Aftermath
Chapter 14 Aftermath
Carly held her breath. She did not believe her eyes. The car rolled back down the track a little, then stopped, smoke and dust swirled around it.
“Oh my God! OH MY GOD!! OH MY GODDDD!!!!” She screamed. The entire #8 crew jumped over the pit wall and ran to Dale’s car. Then the entire #81 crew jumped over and ran. The #15 crew jumped over too. Scotty, however ran over to Carly. He caught her trying desperately to get her restraints un-done.
“Carly, honey, calm down!” he shouted. “I’m sure he’s ok!” he said as he got to her window. Ty was spotting for both Carly and Dale, so they were both on the same scanner frequency. Carly could hear Ty calling to Dale.
“DJ!! Junior!! You ok, buddy? Junior – talk to me. You ok??” Carly heard.
No answer from Dale.
Scotty held Carly’s hands. “Just wait, he probably got the wind knocked out of him.”
They waited. The crews got to the car.
“Nets down! I think he’s ok!” Scotty said. Ty called again.
“Junior?? Buddy – you with us?” Ty said.
“Shit. F**K Dammit to shit.”
Everyone laughed. “I think that’s a good sign.” Scotty assured Carly.
“Scotty, let me out! The crews got to clean up the mess, Let me get out of this car!” She pleaded.
He let go of her hands, and un-did her seatbelts. “Ok, but you can’t run over there. Go stand with Steve.” Steve was standing on the pit wall with his hands on his head.
“Ok – but only until he gets out of the car. Then all bets are off, Scotty. I gotta see him.”
Carly ran over to where Steve was watching the clean up. Dale got out of the car, and bent over in pain. Carly wanted to run, but Steve caught her.
“Carly, stay here one more minute. He won’t want you fussing over him.” Steve said.
“I know but…”
“I know… but he’s a guy, and he’s pissed – give him a second…” Steve warned.
“You sure??” she pleaded.
“Yes. If this ever happens to me, Carly – don’t get all girlie on me, ok?” he laughed.
“Steve…I so would be!!” she laughed.
The crews walked with Dale as he walked back towards pit road. He refused to go in the ambulance.
“I gotta go!” Carly said, as she jumped off the wall and jogged over to where he was walking. Steve followed.
Dale put his arm out towards her as she got close. Carly almost started to cry.
“DON’T!” He said to her, when he saw the look on her face. He put his arm over her shoulders, and kind of leaned on her.
“You ok?” she whispered.
“YES.”
“Ok. Thank you God.” She whispered again.
Tony Jr. was on Dale’s other side. “Are you hurt anywhere, DJ?” he asked.
“Just my side. A little. Got the wind knocked out. I’ll be fine.”
“Ok. Just take it easy.” Tony Jr. said. “Do you know what happened out there?”
“I hit the f**king wall, asshole.”
Carly and Tony laughed. “Well…” Carly said. “The sense of humor is ok.”
They got back to pit road. The paramedics told Dale that he had to go to the care center.
“Ok – but I wasn’t unconscious. I just had the wind knocked out. Let me talk to my teammate real quick, OK?” he fumed.
He walked Carly to her car. He put his hand on her shoulder. Carly could feel that he was still leaning on her. She was a little worried.
“I’m ok, really. Don’t you even worry. I just smacked hard, that’s all. Just a stinger. I’m telling you this, so you wont make the same mistake I did. This happened because I’m pissed at Pam. She f**ing pissed me off back there. I couldn’t focus. I over steered, and lost control because I wasn’t paying attention. All I could think about was what a bitch she is. You better not do the same thing. You cannot let Pamela defeat you. I’m f**ing pissed at myself for letting her get to me.”
Carly nodded slowly.
“Carly.” He continued. “You better get that pole. You got a good car. I think you can do it. You did it last week, I know. You gotta rise above all this. I need you to get the pole.”
Carly opened her mouth to speak. He placed his finger on her mouth.
“Just do it for me, Ok babe?” He smiled. “I wanna kiss you, but I think the TV cameras are probably on us right now. So I’ll make up for this later, ok? Just don’t come back without the pole. Got me?” he grinned.
Carly was speechless. Dale patted her shoulder and walked away. She watched him get into an ambulance and ride to the care center. She slowly put her helmet back on. Scotty came over to her as she climbed into her car. He started to buckle her in.
“Junior ok?” he asked.
“Yes, I think so.”
“What did he say?”
“He wants me to get the pole.”
“Oh. Just like that? Just go get the pole?”
“Scotty, you built this car. Can I do it?”
“Hell yes. It’s the best car out there. You see who is second right now?”
“Steve-O” Carly answered.
“Your car is just like his. Maybe even better. You can do it, CrackerJack. Just go out there and do it!”
She looked into Scotty’s eyes. He had blue eyes, almost the same color as Dale’s.
“I believe in you, Carly-girl. You got a whole crew that believes in you, and a boyfriend that does too. Just do it.”
“You got it.” She said as she flipped down her visor. Scotty clipped the window net into place. The track was clean now, and the wrecker was carrying what was left of Dale’s car off to the garages. She saw the official wave her out. She flipped on her ignition switch, and her #81 Budweiser Monte Carlo growled to life.
She drove it down pit road. As she passed her crew, she held out two fingers. She was going to take two laps to try to capture the pole. She pulled out onto the track. All she thought about was the sound of her engine. It sounded perfect. No misses. Perfect handling too, and a good set of tires. She got it up to speed quickly, and was going full bore when she passed the flag stand. She cut her corners perfectly, only letting off when she absolutely had to. The car was great in the middle of the turns, and coming off them. She ran one perfect lap, and Scotty was screaming in her ears.
“Whoa, baby, you did it! By a hair!! WAHOO!! Come on back in!!”
Ty was ecstatic too. “Great Job Carly!! You got it!! You got it!!”
“One more. I want a better lap.” She told them.
“No, save your engine!” Ty said.
“Go for it, baby!” Scotty said.
“Gotcha Scotty. Sorry Ty.”
She continued around for a second try. She concentrated so hard, she practically could hear every part in her engine. She kept her foot to the floorboards. She drove a perfect lap. Never wavered from her line. She felt faster. She passed under the checkered flag.
“WOHOO! Beat your own time!!!” Scotty yelled. “Shit, we’re gonna have to crash Junior more often!!”
“YEAH!!! Go Carly!!” Ty was yelling. “What a performance! God, you were flying, babe!”
“Carly?? You OK, hun?” Scotty said. She wasn’t answering.
She shut her engine off, and coasted around to the pit road. She pulled off into the garage area. When she pulled into her garage stall, she was alone for a second. She undid her belts and her Hutchins device, unplugged her helmet radio, and leaned her head onto her steering wheel. She could stand it no longer. She started to cry. She heard footsteps running into the garage. She flipped her visor back down so they wouldn’t see her cry. Steve was the first to get to her. He leaned into her window.
“Carly, you ok?” he said. “You were awesome out there! You bumped Jeff off!” he said. He heard her crying inside her helmet.
Scotty leaned into her other window. “You ok, honey? CrackerJack?”
“She’s upset, Scotty. Oh, Carly, it’s ok! Junior’s ok!” Steve tried to comfort her.
“I ~sniff~ know.” She wept. “He ~sniff~ he wanted me to get the pole. For him. I was worried that I couldn’t do it. ~sob~.”
“Well, you did it. We all knew you could.” Steve told her, as he rubbed her shoulder. “Even though it cost me a spot! Some teammate you are, huh Carly-girl!” he teased her.
She laughed a little. “Ha- sorry Stevie! You’ll just have to beat me next week!” she said weakly. “Who goes after me? Is someone gonna beat me?” she fussed.
“Well, Mikey goes soon. Then it’s over. I think he’s the only one you gotta worry about. But I dunno – your time is awfully fast. You gonna get out of the car?” Steve laughed.
“No, actually, I’m not. Not until inspection, anyway. I like it here. Things are good in here. Bad stuff is outside. I know I sound stupid, but I need this right now. I need to be with my car.”
Scotty spoke. “Come on, Carly. Get out now. You’ll be ok.”
“No Scotty, leave her be.” Steve defended her. “I know what she means. Stay there as long as you need to, Carly. I understand.”
She put her hand out the window and held Steve’s hand. “Thanks Steve.” She put her head back on her steering wheel. “Tell me when it’s over.”
“You got it.” He answered. “Come on guys, give her some space, will ya?” Steve said to the crews and the media waiting outside.
“Can I talk to her?” a familiar voice said.
“Yes!!” Carly yelled out.
“Ok, Gordo.” Steve said.
“You ok?” Jeff asked.
Carly laughed. “Yes. I just need some space.”
“Want me to go?” he asked.
“Jeffy, my space always includes you. You know that.”
“That was one hell of a ride, Carly. One hell of a ride. How did you do it, after watching Dale crash?”
“I did it for him.”
“He’s a lucky guy.”
“No, I’m the lucky one.”
“No honey, I’m the lucky one.” Dale had gotten out of the care center and came right to the garage. He was leaning in her other window. Carly picked her head up and flipped up her visor, and looked over at him.
“You ok, Bud Boy?” Jeff asked him.
“A-ok. Just a bruise.” Dale smiled. “Go, Jeff. Let me talk to Carly alone.” He smiled.
“Right. Good job, kid.” Jeff patted Carly on the shoulder and left.
Carly took off her helmet. Dale winced as he climbed into the right side of her car. “Ugh. No seat.” He smiled. He leaned over and kissed her. “I saw the replay. I have never been so proud of anyone in my life. It was like someone took over your car and just drove it faster. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I – I don’t know what to say, except I love you!” He kissed her again. “I wish my dad were around to see this. I think he’d be proud too.”
“Dale, there’s something I need to tell you. I’ve been needing to tell you this for a couple of weeks now, I just needed to find the right time. Ok, I hope you don’t think I’m crazy, but I just need to get this out.”
He looked at her funny. “What? What is it?” he asked.
“Have you heard people tell stories about near death experiences? About going to the light?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Do you believe it?”
“I think I do. It’s never happened to me. I’ve heard stories. Why?” he looked at her. “Carly – What???” he looked worried.
“Ok – hear me out, ok Dale? And remember that I love you, ok?” She said. She told him the whole account of what happened when she crashed at Rockingham. About seeing his dad, and Adam.
~~**~~
