Everything Has Changed //Ryan Blaney//

4.3 - Winner

Ryan

I don't think I had been so disappointed with how I had driven during a race. I usually go into these super speedways with a clear head and never thinking about being in 'the big one' because that's usually when it happens but I had thoughts of being so close and losing it And those were always a downer when you were in the middle of them.

But that hadn't been why I wasn't feeling all that confident today. Coming onto pit road I had entered too fast, spinning into the grass. Jeremy had told me not to worry about it since it was still early in the race. And when the race had been postponed until tomorrow I tried to be grateful that I could calm down and clear my head tonight and start anew tomorrow.

Sienna had been caught off guard by the rain and then staying another day meant that Eleanor would be missing her a day of school. I don't think she minded it at all. Eleanor had been using her cast as a means of getting anything she'd asked for. She had got every single one of the drivers to sign her cast. She was walking around with an expensive piece of plaster. She was happy with it too, wanting to show me it after I got back to the motorhome. With my suit forgotten, I sat on the couch and watched as she pointed out where her favorites were. 

"Did you have fun watching the race with Mommy?" I asked her after she was done telling me about how she and Sienna walked from the end of the pit road to the front to get the signatures. 

"Yeah, she has been in the bathroom a lot. I think she's getting sick." 

She had been a bit off since seeing the doctor. I had been very relieved when she said that her MRI came back clear for a concussion but I noticed that she wasn't being herself since. Now with El saying she had been sick again, I was sure to have her checked out once more. I knew that sometimes it didn't appear right off so maybe it just took a couple of days to show heavier symptoms. I know she had been a bit harder to wake up this morning, and a lot grouchier. 

"Is she in the bathroom now?" I asked, not seeing her in the front of the motorhome. Her phone had been set on the table along with an unfinished bag of chips and a can of Dr. Pepper.

"I'll be right back." She had already been turned to the cartoon that was playing on the television. It had come back from a commercial and she didn't even blink at me when she saw the cartoon dogs come on. I see which one she likes more now.

Knocking on the door softly, the sound of running water stopped. "One second El." Sienna sounded horse, and I was sure that she had just got done throwing up. 

"Are you still getting sick?" I asked. I hadn't meant to sound hateful with the question but she knows that this is serious and should be telling someone. "Yes, but it's fine." She opened up the door to show me her splotchy face and eyes shining blue. Ignoring the smell of throw-up, I moved into the small area with her so Eleanor wouldn't hear.

"You are still getting sick after hitting your head. How in the world is that fine, Sienna?" I tried to whisper but the more the words came out, the angrier I got. "Ryan, I said it was fine. Just leave it alone." I know she didn't mean for me to see it but she shrugged her shoulders as if it still was no big deal. 

"Sienna, I think you should go get checked again. I'm sure we could go to the care center. You could have developed a concussion over the last few days. Along with getting sick, you're tired more and crabbier than usual." 

"I'm not crabby." She snapped, a roll of her eyes had me looking at her because she was proving my point. "Sienna you just snapped at me. We've fought before but you have never rolled your eyes during a fight. Something is wrong."  Seeming to frustrate her more, she turned around so she was facing away from me. The sounds of her crying had my heart softening. She had mood swings too. So many symptoms but she was still denying it. I'm going to get Eleanor to come in and talk some sense into her if she doesn't start listening to me.

"Why won't you go? You're scaring me with staying here and getting worse." I had calmed down, hearing her crying had me knowing I had messed up by fighting with her. "Ryan." Her head fell back. I could hear the defeat in her voice but I was desperate now. "Honey, please go for me."

Sienna

"Honey, please go for me."

I had tried so hard to keep this pregnancy a secret until after the race but rain had to mess it up. I was all prepared to tell him right after he climbed out of his car. Now Ryan and I were having a fight in the bathroom about concussions and I just didn't have the energy anymore to keep it away from him.

"I don't have to go. I know what's wrong and it's not what you think it is." I grabbed his hand, pulling him with me to the bedroom. He wasn't too hard to string along, seeming to want to understand what I meant. On the floor were our bags, and in one of the zippered pockets contained the paper from the hospital that told of my test result.

"Then what is it?" His eyebrows had scrunched up when seeing me shuffling around in my bag. Taking the paper and unfolding it, I placed it in his hands, letting him read the words.

"I'm pregnant Ry. We're gonna have a baby."

It took him a few seconds to grasp what I said but once the realization happened, he was picking me up and spun me around. Probably not the best after just getting sick from eating. 

"I fucking love you." Finally being placed back on my feet, he made sure to kiss my lips and then my flat stomach. "Does anyone else know?" Shaking my head, I answered him.

"No one else knows, not even Eleanor. I wanted to tell you first. Plus I figured we could wait and tell everyone until after our first doctor's appointment."

I didn't think that my heart could beat so fast but after watching that last restart, to Ryan and Ryan Newman coming to the finish line side by side, I was sure that I would have heart problems. Ryan had won Talladega after missing multiple big wrecks and having a bit of bad luck yesterday. Eleanor was ecstatic seeing Ryan climb out and capture the checkered flag. Her arms waved around as her screams matched the ones around us. 

The smile he wore when he took his helmet off made me swell with emotions. I know this win means a lot to him. It was the first one of us together, he just found out he was going to be a dad, and it put him into the next round of the playoffs.

Standing on pit wall with Eleanor, we watched as his pit crew jumped around. High fives were shared, along with a lot of choice words (that I was so glad El couldn't hear thanks to her headphones). I heard everything though. Ryan was in front of the crowd, fist-pumping the air as he held that checkered flag high.

The crowd roared even louder when he addressed them when he was being interviewed, asking them if they liked the race. He was always trying to get fans involved and pumped up. It was one of the reasons he was such a fan favorite because he cared about them.

Marty stood with him, asking him questions about how he felt going into the last turn and asking about being forced below the double yellow line. We had watched the truck race and knew from the amount of heat it had from it about going below the yellow lines that it was not something we wanted to do, at all. Ryan answered them all with his usual smile and calm self. giving his team credit and also thanking his sponsors. Right when Marty stopped talking to walk away, Ryan started talking again. 

"Along with Dent Wizard being a huge supporter, I have to thank my wife and kids. I love having them with me every week."

Word Count - 1485

Oh, Ryan. We were keeping secrets. But he knows now! had to throw a bit of a curveball in there. Anyway, I hope you liked it! Happy Monday, hope you have a good day.

- Stay Beautiful

Courtney S