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

epilogue

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"I'm going to call and have the backup driver race today." Ryan eyed his wife as she winced from another contraction.

Lydia shot a glare towards her husband. "I already told you that I'm going to be laboring for a really long time. I don't want you to miss out on playoff points."

Ryan opened his mouth to argue -- he had already won this round, he was locked into the next round. But they had been having this conversation for nearly an hour and Lydia had remained firm that he needed to go.

The hospital Lydia was delivering at was just a short drive from the track. He had already made a few calls to make sure he could get to the hospital quickly if he needed to.

They were having a baby.

Ryan was already a dad but this was a new feeling -- the anticipation, the excitement, the terror that he was going to mess this up. Caroline was already five when he met her — he didn't know how to be a dad to a baby.

But Lydia had reassured him that she'd guide him through everything and that he was a fast learner. But that didn't really stop him from staying up at night, reading articles about caring for newborns.

"I'll be home as soon as I can. Call me if anything changes." Ryan pressed a kiss to Lydia's head before he turned to leave — dismissing the uneasy feeling whirling around in his stomach as overall anxiety.

He just hoped that he wouldn't miss the birth of his daughter.

Another girl. Ryan was overjoyed when the ultrasound tech announced that they were having a girl. Caroline was an amazing gift and he loved being her father, a second daughter was the icing on his cake.

Later, Lydia asked if he had been disappointed that there wasn't going to be a Blaney son to carry on the family legacy but that hadn't even crossed his mind — either of his daughters could carry on the family legacy if they wanted.

They hadn't picked a name out, Lydia had insisted that she wanted to lay eyes on their daughter before thinking of names and Ryan obliged — to him, this was Lydia's show and it was his job to make sure she had what she needed and wanted.

And today, she wanted him to race. So he was going to do just that.

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"Ryan." His crew chief interrupted the quiet rhythm that he has set going through the Roval. "Lydia's water has broken, she's on her way to the hospital. She says not to worry, you can finish the race."

Ryan's stomach clenched — he had been worried this would happen. But this time, he wasn't listening to Lydia — the race wasn't even half over. There was no way he was going to risk missing the birth of his daughter.

"I'm coming in." Ryan tightened his grip on the wheel, counting the corners until he could come down pit road.

As soon as his car was safely parked in his pit box, he unbuckled himself like his car was on fire — jumping out. He paused a moment, watching the relief driver strap in before turning to the golf cart that was waiting to take him to his car.