SHAMELESS, lewis hamilton¹

39

"I'm sorry we couldn't be there."

"Toto, it's fine."

He interrupted her over the FaceTime call, shaking his head, "No, it's not. We should be there and I'm sorry."

"Toto, if you say 'I'm sorry' one more time I'm gonna punch something," she wanted him, sending him a glare through the screen. "I get why you can't be. You have things you need to do in the Netherlands and that's fine. I don't hate any of you for it."

"That's good," he nodded. Then he asked, "Did you get the basket we sent you?"

She smiled at the mention of it, looking over at it where it stood on the table, seeing the card where they had written the sweetest message she had ever gotten and they had also signed all of their names on it. "Yes, I did. It was very nice. Thank you."

Then a somewhat teasing smile played on his lips, "So..."

Uh oh. "So."

"What's going on with you and Lewis?"

She sighed, rubbing her temple with her right hand. Moving the other one still hurt like a bitch. "I don't know."

Toto let out a huff of laughter and shook his head.

It made her ask, "What?"

"Lewis said the same thing."

She frowned, "He did?"

Toto smiled softly at her through the screen, "You two are more alike than you think."

"Hm. I don't know about that."

"Well, you're both determined and just as stubborn and prideful." Then he added, "Just as oblivious."

She let out a sound of denial, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Mhm," he hummed, narrowing his eyes as he nodded. "I'm sure you don't." He looked down at something and swore. "Hey, I have to go."

"Oh, okay," she nodded, putting on a smile.

He looked like he was thinking about something. Then he asked, "Do you want to say a quick hello to the team? It's okay if you don't want to."

A nod, "I'd love to."

He started walking, awkwardly holding the camera so it showed mostly the ceiling but also everything from his eyes and up. Then he stopped and said to the team probably, "There is someone who'd like to say hello."

He turned his phone around, facing the rest of the room and the long table with the familiar computers, then the familiar engineers and Bono and Declan. Nyck, who was going to be racing in her place for however long he needed to. Then Lewis, whose eyes had brightened the second he realised it was her.

Then they all smiled and said in unison, "Hey, Bella." Well, Lewis didn't call her that but they all still spoke in unison.

That time her smile was genuine, no need to put anything on for show. "Hey."

Toto started again, in a voice sounding like a kind parent, "And now unfortunately we have to say goodbye."

"Bye, guys."

"Bye, Bella," they spoke in unison again, and Nyck rushed out, "I miss you!"

She felt her smile grow at his words, "I miss you too, Nyck."

She watched as he lit up, smiling as he gave her one last wave before Toto turned his phone back to face himself again, which ended up being a very funny angle on her side. Her team principal just smiled down at it/her, "Bye, Bella. We wish you well. And we hope we'll see you soon. Preferably back here."