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

twenty-four

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"I want to play again." Caroline crossed her arms, her eyes twisted into a glare at her father.

Ryan had never understood why parents let their kids win board games until this very moment but boy, did he get it now. He had won the last four games of Candy Land -- he had tried to go easy on Caroline but his competitiveness took over every time.

But what Ryan didn't realize when he agreed to play with Caroline was that she possessed the same competitive edge as her father and she hated to lose. And every time she lost, she got angrier until they were on the verge of a meltdown.

"Why don't we take a break?" Lydia suggested, clearly trying to diffuse the tantrum that was brewing.

"No." Ryan's eyes widened a little at his daughter's defiance. "I have to beat Daddy."

Ryan made eye contact with Lydia, practically hearing her thoughts, her plea to just let Caroline win so they could move on with their night.

"Okay." Ryan cleared the board, shuffling the cards. "Let's play again."

Half an hour later, Caroline wore a triumphant smile -- much to both of her parent's relief. Ryan had never been so happy to lose but he filed this lesson away for the next time Caroline wanted to play board games with him -- sometimes winning was not worth it.

"What do you want to do now?" Lydia asked, clearing the board game off of the coffee table -- eager to put this portion of the evening behind them.

They had put an offer on the house, Lydia had been as sure as Ryan that the house was meant to be theirs. They were still waiting for the owners to accept the offer, but Ryan was confident that the house would be theirs soon enough.

They had treated Caroline to ice cream on their way home, her happiness breathing a little life into the two of them.

As Ryan watched Caroline tap her chin, ceremoniously thinking about what she wanted to do next, a lump formed in his throat. His mind flashed back to the day he met Caroline, where he asked the universe for a way out of his miserable life. He had never been one to ponder the idea of fate but looking back, he couldn't see this as anything but fate.

She had saved him, giving him a reason to live when it felt like the universe was trying to ruin him. Ryan hadn't known it was possible to love another being as much as he loved Caroline but damn it, he did.

"Can we show Daddy my keepsake box?" Caroline's eyes lit up.

"Keepsake box?" Ryan glanced at Lydia, noting the sadness in her eyes.

"It's all of Caroline's ultrasounds, baby book, things like that," Lydia whispered, her eyes glassy.

Ryan swallowed hard, unsure of how they were going to be able to look at those things with their pain so fresh. "Caroline, why don't you show me? I think Momma was going to make a batch of cookies."

"Thank you." Lydia mouthed. Ryan had no idea why he was volunteering to look at these things, knowing full well the emotions they would trigger. Maybe it was the curiosity -- he had never gotten to see any of these things.

Caroline grabbed Ryan's hand, leading him into her room. She opened her closet, pointing to the box on the top shelf.

Ryan pulled the box down, setting it in front of Caroline -- watching as she pulled the top off.