Blink Of An Eye

Chapter 11

Ryan's POV

Everything about this felt so strange. Sure it was great seeing Chase and Bubba, but Alex being here really threw me for a loop. No, we had never had any issues with each other, we just never hung out together. Now Bubba and Alex, they had never gotten along, but it looked like they had moved past all of that. I had so many questions.

"So how you doing man?" Bubba asked, as he took a seat on the couch next to me.

I shrugged. "Okay I guess. Physically, except for the off and on pounding in my head I feel alright. Just my brain is a scrambled mess." I then looked at Alex, then back at Bubba. "So you two are friends now?" 

They both laughed. "Yeah. That whole middle finger/Gatorade happened a long time ago." Bubba said.

Huh? Middle finger/Gatorade thing? I was so out of it, but hell, that was nothing new.

"Nicole and Amanda are friends, so they kinda forced us to be friends. I even forgave him for hitting on my girl." Alex teased.

"Hey she wasn't your girl back then." Bubba shot back.

"Yeah, but I went home with her number. Just as well since you and Amanda ended up getting back together." Alex said.

"Point taken." Bubba slapped Alex on the back with another laugh.

How was it possible to feel so out of place in my own living room, amongst my friends? Maybe it was too soon to get together with everyone. This was such an uncomfortable feeling, and of course my head was starting to hurt again. Chase cleared his throat, and looked pointedly at Bubba and Alex, and the banter stopped. Leave it to Chase to recognize my discomfort.

"How is Olivia doing with all of this? She seemed...I don't know...a little off I guess." Bubba asked.

"How the hell you think she's doing? She's obviously..." Alex started to say, but quickly stopped after a pointed look from Chase.

"What's like the last thing you remember?" Chase asked the question that I'm sure was on everyone's mind.

I sighed. "I wished it were that easy to explain. It's not like there is a specific cutoff point to any of this. It's just a big chunk of time has been taken out. I remember Sturgill, I'm aware now of what year it is. It's...it's really hard to explain. Basically I don't remember the last three or so years. When I woke up in the hospital, I fully expected Lauren to be there. Even while I was out, I heard a female voice. I felt someone holding my hand. I assumed it was Lauren because she was the last woman I remember being with."

"Poor Olivia. That must have been hell for her." Chase said with a sigh.

Obviously my friends were very fond of Livvy.

"Tell me about Olivia and me. I only know what she's told me. We had a really good thing together right?" I asked, not that I had any reason to not believe her, I was just needing to hear it from my friends perspective.

"The best. Olivia was the best thing that ever happened in your life." Chase said.

"You were going through a rough patch. You are Lauren broke up and you were basically spiraling out of control. She saved you." Bubba said emphatically, and I could see the look of admiration in his eyes.

"I was a little late to the party. You and Olivia were already serious by the time Nic and I got together, but it was obvious to everyone around how much you loved her." Alex chimed in.

To hear my friends sing Olivia's praises struck a chord in me. Neither Chase nor Bubba particularly cared for Lauren. I didn't understand their disdain at the time, and I could only guess at it now because I only knew what I had been told by Olivia about Lauren cheating, but they clearly had their reasons for not liking her. They obviously adored Olivia, and I trusted their judgment.

There was a bit of silence that hung in the air, I guess they didn't really know what to say to me. I figured Olivia probably warned them not to ask me too much.

"So uh... what happened with my team?" I remembered that this was something I had meant to ask Olivia about.

"Yeah. Roger decided to make a big change off season before last. Your team went with Brad, and you got Joey's team." Bubba said.

"I saw pictures from my Daytona win and it threw me off seeing the 22 guys in the photos. So I guess that worked out pretty good." I admitted.

"Turned out to be a brilliant move, not that I expected anything less from Roger, but yeah...it worked out very well. You and Todd clicked right from the get go and won your first race together. Ended up winning the championship too. You did know about the championship right?" Chase asked, now looking slightly uncomfortable. I guess they really were treading carefully.

"Yeah. I heard about that." I chuckled a little over how cautious they were being. It was completely out of character. At least for Chase and Bubba.

Now the awkward silence was back. I struggled to come up with something to say. Olivia saved me when she entered the living room with a crying Makenna.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I think she wants her dad." She looked at me apologetically.

I took my screaming daughter from her, and immediately her cries subsided. Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes playfully. "She's a daddy's girl." She said throwing her hands in the air as an exaggerated gesture of frustration, and I knew she was teasing. Even I knew Olivia was an incredible mother, but it seemed I had a special bond with our daughter. I actually felt that from the moment Olivia brought her to the hospital.

The guys all made a huge fuss over Makenna, making silly faces and funny voices at her, making her giggle. They seemed comfortable with her too.

"I was going to ask how you were doing with Kenna here, but it looks like all is well." Bubba commented.

"Yeah. I guess so. I can't explain it, but she makes me smile. I don't remember her, but I really feel like a dad." It was true. I knew I would do anything in the world for this beautiful baby sitting in my lap with her hands splayed on my cheeks while she babbled incoherently. She was a little angel. My little angel, and I felt that so hard.

"Just give it time with Olivia. Don't shut her out. Let her be there for you. Talk to her. Communicate with her. Stop thinking of her as your old friend and start thinking of her as your wife. She loves you. You may not recognize it at this moment, but deep down, you know you love her too." Chase said.

I realized how much sense his words made. For being younger than all of us, Chase had always been very mature. My mind had a hard time separating my high school friend Livvy from my wife Olivia. I just needed to change my mindset.

The guys stayed a little longer. We played with Makenna until she began to get sleepy, then I put her in her bed for the night. After another hour or so of making small talk, everyone wished us goodnight and promised to visit again after the weekend. It stung a bit that they would all be racing, and I wasn't, but I had to focus on my recovery. And Olivia. Chase's words still hung with me for the rest of the night.

Not long after they left, Olivia and I decided we were ready for bed, and I hoped she would keep her promise and get some sleep.

After feeling her toss and turn for a while, I began thinking more about what Chase had said. What would a husband do when his wife is clearly in distress?

"Come here." I said softly, opening my arms to her.

"Are you okay with this?" She asked hesitantly, but then she settled into the crook of my arm, her head on my chest.

"Yep." I replied, noticing once again how well she fit into my arms, how we fit together perfectly.

"Good. This feels nice." She sighed contentedly, and within minutes, she had fallen asleep.

It felt more than nice. It felt...right.