Pretty Amazing Grace {Ryan Blaney || Sequel to Sweet Caroline} ✔️

two

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Lydia gripped her briefcase as she climbed the steps up to the courthouse. Nerves pounded her stomach -- an internal fight to keep her breakfast down.

Normally, there was a level of excitement, adrenaline pumping through Lydia right before she went before a judge to present a case. But today? Today it was straight nausea.

Once Lydia made it through security, she made a beeline to the bathroom. She emptied her breakfast into a toilet.

Great.

Lydia wiped the sides of her mouth when a fresh wave of nausea hit Lydia, forcing her to double over. But it wasn't nausea -- instead, it was a pain in her lower belly. The pain had started the night before but Lydia had dismissed it as a one-time thing. But with the new wave of pain,  Lydia's heart sunk -- no. It couldn't be. This couldn't be happening right now.

If she had a miscarriage now, Ryan would probably feel justified that she was lying to him.  This couldn't be happening.

But to Lydia's relief, there was no blood.

Maybe it was just round ligament pain -- she had that with Caroline, although it didn't happen until much later.

Lydia shook the thoughts off, slowly standing up. The pain was intense and Lydia had no idea how she was going to get through court but she'd find a way.

Lydia always found a way. She had to find a way.

A few moments later, she left the bathroom -- nearly colliding with a body.

"I'm so sorry," She apologized, not bothering to look up. She wanted to get to the courtroom as soon as it opened so she could get her papers organized. She had taken her boss' advice and covered all her bases. Lydia had compiled Caroline's medical and vaccination records along with statements from Caroline's doctor and babysitter attesting to Caroline's health and wellbeing.

She knew they were going to try and paint her as a flight risk but she had the records to prove that she wasn't, that she was a good mother.

"Like hell you are." A familiar voice snapped.

Elle. Of course, she was here.

Lydia's eyes lifted to meet Elle's glare. She grimaced as another wave of pain shot through her abdomen, letting out slow breaths.

"What? You don't have anything to say?" Elle growled.

Ryan's face entered Lydia's sightline. He looked tired in his blue blazer, reminding Lydia of the way he looked when he found out about Caroline. There was anger burning in his eyes that Lydia had never seen before and it made her want to empty the rest of her stomach contents all over the floor.

Wait. No. That was actually the morning sickness making her feel that way.

Lydia turned, bolting back into the bathroom. She hadn't had consistent morning sickness with Caroline so this was something she wasn't prepared for. She wasn't prepared for any of this.

Once she was sure that she was done, she stood back up. Quickly washing her hands, she was greeted with Ryan and Elle's voices before she pushed the door open.

"I think she's hiding something." Elle hissed. "Please tell me you aren't so naive to not think that it's weird that she ran to hide in the bathroom."

Before Ryan answered, Lydia pushed the door open. She wanted to defend herself but she didn't know how to. She was hiding what had happened between her and Stacy because telling Ryan that would force a bigger conversation that she wasn't really sure she was ready to have.

"What are you hiding?" Ryan asked, shifting his attention to Lydia.

Lydia swallowed hard. "We can figure this out, we don't have to go in front of a judge." She knew she was avoiding his question and she should just tell Ryan that Stacy had blackmailed her.

But she knew what that would do to Ryan -- it would destroy him. Lydia knew that it was probably better for Ryan to be angry and upset at her rather than himself. It killed her but she knew it was probably for the best. Somehow, someway, eventually, she could tell Ryan what had forced her to leave but now wasn't the time.

"So you can lie more?" Elle jumped in. "Was this some sort of sick game to you?"

Annoyance flashed through Lydia. Elle had no skin in this game and here she was, inflaming the situation. "This is still none of your business, Elle."

"I want to know," Ryan spoke up. "Did you ever mean any of the things you said to me?  Was this some sort of scheme to get me to sign the paternity papers so you could hit me with back child support?" Is Caroline even mine?" He shook his head.

Lydia's stomach dropped to the floor. "Of course she's yours." She let out a loud laugh, trying to keep herself from crumbling. "Last time I checked, I wasn't the one that initiated this."

"No, you didn't initiate anything. You made one half-assed attempt to get ahold of me and then after that -- nothing. You would have been fine if I had never known my daughter. The only reason I know Caroline is because I chased you down in a parking lot and cornered you. So no, you haven't initiated any of this."

"Do you want to know why I didn't try to get ahold of you?" Lydia snapped, struggling to keep her voice down, to keep her emotions in check. "Because of this. I was scared that you'd do this, that you'd try to take her away from me. And you just proved me right." She looked down, hoping Ryan wouldn't see the tears on her cheeks.

"Don't act like you didn't play a part in this. You're a scheming bitch, Lydia." Lydia's eyes snapped up to Ryan's.  He was angry and hurt, she understood that. But he didn't have to go this far. "You ended things with me and then blocked my number and now you want to figure it out because I put my foot down." He shook his head. "Nope. You forced my hand, Lydia. "

"Did you ever stop and consider that maybe there's more to this. That my hand was forced too? Or are you so consumed with being the victim, it never occurred to you that maybe this wasn't as black and white as it might seem." It was Lydia's turn to shake her head, trying to ignore the hurt that was balling up in her stomach.

"Give me a break, Lydia. You aren't a fucking victim. You are just a selfish bitch who gets some sort of sick satisfaction out of hurting people -- namely me."

"Ryan Michael." A voice broke through the standoff from behind them. "I did not just hear you say that to Lydia."

"Mom." Ryan gritted. "She left. She --"

"No. Call me naive but I refuse to believe that Lydia left because she wanted to. Anybody with eyes can see the way she feels about you. I think it would benefit everybody to hear Lydia out, see what actually happened." Ryan's mom shook her head, "Besides, I did not teach you it was okay to speak to anybody like that."

Ryan opened his mouth to protest but another voice came from down the hall. "Court is starting in less than ten minutes."

Lydia forced a smile at Ryan's mom. She had no idea why his mom had defended her but she was thankful. Ryan's words echoed in her mind but she shoved them in a box, trying to ignore the pain -- both physical and mental -- as she headed towards the courtroom.

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