“Taylor if you throw one more snow ball at me they are going to have to dig you out of a snowdrift.”
“Geez Jr., we have 9 inches of snow, have some fun.” she said as she piled up another ball of snow.
It nailed Dale right in the back, she giggled as he turned and playfully tackled her sending them both tumbling into a huge drift of snow. After wrestling until they were both soaking wet Dale said “Come on sis, mom’s gonna be worried sick.”
He stuck out his hand and helped her up. They were cutting through an open field because it had been snowing for about 8 hours straight and was really starting to pile up. It had been declared one of the worst storms North Carolina had seen in years and most of the back roads were impassable. Which is why Taylor and Dale were walking. He had started walking towards Teresa’s again when he noticed Taylor lagging behind and yelled at her to hurry up.
“Junior, look.” she pointed to a car that had slid sideways into the ditch in front of Dale’s house.
“What it’s a stuck car, come on, we gotta go.”
“No, Jr., there is someone in the car. What if they are hurt?”
Dale looked back at the car in time to see someone stumble out of the car and collapse. “Shit.” Dale took off towards the car. When he got to it he found a woman kneeling in the snow crying. Even through the bundles of clothing he could see that she was very pregnant. She looked up at him and begged, “please help me.”
“Can you walk?”
“Probably with some help.”
He draped her arm over his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist. They headed towards Teresa’s trudging through the snow the best they could. When they got within site of the house the woman doubled over in pain.
“Fuck, are you in labor?” Dale asked.
“Yes, the ambulance couldn’t make it through.”
“And you thought your car would?”
“I didn’t have much choice, I can’t exactly have this kid alone.” she yelled getting frustrated with him. “Well, boy, he is good to have in an emergency.” she muttered under her breath.
“What?”
“Nothing, look if I am such a problem, leave me, I will do this alone.”
He rolled his eyes, “Taylor, go ahead, get Teresa.” Taylor took off towards the house as fast as she could. Dale picked up the woman and started back through the snow.
He heard Taylor hit the porch and start yelling. “Mom! Mom! Hurry, where are you?”
Teresa ran out on to the porch, “Taylor, what is it?”
She looked at where she was pointing, “Oh my God.” Teresa ran out to meet Dale to help him get the woman in the house. They got her in the living room on the floor and Teresa asked what happened.
“Apparently she went into labor, the ambulance couldn’t make it so she thought her car would, she slid off the road in front of my place.” Teresa just looked at him, “go call 911, Taylor go grab a blanket.” Dale walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone he wasn’t sure why he was acting this way he had no reason to treat her like he was.
Back in the living room Teresa was asking the woman “Honey what is your name?”
“Amanda, call me Mandy. 911 told me they couldn’t make it so I hung up, I knew I had to find help, I am so sorry for all this.” She said as Dale walked back into the room. He met her stare and knew her comment was directed to him, he hadn’t actually made her feel safe and secure. He watched her struggle with her coat as he handed the phone to Teresa. He knelt down beside her and helped her pull her coat off, she pulled her knit hat off and Dale couldn’t help but stare at the dark brown hair that fell to the middle of her back. He figured it would feel like silk if he touched it.
“Mandy, how far along are you?” Teresa asked still talking to the 911 operator.
“Almost nine months.”
“Has your water broke?”
“Yes.”
Taylor came in with blankets and some pillows and her and Dale tried to get her comfortable.
“Dale start timing her contractions.”
“What? Time them how?”
Teresa glared at him “hold her hand when she tries to break it, look at your watch, when she does it again, look at your watch again.”
Mandy actually let out a small giggle and Dale looked at her. “Glad you find all this amusing.”
“Yeah, this is exactly what I call a good time. This baby is about 2 weeks early, I am completely alone out here, yeah this is…” she paused and Dale looked at her “start timing” Dale saw the pain flash across her face as she started trying to breath her way through it. When he saw her start to breath normally he asked if she was ok. “Yeah but they are getting stronger.”
“You said you were alone, there isn’t anyone I can call for you?”
“No.”
“No one? The father?”
“No!” she took a breath “I am sorry, the father isn’t, well he isn’t around. I just moved here a couple of months ago, I don’t know anyone.”
Dale looked at her, really looked at, she was very beautiful, but her brown eyes showed a loneliness and fear deep inside of them and he felt there was once a spark and fire there, that was looking to find it’s way back to the surface. “Stop timing” she said as another contraction hit her hard. Dale looked at his watch and grabbed her hand trying to comfort her the best he could.
“Three minutes.” he yelled to Teresa.
“What?” Teresa walked back into the room. “Shit, ok we are going to have to deliver this baby ourselves.”
“You are kidding right? We don’t know how to deliver a baby, we can’t do this.”
“Look they are trying to get an ambulance to us but Coddle Creek is completely covered in snow and they can’t get through.”
“Teresa…”
“Dale, this girl is in labor she is going to have this baby in a few minutes, now if you can figure out how to stop it by all means but until then either help me or get out.”
Taylor stood in the doorway looking at all of them not knowing what was going to happen. Dale looked over at Mandy, who now had tears running down her cheeks, “What do you need me to do?”
“OK, Taylor go grab some towels and get a baby blanket out of Karsyns room. We need to get her out of those wet clothes. Dale go grab a couple more blankets and get a robe out of my bathroom.”
“I am so sorry for all of this.” Mandy said through tears.
“Nonsense, honey, everything is going to be fine. I am just glad they found you when they did.” Teresa was so calm, Mandy was almost convinced. Teresa had helped her get out of her wet clothes and Dale ran back in the room “Here ya…oh shit” Dale stopped as he realized Teresa hadn’t gotten Mandy covered back up yet. He turned 3 shades of red and turned around very quickly. Mandy saw his embarrassment and as she pulled the blanket up over her chest she tried to lighten the mood. “Now don’t get all modest on me, your about to see a lot more than that.” Dale turned back around and met her stare.
“Put the blankets and robe over there and help her sit up a little bit more.” Teresa put the phone onto speaker so the operator could talk to all of them at once. She was going to talk them through the delivery. Teresa went into the kitchen to get some water and Taylor laid the towels on the floor.
Dale helped Mandy sit up and when he saw how much trouble she was having supporting herself he slid behind her and leaned against the couch. He pulled her back against him gently so she was sitting between his legs. He was completely supporting her weight when the next contraction hit. Dale grabbed her hands in his and whispered in her ear, “It’s ok, you can do this. You’re not alone.”
Mandy felt a shiver go down her back as his breath his her neck, “Oh God, I think this baby is coming.”
“Mom, you may want to get in here.” Taylor yelled.
Teresa sat the water down and Taylor dipped a towel in it and started wiping the sweat off Mandy’s forehead.
The operator walked them through the delivery and Teresa was cutting the umbilical cord when the front door opened. “Hey were are finally here, didn’t think we would ever make it…what the hell?” Dales other sister Kelly and her three year old daughter Karsyn walked into the living room.
“Just a little excitement around here today.” Teresa smiled as she wrapped up the baby in the blanket. “Mandy, Kelly, Kelly, Mandy. By the way Mandy, it’s a girl.” she said as she put the baby in Mandy’s arms.
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.
Taylor sat down next to Mandy, “Ooo can I hold her? What are you going to name her?
“Sure” Mandy put the baby in her arms. “Well, I have been trying to choose between a couple different names and now one seems perfect.”
“What is it?” Teresa asked.
“I have always thought I would name my daughter Taylor. Now it seems perfect.” she smiled at Taylor holding her new daughter. “Taylor Louise.”
“Cool.” Taylor said “Hi there Taylor Louise.” Kelly’s daughter Karsyn came over and crawled up on the couch by Taylor, they sat there making faces at the new baby.
“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.
2
Later that night.
“Earth to Junior.”
Dale sat staring at the tv pretending to watch his buddies play video games.
“You’re up.”
“Huh, oh, nah, don’t want to play.”
“Dude, what the hell has you so zoned out tonight?”
“I don’t know, still thinking about today, I guess.”
“Man, I still can’t believe you helped deliver a baby, how weird was that?”
“That’s just it, at first I was totally freaked out but all of a sudden it all seemed right. Like it was what I was suppose to be doing. I don’t know I can’t explain it.”
“So, what’s the problem then?”
Dale looked away from the paused game and at his friends. “I don’t even know this woman’s last name but I can’t get her out of my head. I mean I can understand my still thinking of the baby but it’s her. I can’t stop, I want…” he looked back at the game.
“You want what?”
He was silent for a minute, “her”
His friends just looked at him. No one said anything they all knew Dale too well. He didn’t fall for women he didn’t know, he was more cautious than that. He had to be, his entire life as he knew it could be in jeopardy if he fell for the wrong woman. Finally, one of his friends spoke up, “Think about it, when was the last time a woman got in your head like this, and not in your bed first.” Dale laughed. “All I am saying is do what you think is right, what you want to do. Go get to know her, you said she is alone here, be her friend, you have to start somewhere. I bet she could use a friend now for sure. You know we will stand behind you no matter what.”
Dale grabbed the game controller and grinned, “So who’s ready to get their ass kicked.”
Two Days Later
The nurse rolling a wheelchair into the room asked Mandy if she was ready to go home.
“Yes, but there is one small problem. My car is stuck in a snowdrift with my keys, purse, wallet, everything in it. I don’t really know anyone in town, I am not sure how I am going to get home.”
“Well, your ride is already here.” She pushed the door open, “You can come on in.” she called into the hallway.
Dale walked in, Mandy looked at him in shock, “What are you doing here?” she was happy to see him. She figured she wouldn’t see him again and even though she felt it was wrong for her to feel this way already, there was a connection she couldn’t explain.
“Personal chauffer.” he grinned at a sleeping Taylor, “Ready to go home?”
She smiled “More than you know.”
After they were in the car and on their way Mandy asked, “How did you know?”
“On my way home that night I saw your car and figured I would make sure it was locked up. That’s when I saw your keys and purse still in it. I remembered you saying you didn’t know anyone so I figured you would need a ride. I also noticed the damage on the front of your car, so called the guys, got it pulled out of the ditch and towed to the shop. I am surprised you weren’t banged up more. The car had some pretty heavy damage underneath where you hit the ditch.”
“Great, how much is this going to cost me.” Mandy asked.
Dale grinned at her. He had an answer to that question but thought twice about saying what was on his mind. “It’s done and taken care of.”
The grin didn’t get pass her and she was wondering what he was thinking, “I can’t let you do that. I will definitely pay you back.”
“There isn’t anything to pay back. This is what these guys do, hell they had it done in an hour. I got your address off your driver’s license and we took it to your place.”
“You say it like none of this was a problem.”
“That’s because it wasn’t.” he said as he pulled into her driveway. He took Taylor from her as she climbed out of the truck very gently. She moaned from the movement and that caught Dale’s attention, “You all right?”
“Yeah, just a little sore. Big truck.”
“Man I am sorry, I should have drove the car not the truck.”
She laughed as he handed her, her keys. “What is so funny?”
“If the worst thing you have done is drive the truck instead of a smaller car, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.” she said as she opened the door and flipped on the lights. She stopped and looked around her small living room in shock. “And…oh my god…this more than makes up for it.” There were balloons, flowers, stuffed animals and other baby toys everywhere.
“Well, are you going to let us in or not, it is cold out here.” he laughed as she stepped aside to let him in.
“Don’t you think you have done enough all ready? This is amazing.”
He noticed the tears in her eyes, “Hey this wasn’t suppose to make you cry.”
“No, I am sorry it just made me remember” she paused “nothing, here I will go put her in her crib.” She said taking Taylor from him and quickly leaving the room.
Dale’s eyes fell back onto a photo he saw the day before while decorating, it was a wedding photo, her wedding photo. There was no ring on her hand but he had seen what appeared to be a gold band on a chain around her neck. Yet she said the father wasn’t around. And what on earth could he have reminded her of and got her all upset. There was definitely a lot more to this woman than met the eye. He didn’t notice her walk back in the room but she certainly noticed the photo he was staring at. As she looked at the photo she thought she wasn’t ready to this, “I really appreciate everything but I am really tired and thought I would try and get some rest while she is asleep.”
He spun around at the sound of her voice and she saw the disappointment he was trying to cover, “Oh yeah, what was I thinking of course you are tired. I will get out of your way.” He saw her glance at the photo and he headed to the door.
Now she felt bad, “You are not in the way I am just…”
“No, really, it is ok.” he said glancing back at the photo. “You need to get your rest.”
“Think fast Mandy, don’t let him leave like this.” she thought to herself as he had his hand on the door knob. “I am not married anymore.” She hadn’t planned on saying that.
“It’s none of my business. But I am not upset to hear it.”
“No, it’s not your business and I didn’t mean to say it but it is the truth. I really am tired and want to lay down but why don’t you come over for dinner tomorrow night. We will call it a thank you dinner. If you don‘t have other plans that is.”
She looked up at him, “I would love to but I am cooking you dinner, the new mom doesn’t need to be in the kitchen on her feet yet. You remember how to get to my place? Remember driving your car into my ditch. Say around 6?” he laughed.
“Smart ass, yes I remember. We will be there. And I will try and hit the driveway this time.”
3
Despite Taylor waking her several times during the night, it was the first decent night of sleep Mandy had gotten in months and as much as she didn’t want to admit it, she knew Dale was the reason why.
“How can I be going out on a date, it hasn’t even been 6 months?” she said in tears on the phone.
“Listen to me, John would have wanted you to move on. He would have wanted you to be happy and find someone to help you with Taylor. And anyway look at it as making a new friend, it doesn’t have to be a date. Just go and have fun.” her best friend and sister in law said.
“I know it’s just so hard. I thought it would be easier out here.”
“I know, and as soon as I can, I am getting my ass out there to see you. Look, I knew my brother better than anyone. He would be ok with this. Go! Have fun and no expectations.”
“Thanks, I love you.”
“I love you too, call me anytime. I will see you soon.”
“Bye” Mandy said and hung up.
Dale heard her car pull into the drive a couple of minutes earlier but she had yet to get out of the car. “Dude, she’s thinking about leaving, get out there.” he thought. He looked out the window a few more seconds before heading out the door.
When she saw the door open she knew it was too late to turn around and run. She slowly got out of the car as he came off the porch towards her.
“Need some help?”
“Oh, yeah, sure.” she said handing him the diaper bag and turning to get the car seat out of the car, “hi”
“Hi,” he grinned and she about melted. “Come on in” he said as he led her into the living room.
“Wow, great place.” she eyeballed the living room and was impressed with the lack of obvious bachelor pad items.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“Juice?”
“Orange, Cranberry, or apple.”
“Cranberry.”
She sat Taylor’s car seat on the couch and started looking at the pictures on the wall. She stopped on one of Dale and his father.
“That was taken in Victory Lane at the Winston my rookie year.” he said handing her the glass.
“Thanks, it’s a great photo of you two.”
“Thanks,” he said sitting down in a chair across from the couch. Mandy sat on the couch next to Taylor. “So how was your first night at home?”
“Not bad. She woke up a few times, it’s going to take some getting use too but all in all not a bad night.” She wasn’t about to tell him how much he was the reason for it going so well.
“Not going to convince me that this angel kept you up all night.” he grinned moving over next to Taylor and she knew he was kidding.
“Yeah, angel, you keep her tonight we will see how you feel in the morning.” she laughed. “And by the way how did this end up being a thank you dinner from me that you cooked?”
“Oh look, dinners ready.” he quickly changed the subject and led her to the dining room.
“Wow,” she was slightly overwhelmed by all the candles and flowers. As Dale pulled her chair out and served dinner she said “You know a girl could get use to this.”
“I hope so.” he briefly met her eye and thought he had better slow down. He still didn’t know her story and he sure as hell didn’t want to scare her off.
After dinner they headed back into the living room and although she seemed comfortable talking to him Dale still didn’t know the story of her husband. He wasn’t sure what he was getting himself into and really wasn’t sure how to broach the subject.
“So you working?” Dale asked.
“No, not right now. John’s life insurance was more than enough to take care of us for a while but I will probably start looking for something in a few months.” she shut up real quick after seeing the questioning look on his face. She realized what she had said and that he must be really confused. She knew he saw the photo and that he had to be wondering what her story was.
Dale didn’t say a word, he now knew why her husband wasn’t around and he wasn’t going to push the envelope, if she wanted him to know that was her decision.
She took a deep breath and started her story, “I met John 4 years ago…”
Dale stopped her, “Mandy, you don’t have to do this.”
“No, it’s ok, I…you need to know…John was my best friend’s brother. I had known Lexie for years but John was in the Marine Corp and always gone. I had seen photos but never met him. He came home on leave one summer and that was it,” she smiled staring at the floor “We both fell hard as soon as we met, I think we both knew we would end up together. We dated for a year when I decided to move to the base with him then he surprised me with an engagement ring. We got married a year later, we decided to wait to have kids, we both wanted them but not right away.” She took a breath still not able to meet his stare, which she could feel on her. “Nine months ago he got called to active duty. He was sent to South Korea to help clean up an old mine field and help clear the border. We talked on the phone once a week and emailed all the time. I found out I got pregnant the last night we were together. I finally got a hold of him to tell him, God he was so excited. We were going to wait but we were so glad it happened. I look back on it now and can see just how it was fate.”
The tears were starting to fall now as she finally met his stare. Dale grabbed some Kleenex and moved over next to her on the couch. “You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, Yes I do. I got a call two weeks later, I thought it was him, instead it was another man’s voice. The story was about to break on the news and they were trying to contact all the families before that happened. It turned out they were clearing the mine field, it was a horrible mistake, 4 of the bombs, they were suppose to be disarmed.” She couldn’t stop the tears now and Dale had a feeling she hadn’t talked about this with anyone yet. He tentatively put an arm around her shoulders and she fell into his embrace. He leaned back on the couch and pulled her with him. They stayed that way while she continued. “4 of the bombs went off, 5 soldiers were killed including John. Several were injured. I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t want to. I gave up, over the next few weeks I stopped eating. I didn’t care what happened anymore. Lexie finally stepped in, they admitted me to the hospital. I was very dehydrated and the baby was in major shock, I was close to losing her when I realized what I was doing and had to stop she was all I had left of John. I stayed in Duluth with Lexie for a couple of months and I couldn’t stay there with all the memories. So I packed up and moved here. I wasn’t completely ready to give it all up, hence the photo and this.” She pulled a chain with a gold band out from under her shirt. “I couldn’t give it all up at once.” She pulled away from Dale as Taylor cried “She’s probably hungry, can I borrow a room to feed and change her?”
He smiled and led her to a spare room. “That door leads to a bathroom. Take your time.”
“Thanks.”
He closed the door behind him and went back to the kitchen. He grabbed a beer, threw the dirty dishes in the dish washer and wiped down the counter. His brain working overtime trying to comprehend everything she had told him. He couldn’t imagine how scary it had to be packing up, seven months pregnant , and moving someplace that you didn’t know anyone. He really couldn’t believe she had agreed to this dinner, it hadn’t even been 6 months, he was amazed by the strength she possessed.
“I almost didn’t.”
He spun around not hearing her come in, “What?”
“I wasn’t going to come tonight.”
He looked puzzled then laughed “I was thinking out loud again, wasn’t I?”
She nodded “It’s ok. I came because Lexie convinced me that I needed to move on and that John would be ok with this. Boy, would he be pissed to know how I gave up and started shutting down. Of course I didn’t mean to lay all this on you and turn the evening into a cry fest.”
“Look, don’t worry about any of that. I am just glad you felt comfortable enough to share your story with me. If you need anything I am here.”
“Thanks, that means a lot. Lexie wants to be here but money is tight and she needs to work, so she is going to try and get down here when she can.”
Dale pulled a pan out of the oven “Dessert. Apple pie and yes we do have ice cream.” he grinned.
She smiled as she took a plate from him and they went back to the living room. “Homemade?”
He looked at her “I made it at home.” he caught the look “Hey I was at home, I took it out of the box, put it in the oven. Yes, it’s homemade.” he laughed and so did Mandy.
Dale paused not sure if he should ask what he was thinking, he looked at Mandy and back at his pie, the look didn’t go unnoticed. “What?” she asked taking another bite of the pie.
Dale looked up, “Oh nothing.” he looked back down at his plate.
“No come on. Ask me.”
“What?” How did she know?
“Come on Dale you are wanting to ask me something, so ask.” she smiled at him and he couldn’t resist.
“Ok, but you don’t have to answer.” she nodded and he continued “You said you both knew it was meant to be. How? I mean you said it like it was love at first sight or something.”
“You don’t believe in it?” she looked at him as he took her empty plate.
“No, maybe, I don’t know.” he headed into the kitchen and she followed.
“Most adults can’t.”
“Can’t”
“Yeah,” he looked at her puzzled as too what she meant. She sat on one of the bar stools at the counter as he finished wiping it off. She continued knocking him out of his thoughts of how adorable she looked. “We have been programmed to believe we can’t possibly be happy unless we know the person for years and have back ground checks done. You don’t have to spend years getting to know someone to fall in love with them. People say kids don’t know what real love is, they are too young. Bull. They know it in it’s purest form something we can no longer see. Kids love unconditionally because they want too not because it’s right or wrong. How do you explain when they put that brand new baby into the parents arms. Here is this tiny person, we don’t know anything about, what they are going to be, who they will grow up to be but yet we love them as soon as they arrive. Why? Because we are allowed to just love not care about all the rest. Maybe if society would just love from their hearts and let their heads go for a minute, maybe, just maybe, we would have more sunshine and less rain.”
Before he knew what he was doing Dale had stepped right between her legs and his mouth was on hers. His hands ran up her thighs to her lower back and on up to her neck where they got lost in her hair. She clutched at his tee shirt and opened her mouth to allow him to deepen the kiss and as she did he pulled her closer to him. All of a sudden as the realization of what she was doing hit her, she pushed him away from her and ran out of the room.
“Shit” he leaned against the counter, tried to collect his thoughts and hurried out of the room after her. He found her sitting on the couch crying, her head in her hands. He knelt down in front of her “I am so sorry. On God Mandy, I shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t mean too…”
She stopped him by placing her finger to his mouth and running her other hand down his cheek. “I wanted you too. It’s just I feel so damn guilty for wanting you too let alone kissing you back. I just don’t know that I am ready for this.”
He kissed her hand and held it in his “It’s ok, I shouldn’t have done that, especially tonight. This is on your terms. We will take this as slow or as fast as you want just give me the chance to take it somewhere.” She nodded her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled himself up on to the couch and wrapped his arms around her as she cried.
She had to admit she felt safer there in his arms than she had in months. He held her as she clung to him almost like she would disappear if she let go. He was wondering what she was thinking when she finally pulled back and looked at him through red puffy eyes, “I need to go.”
Dale understood but she was pretty upset and he was worried about her. “Do you want me to drive you? You could stay in the guest room, I won’t bother you, promise.”
“No, thanks but we’ll be fine” she said through a half smile.
She gathered her things and Dale followed her to her car carrying Taylor. “God she is beautiful.” he kissed her forehead before Mandy put her in the car.
“Thanks for dinner and…well…everything.” she turned to face him and he caught her in his embrace.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and he kissed her forehead. “If you need anything at all please just call.” she nodded and got in her car. He watched her drive away before turning and going in the house.
She put Taylor down in her crib and walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of hot tea. She sat on her couch trying to figure out what exactly had happened tonight. She stared at the wedding photo hanging above the fireplace. “John, I don’t know what to do. I love you so much but I am so lonely here. I thought of going back home, to our home, but I was lonely there to. God, I wish I knew what to do.” As if on cue the phone rang and Mandy smiled she already knew who it was.
“Hi Lexie,” Mandy said.
“How did you know it was me?”
“Just a hunch.”
“Something told me you needed to talk, what happened?”
“God I wish you were here.” and with that she started crying her way through the whole story. Lexie just listened and let Mandy get it out knowing that, that was what she needed to do more than anything. “So basically I lost it, made a complete ass out of my self, and will probably never hear from him again.” she had calmed down considerably at this point. Just knowing that Lexie was on the other end and there for her helped.
“One, I bet you hear from him by the end of the week. Two, he needed to know the story he had to be wondering what was up with the photo. Third, I said it once and will say it again, John loved you, he wouldn’t want you to be miserable. You are not stupid and you know what you are ready for and what you aren’t. So stop beating yourself up and allow yourself to be happy.”
Mandy heard Taylor cry and realized they had been on the phone for several hours “Wow, didn’t realize it was that late. Taylor needs to be fed I will call you later. Thanks.”
“Ok Love you girl.”
“Love you too.” she hung up the phone and went to feed Taylor.
4
A few days later Mandy was just putting Taylor down for a nap when her phone rang.
“Hello”
“Hey Mandy, it’s Dale.”
Mandy quietly shut the door to Taylor’s room and walked down the hall she couldn’t believe he was calling. “Dale, hi, how are you?”
“I am fine, you sound surprised. Everything ok?”
“Yeah, everything is fine, I just…well, after the other night I am kind of surprised you called. Figured you thought I was totally insane by now.” she laughed only half kidding.
“Not a chance, not yet at least. No, I am kidding. Look Mandy, when I told you this was on your terms I meant it. OK.”
She smiled, “OK, so what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”
“Well, I know there is still two weeks until Christmas but I was wondering what your plans were?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about it, kind of forgot it was even that close. Lexie had talked about coming out but I don‘t think she is going to be able to afford it. I am not much in the Christmas mood this year anyway.”
“Do you even have a tree?”
“No.”
“What about Taylor? This is her first Christmas, you have to have a tree.”
“Dale, she’s a week old. She doesn’t know what her teddy bear is, let alone that it is Christmas.”
“Yeah, but still.”
“Dale?”
“OK but will you at least think about coming over and spending Christmas with us.” “Dale I appreciate the offer but I would be intruding and not only that but probably pretty depressing.”
“Look, I know first hand what that first Christmas is like after you have lost someone and I don’t like the idea of you being alone. Please, just tell me you will think about it.”
“Ok, I will think about it.”
“I will take it. For now. I hate to run but I have to get to the shop. I will talk to you in a few days, ok?”
“Yeah,” she paused “hey Dale?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
She hung up the phone with a smile on her face. She was thrilled about the offer but there was no way she was going. That was pushing it but it did mean that Dale was thinking about her, which was great cause he hadn’t left her thoughts in days. She had thought a lot about what Lexie had said and she knew she was right. Granted it had only been 6 months but John would be pissed if she turned down a chance at happiness and to do right by Taylor. “Anyway, not like I am talking about anything serious, I just am going to get to know him better and see what happens.” she thought as she grabbed the vacuum out of the closet and started cleaning up.
A few days later as she was getting ready to go dig around the kitchen for lunch she heard the doorbell. “Hold on I am coming.” When she opened the door she saw Dale standing there with his arms full of bags. “What on earth are you doing?” she laughed taking one of the bags from him.
He set the bags on the couch and before she could start peeking through them he said, “Keep the door open, I will be right back.”
“Dale?”
He just grinned and ran back out the door. Mandy walked out on the porch to see him struggling with something in the back of his truck. “Do you need help.”
“No.”
When he finally appeared at the front of the truck again he was carrying a small but beautiful tree. “Dale you really shouldn’t have.”
He carried the tree in the house and set it down. “You have to have a tree for Christmas. Where do you want it? I knew this room couldn’t take a huge tree, so I hope this one is fine.”
“Dale it is absolutely beautiful. I guess…” she looked around the room, “…I could move the chair away from the window and that way you can see it from outside. What’s in the bags?” she asked as she started pushing the chair.
Dale grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the chair “Decorations. Figured you didn’t have any. I will get the chair you go look through the bags and see if there is anything there you like. I can return whatever you don’t like.”
She just smiled and started emptying the bags, “Return, yeah right, this stuff is gorgeous.”
Dale got the chair out of the way and put the tree in the stand and waited for Mandy to decide which ornaments she wanted to use. She brought a box of blue and silver ornaments over with white lights. He smiled.
“What?”
“Those were my favorites. I almost didn’t buy anything else but thought you might like a different color.”
“My fave color is blue. My whole wedding was blue and silver. I thought Lexie was going to kill me, I wanted bluebonnets for my winter wedding. We had to special order them. It was a huge ordeal.” she laughed then got real quiet.
“It’s alright, you can talk about him with me, I don’t mind. I know how much it helps to remember those little things like that. It keeps a part of them around.”
She just smiled at him as he plugged the lights in and they straightened them out. They added the ornaments and a gorgeous silver star at the top.
“Wow, that is beautiful. It’s perfect.”
“Not quite yet.” he walked over to his jacket and pulled a small bag out of his pocket. “This will make it perfect.” he handed her the bag.
She opened it and pulled out an ornament. She gasped at it as tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh my, Dale it is beautiful.” The ornament was a angel sitting on the end of a crib looking at a sleeping baby, it said baby’s first Christmas and he had Taylor Louise and the date engraved on it. She walked over to the tree and hung it right on the front so you could see it from anywhere in the room. She stared at it for a moment, the tears now falling down her cheeks. Dale walked up behind her and slowly wrapped his arms around her. Her head fell back against his chest and she just let him hold her a little while.
She finally pulled away, “I was just getting ready to try and find some lunch, I haven‘t been to the store in awhile. You hungry?”
“Yeah, I am.” He followed her into the kitchen.
They threw some things together and came up with something they both thought might be edible. “Wow, I really need to go to the store, don’t I?”
“This is fine but yeah you may starve if you don’t go soon.” she laughed at him as Taylor started crying.
“Well, guess someone else is hungry too. I will be right back.”
Dale cleared the table and then headed into the living room and was staring out the window when Mandy came back in with Taylor. She told me she wasn’t going back to sleep until she saw Dale so here she is. What you looking at?”
Dale smiled and took Taylor from her, “It’s starting too snow again. Well hi there.” he said to Taylor.
“She is one week old as of today.”
“Wow, has it been a week already.” he sat on the couch. “It seems just like yesterday…” he stopped talking as Mandy sat beside him.
“Tell me about it. Thanks again, for everything. Everything you did that day, the flowers, toys, tree, do you ever stop?”
“Not if I have found something to keep me going.” he caught her eye and held her stare until Taylor started fussing.
Mandy smiled and took Taylor “I had better go change her and put her back down.”
Dale was still on the couch when she returned. She sat next to him, “So…”
“I was…”
They both started laughing when they tried to talk at the same time. “Go ahead” Dale said.
“No, really go.”
“Ok, I was wondering if you had given any thought to Christmas with us?”
“Dale, I really appreciate the offer but I really can’t.”
“I hate the idea of you being alone on Christmas.”
“I will be fine. I am not going to be too good of company.”
Dale wasn’t happy about the outcome but he wasn’t surprised. He remembered how he felt after his father died and couldn’t blame her and he had a plan up his sleeve. “Fine.” he said with a fake pout, “but you promise that if you need anything or just want to talk or cry or whatever, you will call.”
“I promise.”
“Well, I had better get going. Thanks for lunch.” he said as he grabbed the bag of unused ornaments.
“Yeah well, next time I promise I will have real food in the house.” she laughed.
Dale was at the door when he stopped and turned, “Mandy?”
“Yeah.”
“Um, I really want to kiss you again.” he said with the innocence of a school boy.
Mandy just smiled and stood on her tiptoes to land a very sweet and gentle kiss on his lips. When she pulled back they were both smiling.
“Thank you.” he whispered in her ear and walked out the door. She watched him pull out of the driveway and waved goodbye then ran to the phone to call Lexie and tell her about prince charming.
Christmas quickly approached. She and Dale hadn’t seen each other since the day he brought the tree over but they had talked several times on the phone and were really getting to know each other. Maybe it was the tree, the new baby, or just the thought of Dale but even when she thought about John she was not quite as depressed as she had been and she was getting into the Christmas mood. There were presents under the tree for Taylor, Lexie, Dale, and even one or two thrown in there for Teresa and Taylor to say thanks. It was Christmas Eve and she had been trying to get a hold of Lexie all day to no avail. She was actually kind of worried, Lexie always had her cell phone on her and she wasn’t answering it. It was almost 7pm when she heard a knock on the door.
She set Taylor in her crib and opened the door, too say she was shocked was an understatement. When she opened the door she found herself face to face with Lexie. “Oh my God, what on earth.” she grabbed and hugged her. “How…?” She stopped mid sentence when over Lexie’s shoulder she saw Dale sitting in his truck watching them.
“He didn’t want to take away from the reunion. Said he would call you tomorrow.”
Mandy just looked at him bewildered. No one had ever done anything like this for her, not even John. She stared at him for a few seconds and he smiled and backed out of the driveway.
“Prince Charming was right.” Lexie said as Mandy led her into the house. “God, girl this place is great and looks wonderful.”
“I am so glad you are here. How long are you staying?”
“Oh, my,” she said picking up her niece for the first time. “Mandy she is so beautiful.” her eyes filled with tears “Don’t know how long yet.”
The best friends spent the rest of the night talking, crying, and catching up on some much needed bonding. This was the first real step to her healing process and Mandy knew she had not only Dale too thank for it but Lexie being with her on Christmas was a sign that John was ok with it. He had made sure that on that abandoned road she slid off right in front of the man who could and would protect not only her but the last and most important gift John had ever given her.
5
Christmas Day Lexie awoke to Mandy singing Christmas carols in the living room with a box on the couch. “What’s this?” she asked peaking inside the box. She didn’t need an answer though, she recognized some of John’s things and some photos of the them. The wedding photo that had been on the wall was now in the box.
“There is only one thing left.” She took off the necklace and looked at the ring, “I will always love you.” She placed the ring in a small jewelry box and dropped it inside the larger box.
“Are you sure?” Lexie asked.
Mandy smiled, “Yesterday was the turning point I have been needing. Some people might say it is too soon for me to be moving on and it’s not like I am planning on getting remarried tomorrow or anything but I can’t hold on to the past anymore. For the sake of my daughter and myself, this is the right thing to do.” she paused looking at Taylor who was asleep. “Yeah, I am sure.”
She put the box away and Lexie and Mandy sat down to breakfast. They spent the rest of the day opening presents and reminiscing about holidays past. They were trying to decide on dinner when there was a knock on the door.
“What are you doing here? Couldn’t stay away could you?” Mandy laughed letting Dale inside.
Dale grinned “no not really. Merry Christmas. On my way to Teresa’s and wanted to drop these off.” he said placing a box of presents next to the tree.
Lexie walked into the room carrying Taylor “Hey Merry Christmas Dale.”
“Merry Christmas, Lexie and to you too little one.” he said planting a kiss on Taylor’s head.
Mandy pulled the presents she had for Dale, Teresa, and Taylor Nicole out and handed them to Dale “Would you pass these along for me?”
“Sure, you seem to be in a good mood?” Dale asked noticing the difference in her mood since Lexie got here.
“Yes, Yes I am.” Mandy had a thought. “I don’t want to over step my boundaries but if the offer is still open would you mind if we give these presents to them ourselves?”
Dale was shocked but happy, “Of course it’s still open and we would love to have you.”
“Great let us change and we will be right back.”
Mandy got Taylor ready while Lexie changed then handed her off to Dale so she could go change. Mandy came out in black pants and a low cut red shirt.
“Wow, you look great.” his eyes stopped at her neck and he noticed the necklace was gone.
Neither had noticed that Lexie had stepped out to put the car seat and presents in the truck and to give Dale and Mandy a minute alone.
Dale looked from her to where the photo should have been hanging and then back to her only this time he looked straight into her eyes and saw something there that hadn’t been for the few short weeks he had known her. It was that spark, that fire, that he felt when he first met her, the fire that was too afraid to come out.
She knew he wanted to say something but didn’t know what so she decided to save him. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, as his hands found her waist she said, “Once again, I find myself thanking you.” With that he dipped his head and found hers in a kiss that sent chills up both their spines.
Lexie walked back in and smiled, sure she had mixed feelings. She loved her brother and missed him everyday but she couldn’t stand seeing her best friend so lonely and sad all the time. Dale made her happy, hell happier than she had been in over 6 months, so that was good enough for her. She cleared her throat, “We really should get going.”
Mandy and Dale laughed “Yeah, I am late as usual.” Mandy grabbed Taylor and they headed out the door.
Christmas night was great. The whole Earnhardt family welcomed Mandy, Taylor, and Lexie with open arms. Teresa was very excited to see them again, she couldn’t believe how big Taylor had gotten just in the past few weeks. Mandy felt so at ease with not only Dale but the whole family and the way Dale and Mandy were carrying on the family knew she would be back for other family gatherings. When they got back to Mandy’s that night Lexie insisted that Dale come in and join them for a drink. Of course when they got inside and Taylor had been put to bed Lexie decided she was very “tired” and headed to bed herself leaving Dale and Mandy alone.
“Well, sneaky lil thing ain’t she?” Mandy laughed. What do you want to drink?”
Dale followed her into the kitchen “Well,” he said sticking his head in the refrigerator. “How about juice?”
“Dale you can have a beer.”
“Nah, I will have what you are having.” she smiled at him.
They went back into the living room and flipped the tv on right in the middle of the movie Hope Floats. “Oh, I love this movie.” Mandy looked at him. “And if you tell anyone I said that I will deny it.” Mandy laughed.
“Your secret is safe with me, I promise.” She sat down on the couch next to him and he pulled her into his arms. They snuggled there like that on the couch for the rest of the movie. When the movie was over Mandy leaned up and kissed Dale. She caught him off guard but he was more than happy to return the kiss. As she opened her mouth and allowed him access to deepen the kiss she laid back on the couch and pulled him with her. His hands traveled down her sides to her waist and his fingers slid around to her stomach. As his fingers gently tickled their way back up her stomach to her chest he pulled her shirt with them.
She nibbled her way down his jawbone stopping only so he could pull her shirt over her head. She then found her way to his collarbone. He stopped her as his mouth found hers again and started moving it’s way down her neck. Not wasting any time he pushed her bra out of the way and his mouth found her nipple. She arched her back urging him to take more of her into his mouth. As his fingers found the button on her pants her head started spinning a mile a minute.
“No, oh shit, no.” She pushed Dale off of her and grabbed for her shirt. Before he knew what happened she was up, dressed and out the door. Dale grabbed her coat and ran out after her. He found her crying on the porch. He sat down next to her, pulled the coat around her shoulders, and let her cry.
“I am sorry. God I am so sorry. I should never have started that.” she sobbed.
“Hey, stop it. It’s ok. Mandy, look…”
She cut him off and jumped up, “No! No, it’s not ok. One, I can’t even have sex right now the doctor hasn’t cleared me, so apparently that was all a tease back there. Two, I just totally freaked out back there and nothing had even happened. Third, this is the second time I have done this to you. My God why are you even still sitting there?”
“Because for a few hours tonight you were happy and having fun. Am I wrong?”
She looked at the ground “No.”
“And I never expected for you to forget everything over night. I had so much fun tonight with you but I have had fun the past few weeks with that person too. You don’t have to change everything all at once. You can’t. But the fact that you did for tonight shows me you are willing to try and make this work and that’s all I want. I told you before this is on your terms, so stop trying to rush it, I am not going anywhere.”
He stepped towards her and she fell into his arms and cried. He led her back into the house where he found Lexie standing in the doorway looking worried. “What’s going on? I heard you yelling from my bedroom.”
“I am sorry, it’s my fault. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s ok.” Lexie looked at Dale and he just shook his head. “You ok Mandy?”
“Yeah, go on back to bed.”
“Ok, come get me if you need me, night Dale.”
“Night.”
Mandy turned to Dale tears still falling down her cheeks. He walked over to her and slowly wiped the tears away from her cheeks. “Please don’t cry. I can’t stand to see you like this.”
“I’m sorry.” She buried her head in his chest.
“Don’t be sorry, just be you.” He gently pulled her from him and kissed her again. “I am going to go. You need some rest. I will call you tomorrow, ok.”
She just shook her head and followed him to the door. “Thanks, for everything.”
“I meant every word Mandy, I am not going anywhere. Don’t push this. It will happen. Night.”
“Night.” She watched him drive away and then headed to her room trying to stop the tears. She didn’t know how but she had to make the guilt stop.
The weeks passed quickly. Lexie headed home shortly after New Year’s and Mandy swore this year was going to be different. Taylor was growing so quickly she was going to be 2 months in another week and Dale would be heading to Daytona in 2 weeks. Things between Dale and Mandy were going well. They were going very slow, dinner here, a movie there, Dale didn’t want to go to fast for fear of scaring her again. They had come so far, she really seemed to be open to him and the idea of them. They were actually “dating”. They hadn’t slept together but that fiery nature of hers was coming back.
Dale had asked her to come to Daytona with him and amazingly she said yes. Kelly was going and offered to babysit one evening so that maybe Dale and Mandy could spend some time alone. Dale had practice, then a sponser meeting, but they were to go have dinner after that.
Dale came in the coach an hour late. “Man, babe, I am so sorry. I couldn’t get out of there.” He said collapsing on the couch next to her.
“It’s ok. Are you ok? You look exhausted.”
“Speedweeks are a killer every year but it has been a long day.”
“Look let’s cancel dinner. I will throw something together here.”
“No, I promised you a date.”
“Dale, you can’t even stand you are so tired and you have another long day ahead of you tomorrow. It’s no big deal. We will go out some other time.”
“There probably isn’t even food here.”
“So we will have chips and salsa, pop a movie in and relax. Go take a shower and I will see what we have to eat.”
He leaned over and kissed her, “You really are amazing. Wanna join me in the shower?” he joked.
“No, go get your cute butt in there and get back out here.”
He laughed as he pulled his shirt off and headed into the bathroom. Mandy shook her head and laughed. She walked into the kitchen to check out the choices.
A few minutes later Dale heard Mandy knock, “Yeah?” The door opened and Mandy came in.
“Hey Dale, I changed my mind.”
“No chips and salsa? Give me a minute and we will go find some food.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
“Then wh…” he stopped realizing what she meant and as he opened the shower door, he saw Mandy standing there already topless and stepping out of her jeans. He took a minute to take the view in front of him all in. He then reached out and pulled her in the shower with him. She wasn’t sure if the goose bumps she had were from the cool air on her skin or Dale’s hands. He pulled her under the hot water with him and his mouth quickly covered hers. He didn’t want to rush her but he was having a hard time controlling himself and it didn’t go unnoticed by Mandy as she felt him press against her thigh. She smiled into his kiss.
“What are you smiling at?”
“You and how great you feel.” she looked down at what she was referring to.
Dale blushed. “Say the word and we stop. I mean it Mandy. This stops when you say it does.”
Fighting back every bit of nerves she could she started kissing his neck. Her hands roaming over his body. She stopped to whisper in his ear. “I don’t want to stop Dale, please.” He met her stare and it said the same thing.
That is all he needed to hear. His hands explored her body as his mouth found her nipple. He pulled her to him as she arched her back urging him on. His mouth moved from nipple to nipple and her hands started roaming up and down his back and sides.
She buried her hands in his hair and pulled his head up to her mouth. She plunged her tongue into his mouth while turning him around. As she pushed him against the wall she heard a low growl escape from his throat.
Her hands trailed down his chest then to his stomach and her mouth followed. She sucked his nipple into her mouth as her hands continued down to his hips. Her fingers ever so lightly followed the length of his shaft teasing him. His head fell back against the wall. “Mandy.” he whispered. It took every bit of control to not urge her head down where her hands were. “This is on her terms not yours Dale.” he kept repeating in his head.
However he wouldn’t have to wait long. Mandy dropped to her knees in front of him. She knew what he wanted and decided to make him want just a little more. She ran her tongue up one thigh and down the other, nibbling here and there. Her hands teased him in every way as her tongue darted out and flicked across his tip.
As he said her name again she decided he had waited long enough. She placed her mouth at the base of his shaft and swirled her tongue around the tip. “Oh God Mandy.” She finally sucked him into her mouth and then out again. She continued this for several minutes before he spoke again. “Mandy, Mandy…stop…I am…” he tried to gently push her head away.
She ignored him and ran her hands up the back of his legs to his ass and pulled him even closer to her causing him to slide even farther down her throat. She caught his hand in hers and rested them at his stomach as she felt his release in the back of her throat.
She gently pulled away from him and turned the shower off. Not being able to support his own weight anymore he slid down to the shower floor. When he opened his eyes she was kneeling in front of him, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a passion she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“You didn’t have to do that baby.”
“I know. I wanted to.” she noticed him trembling. “You ok.”
“I will be fine. Trust me.”
She leaned out and grabbed two towels. She wrapped one around herself and headed out to the kitchen.
“Oh no you don’t. I am not done with you yet.”
“What? I am hungry.”
He grinned. “Yeah, so am I.” he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He moved his mouth to her jaw then to her neck as he laid her on the bed. She grabbed at the towel still wrapped around his waist.
“This has to go.” she laughed pulling it out from between them.
As he pressed himself back down to her he asked, “Better?”
“Yes, much.” she answered right before she sucked his tongue into her mouth. He bit at her lower lip before tracing a line down to her navel with his tongue. He dipped his tongue into her bellybutton as his fingers found her most intimate spot. He slid a finger into her wetness and she arched her back so he could go deeper.
“Dale, make love to me.”
He looked up at her his tongue flicking out against her sweet spot. He moved back up to whisper in her ear, his finger still driving her wild. “You know, I had something else in mind first.” he grinned and started to lower his head.
“Dale, please.”
Dale saw the torment flash across her face and he realized she was being torn between pleasure and guilt. He grabbed a condom and positioned himself above her. “Mandy are you sure? We can still…”
“Please, Dale.”
“Mandy open your eyes.” As she did he saw the tears threatening to fall. He thought twice about continuing then realized that they had to do this for her to move on. He found her mouth again as he slid partially into her. Her legs wrapped around his waist urging him on and pretty soon he was pushing completely into her. He stopped moving and gave her a minute to adjust to him.
“I’m ok Dale.”
He started a rhythm that she matched and as they both climaxed he grabbed her hands and pulled them above her head. He buried his face in her neck and collapsed down ontop of her. He felt her tears fall onto his shoulder and he slowly pulled out of her.
He got up, went to the bathroom and when he came back he found her curled up on the side of the bed. His heart broke right there for the turmoil she was feeling and he was beginning to think they had made a mistake.
He crawled back into bed and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped herself around him. “I am sorry, Dale.” she wiped at the tears that were falling. “Not exactly the reaction a guy wants after sex, huh?”
“Shh. It’s ok.” he held her for a little while before carefully choosing his words. “Mandy, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you sorry this happened?”
She looked up at him. “No, I wanted it, wanted you. I want to be with you Dale. Not just like this, but always. I just feel different now. I can’t explain it. I don’t know if I am scared or guilty, or what.”
“Your sure? Cause just because tonight happened doesn’t mean it has to keep happening if you aren’t sure it’s what you want.”
“You are what I want. Dale, you have been so patient and you have put up with so much from me.”
“That isn’t what this is about. I don’t want you doing something you will regret.”
“No, Dale, no regrets. I promise.”
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled them both down into the bed, pulling the blanket up over them. “You still hungry?”
She settled in molding her body to his. “Nah.”
“Good cause I really didn’t want to let you up.”
“Little early for bed isn’t it?”
“I was planning on getting up for a little midnight snack.” he grinned before turning out the lights.
“Then I guess I better rest up now, huh?”
6
Dale and Mandy were having a ball together she was going to a few races but was trying to stay out of the spotlight. Neither one of them wanted the media and the rest of the world becoming a factor in their relationship. Mandy was happy with every aspect of the relationship but was still feeling bouts of guilt every now and then. Even as the days turned into weeks she couldn’t shake the guilt and it was becoming an issue between her and Dale. They were not really fighting but disagreeing about a lot and the tension was really growing. Mandy knew something had to give and she knew it was her fault.
She went to the race with Dale the next weekend. She had a plan, she knew what she had to do. “Look I will be back this afternoon.”
“You really aren’t going to tell me where you are going, are you?”
“Dale please just let me do this and we will talk when I get back. Trust me please.” she pleaded with him.
“It’s not about trust, I do trust you completely. I am just worried about you.” he said pulling her to him.
“I am ok, and hopefully this afternoon I will be better than that.” she smiled and stood on tiptoes kissing him. “Now let me get out of here so I can get back.”
He held on to her for a few seconds before letting her go. She picked up Taylor and headed for the door. He sighed and as she had her hand on the door knob he spoke up. “Mandy,” she stopped and looked at him. “You know I love you?”
She took a deep breath, “Dale…”
“No, don’t. Don’t say anything you might regret later. I just wanted you to know.”
“I will see you in a few hours.” she smiled and walked out the door. She got into the rental car Jade had gotten for her and laid her head on the steering wheel. She wanted to say it but she couldn’t not yet. She started the car and drove the 2 hours from Richmond to Arlington.
She walked down the rows of white tombstones, she knew right where he was. She didn’t need the map, even though every row looked the same. She stopped, placed Taylor in the soft grass and knelt down placing the roses in front of the tombstone.
“Hey John. Taylor say hi to daddy. God Johnny, can you believe Taylor is 7 months old. She looks so much like you.” Mandy started crying, “I miss you so much. I can’t imagine Taylor never being held by you or never calling you daddy.” She watched Taylor play in the grass for a few minutes.
“I guess you know why I am here. I met someone else, John. He is great, God he is so wonderful with Taylor, and he is so good to me.” She took a deep breath, “I am falling in love with him, I want to marry him, I want him to be Taylor’s daddy. I love you so much, I will never stop and he can’t take your place in her life. I will make sure she knows exactly who you were, how amazing a man you were and how much you loved her but we need more. I need more.”
She laid in the grass pulling Taylor onto her cheast, Taylor giggled playing with the Mady’s necklace. “John, I need to know this is ok. I need to know you are happy for me and don’t hate me for doing this.”
Back at the track Dale is sitting on the pit wall waiting for qualifying to start when his phone rings. “Mandy?”
“No, it’s Lexie, Dale. I guess Mandy isn’t there?”
“No, she went somewhere, don’t ask I have no idea where.”
“She didn’t tell you?”
“No, we have been having some problems lately and she said she knew how to fix it and she took Taylor and left. Said she would be back this afternoon.”
“I know I talked to her the other day. She is having major problems with feeling guilty. Dale, where are you guys this weekend?”
“Richmond, why?”
“Dale, John is buried at Arlington National Cemetary. What is that a couple hours away? My guess she took Taylor to see her daddy.”
“Oh, man, I didn’t even think about that.” Dale got scared. “Lexie, what’s going to happen? What if she decides she can’t be with me?”
“She won’t. Dale, don’t worry about this, that girl is crazy about you. She just needs closure. You going to be ok?”
“Let you know when Mandy gets back.” he laughed only half kidding.
“Take it easy, it will work out. Tell her I called and to give me a call later.”
“I will thanks Lexie. Bye.”
He hung up the phone and watched as the first car took the track.
Taylor started crying and Mandy wasn’t sure why. Taylor seemed to be looking for something. Mandy looked back at the tombstone and sighed. The closure she was hoping for wasn’t here, now what was she to do. She carried a still crying Taylor to the car and put her in the car seat. When she got into the drivers seat she realized Taylor had stopped crying, she turned to see what was going on. Taylor was looking at a picture that was laying on the seat of the car. She seemed to recognize the photo. It was a picture of Mandy, Dale and Taylor sitting on the hood of Dale’s car at Daytona. Mandy grabbed the photo and when it was out of Tayor’s site she started crying again, when it was sat back on the seat for Taylor to see she stopped.
“Well, that’s strange. You are only 7 months, you can’t know who that is. Can you? You recognize Dale, don’t you? He is the only daddy you know huh?” Mandy turned and looked back towards the grave. “Thank you Johnny. I love you.”
She started the car and headed back to Richmond. Dale was finishing up his qualifying lap when she got back to the track. Mandy and Taylor waited in the garage area as Dale pulled his car into the stahl. He saw them standing towards the corner when he took off his helmet. He took a deep breath and climbed out of the car.
“5th with 5 more cars to go.” Tony Jr said “How did she feel?”
Dale never took his eyes off Mandy and the baby, he didn’t know what he would do if he lost them. “Little tight in the corners but not bad. Pretty good actually. You need me for anything else?”
Tony Sr saw Mandy, “No, we’re done here.”
“Jade, anything for tonight?”
“No, the night is yours.”
“Thanks, see you guys tomorrow morning.” Mandy and Taylor met him right outside the garage and as Taylor threw herself out of Mandy’s arms and into Dale’s, Mandy smiled. They stepped inside Dale’s coach and after Mandy shut the door behind her she watched Dale and Taylor play.
Dale looked up from the couch where he was sitting, “So…”
“I love you too.”
“Mandy?”
“I do. I love you. I wanted to say it earlier but I couldn’t. You are already her daddy, she knows that. I will always love John, but I love you and I need you in my life.”
He stood and placed Taylor in her playpen. He turned back to Mandy “Why do I get the feeling you have something in mind?”
“Ok, so a bit unorthodox, I agree but what the hell right? Marry me.”
Dale was shocked and he laughed heading to the bedroom.
“Not exactly sure what that meant?” she muttered, “Dale?”
He walked back out with at bag in his hand. He handed it too her “Well, maybe you should have this first.”
She pulled out the box and opened it. Sitting in the red velvet box was the largest diamond ring Mandy had ever seen. “When did you get this?”
“4 weeks ago.” he grinned. “I knew you were feeling guilty and I didn’t want to push things. I have said from day 1 this was on your terms and today you proved me right.” he laughed and dropped to one knee. “But I can’t wear that so,” he took the ring from her and placed it on her finger. “Amanda, will you marry me?”
“Yes, your right it works a lot better this way.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
They managed to keep the engagement a secret until Sunday when Dale called Daryll Waltrip “Hey man, can I steal a few minutes with you guy’s before the race.”
“Sure, what did you need?”
“On air, I will be up in a few.” He tossed the phone back to Michael. “Turn that monitor on to the pre race and you all will know what is going on.”
When the prerace came on Dale and Mandy were sitting in the Hollywood Hotel with Allen, Jeff, and Daryll, “So Dale we know you only have a few minutes, what’s up?”
“Well, Daryll, we deceided this was the best place to let the world know. I am probably giving Teresa, Kelly, Jade, Tony Sr. you name it a heart attack right now but hey they are use to it by now right?” he laughed.
“You might want to move this along, driver introductions?” Mandy urged.
“Oh yeah, well, Mandy and I are engaged. We are getting married in 6 months during the off season.”
“On man, talk about an exclusive.” Allen said. “Congrats you two.”
“Mandy you do know you just broke the hearts of millions of woman across the country?” Daryll grinned at her.
“Man, gotta run.” Dale stood and kissed Mandy before running out the door to introductions. She watched from the booth as he highfived and laughed about what he just did. Mandy followed him out and got to the driver introductions as he climbed into his truck. Mandy watched on as driver after driver came over to congratulate her and their wives and girlfriends came to check out the ring.
Mandy joined the Bud crew in the #8 pit. Tony Sr. wrapped his arms around her. “I can’t believe someone actually finally tamed that boy down.
Dale got out of the truck jogged over to his pit and pulled Mandy into his arms before climbing into his car. She leaned in the window. “Meet you in victory lane, baby.”
That’s exactly what she did. She was waiting as he pulled his car into the checkered circle. He climbed out to the cheers and applause. He jumped down pulling Mandy to him. As the interviewer came over Dale answered the normal questions. Never letting Mandy out of his embrace.
“Well, for those of you just joining us, well boy did you miss a lot. Dale Jr. just won the Richmond 400 and oh yeah, this is Mandy, the soon to be Mrs. Dale Earnhardt Jr.”