Chapter Text
Chapter One
July 1989
“You ready to go?” Eighteen year old Tony Stewart asked when he saw his girlfriend, Cassidy Lynn Maynard coming down the stairs in her family’s quaint two-story home in Columbus, Indiana. He couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face when he saw her wearing a pink baby doll maternity top with a pair of blue jeans. He pulled her into his arms when she reached the last step, kissing her softly.
“I’m ready,” Cassidy smiled. “We’re staying for the fireworks after right?”
“I don’t know…” Tony said slowly, grinning. “Of course we can baby…that all depends on how you feel though. I don’t want you getting too tired or worn out,” he rubbed her protruding belly.
Cassidy was eight months pregnant and was due to give birth mid August. It was safe to say that the pregnancy was not planned since they had just graduated high school two months prior. They had dated throughout high school and Tony loved her to pieces. He knew he would never find anyone that would understand him as well as Cass did. He still remembered the night she had came to his mother’s doorstep crying.
*Flashback*
December 1988
“Cassidy,” Pam Stewart frowned at the distraught teenager crying on her step when she opened the door. “Come in,” she ushered her through the door, closing it behind her. She wrapped a comforting arm around the girl, whom she had already considered a second daughter. She had been in Tony’s life for so long now it was hard not to. She was part of the family. “It’s okay,” she shushed Cassidy, leading her into the living room where Tony was sitting on the couch watching television. “Tony, son…”
Tony looked over his shoulder at his mother’s words and quickly jumped from the couch, seeing Cassidy’s tear stained face. “Cass, what’s wrong?” He immediately wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him.
Cassidy’s arms snaked around Tony’s waist and nuzzled her face in his shoulder. She felt her tears fall harder and she couldn’t even speak.
“Cassie, what’s wrong?” he asked beginning to get worried at how upset she was. “Are you hurt?” He asked and when she shook her head he continued, “Sick?”
“No,” Cassidy whispered. She lifted her head from Tony’s shoulder, looking into his chocolate brown eyes. She saw the worry and fear laced through as he tried to figure out what was going on. “Can we go for a drive?”
“Sure,” Tony said, walking them back towards the front door, where he slid on his tennis shoes. “We’ll be back,” he called to his mom as he grabbed the keys, leading Cassie out the door.
They drove in silence with George Strait’s “Baby’s Gotten Good at Goodbye” playing softly in the background. Cassidy sniffled in the passenger seat as Tony drove through town. Every time she thought she was good enough to speak she would start crying again. She knew she was scaring Tony, but she couldn’t help it.
Tony chewed on his bottom lip every so often glancing at his girlfriend. Seeing the tears rolling down her cheeks caused his heart to break. He wanted to pull her into his arms and tell her that everything would be okay. That she didn’t need to cry. But he needed to know why she was crying. He continued out of town, leaving her to gather her thoughts and before long he was pulling into a gravel parking lot next to a small forest park. Putting the car in park, he turned towards Cassidy and waited.
“I’m sorry, Tony,” Cassidy whispered, looking down at her hands.
“Cass, you’re scaring me, tell me what’s going on,” he didn’t even know where to begin with the direction his thoughts were taking. “Please tell me baby, let me help.”
“I’m pregnant, Tony,” she whispered quietly. When Tony didn’t say anything, she risked a look. He sat unmoving in the driver’s seat staring at her.
“You’re…you’re pregnant?” Tony squeaked. His mind was plagued with thoughts and words but he couldn’t form a coherent sentence. How could Cassidy be pregnant? They used protection. They were in high school. He wanted to race, he couldn’t raise a baby. He couldn’t afford to have a child; he could barely afford to race.
“I’m sorry,” Cassidy sobbed, burying her face in her hands. She didn’t know how this had happened. They had used a condom every single time. They were safe and precautious. There was no room for a child in their life right now. Tony wanted to race and she wanted a degree. “I didn’t mean for this to happen…”
‘A baby…’ Tony thought and leaned back in the seat. For the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to do. How were his parents going to react once he told them? His father was going to flip. His mother would probably cry. He sighed and looked over at the passenger seat to his girlfriend. He unbuckled his seat belt and reached a hand out, wrapping his fingers around her wrist, pulling her hand away from her face. “Cass…”
“You have to believe me, Tony,” Cassidy whispered raising her head. “What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know,” Tony said honestly, catching her tears with the pads of his thumbs as he cupped her face with both her hands. “But we’ll figure something out, okay? I love you Cass.”
*End Flashback*
“I’ll be fine,” Cassidy smiled softly at Tony’s protective nature. The past eight months haven’t been easy for either one of them. Once word had spread that she was pregnant, the news hadn’t been accepted kindly. She had been cast as an outcast by her class. She had by no means been popular, but she had a small circle of friends and never thought anything would tear them apart. But high school girls were tough and while they were picking colleges and jobs; she was picking out names and colors.
“I know, I just worry,” Tony said as he led Cassidy from the house to his car, placing her in the front seat. He could hardly contain his excitement at the upcoming event. Go-Karting had become too expensive on their budget. His father had managed to snag him a shot racing TQ Midgets through the owner of a local parts store who knew of an available seat.
Cassidy smiled over at Tony as they made their way from Columbus to Rushville. It was a little over an hour away from them and she could already see her boyfriend getting into the racing mode. She wasn’t able to make his first TQ start in Greensburg three days prior because of her job, but with this race being on July fourth, she had been able to snag the day off.
She hoped this race would result better than his first start. Tony had called her after only a few laps in the feature stating he had fuel pump problems and his night was over. She felt Tony’s disappointment through the phone and knew what he had to have been going through, wishing she was there to comfort him.
“You’ll do great tonight,” Cassidy reached over, squeezing Tony’s hand. “I just know it.”
“I hope so,” Tony gave her a smile. Winning tonight’s event at Rushville would definitely get his name out there among the TQ owners. He knew the competition would be tough, everyone came to win.
“You will,” Cassidy said firmly. “You’re a great racer.”
“Heh, this is a big race, Cass. There will be a lot of guys here tonight.”
“So. I know you Tony. I know you’ll do great.”
“I love you,” he brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles.
An hour later, Tony pulled into the fairgrounds, slowly maneuvering his car over the pasture parking lot, following the attendants pointing, directing him where to park. Once he had the car parked, he shut off the engine, but made no move to climb from the car. People were parking around him and he could see the crowds walking towards the gate. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how many people were already inside the fairgrounds and how many more had yet to arrive.
This was a make or break point in his career. He was still young and would have more time to get a ride, but he needed to prove himself. He only had a handful of races with Roy Barker and wanted to make the most of them; hoping someone would notice him and give him more rides. Since this was a major race, it was the best time for him to get noticed and catch a full time ride. That as something he needed so he could support his family
Looking across the seat, he saw Cassidy looking at him with puzzlement. He gave her a smile, “Just giving myself a pep talk,” he explained. “I’m ready to go now.”
Cassidy smiled softly, “Honey, you’ll do fine. Stop doubting yourself.”
“This is a big race Cass,” Tony sighed. “I need to do good here…a lot better than what I did in Greensburg. There will be so many people here watching. This is my chance….our chance.”
“You’re the best racer out there, you’re gonna show them and owners will be beating on your door asking you to drive their cars,” she stated firmly.
“I don’t know about…”
“With that attitude you won’t get past lap one,” Cassidy scoffed. “Don’t beat yourself before you get on the track.”
“Cass—”
“No buts,” she shook her head. “You’re the best racer here and you’re gonna kick ass.” She gave him a pointed look.
Tony chuckled lightly and shook his head, knowing it was pointless to argue. “I’m the best racer and I’m gonna kick everyone’s ass.”
Cassidy grinned, “That’s more like it! Now,” she asked looked around. “What time do you have to be in the pits?”
“Four, why?”
“Well, I want a funnel cake and it’s gonna take me awhile to waddle to the pits, so we’d better hurry.”
Tony smiled, kissing her lightly before climbing from the car. The smile was still on his features as he helped Cassidy from the car. He grabbed her hand as they started towards the entrance, her words repeating in his mind.
‘I am the best racer,’ he thought. ‘And I’m gonna prove it.’