that and carried her to the closet. “So what does my girl want to wear today?” She reached for her Pooh dress. “Pooh huh? You would wear that dress everyday if I let you.” he laughed but grabbed the dress, got her in it, put her matching Pooh sandels on her and started brushing her dark brown hair. “You have mommy’s pretty hair you know that.” After he pulled her hair into a small ponytail he pulled her onto his lap. “You are going to be a big sister, you know that? Things are going to be pretty hectic around here with the twins but I promise you, you are still going to be my baby Tay. You always will be. I love you so much.”
She stuck her head in Dale’s shirt and started playing her favorite game of peek a boo. Dale didn’t hear Mandy come into the room. “Have I told you how much I love you and how happy I am you came into our lives?”
He smiled as him and Taylor looked up at her. “Not today, I love you too and thank you for letting me be a part of her life and yours.” He kissed her. “Come on you two, let’s get some breakfast so we arent’ late for the doctor.”
Lexie and Steve were having dinner for all four of them so they were keeping Taylor during the appointment. Mandy and Dale again waited for the doctor to come in for their newest ultrasound. “Hey, guy’s so we ready to see the twins? How are you feeling?”
“The morning sickness has really gotten strong, I don’t know if it is the fact that I am carrying 2 of them or what, but I really hope it doesn’t last too long.”
“Well it should ease up a little since you are into your second trimester now. Your eating good and getting enough rest?”
“Yes, I really am tired with these two.”
“That’s to be expected, let’s take a look, shall we.” The doctor ran the paddle over Mandy’s stomach. He looked at the nurse, “How much weight has she gained?”
“Looks like, 20 pounds.”
“20 pounds already? No wonder I am so big.” Mandy said as Dale looked at the screen.
“That’s not why Mandy. Actually, you need to start gaining a little more. We are going to up your calorie intake.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Doctor what is that?” Dale asked looking at the blurry mess on the screen.
He looked at Dale and Mandy, back at the screen, then back to Dale and Mandy. “Do you see that?”
“Oh my, yes.” the nurse answered.
“What?”
“Have you ever heard the term super twins?”
“No, what is that?”
“Supertwins is when you have two different set of twins in the same pregnancy.”
“Oh shit, are you saying, what I think you are saying?”
“Yes.”
Dale looked at all of them, “Well, will someone let me in on it?”
“Quadruplets. You are having 4 babies. Apparently, all four embryo’s took, this is so rare. The other 2 must have been behind the two I saw on the first ultrasound.”
“Oh my God, I don’t believe this.” Mandy said as the tears threatened to fall.
“I am going to go get some new paperwork and information for you, go ahead and get dressed.” He handed them the photos of the babies.
As Mandy looked at them the tears fell. “Hey, why you crying?”
“What are we going to do? We can’t handle 4 babies and still give Taylor the attention she needs. You are always on the road and gone. Twins would have been hard enough but my God 4. We can’t travel with them, I can’t sit at home alone with 5 kids and take care of them all. I won’t allow my kids to be raised by some nanny, I know it works for some but I won’t do it.” she was out of breath and getting more upset by the second.
“Mandy, breath. Come on, look, this is huge, I agree but as usual we will get through it together. But for right now, let’s just enjoy this moment. Those are our babies Mandy, babies we made. Babies that 15 weeks ago we didn’t think would ever exist. They are healthy and so are you. I love you, it’s going to work out.”
The tears fell down both their faces now. “I love you too.” He helped her get dressed and they stared at the black and white photo as they waited for the doctor to come back.
Steve and Lexie just stared at them, neither knowing what to say. “Well, this blows our news out of the water.” Steve finally said.
“What news?” Mandy asked.
“Nothing.” Steve looked at Lexie as she changed the subject. “Oh wow, quads. Holy crap. I don’t even know what to say.”
Mandy noticed the disappointed look on Steve’s face and knew something was up. “I know. But enough about us. What was the reason for the dinner tonight? What did you want to tell us?”
“Nothing, it’s not important.” Lexie answered.
“That’s nice.” Steve said as he stood and walked out of the room.
“Shit.” Lexie said following him.
Dale and Mandy looked at each other as they listened to them argue in the kitchen.
“What? It’s nothing, not important. That’s really great Lex.”
“I didn’t mean it like that I just my God they are have quads, it’s a little more important.”
“I am sorry but not to me and if it’s not important enough for you to tell your best friend, maybe we should rethink the whole damn thing.”
They heard the door slam and Lexie start crying. They walked into the kitchen and Mandy sat at the table next to Lexie. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Lexie, now.”
“Steve asked me to marry him. I said yes, of course now I am not so sure.”
“I will go after him.” Dale said grabbing a couple of beers then walking out the back door.
“Lexie, why on earth would you tell us it isn’t important. So I am pregnant and having 4 babies, oh my God.” she laughed. “Your getting married. This is huge, almost as huge as I am going to be. So we have a wedding to plan, a house to decorate, baby and engagement parties, a lot of baby shopping. When the hell did our lives become so damn busy?”
Lexie laughed. “Thanks. I am so happy for you.”
“Me too. One thing, can we not plan the delivery and the wedding for the same day? Talk about a cluster.” They both laughed.
“Deal.”
Outside the guys were talking over the beers Dale took outside. “I didn’t mean I didn’t care about the babies back in there.”
“Dude, we know. I don’t blame you for being upset but she didn’t mean it like you took it. I am sure she just didn’t want to tell us today. Been one hell of a day.” he laughed.
“It’s just that when I heard her say it wasn’t important, man it really hurt. God, I didn’t think I would ever love someone as much as I love that woman in there.”
“I know that feeling, man.”
“Four babies, plus Taylor, how on earth are you guys going to do this?”
“Mandy is worried about the same thing.”
“You’re not?”
“No, amazingly I am fairly calm. I know that with that woman by my side I can do anything.” He felt arms around his waist.
“I love you too.” Mandy said.
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean…” Lexie started as Steve pulled her into his arms.
“I know. I am sorry too I didn’t mean any of that about calling the wedding off. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Mama, dada.” Taylor ran out on the deck.
“Hey Tay girl, you hungry?” she nodded.
“By all means then.” Steve said leading them all back in to the table for dinner.
Chapter 8
The weeks passed quickly and even though she was carrying quads the pregnancy was quite normal at least in a health sense. She was extremely tired and getting bigger by the day and Mandy was quite sure she couldn’t get much more miserable. She was trying to stay out of Dale’s way, she knew how crabby she was and she didn’t want to fight with him. She had once again given up traveling with him but he continued to take Taylor to the track. Lexie watched her when she was with Steve but the farther along Mandy got Lexie decided to stay behind and help her. Buffy stepped in and took Taylor when Dale was on the track or at a sponser meeting. Even though there was a few years between them Macy and Taylor got along great and loved to play with their baby dolls.
“Buffy I don’t even know how to thank you for this.” Dale said dropping Taylor off at the Waltrips coach before practice.
“It’s really no problem. It actually makes my life a little easier, Macy has someone to play with I actually get more done when I have both of them then when I just have Macy.”
“I will take your word on that but if it gets to be too much please tell me and I will figure out something else. You have been doing this for week in and week out now for me.”
“I swear it’s no problem but I will tell you if it becomes one. Have you talked to Mandy today? How she feeling?”
"Awful. Says she can barely get out of bed. We have a home contraction monitor that she is pretty much on all the time now. She‘s not having any contractions but with quads they want to take every safety precaution.”
“So they are taking them by C section right?”
“Yeah, actually, we have one scheduled, they are hoping she goes a full 30 weeks.”
“What will happen then?”
“They will have to stay in the hospital anywhere from a month to 6 months depending on how big they are.”
“So in less than 2 months you are going to be a daddy again, how you doing?”
“You know better than I expected. I would have thought I would be a wreck but I think I am trying to keep it together for Mandy and Taylor.”
“How is Taylor doing? She excited?” she looked at the girls who were already on the floor baby dolls in hand.
“You know she doesn’t really know what is going on. It’s hard to explain to 3 year old why mommy can’t pick her up or play with her like she did a few weeks ago.”
“How is the house coming?”
“Pretty good. They are almost done, we should be able to get a decorator in there in about 3 weeks.”
“Mandy ok with a decorator doing the house.”
“She’s not happy about it but she can’t do it, I don’t have time, so we decided to just have them do the basics and then once the babies are here and Mandy can get on her feet it will be the off season and hopefully we can finish it then, Lexie is going to help out a lot with it also. Mandy has talked to them and chose the stuff so she will have a hand in it just not doing it.”
“She’s probably going to have to get use to letting everyone help.”
“That’s what I keep telling her.”
Michael came out of the bedroom. “You ready?”
“Yup, be good for Buffy.” Dale said kissing Taylor on the cheek. “Thanks again.”
“No problem, see ya later.” she kissed Michael on the cheek and he then kissed Macy before following Dale out to practice.
A couple months later
The race was in Concord this weekend and Mandy was relieved because her 30 week date had come and gone. The doctor said that he wanted her to go as long as possible for the best possible outcome. Mandy was feeling worse than she had yet and was thankful that Dale had taken Taylor with him to the track once again. Lexie was staying with Mandy knowing how horrible she felt. She had gained about 65 pounds and could hardly get out of bed her back hurt so bad. Dale hated leaving her like that but Mandy reasoned with him stating that if he was going to have to miss any races at least miss them for the delivery, not this. “And besides you are only a 30 minute drive away.”
“I know babe, I just have this weird vibe today, like I shouldn’t go.”
She smiled at him, “I will see you later this afternoon. Come home safe.”
“Ok, love you.”
Lexie and Mandy settled into her King size bed like a couple of kids having a slumber party to watch the race. Lexie had noticed how quiet Mandy had become as the green flag dropped. “You ok?”
“I think so?” she said more as a question than an answer.
“What do you mean think so?”
“It’s just,” Mandy looked at the home monitor as it scribbled marks on the paper.
“Mandy what?”
“I think we should go to the hospital.”
“Are you in labor?”
“No. I don‘t know maybe. It didn‘t feel like this with Taylor.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know.”
Lexie heard the quiver in her voice and knew if she thought something was wrong it probably was. “Ok, let me grab your bag and put it in the car and I will come back and help you.”
“Hand me some clothes and I will start getting ready. Don’t want to go in my pj’s.” she half smiled.
Lexie handed her an outfit she knew she liked “I will be right back.”
Mandy was mostly dressed when Lexie got back. “I can’t get my shoes.”
“No problem. I got them.” Lexie bent down and got her shoes on then helped her to the car. Mandy called ahead to the doctor and he was waiting for them in the emergency room.
They got Mandy settled into a room and got her put on a fetal heart monitor. After an exam and some tests were run the doctor came into the room. He looked at the television screen and smiled. “So where is he running?”
“24th had to switch an engine, started at the back, working his way forward.” she said with a smile.
“Yes, but my fiancee is already up front.”
“I am sorry Dr. Morgan this is my best friend and Steve Parks fiancee Lexie.”
“Hi nice to meet you.”
“Same here, ok, so the test shows that you were smart to get in here. You have started having contractions, they are very light as of right now. The pressure you were feeling was the babies basically fighting over space and as I am sure you can tell there isn’t much of it too fight over. I think we will let them go for a little while and see if the contractions get stronger on there own. The babies are slightly stressed and we don’t want to wait to long it will only put more stress on them and you. Your blood pressure is higher than I would like.” Mandy looked at the tv screen. The look didn’t go unnoticed. “Don’t worry, we can wait for him.”
“You sure, I want him here but if it is going to put the babies in danger…”
“No, we are going to keep you hooked to the monitor and keep an eye on your blood pressure. If anything changes or it’s gets higher then we will do this immediately. Otherwise, we will wait till he gets here and see where we are then. But I can guarantee you, you aren’t leaving this hospital pregnant. Stop worrying, that is only going to make matters worse and try not to yell at the tv too much, stress not good.” he smiled as he headed to the door.
“Thanks.”
“You want me to call Dale’s phone?”
“No, I will in a bit, as long as he doesn’t plan on doing this right away there is no reason to call and worry him. He will be home soon.”
Lowe’s Motor Speedway
With 15 laps left Steve was running 5th and Dale had moved into 2nd. He was having trouble getting around Tony Stewart. Steve’s whole attitude had changed since Lexie had come into his life and it showed on the track. He knew he drove for a competing company but he and Dale had become closer friends the past year and a half than the whole 6 years he was at DEI. Steve knew he couldn’t get around Jr. his car was too fast but he did see an opportunity to not only help himself but help Dale get to the front. With 7 laps to go Steve saw the #15 Chevy in his mirror and took a chance that he had the same plan. He went to the top of the track and pulled along side of Elliot Sadler making it 2 wide going into turn 3. Just as he thought, Mikey was right there with him. They stayed that way for a few laps, when with only 2 laps left and coming out of turn 4 like a bullet Mikey pushed Steve’s car into the front straightaway and they flew by Elliot and Jimmie Johnson to take over 3rd and 4th place. Dale looked up and saw the 30 and the 15 behind him and knew this race was theirs. As the white flag flew Dale dropped down and forced Tony to take the high side, Steve and Mikey dropped with him and before Tony knew what happened he was taking the checkers in 4th place.
As Dale’s car pulled into victory lane Mikey and Steve were already headed to congratulate him. Dale climbed out of his car to his do his interview. “What a finish. Dale how about a few words.”
As he started to speak Steve and Mikey made their way too him with a couple of bottles of Gatorade which ended up all over all 3 of them. “I couldn’t have done this without them.” he motioned to Steve and Mikey and continued his interview.
Back at the hospital
Mandy grabbed at her stomach as another contraction hit her. “Call him, now!”
The doctor checked the monitor “Tell him to hurry. We need to do this now.” Mandy looked at him with tears in her eyes. “It’s ok, it’s just your blood pressure is really high and the babies are stressing a bit. I am going to have a nurse come in and prepare you for the C section and get the surgical room ready.” Lexie grabbed her phone as the doctor left.
Back at the track
Jade handed a cell phone to Dale “Yeah.”
“Dale, it’s Lexie.”
Steve and Michael saw Dale’s face turn white, “Shut up. Will you all shut the fuck up?” he yelled to everyone in victory lane. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Dale, We are at the hospital.” Lexie said as her and Mandy watched the whole thing unfold in victory lane.
“What? Shit. What happened?” he wandered in circles not knowing what exactly to do. Steve realized what was happening and walked up behind him laying his hands on Dale’s shoulders to calm him down.
“Don’t worry, Mandy is ok, but you need to get to the hospital now. They have waited as long as they can, they are preparing her for surgery. They aren’t waiting anymore, the babies are stressing a little.”
“Ok, I will be there. Tell her I love her.”
“I will, be careful.”
Jade got ahold of Mike Helton and the after race interviews were cancelled. Tony Stewart saw the scene in victory lane and ran over to meet Steve, Dale and Michael. “Hey Dale, take my helicopter. It will take you a half hour in traffic to get to the hospital, my copter can land you on the roof in 10 minutes. The pilot is waiting for you, go.”
Dale looked to Steve and Michael. “Go! Buffy already has gone to get Macy and Taylor from the day care, we will grab your clothes and meet you there in a bit.”
Dale headed to the copter pad with Tony when he stopped and turned “Call Teresa and Kelly.”
“Already have Teresa on the phone. She’s getting in her car now and Tony Jr called Kelly. Now get the hell out of here.” Tony Sr. yelled.
Tony got him in the copter “Good luck man.“
“Thanks for everything.”
Back at the hospital
Lexie grabbed her phone. “Yeah.”
“Babe, what’s up? You sound awful.”
“Steve, she is a wreck, scared he isn’t going to make it. Tell me he is on his way.”
“Yeah, he should be there in about 5 minutes. He is flying in by helicopter.”
“Thank God. They can’t wait much longer.”
“I will be there soon. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
“Lexie?”
“He is flying in he will be here in 5 minutes.”
“Perfect.” The doctor said walking in. The nurse started her local pain killers. Mandy had refused any epidural or anesthesia, she wanted to be alert and awake for the birth.
“These will kick in pretty quick. They won’t completely numb you but it will help with the pain of the incision. We are going to take you on down to the other room.”
“Mandy, do you want me to go with you or wait for Dale?”
“Wait for him.” she said with tears in her eyes.
“It’s going to be ok. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
A few minutes later Dale ran out of the elevator, fire suit tied at his waist. “Mandy Earnhardt?” He yelled at the nurse’s station.
“Dale.”
“Lexie. How is she?”
“Waiting for you.” She helped him with the hospital smock and shoes the nurse brought over to him. “Go, good luck.”
The nurse showed Dale into Mandy’s room. “Mandy.”
“Thank God you made it.” she cried.
“Wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
“Where is Taylor?”
“With Buffy and Michael.” Dale looked at all the equipment and the 12 doctors and nurses in the room. “All this for 4 babies huh?”
“I know it looks scary but quadruplets are a big deal, a lot of this won‘t be needed but we take every precaution.” The doctor said. “So Mandy you ready?”
“Yeah, take down the curtain.”
“What?”
“I want to watch. I want to see them being born.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Please.”
The nurse pulled the curtain, which had been blocking their view. “Good lord, I am huge.” Mandy joked trying to calm Dale’s nerves.
“Your beautiful.” Dale squeezed her hand and brought his forehead down to hers briefly.
“Ok, we are going to make the incision, some people are bothered by this part. I will tell you when we are done if you don’t want to watch.”
“OK.” Dale and Mandy just stared at each other waiting for the doctors word.
“Mandy, how do you feel? Can you feel the knife?”
“It does hurt some but not as horrible as I thought it would be.”
“Good your local is working. Ok, we are done with the incision.”
Dale and Mandy both looked at her stomach cut open, “Oh man.”
Mandy looked up at Dale, “Babe, you ok?”
“Yeah, just, all the videos, books, I don’t think you can prepare yourself for seeing your wife cut open like that.” He squeezed her hand. “You sure you aren’t in too much pain?”
“No, I am ok.”
“Ok, we are going to break the bags of water then it’s going to move pretty quick from there.” The water was broke and Mandy felt the doctors hands pulling one of the babies from her body. “Number 1 is a girl.” He pulled the second from her, “Number 2 is a girl.” Dale watched in amazement as they pulled the babies out of her stomach. The tears were falling freely down his cheeks and he never in a million years thought it would feel like this. “Number 3 is a girl. I am seeing a trend here Mandy.” The doctor laughed.
“You would think out of 4 of them I could get one boy.” Mandy said as she looked at Dale.
“What?” He was completely zoned in on what was going on inside of Mandy. “Oh, I don’t care as long as they are all healthy.”
“Dad, you want to cut the cord on this last one?”
Dale shook his head yes. A nurse handed him a pair of scissors, “Ok, number 4 is a boy. Cut right there Dale.” Dale did and Mandy could almost see the smile under the mask he was wearing.
He bent down and kissed her “Are they ok? They were so small.”
“Mandy, we are going to get you closed up. Let them get the babies to the Neo Natal ICU and then we will see what’s going on.”
“Ok,” Dale squeezed her hand and watched the nurses rush his babies out of the room.
“Go tell everyone what is going on? You know they are worried.”
“I don’t want to leave you.”
“I am fine. Go tell them.”
“Ok, I will meet you back in recovery.” He started to leave the room but turned quickly. “Mandy?”
“Yes.”
“I love you.”
Chapter 9
Dale ran into the waiting room and everything stopped as every head in the room turned to him. Everyone started talking at once. “How is Mandy?”, Girls or boys?”, Are they ok?” How are you?”
“Everyone stop. Let him talk.” Tony Sr. yelled.
Dale took a deep breath. “Mandy is doing good, they are closing her up now. She did great through the surgery. 3 girls, 1 boy.” he laughed. “They have taken them down to Neo Natal and the doctor is due back at any time to tell us how they are. They are small though, I can tell you that. I have to get back to her. Where is Taylor?” he asked looking around the room.
“Kelly took her Macy and Karsyn to the cafeteria, they were getting a bit restless.” Buffy said.
“Ok, Mandy will be in recovery for a little while, then back to her room. I will come back for Taylor in a little while.” and with that he was out of the waiting room and down the hall.
Because of the media circus they decided to to move her straight to a private room instead of the general recovery. They already had to double the hospital security force to keep the media outside. They all wanted the first picture of the Earnhardt Quads.
Dale had finally been able to change out of his fire suit and Mandy was resting as comfortably as she could when the doctor came back in.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like a gutted fish.”
“Well, at least your sense of humor is intact. Let’s start with you. The staples will come out in 4 to 7 days, baring there isn’t any infection. We will have you up and walking in a day or two. Your recovery should be about 6 weeks, which means you should have time to recover before they come home.”
“It will be that long?”
“Longer for some of them.”
“How bad is it?”
“Now don’t panic, they are very small and under developed but that is completely normal. Right now we have them marked Baby 1-4 Earnhardt. Do you guys have names picked out yet?”
“Wow, guess we should do that shouldn’t we?” Dale laughed.
“Can I see them? I really want to see them before we name them.”
“Of course, we will get you down there one way or another. Now, the little boy, 4 lbs 2 oz. And his fraternal twin was 3 lbs 6 oz. Then the other two little girls are identical twins 4 lbs 8 oz and 2 lbs 10 oz.”
Mandy was scared. “Two pounds? That can’t be good.”
“I know it’s small but it isn’t that out of the ordinary.”
“How long will they have to stay?”
“The two that weigh 4 pounds will probably be here about 6 weeks, maybe less. I expect them to go home around what would have been a normal 40 week pregnancy. The 3 pound probably 2 to 3 months and the 2 pounder, I really can’t say, could be anywhere from 4 to 6 months. They all must reach the weight of 5 pounds before we will release them.”
“6 months? Oh my…” the tears now fell from Mandy. She never expected it too be that long, how was she suppose to bond with her baby if she was in a hospital for that long.
“It’s ok, baby. Sshh.” Dale sat on the edge of the bed trying to hold her as best he could without hurting her.
“Well, there is more and again I say it is normal. It doesn’t mean there won’t be or that there will be complications, it just means that these babies are 2 months early and there is a lot that isn’t developed. None of their lungs are developed yet. They are all on ventilators because of it but the largest of the babies has apnea, it is a shallow breathing disorder and should go away as she reaches the original due date. I will be honest with you the smallest is the biggest concern. She is very small, we are going to put her on photo therapy for her jaundice. She is going to have the biggest battle ahead of her.”
“We want to see them.”
“Ok, we are probably going to roll your bed down to the ICU, I don’t want you up just yet. I will get a nurse to get you ready.
“Thanks.” Mandy looked at Dale. “Dale, I am scared. What if?”
“Stop right there. They are all strong. They are going to be fine.” He held her and was fighting back the tears himself.
They rolled Mandy’s bed to the window of the nursery. The nurse rolled the enclosed cribs to the window so they could get a better view.
“Oh my,”
“I know they look scary, it’s a lot of tubes, IV’s, wires but it’s all going to keep them going and help them get stronger. I am going to leave you two alone, if you have any questions ask a nurse or find me. OK?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Dale and Mandy stared at their newborns. “They are so small.”
“Yeah, but man they are so beautiful.” Dale said looking around as a chill ran up his spine.
Mandy noticed. “You ok?”
“Yeah, what do you think?” he nodded towards the newborns as he took Mandy’s hand in his.
“I know we tossed around a few names but now that they are here. I guess we can’t get a good feel of their personalities but we need to name them.”
“Well let’s start with her.” He pointed to the largest baby marked Baby Earnhardt 1. “Danielle.”
Mandy smiled. “Lee.” Dale looked at Mandy. “Danielle Lee Earnhardt.”
“I love it. Baby Earnhardt 2?”
“This is the only son, you want Ralph, Dale, Lee?”
“No, there are enough Dale’s in this family.”
“You sure, that’s all you use to talk about.”
“Yeah but now that I am looking at him…What do you think?”
“I really like the name Garrett.”
“Montgomery.”
“Garrett Montgomery Earnhardt.” Mandy watched as Dale just nodded and smiled. “Baby Earnhardt 3?”
Dale looked at the baby girl. “I am taking this one. Hailey Nicole.”
“I love it.”
“Your up?” Dale said looking at Mandy then back at the smallest of the babies.
The tears welled up as Mandy looked at the tiny helpless body. “Isabella Grace. Bell”
Dale looked from the baby to Mandy, his own tears falling down his cheeks. “Perfect.”
The nurse changed the name cards as they watched and suddenly they felt like a real family. “Hey babe, I am going to send Lexie in to sit with you.”
“Where you going?”
“I want to spend a little time with Taylor, we won’t go far and by the time we get back maybe you will feel slightly better.”
“Bring her in no matter what when you get back. I want to see her.”
“Want me to bring her in first?”
“No, I may try and take a nap. I am tired.”
“God knows you deserve it. You were amazing today. I love you.”
“Love you too.” he kissed her before leaving.
He met the family and friends in the waiting room. “Dada.” Taylor yelled jumping off the floor from where she, Karsyn, and Macy were playing with Steve.
He scooped her up and fought to stop the tears that threatened to fall. “Dale? Everything ok?”
“Yeah.” he briefly filled them in and told them they could go back and view the babies a couple of people at a time. “Lex, you can go see Mandy. She may fall asleep on you but will you stay I am going to go spend some time with my daughter.”
“Of course. No problem.”
Dale just nodded as he left the room.
Dale and Taylor had been gone for almost an hour and a half when Kelly went looking for them. She knew he wouldn’t leave the hospital and knew exactly where to find them. She walked quietly into the chapel and sat next to her baby brother. Neither said a word as they watched Taylor who was curled up asleep on Dale’s lap. Kelly took his hand, she knew what he was thinking. After a few more minutes of silence. “You know he’s here today?”
Dale nodded. “I felt him. I swear he was standing there, right beside me, when we went and saw the babies for the first time. I feel him now.”
A few more minutes of silence passed. “You allright?”
“I think so.” He looked at Taylor as she stirred but then snuggled deeper into Dale’s lap and quickly was sound asleep again. He smiled, he loved the feel of her in his arms.
“Remember the day she was born?” Kelly said smoothing her hair out of her face.
“How can I forget? It was the day I fell in love with her.”
“She wasn’t the only one you fell in love with that day.”
“Yeah.” Dale smiled remembering the day that changed his life forever.
~~~~~~~~FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~
Mandy dropped her head back on Dale’s shoulder, too tired to hold it up anymore. Dale stared at the tiny baby in her arms, “You did good. She’s beautiful, Mandy.” She was crying uncontrollably and Dale just tightened his hold on her and neither one of them noticed the others slip out of the room. After several minutes he helped her into the robe, got her on the couch, and wrapped her in a blanket. He disappeared as the others came back into the room and his step brother Kerry and his family got there.
“Where’s Junior?” Teresa asked looking around the room.
“I’ll go find him.” Kelly said standing up.
She found him sitting on the back porch drinking a beer. She grabbed a jacket and headed out. “Dale it is freezing out here, what are you doing?” she saw the tears falling down his cheeks and sat down beside him. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
Kelly laughed, “You know, she is the one who is suppose to have raging hormones right now.”
“You know when you put Karsyn in my arms at the hospital for the first time it made me start to realize just how bad I wanted a family of my own. That didn’t help that feeling, I don’t even know that woman and that was the most intense moment of my life.”
“Dale, watching a life being brought into this world is amazing and when you are the one bringing it here, it’s, well, there is no comparison. You are going to make an amazing father one of these days.” He looked at her. “I know what you are thinking. It’s going to happen, you are going to find her and when you do you, you will know it, you will be ready for it and you won’t ever look back.”
He looked out at the snow, “I keep trying to tell myself that.”
She stood up “Come on everyone is looking for you.”
He stood up and wrapped his arms around her. “Thanks Kelly.” She hugged him back and they went to join the rest of the family.
“So what did I miss?” Dale asked sitting down next to Mandy and taking the baby from Taylor.
“Guess what she named her?” Taylor said to Dale excitedly.
“What?”
“Taylor. Taylor Louise we have different middle names but still pretty cool huh?” she said tickling Karsyn.
“Huh, should have wished for a boy, could have had a Dale…Jr…uh…Jr…” He stuttered through the words trying to make sense of them himself.
“Dale the Third, there little brother.” Kerry said and everyone laughed.
There was a knock on the door and as Kerry went to get it Mandy asked Dale if everything was ok. She had noticed his red eyes earlier and was concerned. He looked at her and then down at the tiny baby in his arms, he looked back at Mandy and smiled “Yeah, everything’s fine.”
“Hey guy’s better late than never.” Kerry laughed as he let the paramedics in.
They got mom and daughter loaded into the ambulance Mandy looked at Teresa and Dale, “There is nothing in this world I can do to repay you for what you have done today. Thank you so much.”
“You take care of both of you.” Teresa said hugging her then heading back to the house.
“I don’t know what I would have done had you not found me today.” Mandy said.
“Well, luckily we will never have to find out. Take care of her and you.” He kissed Taylor on top of the head. He smiled at Mandy and got out of the ambulance. He watched as it disappeared down the road, Kelly’s words still in his head. “Maybe I just found her.” he thought as he walked back inside the house.
~~~~~~~~~ END FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~
“You know you were right? Of course you usually are when it comes to my life.”
“Yeah, it’s a talent.” she grinned that famous Earnhardt grin. “Come on let’s get back to your wife.” She stood and headed towards the door.
Dale followed then stopped. “Can I do this?”
“What?”
“Balance a racing career, the sponsers, the fans, 5 kids, and still be able to give Mandy what she deserves.”
“Of course you can. You are all Mandy wants in this world.” she saw the doubt in his face.
“I am not so sure. A few weeks ago, I had all the confidence in the world but now.”
“Dale, it’s going to be hard. I won’t lie to you. But you have so many friends and family behind all of you that you will make it, we will make it.”
Taylor started to wake up, she looked up at Dale with those wide brown eyes. “Dada, where mama?”
He knew she was missing her a lot. They hadn’t spent too much time together in the past couple of months. He kissed her forehead “Let’s go find her.”
Chapter 10
Dale stood and stared into the empty house, half his life was in those walls. He headed down to the basement, it had recently become a family/play room for Taylor but it was those wild party days he was thinking of most right now. He heard feet on the stairs then heard all the yelling. “Woohoo.”
“The infamous Club E.”
He laughed as his ‘posse’ joined him. All the drunken messes they had gotten into in that basement. Someone handed him a can. “One for the road.” He grinned as he took the Bud and popped it open. “Man the shit we did in this basement.”
“If all your fans and shit knew what really went on down here. Thank God Jade was as good as he was, man we could have destroyed your reputation.”
“All the parties.”
“All the beer.”
“All the ladies.” they all laughed even Dale as he listened to them reminisce as he let the cold liquid flow down his throat.
“Man was your dad pissed when you built this place.”
“Not as pissed, as when you let MTV in to do that shoot. Your letting them get to close, he said.”
“He was right.” Dale said quietly. “Now don’t get me wrong.” He saw the looks he was getting. “I don’t regret any of the stuff we did, well, maybe one or two things.” he grinned. “I lived my life exactly how I wanted but I did give the media too much. The scene at the hospital is proof of that.” The media really went insane when word got out that the babies had been born. Reporters were everywhere and fans flocked to the hospital actually causing a riot, just to sneak a peak at the newest edition to the Earnhardt family. Most of the hospital had to be shut off except for personnel until riot troops could be brought in. “It’s almost like they think they have the right to know my every move now.” He walked to a support beam that he had carved the words CLUB E into with a kitchen knife, simply cause he was mad at his dad for telling him he shouldn’t be building the bar. Dale saw it as his dad telling him he was living his life wrong instead of taking it as helpful advice. “I am not him any more.” he said as he ran his hands over the carving. He realized how stupid all that little crap that he fought him on, was now. “And I don’t want to be.”
He finished the beer and tossed the can on the floor as he headed to the door. The sunlight poured into the basement as he opened the door. He turned to look back one more time. “It’s time to bury it boys, bury it all.”
The posse followed him out of the house as he saw Kelly and Steve pull up. Taylor ran straight into Dale’s arms as he scooped her up and flew her above his head. He then put her down and everyone watched as he let her chase him all over the yard and finally ‘tackle him’. They both fell to the ground in a fit of giggles and he pulled her onto his chest as they laid there and rested. This was his life now and he wouldn’t change one thing about it.
“Dale the crew is ready.”
“Oh, ok.” He stood and took Taylor with him. They headed across the street to DEI’s lot. “Lexie with Mandy?”
“Yeah, I am going to head back when you do.” Steve said. “Mandy really not know she’s coming home to the new house tonight?”
“Nope, she knows its done but thinks that we still have to move everything in. Thanks for all you did by the way. There is no way we would have gotten it done.”
“Wasn’t a problem.”
Teresa, Ty, Tony Jr. and Tony Sr. came out of the shop and joined everyone else. “Dale you sure you want to watch this?”
“Yes.”
Kelly stood next to Dale and as they heard the foreman start the countdown she covered Taylor’s ears.
5.………..Dale took one last look at his home.
4.………..The memories weren’t just of his youth.
3.………..Mandy wrecked into that ditch, they had their first date and started their family there.
2.………..He took a deep breath.
1.………..Dale pushed Taylors head to his chest as she jumped from the sound.
“Let me take her.” Kelly grabbed Taylor as the dust and debris became worse. Everyone but Dale headed inside.
As the smoke cleared Dale walked across the street and the foreman joined him. “The cleanup should move quickly and only take a few days. Not much to look at till then, I know.”
“That’s ok, I am surprised it didn’t make more of a mess.” Dale said looking at the ruble that use to be his home.
“We imploded it so it wouldn’t.”
“Well, thanks a lot. I will let you get to it. Gotta go get my wife she’s coming home today.”
“That’s right. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
A piece of wood laying away from the rest of the debris caught his eye as he headed towards DEI. He picked up the small piece of wood and laughed. “You have to be kidding me.” He joined everyone back at DEI. “Come on Tay, let’s go get mommy.” He started for the door. “Oh, yeah. Here guys.” He tossed the wood to them. “For old times sake.”
The posse cracked up as Tony Jr. and Michael joined them to see what it was. “Hard to leave some things behind, huh?” Michael asked looking at the wood with the carved letters in it.
“Nope, not really.” Dale, Steve and Taylor headed out the door and back to the hospital.
Mandy had found it very difficult to leave the hospital and to leave her babies behind but she was thankful for the time at home with just Taylor before they came home, plus she needed the time to recover from her surgery. The last month of the season flew by and Dale was happy to be home with Taylor and Mandy. He had cancelled all his off season sponser meetings, cruises, everything, he promised Jade that he would start again in early Feb. for Daytona but he needed the 2 and a half months for his family.
Danielle Lee or Dani Lee as she had become known and Garrett made great progress and were able to come home right after Thanksgiving, just 5 weeks after they were born. Hailey was almost 4 pounds and Isabella was up to 3 pounds, they both had a long way to go before coming home but they were getting stronger by the day.
Dale knew how bad the family wanted to come see the babies, none of them had gotten the chance to hold them in the hsopital but he made them all promise to give them a day or two. Things were going to be insane enough and the last thing they needed was a house full of people upsetting the babies or Taylor anymore than they already would be.
Mandy was in tears as Dale pulled the truck into the hospital lot. “What’s wrong?” He asked taking Taylor out of the backseat.
“I am just, man, I don’t know.”
He put his arm over her shoulders as she dropped her head onto his shoulder. “I know the feeling. It’s a little overwhelming but we can do this.”
“I know. So, Tay, you excited to finally bring your brother and sister home?”
“Puppy.” The soon to be 3 year old stated firmly.
Mandy and Dale just laughed.
Dale just smiled as they fastened the car seats into the back of the truck. Taylor was sitting in the middle of the car seats and was very unsure about the whole idea. She never said a word just sat and stared at the two of them all the way home. As soon as they walked into the door both babies started crying.
“They are probably hungry. I’ll start their bottles.” Mandy said as she walked into the kitchen.
Dale carried both car seats into the kitchen and sat them on the table. “Come here Tay.”
Mandy literally grabbed something frozen out of the freezer and threw it in the microwave for them. By the time it was done she was handing the bottles to Dale. “As soon as I can get a few bottles made up ahead of time this won’t take so long.”
“It’s fine.”
She put a plate down in front of Dale and Taylor and tried to put Taylor in her highchair. “No daddy lap.”
“Honey, you can’t right now. Just sit in your chair and eat.”
She reluctantly let Mandy put her in the chair as she watched Dale feeding the babies.
“Give me a bottle.” Mandy put her hand out.
“No, you eat first.” She figured what the hell, there would be plenty of times to feed them and she was hungry. She noticed Taylor watching them. “You want to help?”
“No.” Mandy eyed her daughter and was starting to think her adjusting to all of this might be harder than they thought.
Mandy went to change the babies while Dale ate his dinner. Once he was done he went to put Garrett down while Mandy put Dani Lee in her crib. Dale felt a tug on his pant leg. “Story.”
He looked down at Taylor. “Yeah, ok, in a minute munchkin.” She stood and waited for a few seconds, which to a 3 year old is hours, before walking out of the nursery.
Dale and Mandy watched them sleep for a little while. “Shoot.”
“What?” Mandy asked as Dale walked out of the room. “Tay’s story.” He walked into her room and the scene in front of him broke his heart. Her dresser drawer was open and her clothes were laying on the floor. She had her favorite Power Puff Girls pajama’s on backwards and was fast asleep. “Shit.” He whispered. He pulled the blanket up over her and kissed her forehead before sitting in the rocking chair. He watched her sleep while mentally beating himself up.
“Dale?” Mandy came in and looked to the clothes and her. “Why did you put her clothes on the floor?” She asked picking them up.
“I didn’t.”
“What?” Mandy was confused.
Dale shook his head up. “I already have done what I promised her I wouldn’t. I never read her the bedtime story and she came in here and put herself to bed.”
Mandy sighed. “This isn’t going to be easy but…”
“No.” He quieted himself. “No buts. I will not let her get shuffled into the background. Our 3 year old daughter put herself to bed tonight because we were watching them sleep. Mandy, we have all night to watch them sleep, all she wanted was 15 minutes and a bedtime story and the very first night we messed up.”
“Ok, so we goofed. It won’t be the last time. We have two more to get home, then we can screw up all over the place.” She half laughed but could tell Dale was really hurting. “Come on let’s go get some sleep while we can.”
“Go on, I am not tired.”
She looked at him. “You sure?”
“Yeah baby.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her belly gently. “I love you.”
She leaned down and kissed him. “Love you too. Don’t stay here to long. Try and get some sleep.”
Dale lost all track of time as he sat watching Taylor sleep. He heard a cry from the other room, he got Garrett out of bed before he could wake Dani Lee. “Hey buddy. What’s wrong? You hungry.” He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle, he was sitting in the living room feeding Garrett when Mandy walked in with Dani.
“You haven’t gotten any sleep yet have you?”
“No.”
“When you are done with him, go. I am not kidding.”
“Yeah, ok.” He burped Garrett and carried him back to his crib. He stuck his head back in Taylor’s room before heading to his own bed. A few minutes later he felt Mandy slide in beside him. He didn’t open his eyes he just pulled her to him and snuggled up against her falling fast asleep.
The next morning Dale went in to wake Taylor only to find her already up fighting with a tee shirt. He half laughed, “Here munchkin, let me help you.” He reached to help her get her arm in the sleeve.
“NO!” She stepped away from him.
He took a deep breath and just watched her, realizing just how mad she was. He wanted to help her as he watched her struggle with the tee but stopped himself. She finally got it on, inside out and backwards but it was on. They walked into the kitchen.
“Taylor why is…” Mandy looked to Dale who just shook his head begging her not to say anything, “You want pancakes?”
She shook her head yes and tried to climb into her chair by herself. “You want to sit with daddy?”
“No.” Mandy saw the look on Dale’s face as he lifted her into the chair.
After breakfast Taylor placed herself in front of the TV and started watching Elmo’s World. Dale stood watching her from the kitchen. “What are we going to do? She’s really mad.”
“She will get over it as soon as she gets use to it.”
“Mandy put yourself in her shoes for one minute. First, she doesn’t even realize that two more of them are coming home. Second, all she knows is that for months on end she went with me to the track. Hell, half the time then, she wasn’t with me, she was with Michael and Buffy. You weren’t a part of her daily routine for a long time. She missed you horribly and then you come home and you can play with her and things start going back to normal. Then BAM, we bring home two babies and make her tuck herself into bed. We have screwed this poor child’s routine up more than a few times in the past year.” He looked back to Taylor. “I know she will get use to it but we can’t just ignore this. Granted, we all have had a traumatic couple of months but we made this happen, we understand it and can deal with it. She didn’t ask for any of this and is way to young to understand it.”
Mandy looked to her daughter. “I don’t know what to do. How do you reason with a three year old?”
“I don’t know. But we have to figure out something. Her birthday is in 3 days and you know as well as I do that everyone will be pawing all over those two babies and she will get lost in the crowd at her own birthday party.”
Later that afternoon Dale and Mandy were heading to the hospital to check on Isabella and Hailey, still no progress made in the Taylor situation. “Taylor do you want to go with mommy and daddy or do you want to stay with Auntie Lexie and Uncle Steve and the babies?”
Taylor looked at Dale and Mandy really wanting to stay with Steve and Lexie but not wanting to be with the babies. “Mamma.” She lifted her arms and Mandy picked her up.
“Ok,” Mandy thought maybe she was coming around. “Thanks guys, we will be back soon.”
At the hospital Mandy went into the nursery as Dale stood outside the glass with Taylor. “No, no, no,”
“Taylor what’s wrong?”
“NO babies.” She hit at Dales chest.
“Taylor.” Dale said as she struggled to get out of his arms.
Mandy heard Taylor scream from inside the nursery. She stepped out into the hall as all the nurses turned. “Taylor, what is wrong?”
“NO BABIES!”
“We are going down to the waiting room.”
“I will come with you.”
“No, go ahead and stay. Talk to the doctor. I’ll wait.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I will come back later to see them or go tomorrow. Just make sure they are ok.”
Mandy watched them go and listened to her daughters cries as they disappeared down the hall. She was beginning to realize just how rough the whole situation was going to be on everyone and was worried they wouldn’t be able to balance it all out. What on earth were they going to do when Belle and Hailey came home and Dale went back to work?
Chapter 11
“Hey guy’s how are the” Lexie asked as the door swung open and Taylor ran past all of them to her room. “babies? What’s going on?”
Dale ran after her. When he got to her room, his heart went out to her, she was pushing against her bedroom door not able to open it on her own. “Munchkin?” She turned and looked at him and he decided he needed to cool it on the Earnhardt glare before the other four got old enough to perfect it as well as she had. He opened the door and let her go in. He couldn’t help but smile, she was so adorable with her dark hair falling over her big brown pouty eyes. Of course as he saw the tears start to well up in those beautiful eyes his smile faded. “Come here Tay girl.” She didn’t fight him as he pulled her into his lap. “You are mad at daddy aren’t you?” She nodded her head yes and he could feel her tears on his neck. “Why?”
“Babies go back.” She said as she snuggled into his arms.
“Taylor, the babies can’t go back and there are going to be two more coming home in a few months.”
“No babies.”
“Why don’t you like the babies?”
“My mamma and daddy.”
He pulled her tight to him, willing her pain to go away. He knew he couldn’t make her understand so he would settle on making her feel better right now. “Tay, We will always be your mommy and daddy. No one will ever change that. We love you so much and we love the new babies too. We really think you would like them if you gave them the chance.” He pulled her away so he could look at her, she was listening but he could see the uncertainty on her face. “I am sorry I didn’t read you your story last night. I promise I will try to not let it happen again. You know how good of a big sister you are going to be? I would really like it if you would come help me feed the babies.” She looked at him and he wiped her tears away before she buried her face in his neck again. “Oh Taylor, I love you so much, nothing will ever change that.” He stood and carried her to the kitchen where Mandy, Lexie and Steve were talking.
“How is everything?” Mandy asked as she took Taylor from Dale.
“Not sure yet.” Dale said as he grabbed two bottles and warmed them up.
“Need some help?”
“I am hoping Taylor is going to help me.” He looked at her as he tested the bottles. “What do you say, munchkin?” She shook her head yes as she hopped of Mandy’s lap. “You carry these for me?” She took the bottles as Dale grabbed the carriers the babies were in. “We’ll be in the family room if anyone needs us.” He grinned before kissing Mandy on the cheek and walking out of the room.
He sat the babies in the floor and then sat cross legged next to them. “Come here Tay.” He pulled her into his lap and hugged her. He took the bottles and got Garrett started. “Ok, can you hold this bottle up like this?”
Her little hands grasped the bottle hesitantly, “Why?”
“Cause the babies can’t hold the bottles themselves, they are too little, and they are hungry.”
She looked at the bottle. “What is it?”
“It’s kind of like the milk you drink.” He said while feeding Dani.
She watched Garrett suck on the bottle. Dale grinned as she moved to the edge of his lap to get a better view. She pulled the bottle away from him and studied his tiny mouth. Dale was glad he was an easy going baby and didn’t seem to care. “No teef.”
“No, honey he doesn’t have teeth yet.”
“Why?”
“Cause they haven’t come in yet. They will.”
Dale helped her put the bottle back into his mouth so he actually got the formula. She knelt next to Garret’s carrier, she started to reach in but stopped looking at Dale. He eyed her carefully not sure what she was planning. “It’s ok.” He watched as she held his hand up to hers comparing the size difference.
“ittle.”
“Yes they are and that’s why we have to be very careful with them. They could get hurt very easily.”
“Oh my gosh, Mandy come here. Look.” Lexie whispered peaking around the corner.
As Steve and Mandy joined her spying on Taylor and Dale, Mandy’s heart melted. Taylor was sitting on Dale’s lap and he had his arm around hers holding Garret. But as far as Taylor was concerned she was holding the baby. Dale looked up and grinned seeing Mandy. Then Taylor noticed her, “Mama, I holding Gate.”
Mandy fought back tears, “I can see that baby. Did you help daddy feed them?”
“Yeah, no teef.” She said excitedly. She looked at everyone as they laughed.
“We are going to take off. I will call you tomorrow.” Lexie said.
“Yeah do, we need to get going on this wedding.”
“I agree.” Steve said wrapping his arms around Lexie. “Call us if you guys need anything.”
“We will, thanks.”
Mandy joined Dale, Taylor and the babies on the floor. They laid the babies on a blanket on the floor and spent the next hour laying there answering Taylors questions. The night before seemed to be forgotten and she was showing interest in the kids even asking about the other two.
“Your amazing, you know that?” Mandy said as they laid down in bed later that night.
“Heard it once or twice.” He pulled her to him and they snuggled until they fell asleep.
A few days later Dale and Mandy’s house was full of family and friends for Taylor’s birthday. “Good grief will you look at all these presents. It’s going to be Christmas in a few weeks.” Mandy said staring at the still growing pile of presents.
“Are you trying to say our daughter is spoiled?” Dale grinned as they watched Macy, Karsyn, and Taylor play on the floor of the basement where the party was being held.
Brenda used the time to bond with her grandson and Teresa joined her on the couch with Danielle. “You know guys, they have cribs. I don’t think they have been put down since people started showing up.” He just laughed and walked away as they both gave him a ‘yeah right’ look.
“Taylor do you want to open presents or have cake first?” Taylor stood and ran straight for the table that the presents were piled on.
Dale sat her on the table and laughed. “Honey, that was a stupid question.” Mandy just glared at him. “Man, do you all have that damn look down.”
Michael draped his arm over Dale’s “Dude, it’s 5 against 2 remember that. You and Garrett are screwed.” Michael was now the one to get the glare. “Oopps. Going back over here now.”
Dale laughed as he turned on the video camera and found a good spot to tape from. “Get over there with your wife and daughter.” Steve said taking the camera from him. “I will do this.”
“Thanks.” Dale said as he stood behind Taylor who was now sitting in the center of the table.
“Ok, you ready?” Taylor shook her head and Mandy handed her the first present. She tore through them ooh and ahhing over them. Clothes, books, games, toys, you name it. Mandy just shook her head knowing that come Christmas it would be five times this amount.
Taylor got to one from Steve and Lexie and Dale helped her open the huge box. She looked at the miniature version of Talladega, complete with all the haulers and cars from each team that could actually be raced, like a hot wheels track. “Wow, look it even has a small victory lane.” Everyone laughed as Dale grabbed his car and put in into victory lane.
“You are going to play with this more than she does.” Mandy laughed.
Taylor grabbed at her presents from Brenda. “Open ours together.” Teresa said.
As she opened Brenda’s she found a tiny Bud fire suit to fit her. “How adorable is that?” Mandy held it up as Dale just grinned picturing her in it.
Michael pushed Teresa’s into the middle of the floor and Dale and Mandy both helped open the box that was about the size of a coffee table. Taylors shriek could be heard through the house as a small version of the Bud car was pulled out. “Just like daddy’s.” She screamed as she climbed headfirst through the window.
“The door does open.” Teresa said “and it has a button like the kill switch that starts and stops it. Runs off a battery, completely motorized.”
“This is so cool.” Dale said as he peared in the tiny window. Taylor hit the switch to start it. “Oh no, munchkin, this is an outside toy only. Come on out you have one more present.”
Taylor looked around not seeing one “Where?” She threw her little arms up in the air.
Mandy sat her in the floor as Dale disappeared into the other room. When he reappeared Steve made sure the camera was on Taylor seeing what Dale had. All of a sudden Taylor was barreled over by a 6 month old sheepdog puppy. “Eeeppuppy. Eeeppuppy.” Taylor screamed as she chased the puppy all over the room.
“A sheepdog? Dale do you know how big that dog is going to get?” Michael asked.
“Yeah, but every time we went to the pet store to get cat food she would run to the books on dogs and pick up the one on sheepdogs. Then we took her to see one and she fell in love with it. We couldn’t get her anything else.”
“Dale do you realize that you are married, you have 5 kids, 2 cats, and a dog. How much confusion do you need in your life?” Steve asked joining them.
“Yeah, well, just wait till I win that championship this year.”
Chapter 12
Christmas came and went and was very much the same as Taylor’s birthday. There was an obscene amount of presents for all five kids and it was decided that the families’ would be talked to before the holidays rolled around again. Dale and Mandy couldn’t allow this kind of spoiling to go on, these kids may have the name of Earnhardt but they weren’t allowing them to get use to things being handed to them.
On New Year’s day Hailey Nicole came home from the hospital and Dale and Mandy were told that Isabella would follow soon. Quickly, life became very hectic, 4 kids at home, Mandy was still trying to help Lexie with the wedding plans( which had been set for Mother‘s Day weekend), and now Dale was at the shop more and more preparing for Daytona.
Dale came home one evening, from the shop, only to find Taylor sitting in the living room floor surrounded by all 3 babies. Taylor was obviously upset but still trying to hush the babies, who were all crying, the best she could. “Tay, where is mommy.”
She looked up at him her big brown eyes rimmed with tears and pointed towards their bedroom door. “She sad.” .
Dale looked down the hall but picked up Taylor instead. “You are doing a great job with them. Want to help me feed them?” She buried her head in his neck and hugged him. He carried her to the kitchen and warmed three bottles. “What happened with mommy?” He asked looking at Taylor as he waited for the bottles.
“Dey keep crying. Momma yelled at us den went in dare.” She pointed towards the bedroom.
Dale took a deep breath, he knew Mandy was having a hard time adjusting to all this but he didn’t realize it was this bad. Who knew how long she had been in there. Something had to give and he knew what it was. They took the bottles back in the living room and Taylor ‘helped’ Dale feed the babies. After he got them down to sleep he turned to Taylor. “Will you take Winston (her sheepdog) and go play in your room, while daddy goes and talks to mommy. I will make you dinner in a few minutes, Mac and Cheese?”
She shook her head excitedly and ran from the room. “Cmon. Winton.” Dale laughed as the puppy chased after her.
He slowly opened the door to their bedroom, Mandy was laying face down on the bed and he could tell from there that she was crying. “Mandy?” He said quietly sitting on the edge of the bed placing a hand on her lower back. His fingers slipped under the shirt she was wearing and traced small circles on her skin. “Baby?”
“I am a horrible mother.” She said not moving or looking at him.
“No you’re not. Come here.” He laid back and pulled her upper body to his chest. “Baby, you are just stressed out, you need help, we need help. You can’t do this alone, hell I don’t think we can do it alone. We can’t keep expecting Kelly and Lexie to be here as much as they have. None of us can go on like this but it doesn’t mean you are a horrible mother, it means we have 5 kids who are very demanding and you can‘t be everywhere at once. You are the best mother I have ever seen and there are 4 kids out there who agree with me. Why are you so against a nanny? You let a maid service come in twice a week to clean so why not take the help with the kids.”
She looked at him and then away. “Its going to mean I failed at my job as a mother, that I couldn’t handle it.”
“Mandy, that is not what it means at all. 4 kids is a lot for anyone and soon its going to be 5 kids. No one can do this, no one can keep their eye on all of them at once. Look we are going to start looking for a nanny, I will place an ad and talk to some people to get some names. ” She looked at him. “Mandy, I am putting my foot down on this one, you can’t go on like this. You are going to drive yourself insane and hell, maybe it will give us a little more time to ourselves.”
“I am sorry, I know you are right, this isn‘t fair to you.” She kissed his jaw.
“You have nothing to be sorry about. I love my life, my kids, and you more than anything.” He pulled her farther up his body and his mouth found hers. He slipped his tongue into her mouth as she rolled them over. “But I do miss this.“ Her hands trailed down his back as his mouth ran down her neck. He suddenly stopped and groaned.
“What, what’s wrong?” She asked as her hand slipped under the waist band of his jeans and tickled that one certain spot on his lower back that she knew drove him crazy.
He moaned as her fingers gently brushed over that spot at the base of his tail bone. “God, baby, you have to stop that. I don’t want you to but you have to.”
“Why?”
“Cause I have to go make Tay, Mac and Cheese.”
“Shit, I didn’t feed the kids.”
“Stop. The babies are fed and sleeping and Taylor is playing with Winston, she’s fine. I am serious, I love us, all of this. I wouldn’t change anything.”
As they got up and headed to the kitchen, he stopped her and found her lips again in a passionate kiss. Well maybe I would change one thing. He thought, really just wanting to make love to his wife right now.
Over the next couple of weeks, they interviewed several candidates for the nanny position. Mandy and Dale had it narrowed down to a few different people. They decided they were going to have second interviews with each of them only this time they were allowing Taylor to meet each of them to see how they reacted to her and vice versa.
The first candidate was a widowed woman in her early 50’s. She was very sweet and had worked in and out of day cares most of her life. Dale and Mandy liked her a lot but Taylor was rather timid around her, which was odd. Taylor loved everyone and was very out going. Mandy was also worried that with her age, the traveling and dealing with 5 children under the age of 3 would be to much to handle.
The second candidate was a young woman in her early 20’s. She was extremely sweet and caring, Taylor seemed to like her ok but she didn’t have a lot of experience with children and although she was up for the traveling, Dale was concerned that she wouldn’t have the maturity and patience to handle all 5 kids at once.
“Two down, one to go. This isn’t going well.” Mandy said looking at the application of the third candidate.
“Well, third times a charm.” Dale said heading to the front door.
“Hi, Mr. Earnhardt. I am Keith Becker.” He stuck out his hand.
“Hi, Keith, please come in.” He led him to the den where Mandy was. “Call me Dale and this is my wife Mandy.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” He shook her hand.
“Same here.”
“Please have a seat.” Dale and Mandy sat across from him. “Thanks for coming today. We just want to go over a few more things and we would like to introduce you to our daughter.”
“Sure, whatever you need to know and I would love to meet her. I really appreciate the second interview, I was thrilled when I received your message.”
“So, Keith, I saw that you have a big background in nursing. Why did you give that up?”
“I loved being a nurse and I love kids. I moved down here several months ago and when I did I wanted to get into pediatric nursing but there weren’t any openings. I have a friend who was nursing but was hired on as a nanny and he said it was so fulfilling and he loved being with the kids.”
“So you are ok with living here and all the traveling we do? I know you just moved down here, will it be a problem to give up your place?”
“I am actually staying with friends right now, so a place to live would be great.” He laughed. “And I am fine with the traveling. I have to admit I am not much of a racing fan and don’t know anything about the sport however.”
Dale laughed, “You’d be surprised how refreshing that actually is. As long as you can take care of my kids and they stay happy and healthy and safe, you can root for Rusty Wallace for all I care.”
Mandy laughed. “I am going to get Taylor. Oh, I hope you like animals. We seem to have a 3 ring circus going on here.”
Keith looked at Dale. “She’s not wrong. 5 kids, 2 cats, 1 dog.”
“That’s fine actually, I love animals. Now your other daughter, I am sorry I am not sure of her name, is still in the hospital?”
“Yes, Isabella, she will be coming home in two weeks actually. Right about the time I am headed to Daytona. Mandy will be staying home. I hate that cause I want her in Daytona with me but she doesn’t feel it will be enough time for you to get use to all of them and I think maybe she is scared to leave Belle that soon.”
Mandy and Taylor walked in with Winston hot on their heels. “The cats usually stay to themselves but Winston is with her always. Taylor this is Keith. Keith this is Taylor.”
“This is Winton.” She said petting the puppy.
“Well, hi there Winston.” He leaned down petting the dog himself. “And it’s nice to meet you Taylor.”
She grinned up at him. Dale and Mandy walked out of the room to discuss Keith. When they came back their decision had been made. Keith, Taylor, and Winston were all sitting on the floor, Taylor in Keith’s lap Winston laying right beside him, reading one of her Elmo books. “I think we have a winner.” Dale said as he grinned and wrapped his arms around Mandy.
“Keith, so I take it you would be happy here?”
“Yes, she is great. She is so smart for a three year old.”
“Well, Taylor seems to love you and we both would be very happy if you would accept the job.”
“Wow, thanks so much. I would love to.”
“Great,” Dale said shaking Keith’s hand and helping him off the floor. “So when can you start?”
“Well, it’s getting kind of late, I can move my stuff in tomorrow or whenever is good for you.”
“Tomorrow is fine. We actually already have a room ready. You are more than welcome to paint if you would like. We want to make this your home too. Come on I will show you the room, then the rest of the house. Mandy said as Taylor grabbed Keith’s hand and led him out of the room.
They led him around the house showing him where everything was. They made the babies room their final stop. “We are keeping them all in one room right now but have separate rooms ready for them once they get bigger. That’s what the empty rooms were for.”
Keith headed out but told them that he would be back in the morning at 9 to start getting settled.
“Well, I think we did good today.” Dale said getting ready for bed.
“Yeah, I am really glad you talked me into this. He seems perfect for this.” She slid into the bed next to him and immediately started kissing him. As she rolled on top of him and dropped her kisses to his neck, they heard cries come from the other room. “Damn.”
He rolled her over on to her back and kissed her collar bone. “I got it.” By the time he got back to the room Mandy was curled up asleep hugging his pillow. “And my princess sleeps.” He slipped back into bed gently and replaced his pillow with his body. “Love you baby.” He wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled closer to him and closed his eyes.
Chapter 13
Before they new it February was upon them and Dale had to leave for Speedweeks. “I know you are leery about leaving with Isabella just getting home but they wouldn’t have let her go if she wasn’t ready and Keith can handle it, especially if we take Taylor with us.”
“Baby, I know you want me there and I would love to be there but I’m just not ready to leave them.” She saw the disappointment in Dale’s eyes. “Dale.”
“It’s ok.” He looked down not wanting to meet her stare. “I had better get going.” He walked into the nursery and kissed the babies bye. “Taylor you ready?”
She came running down the hall pulling her Barbie suitcase behind her. “ready ready.” Mandy picked her up and carried her to the truck fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. She knew how much she was disappointing Dale and she wanted to go she was just scared to. Dale put the suitcases in the back then picked up Winston.
“I can’t believe you are taking him.” Mandy said as Dale put the puppy in the back with Taylor.
“What? He can stay in the coach and they couldn’t handle being separated for two weeks. They would go crazy.” Mandy cringed at his words knowing they were aimed at her. “We better go.”
Mandy stepped up to Dale. “I love you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her to him. “I love you to.” His kissed and hugged her then got in the truck.
“Be good for daddy and Buffy.” She said looking at Taylor. “Be careful. Talk to you tonight?”
“Yeah, we will call when we get settled.” He slowly pulled out of the drive and waved as he headed for the interstate.
About 4 days before the Daytona 500 Dale had a sponsor meeting then an autograph signing so Taylor was spending the day with Buffy and Macy then spending the night over at Lexie and Steve’s.
Dale sat at the table signing autograph after autograph, wishing he was at home with his family or at least at his coach with Taylor. He really hadn’t noticed any of the faces of the several hundred people who had filed through the line in front of him until one particular one forced his attention upward. A photo was slid in front of him he scribbled his signature on it and started to slide it back across the table when he realized something was under it. He lifted the photo to find a hotel key, he slowly looked up and found himself staring into the face of a beautiful early twenty something blond with a figure that he was sure could be on the pages of Playboy. She smiled and took the photo, winking as she started to walk away.
Dale looked at the key in his hand. “Excuse me. Here.” He held out his hand. “I am not going to need this.”
She looked at him and still just smiled. Finally she leaned over the table giving him a perfect shot down her tank at her supple breasts. “Come on baby. Your wife just had 4 kids, your telling me you are getting what you need on a regular basis.” She eyed him, “I am guessing it’s been a while. You’re here in Daytona all alone, go figure, so am I.” She stood and turned and walked away leaving Dale to stare at her and the key.
The next person in line stepped up and they moved through the rest of the line fairly quickly. “Are we done here?” Dale asked Jade.
“Yeah, your free till tomorrow at 10am.”
“Cool, it’s what 7pm. I am headed to the condo. See ya later.”
Dale hopped in his truck, he hadn’t planned on driving down like he use to but Mandy told him he would enjoy the time for just him and Taylor. He was thankful now that he had listened to her. As he drove to the condo he thought about the hotel key in his pocket, she had been right, it had been a long time since he and Mandy had been together. “Hell, when was the last time?” He thought back, she had been a few months pregnant. That was over 9 months ago, he had thought about it but it never was a huge deal. Since Isabella came home they couldn’t get two let alone all 5 of the kids asleep at the same time. If they did get 15 minutes to themselves they slept through it.
Dale pulled the key out and stared at it. Room 324 Embassy Suites. He loved his kids more than his life but he missed those nights of passion he and Mandy use to have. Their relationship had become one of friendship more so than of lust. Granted so many people say that is what is suppose to happen but Dale refused to believe that it is suppose to happen before their 2nd anniversary. He wanted a night filled with passion, lust, sex. He wanted to feel wanted and needed again. He looked at the key again. He knew what he had to do to get what he wanted. He grabbed his cell phone as he pulled into the lot.
Chapter 14
Keith hung up the phone. “Who was that?” Mandy asked.
“Kelly. She is thinking of heading to Daytona and wants to know if you want to go.”
“So why didn’t she ask me? Oh, Karsyn was getting into something she shouldn’t be in, Kelly said she would call back in a little while.”
“Oh,” Mandy laughed. “Well, let her know thanks but no thanks.”
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why won’t you go?” Keith questioned her not letting her let it go. “And don’t give me that about me not being ready. I have been here for over 3 and a half weeks now, I can take care of these 4 and you know it.”
“I know, I have every bit of faith in you. I trust you completely with my children. You have been amazing these past 3 weeks.”
“Thank you, then what is the problem.”
Mandy looked at him. Keith had become a very good friend to both Dale and Mandy along with a great mentor for the kids. “I am scared.”
Keith looked confused. “Of what?”
“Do you know how long it has been since Dale and I have been together?” She looked down at the ground. “Intimately.”
“Well, then why aren’t you on the next plane down there? What on earth do you have to be scared of?”
“I don’t know, I just am nervous. My body has changed, it’s been a long time, it will be like our first time all over again.”
“Even more fun. Listen that boy loves you and wants to be with you forever.”
Dale sat on the bed and stared at the wall. He wondered if Mandy would find out, maybe he was making a mistake. He felt bad lieing to her but he knew she wouldn’t come down and she probably wouldn’t be at the track next week either. This was the only way to get what he wanted. He had plenty of time because Lexie wouldn’t expect him till tomorrow morning to take Taylor to daycare. He hated leaving his daughter for so long but again he needed to in order to keep this a secret.
“Come on, Keith is fine with the kids. That is what you hired him for. Come with me and Karsyn to Daytona, Dale will be so happy and surprised to see you.”
Mandy looked up at Keith who was setting her bags by the door already. She laughed. “Well, I think I am being kicked out of my own house so, what the hell, let’s go to Daytona.”
“Yea, we will pick you up on the way. See you in 30 minutes.”
“Ok, hint taken.” She said staring at a grinning Keith. “You sure you are going to be ok here with all four of them?”
“We will be fine. Now you go and take care of that husband of yours.” He winked.
The plane ride was fairly short and there was a car waiting to take them to the track. “Actually, Mandy needs to be dropped off at the condo.” Kelly told the driver giving him the address. “I will be staying at the track.”
It was almost 11pm before the driver set Mandy’s bag on the ground and helped her from the car. “You guys have a good night and I will see you tomorrow at the track.”
“OK, thanks Kelly.” Mandy waved and headed up the sidewalk to the condo. She opened the door and the whole place was completely dark. “He should have been back from the signing hours ago, Maybe something came up at the track.” She muttered to herself. “I will just get unpacked and wait for him.” She headed down the hall towards the bedroom. She pushed the door open to find the room filled with vanilla candles, the bed was covered with red and white rose petals. “What the…” She noticed the bathroom light on and slowly made her way to it. “Dale?”
When she opened the door she found Dale in the sunken tub with bubbles up to his chest, two glasses of champagne, a tray of strawberries and a grin a mile wide on his face. “About time, I was beginning to wonder if Kelly and Keith didn’t pull it off.”
“Pull what off…this was all a set up wasn’t it? Kelly called Keith cause you knew I wouldn‘t come down otherwise.”
“Actually I called Keith, not Kelly, and they did the rest. Very sneaky those two.”
“I wouldn’t say they are the sneaky ones.”
He grinned. “Uh huh, now very slowly take off all your clothes, remember very slowly and come join me.” He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned even larger at the thought of watching her strip.
She thought of lecturing him on not telling her the truth but right now his idea sounded a lot better than hers. Her hands trembled as she found the buttons on her blouse and slowly started unbuttoning them one by one. She was extremely nervous but wanted to make sure she took her time to give him the show he deserved. “Where is our daughter?”
His eyes dropped to her now exposed belly. “Lexie and Steve’s. We need to get her by 9:30am cause I have to meet Jade at the track at 10am but let’s worry about that tomorrow.” He watched as she slowly slid her jeans down her hips, running her hands over her thighs seductively. It took every bit of self control he had to not get out of that tub and take her right there.
She walked over to the edge of the tub and all her worries and inhabitions were lost as she looked into the eyes of her husband. She realized just how long it had been. She bent down and kissed him gently allowing his hands to find the clasp of her bra and push the straps down her arms. She then stood back up and his mouth found her naval as his hands found the lace of her panties and slid them over her hips and down her legs. As she stepped out of the panties she stepped into the tub and into the waiting arms of her husband. She sank down into the water and leaned against Dale’s chest as his hands explored over her body. “God, it feels good to be here with you like this. It’s been so long.” She half turned to find his mouth with her own.
“Too long.” He let his mouth drop gentle kisses down her neck and over her shoulders. She shivered even in the hot water at the sensations taking over her body. He pulled her against him and sank down in the water a little farther. The bubbles were level with their chins now and he just laid there, savoring the feeling of having her in his arms.
“Dale, don’t stop. Please.” She said running her hands up his thighs. Before she could reach what she was searching for, his hands stopped hers. “Dale?”
“We have all night baby. Just relax and enjoy it.” She protested at first but was soon lulled into a peaceful rest as Dale slowly washed her entire body. The stress and weariness of the past few months were washed away as Dale made his way from her toes to the back of her neck. He could feel the tension leaving her shoulders as he massaged them. He pulled her back into his arms again and they stayed that way, feeding each other strawberries and finishing off the bottle of champagne, until the water started to cool.
Dale finally stepped out of the tub wrapping a towel around his waist to Mandy’s disappointment. He saw her grin. “What?” He extended his hand and helped her out and into an oversize towel.
“Oh, nothing. It’s just I liked the view before the towel.” She ran her hands over his chest playing with the water droplets that were slowly sliding down towards the towel. He felt her hands at the juncture of his waist and the towel, as her arms slipped around his waist her fingers found that spot on his tailbone and Dale scooped her up in his arms.
“Ok, we have waited long enough.” He carried her over to the bed and she started laughing. As he laid her on the bed and stood back up he took her towel with him. He took a deep breath as he marveled in the vision before him.
He started to walk back towards the bathroom with her towel. “Hey, no fair.” She reached out and yanked the bottom of his towel and left him standing naked in the middle of the bedroom. “Now, that’s better.” She grinned laying back down.
“Oh you think, do you?” Without taking a step he lunged on the bed and her like a little kid. He attacked her body and started tickeling her until she was laughing so hard the tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Stop, Dale stop.” He finally let up and started kissing the tears off her face. Her still moist skin felt like silk under his fingers as he trailed them all the way from her collarbone down to her belly. He knew she was slightly uncomfortable with her new figure. She hadn‘t gotten rid of all the baby weight but he found her slightly rounded belly very sexy. He let his fingers find her breasts and roll her nipple between them as he found her mouth with his own. She moaned into his mouth as his fingers continued their assult. “Dale, please.”
“We have all night baby.”
“I know but I want you right now. I need you, it’s been so long.” She ran her hands down his spine to his butt pulling him closer to her. She could feel his hardness against her opening.
He couldn’t lie, he wanted her just as bad as she wanted him. “I love you so much baby.” He pushed himself into her and gasped at the sensations that flowed through him. Maybe it was the amount of time that had passed since they had made love, maybe it was the new shape of her body since being pregnant, he couldn’t explain it but it was like they were making love for the first time and he couldn’t stop his climax which was building quickly. Too quickly. “Mandy, I am not going to be able to last.” He pushed his hand between them and tried to help bring her quicker but he knew it wasn’t going to be enough.
He had completely stopped moving and she saw the discomfort flash across his face. She rolled them over so she was straddling him and pushed herself farther down on top of him, forcing him to go deeper into her. She started moving up and down him not giving him the option to stop.
“Mandy, God, Mandy. I can’t stop this if you don’t…”
“So don’t stop it, baby let it go. It’s ok.” She wouldn’t even allow his hands to roam her body this time instead, she held his wrists at her thighs. She had decided this was all about him and she sped up her movements, suddenly his hands grabbed her hips and he pushed her down even harder onto him as his orgasm rocked through him like he couldn‘t believe.
He pulled her down to him and kissed her gently. “So much for all night, huh? I am so sorry baby. What was that a whole 5 minutes.” He felt like a complete ass. “God, I feel like I am freaking 18 again and can’t control my own body. I didn’t think I would ever have to deal with this again.”
She laughed running her hand down his cheek. “Dale it’s ok, nine months is a long time.”
“It was just as long for you and I don’t see you ruining our first night together.”
“You didn’t ruin anything but if you don’t do something to finish what you’ve started, I am going to have to finish it myself and hell, I could have done that at home.”
Before she knew what had happened he flipped her onto her back and buried his face between her legs. Her smell and taste were intoxicating and he was enjoying this almost as much as she was. Almost. She grasped at the sheets with one hand and found the back of his neck with her other. She held his head in place as she thrashed on the bed. “Dale, holy, oh Dale.” The sensations rocked her body and Dale gently pushed himself up to her face to face.
His hand stroking her sweaty body. “You ok?”
“Uh huh. I love you baby.” She leaned up and kissed him tasting herself on his lips.
They spent the rest of the night making up for the past nine months, several hours later falling asleep in the warmth of each others arms. The next morning Dale and Mandy drug themselves from the bed and each others arms to go get their daughter. They climbed into the truck and Dale pulled it out onto the main road headed for the track. Mandy was content just being there the two of them, she had missed Taylor greatly but it was nice just being them for right now. She reached to turn the station on the radio when she saw the hotel key. “What is this?” She asked picking up the key.
“Oh, some chick gave it too me yesterday. It always amazes me at how pushy and obnoxious these girls can be.” Mandy was silent staring at the key. “I meant to throw it out but just forgot about it.” He said it so nonchalantly.
“Oh.”
Dale heard the tone then saw the look on her face. “NO, don’t. I didn’t even think about it. That key is what made me decide to trick you into getting here. I called Kelly yesterday right after the autograph session and asked her to help me get you here.”
“It’s ok.” She just stared out the window.
Dale pulled the truck into the driver’s coach section and parked but grabbed her before she could get out. “Mandy, look at me. Mandy.” He forced her to look at him. “I love you, you are the only one I want.”
“What did she say?”
“What does it matter? She was some pit lizard slut whom I don’t care anything about. I don’t even know her name.”
“Please.” He could see the tears as they threatened to fall.
He sighed deeply. “I don’t know something about, I was here alone and so was she. Something about how with the kids there is no way we could be together the way we wanted to be. She slid it to me at the autograph session, in front of everyone. Mandy, it doesn’t matter. ”
“She was right.”
“What?”
“I haven’t been fair to you. You had to go for nine months and really with no good reason, just because I was busy and tired.”
“No good reason? For months you took care of our 5 kids, our house, everything, that to me is a damn good reason. And the only thing she was right about was the fact that, yeah, it had been too long for us and that’s why you are here now. Baby, I love you with all my heart and always will. No one will ever change that.”
She just looked at him and opened the door, slowly walking towards Steve’s coach. Dale hopped out of the truck. “Damn.” Slamming the door behind him. Mandy was at the door before he could say anything else.
“Mandy! Oh my God, I am so glad you are here.” Lexie yelled hugging her.
“Mommy.” Taylor and Winston came running from the back bedroom. “eve and me paying games.”
“You were, were you winning?”
“Uh huh.”
Lexies noticed the look on Dales face then saw the tears in Mandy’s eyes. She looked to Dale, he just shook his head and shrugged. “Mandy, I need to go meet Jade.”
“Ok.”
He walked over to her and Taylor, hugging and kissing Taylor. “I have to run munchkin, but we will play tonight ok.” She shook her head kissing him back. “Mandy, are we ok?” She just nodded. “Mandy, we will talk about this later. I love you.”
She was silent as he walked to the door, his head hung. He had a meeting with Jade then was going to practice. She had vowed to never let him get in that car while they were in a fight or with unfinished business, not in his line of work. She handed Taylor to Lexie and followed him out the door. “Dale!” She called after him walking towards him. He stopped and turned to her. “I am not ok with this, I will never be ok with woman throwing themselves at my husband. No matter how hard I try to push the jealousy away, it will always be there. I am human and I can‘t stop it, I just try to control it and to not let it show or upset you.”
“Mandy.”
She put her finger to his mouth, “But I trust you and I love you. It is upsetting, you know, I am not the same girl you married. I see these woman walking around here and I can’t help but think that you still find those girls attractive, you’d be insane not too. I am a couple sizes bigger and…”
“Stop right now. I don’t care about that shit. You should know that by now. I love you for who you are. And for the record you are still as perfect as the day I met you.”
“I wasn’t exactly small the day we met, I was nine months pregnant.”
“Exactly, I fell in love with you that day. You have been my everything since then. I will love you forever.” He pulled her to him and gently pressed his lips to hers. “Don‘t ever try and hide any jealousy or anything from me. If you are upset, please tell me so we can talk about it. It would be a hell of lot more upsetting to me to think you were dealing with something on your own just so you didn‘t upset me.” He kissed her again. “Ok, promise?” She nodded her head and hugged him to her. “Are you coming out for practice?”
“I will see you in the pits.” She pulled away from him and he started to head towards the garage. “Dale?”
“Yeah,” He turned again.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” He grinned again, blew her a kiss and disappeared around the corner.
Chapter 15
The next couple of days were a little tense for Dale and Mandy. Mandy was obviously still upset over the hotel key incident. Mandy and Lexie were sitting on the pit wall talking after practice on Saturday.
“Come on, Dale would never cheat on you.”
“I know, it just got to me you know. God, look at these girls.” She pointed to a group of scatily clad girls no more than 18, hanging on the fence looking for autographs and more. “I mean, jeez, they are at the track not some strip club, plus half these guys are married or in happy relationships, why would you even try to sleep with someone elses boyfriend or husband.” She noticed the leggy blond in the Bud tank top. “I don’t know if I can handle this.”
“What choice do you have?”
“I could not come to the races.”
“Yeah, cause that went so well the first two times you tried it.” Lexie said sarcastically.
Mandy looked at her. “I know. I want to be here. I just don’t want to feel so jealous. I trust him completely and I am not even concerned that he would ever stray but that jealous bone just takes over when I see girls like her.” She pointed to the blond.
Lexie draped her arm around her best friends shoulders. “I wish I knew what to tell you.”
“Don’t you ever get jealous over girls like that.” She pointed to the blonds friend, a redhead wearing a short skirt and a Steve Park baby doll tee.
“I try not to notice them.” Mandy rolled her eyes. “I didn’t say it always worked but I know Steve loves me and I know who he is coming home to every night.”
Just then the guys wandered up and the girls at the fence screamed. “Hey, there you two are. What ya doing?” Steve asked sitting next to Lexie as Dale pulled Mandy to him.
“Trying to figure out how much trouble we would get in if I ripped their hair out by the roots.” Mandy said as Dale looked at the girls.
“Come on let’s go back to the coach.” He wrapped his arm around Mandy’s shoulder. “We will see you guy’s tomorrow.” They headed in the direction of the coach as the girls screamed and Dale ignored them. As they stepped into the coach Dale asked. “Are we ok?”
Mandy looked up at him. “Yeah, of course we are. I just have to find a happy medium with all this. I thought I had it all under control but after these past few days, I am thinking maybe I don’t.” She sat on his lap on the couch. “But I love you and nothing will ever change that.” She kissed his cheek. “You know I would blame it on the raging hormones but I think the time limit is up on that one.” She laughed.
“I love you. You do know that right?”
“Of course I do. That’s not even a question. Which is why this is so stupid. I love you, I know you love me, and I trust you, so why do I still have this jealousy inside me?”
“Cause you are human. If you weren’t a tad bit jealous, I might be worried. I just don’t want to think that you are hurting or trying to deal with something alone that you shouldn’t be. I am worried about you, I don‘t want this to drive you crazy.” He started to kiss Mandy’s neck. “One of us has to be sane with 5 kids running around.” He laughed.
“Isn’t that what we hired Keith for?” She asked as his mouth found the back of her neck. All thoughts left her head but one. “I was going to see what you wanted to do for dinner but I think skipping straight to dessert is a great idea.” He laughed and as she started to stand to lead them to the bedroom he pulled her back down onto the couch. He laid her back on the couch and shifted so his body was covering hers. “You have about 20 minutes.” He looked at her oddly. “We have to get Taylor out of daycare in a half hour.”
As he reached for the button on her jeans he laughed. “Guess I had better hurry.”
Sunday afternoon, Mandy sat atop the Bud War Wagon next to Tony Sr. She was excited to be back at the track, she had missed this so much. Dale was running 2nd to Matt Kenseth in the 500. It was a beautiful day not a cloud in site. The fans were chanting Dale’s name. Mandy looked into the stands at the countless faces and laughed to herself. It was days like today that made her realize whoever the girl was, she was up in those stands somewhere, wishing she was right where Mandy was. There were 50 laps left and Dale was going for the lead. Mandy and Tony Sr. stood to get a better view as they came out of turn 4. As the two cars barreled down the front straightaway they got into each other and both started to spin. All thoughts of jealousy left Mandy’s head as she listened to the squealing tires and the crunching metal.
“Oh shit.”
“Junior? Junior? You ok?” Tony Jr. asked.
Silence.
“Junebug? You hear me? You ok?” Tony Sr. tried.
Still silence.
“Oh God.” Mandy said as she and Tony Sr scurried off the pit box. She knew the daycare wouldn’t have the race on so Taylor had no idea what was going on. She ran towards the infield care center to be there when Dale got there. Lexie and Kelly both caught up to her.
“Mandy slow down, they don’t even have him out of the car yet.” Kelly yelled trying to catch her.
“Mandy!” Lexie finally grabbed her arm and spun her around and saw the shear terror on her face. “He’s going to be fine.”
“Don’t. Don’t start saying things you don’t know for a fact.”
“Mandy…” Kelly started.
“No, everyone told me John would be home safe and sound and they were wrong. I didn’t think I would ever fall in love after John again, let alone find this kind of love. So don’t tell me he’s going to be fine, you don’t know.” Mandy walked into the care center leaving them standing outside to watch as they brought Dale in on a stretcher.
Kelly grabbed Tony Jr. as Tony Sr. followed the paramedics and Dale in. “He ok?”
“He’s unconscious, he just started coming to as they took him off the ambulance. It was a pretty hard hit. Mandy inside already.”
“Yeah.” They brought Matt in next, he was conscious but still on a backboard and a collar around his neck. Kelly looked at Matt as his wife Katie came running up and followed him into the building, the same look of terror on her face.
Inside Dale was conscious but obviously in a haze. “Dale do you know what happened?” The doctor asked. Mandy and tony Sr. stood off to the side watching.
“Yeah, wrecked. Is Matt ok?”
“Yeah, they are cheking him out in another room but I was told he is ok.”
“Thank God. Tell him I am sorry.”
Mandy half laughed and shook her head. “Dale what hurts?”
“My head.”
The doctor turned to Mandy and Tony, “He doesn’t appear to have any broken bones but we are going to transfer him to the hopsital to get a cat scan.”
“Nope.” Dale said suddenly sitting up. “No scan, no hospital.”
“Dale, lay back down.” Mandy said walking to him. “You are going and that’s final.”
He looked at her and could actually see her shaking. He pulled her into his arms. “I am ok.” He whispered into her ear. “I love you.”
“I love you too and that’s why you are going to the hospital.” She looked him in the eye before hugging him back.
He caught the fear in her eye and finally agreed. “Ok, I will go. It’s ok.” He hugged her tight. “But I am walking.” He hopped off the table, pulled his fire suit to his waist, and grabbed Mandy‘s hand. As they headed out the door he saw Matt coming out of the room. “Matt, you ok? Man I am so sorry. I was just racing for the lead.”
“Yeah, man it’s cool. I am ok? You?”
“Yeah, well, they are sending me to the hospital for a scan but yeah, I am fine.”
“Good, that was a pretty hard hit. You see the cars?”
“No, why?”
“Torn to pieces. Don’t think they will be fixing them. Looks like scrap metal.”
“Shit, your kidding.”
“No, no he’s not.” Mandy said. Dale caught the look again. “You ready, the helicopter is waiting?”
“Yeah, I will talk to you later.” He shook Matt’s hand as they headed for the copter pad.
Kelly met them there, “I am getting Karsyn I will get Taylor and meet you at the hospital.
“No, just wait for us back at the coach. I don’t want her to get scared and dragging her to a hospital will do just that.” Dale said as he climbed into the helicopter.
Mandy climbed in next to him. “Dale is right. She will freak out. We will meet you back at the coach as soon as we can.”
Kelly nodded as the copter door shut and they took off.
Later that evening, having been released with nothing more than a bruised ankle, sore neck and one heck of a headache Dale, Taylor and Mandy walked into their own home. Keith met them at the door taking a sleeping Taylor from Dale. “You ok?”
“Yeah, just one hell of a headache.”
“I will put her down, you guys hungry?”
“No, I just want to go to bed.” Dale said.
“Yeah, I agree. Been a long day.” Mandy said.
“Ok, have a good night. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thanks. Good night.”
Dale and Mandy snuck in and kissed the quads before they walked into their bedroom. Dale went straight to the bathroom, grabbing a couple Tylenol and a glass of water. He pulled the tee shirt he was wearing off and headed back to the bedroom stopping in the doorway. He stood and watched Mandy, who had taken off her shirt and pants and slipped into a camisole and shorts, and was sitting on the bed with her back to him. He knew she was really upset all the way around about this past week. What seemed like such a good idea days ago, now seemed like a possible mistake. He wondered if she was still upset over the girl and the hotel key because she had seen him wreck before and had never gotten this upset over it.
He slowly made his way to the bed and knelt behind her. He dropped kisses along the strap of her camisole. She leaned back into him and he suddenly felt her body shaking and realized she was crying. “Hey, oh baby. Come here.” He laid back and pulled her into his arms. “God baby, I am so sorry. This week wasn’t suppose to go like this. It should have been better. Shh.”
“It’s not the week. I don’t care about her anymore, trust me, none of that matters anymore.”
Dale was confused. “Then what, baby?” He smoothed her hair back.
“I saw today just how quickly Taylor could lose her second daddy and the quads could become orphans. How quickly I could become a widow for the second time.”
“Oh Mandy, you can’t think like that.”
“I know, and I try not too. It’s just that wreck. God Dale it was so bad. When you didn’t answer on the scanner, I thought….”
“Shh, it’s ok. I am right here.” He knew there wasn’t anything he could say to calm her down so he just held her until he felt her breathing even out. Once he knew she was asleep he finally closed his eyes and let sleep overcome him.
The next day Mandy woke to find the bed empty. She glanced at the clock and saw how late it was. “10am, why didn’t anyone wake me?”
She got dressed and found Keith and Taylor watching cartoons, the babies asleep in their room. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
“Dale said you needed your rest and their wasn’t anything you needed to do today. He went to the shop about an hour ago, said he would be back for lunch.”
“Oh, ok.”
Over at the shop Dale talked to Ty and Tony about his cat scan, and the set up for the car. “What do we need to do to fix the car?”
Ty looked at him. “Dale there isn’t any fixing the car.”
“What?”
“It’s scrapped. I don’t think we can save anything off of it.” Tony Sr. said.
“Really?”
“You haven’t seen it?”
“No, everyone said it was scrap but I assumed they were over exaggerating.” Dale walked out to the back of the shop where the car was being kept until it went to scrap. He froze at the sight in front of him, it was in pieces. The drivers compartment was barly even recognizable. There didn’t appear to be anything salvageable on it. “Holy shit.”
“Yeah, that’s what we said. You may not have walked out of it but you’re alive, that’s all that matters at this point.”
Dale just stared at the wreckage not believing what he was seeing. He now understood Mandy’s reaction, the look on her face in the care center and the tears in bed the night before. He stopped and thought about Taylor, the quads, his wife. “I have to go.”
“Where you going?”
“Home.”
He walked in the door a few minutes later. It was an unusually warm day for North Carolina in February, so Keith and Taylor had gone out back with Winston and were playing in the back yard. Mandy was in the kitchen watching them throught the window. “Hey, I didn’t think you would be back for another hour or so?” She said turning to face him.
He didn’t say a word, just grabbed her and kissed her with a passion they didn’t have a lot of time to show anymore. He pulled away after a couple of minutes and buried his face in her neck, smelling the vanilla he was so use to. “I love you so much.”
“Dale? What has gotten into you?” She wrapped her arms around him and held him. He glanced over her shoulder at Taylor running around the backyard with Winston hot on her heels. He turned Mandy so she too was watching them.
They stood there for several minutes watching as Taylor fell and Winston licked her all over as she exploded into a fit of giggles. “There isn’t anything in this world more important to me than all of you. I love you more and more everyday. Don’t ever forget that.” He kissed her neck and headed out the back door.
“Daddy.” Taylor said through the giggles. He scooped her up and flew her over his head as Keith disappeared into the house.
A few minutes later Keith and Mandy reappeared with the quads and a blanket. They placed the quads on the blanket and sat down beside them enjoying the sunshine. “Mandy, look.” Keith said.
“Huh? Oh my, Dale. He rolled over all by himself.”
Dale stopped and grinned as he carried Taylor over and sat with them on the ground. He pulled Garrett onto his chest as he laid back. “That’s my boy. You show them how it’s done.” Dale looked at his family and realized he was happier than he ever thought possible. “I love you.” He said as he looked over at Mandy.
“I love you too.”
A few months later, Dale and Mandy stood on the beach where two years earlier they were married. Steve and Lexie were away on their belated honeymoon and Dale and Mandy were taking an extended anniverary/vacation in Daytona before the Pepsi 400. They stood letting the water rush over their feet as he wrapped her in his arms.
“Wow, what a couple of years it has been?” Dale said as he kissed her neck.
She leaned back into him and pulled his arms around her even more. “Yeah well, I am betting, you haven’t seen anything yet.”