Lightning In a Bottle {A Chase Elliott Story}

Chapter 36: Meeting the Parents

Chase sat in his motorhome on Saturday, waiting on his parents to arrive. He had never been so nervous before, but he knew this was a big deal. There was a knock on the door. He went to get up to open it, thinking it was his parents, but it wasn't. It was Jess.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised.

"I wasn't going to let you face this alone. This involves both of us and we support each other." He pulled her into him.

"Thank you."

A little while later, another knock came on the door. Chase got up and opened it and there were his parents. "Hi honey," his mom said.

"Hi mom," Chase said, leading them inside.

"Oh hello," his mother said, noticing they weren't alone.

"Hi. I'm Jessica," Jess said, reaching out her hand. Cindy Elliott took it and shook it in return as did Bill. She sat back down as Cindy and Bill sat opposite of her as Chase sat down beside her.

"So what is this we need to talk about?" Cindy asked. Chase looked at Jess and took a deep breath.

"Well you know that Jess and I dated," he started.

"Yes, go on," Cindy said.

"Ok well there's a few pieces I need to explain. We dated as in in the past after I cheated on Jess with my ex. I didn't mean to, it happened and we broke up. Fate had other plans and we ran into each other in Daytona and after I won, things happened."

"What are you saying Chase?" Bill questioned.

"That...," Jess cut him off.

"That I'm pregnant and Chase is the father." Chase was pretty sure his mother was about to lose her shit and he was even more shocked Jess was the one who delivered the news.

"Are you some pit lizard trying to trap my son?" Cindy asked, fuming. Before Chase had a chance to respond, Jess did, again.

"No ma'am. When Chase and I broke up, it was me who did it. I wasn't having anyone break my heart after what I had already endured in my life. Before I even interviewed him for my job earlier this year, I had no idea who he was, who ya'll were or even about NASCAR in general. I'm the last person who would try to trap your son. When I found out I was pregnant after Daytona, I was scared. I didn't want to even tell Chase, but my best friend said he deserved to know the truth. I told him he didn't have to do anything and if he wanted one, we could get a paternity test. He came to my doctor's appointment the other day and he said he wants to be a part of the baby's life." As she finished, tears had streamed down her cheeks. She wasn't looking for sympathy from Chase's parents, but she wasn't one to sugarcoat the situation.

"Are you two together now?" Cindy asked.

"It's complicated," Chase answered.

"I'd say so. Jess would you mind giving us a moment?" Cindy said. Jess nodded and walked out the door of the motorhome, still reeling that she had spilled everything to Chase's parents the first time meeting them.

"What did you do?" she asked, once Jess had left.

"I think that's clear mom."

"Not that Chase, Jess. Wasn't she the girl you told me you thought you had fallen in love with? You seemed to leave out the reason you two weren't together anymore was because you cheated on her with what's her name."

"Yeah. It blew up on me the night we got back from Florida. I love her mom. She's really hesitant about me being in her life now because she isn't sure she can trust me. In Daytona, we talked for the first time since we broke up and decided we'd be friends, but then the baby happened. I'm excited to be a dad and have a baby with Jess, mom. I love her."

Cindy, who had been about to kill Chase and Jess mer minutes ago, was now starting to understand. Her son was old enough to make his own decisions and now her baby was going to be a father of his own.

"So what are the next steps?" Cindy asked. Chase pulled out the photo of the sonogram and showed his mom. "Oh Chase."

"We don't know what it is yet, it's still really early. I want to marry Jess mom, what do I do for her to feel the same?"

"Make her trust you Chase. Prove to her you'll take care of her and your baby. Now go get Jess so we can get to know the mother of our grandchild." A huge smile crossed Chase's face as he walked outside to get Jess.

Jess had taken a walk down the rows of motorhomes to clear her head and give Chase time with his parents. She hadn't expected to interject like she had, but she had to stick up for herself. She wasn't just another girl trying to bag a driver, she was a normal girl who by chance, got caught up in this whirlwind.

"Jess," she heard a voice call. She turned around and saw Chase jogging towards her.

"Is everything ok? Does your mom want my head on a chopping block?"

"No, far from it actually. She wants to get to know you better since you are carrying their grandchild."

"Is that all?" she asked with a smile.

"Well and the fact that their son is in love with the woman in front of him. Give me another chance Jess. I know it hasn't been easy, but I love you and our baby."

"If I say yes, does that mean you're going to make me go to the race tomorrow?" she asked with a laugh. She watched Chase's brown eyes get wide with excitement and he took her in his arms.

"Well it does come with the territory."

"Well then Elliott, I'm in."