Mourning The Losses (Erik Jones Fanfic)

Friends and a Play Date Chapter 26

"Landon are you going to be good?" I asked him. "Very good mommy." He replied smiling at me. "I hope so." I replied before leaving and getting back into the truck. "I'm going to miss him running around this weekend." I said turning to Erik. "Me too, but we need some time away from our son." He replied. "Do you ever think what could have been?" I asked. "Sometimes, when I can't sleep I watch you and wonder what if that party never happened, or what if I left when the little kids did and we didn't hook up, what if Landon never came." He said. "Would we have gotten together earlier if he never came?" I then asked. "I think we would have, we would have both been there." He said. "I think he would have been older and he would have been a little different that he is." I said. "I've never asked but what is his full name?" Erik then asked as we got to the airport. "Landon John Harris." I told him.

"Do you remember all the names you wanted to name him?" He then asked. "If he was a girl he would have been named either Tamia after my mom, Mirabel I liked the name at the time or Gage which is self explanatory." I told him. "I would have liked any of those names, just as I like the name Landon." He replied. "He was named Landon because he pretty much picked out the name, I was talking to my friends about names and when I said Landon he kicked." I told him. "Like he was telling you to call him Landon." He said. "I didn't know he was going to be a boy, I wanted the gender to be a surprise so that was his way of telling me he was going to be a boy." I said. "That's cute." He replied. We got to the track and had a fun time away from Landon for the weekend, which I mostly just missed cuddling my baby boy and Erik was sixth.

Erik finished 33rd at Bristol, 21st at Road America, 6th at Darlington, second at Richmond, and now we are going to Chicagoland with Landon. "Are you winning daddy?" Landon asked Erik when we were driving to the track. "Yes I'm winning for you and for mommy and for my team." He replied. "Win win win." Landon said as we made our way. "Erik, how about you take Landon with you and teach him about the way of a NASCAR driver." I told Erik. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Yes, I want him to know his dad's career." I answered. "Ok, why don't you make friends with some of the other girls here." He said. "Oh, I have some things I have to do." I said. "You will need the truck keys then." He said before handing them to me. "Thank you babe." I said kissing him. I left the boys to bond over racing and when to see a couple of friends.

"Hey Maddie." I said hugging her. "Hey Zoe, how are things?" She asked. "Well Erik took Landon well." I told her. "I knew he would, he's a great guy and understanding he wouldn't hold anything against you." She said. "Where Ali?" I asked. "On her way, May wasn't listening the last time I talked to her." She replied. "How's Keegan?" I asked. "He's good sometimes when he listens." She replied. "Yeah so is Lan." I replied. Last year I met Maddie and Ali on a trip I took with Landon, I wanted to get out of town for a little while and we ended up here and I ran into them and we became friends because all three of us had children.

Just then Ali came walking to us. "May wasn't listening?" I asked. "No, I finally got her to my mom's." She replied. "Erik and Landon are bonding today." I replied. "Keegan is with his aunt." Maddie said. "Hey, since I'm here with Erik who's racing, why don't you two Keegan and May come watch us, I can call Erik and see if he can get you two in." I said. "Keegan would love that." Maddie said. "Yeah and our kids can all hang out together again." Ali replied. I called Erik and he said it was fine, he'd just have to tell officials and get some passes for them. "Come with me back to the track and you can get everything then you will be set." I said so that's what we did. "You four can sit in his pit box, he said that it's fine and if you want." I told them. "Yeah sure, we will see you tomorrow." They said before we went our separate ways.

"Mommy where you go?" Landon asked when I walked in the door. "I went to go hang out with my friends Maddie and Ali." I told him. "Keegan and May too?" He asked. "No, but what do you say to playing with Keegan and May tomorrow?" I asked him. "Yeah play." He said smiling. "Who did you invite?" Erik asked. "I wanted to take a mini vacation and this is where I came with Landon last year and I met Maddie and Ali who both have a child his age." I told Erik. "Ok." He said  before adding "Daniel said if I win he'll watch Landon." I smiled at the thought of him winning. "Well then we better hope you won." I replied.

The next day Maddie and Ali came with Keegan and May and the kids had a play date before the race, which included a nap. "He's the spitting image of Erik." Maddie said. "I know, he looked more like me until his first birthday then he started to look more like Erik." I said. "He's as handsome as his father." Ali said. "That he is." I replied I know they would never do anything towards Erik, they are both in relationships. The kids went for their naps as us three woman sat in the living room. "I'm surprised your boyfriends didn't come, or you didn't ask me for a couple more tickets for them." I said.

"We needed time away from them." Maddie said. "Yeah, I love my man but every girl needs a break, it's the same way with kids sometimes you just need time away." Ali added. "That is right." I replied. After the kid's naps we went to pit road for the race. "Come on Erik said you can stand with us." I said. "Really it's ok?" Maddie asked. "Of course, my friends are his friends and his friends are my friends." I told them. "Ok." Ali replied before we went to find Erik's car. "Bandn." Landon said wanting down. "What?" I asked but I got no reply he just wanted down so I let him go and he ran to Brandon Jones.

"Oh Brandon." I said before going to them with my friends coming with me. "Hey bud, where's mommy?" Brandon asked him. "There." He said pointing to me. "Hey Zoey." He said smiling at me. "Hey BJones." I replied smiling back. "Good luck, go see daddy now." Landon said. "Ok, bye." Brandon said. Landon wanted me to carry him again. We then went to Erik's car. "Erik, this is Maddie and her son Keegan and Ali and her daughter May." I said introducing them as Erik was in the garages when they came. "Hi." Maddie said. "Hello." Ali then said and the kids just waved. "Hello, it's nice to meet you four, Zoe hasn't talked about you much although I'm always busy with the cars and track stuff so she's never really told me." Erik said rambling before pre race ceremonies started.

"Good luck babe." I replied pecking his lips. "I'll need it." He replied before kissing Landon's forehead and then we went to the pit box. "He's nice." Ali said. "Yeah really nice." Maddie agreed. "Oh yes he is." I replied smiling.