A season like no other- Sebastian Vettel

38. Baku pt.1

'Jealous?' he teased her.

'You wish, Konstas' she laughed.

Valeria spent some more time in the motorhome, getting to know everyone from cleaners to engineers as whoever passed by her and Jules had stopped to say hi and give the young boy a cuddle. She felt at home, even more at home than she had felt back at Ferrari when she worked for the team. The thought of the red team had hit a sore spot for her. She wondered if she could visit them and get to say hi to her old colleagues without bumping into Mattia, or worse, Fabrizio. Or even worse... Dave.

'I'm gonna wander, say hi to people and that' she eventually told Antti. 'If Seb comes back before I do, tell him to give me a shout'

The Finn nodded, not even lifting his eyes from the training and meal plans he had been working on for a little while.

Valeria grabbed Jules in her arms and ventured out of the British racing green motorhome. She spotted a few PR people from other teams she had worked with before and stopped to make small talk. Jules was a people magnet and had been behaving perfectly, even with the amount of strangers who had approached him since they had arrived.

Valeria stopped in front of the Ferrari motorhome. 'you see, JJ? This is where mummy met daddy. It was good, for a while here. Then it all went to poop.' Jules looked at her, listening in to her every word. 'some really good people work here, like Uncle Charles, he's a good egg, sometimes a bad one, but aren't we all? Daddy really gave them his everything, but it just didn't work out, you know? Sometimes things don't work out'

'Are you seriously just chatting to yourself in front of the Ferrari motorhome? Absolute weirdo'

'I could recognise this dry sense of humour from miles away' She rolled her eyes. 'Thanks for interrupting a moment, Lan'

'Anytime' the young Brit laughed. 'I heard you and mini Seb were around, so I came looking for you'

'Did you really?'

'No, I just came out of an engineering meeting and I saw a crazy lady talking to herself in front of a building and I knew it was you. Hey, mini Seb' He greeted the child.

'He has a name, you know?'

'Oh is it like piccolo Seb or something?' Lando teased.

'He won't bite, you know? We trained him well' She chuckled. Lando seemed unsure on how to interact with such a young boy.

'Lando has no clue how to speak to children, which is weird considering he's one of them' Carlos' thick accent was unmistakable. 'Hola guapos, que tal?' He gave Valeria a hug.

'Yeah, we're good. Thank you.' Valeria was just about to ask Carlos how he was, when she was surrounded by people in red uniforms hugging her tightly.

'I missed you, Vale' Pietro said. 'Oh my god, look at him. He...'

'Looks just like Seb, I know' Valeria huffed. 'Alright?'

'I was about to say he looks nothing like you, actually' he joked. 'And I'm way better now.' He replied with a smile. 'Let me tell the boys you're here, they want to see him... Jules, right? Seb told me in passing when I managed to catch up with him.'

'Yeah, I had to, you know?' She smiled.

Giorgio and Domenico joined them not long later, the two mechanics were over the moon to see their former colleague and friend and Valeria felt almost emotional to see little Jules in the arms of a Ferrari suited mechanic. Maybe one day her Jules could fulfil what had always seemed to be his namesake's destiny.

'How's Vittoria doing? And young Beatrice? She looks so cute... I am happy she took from your wife' Valeria asked Domenico.

'Yeah, thanks' he rolled his eyes at her comment, pretending to be hurt. 'They're both doing really well. I miss them like crazy though. I have been thinking of a job change, just so I can be at home a little more'

'Yeah, I get it. I have been thinking of going back to work but I can't bear the thought of leaving Jules home.' Valeria agreed.

'And its not like you need a job' Giorgio joked.

'Hey, this lifestyle is expensive, you know?' She laughed, pointing at her simple outfit of a pair of black jeans and an oversized t-shirt. 'How am I going to be able to afford my trainers if I don't work?'

'Man, I fucking miss you' Pietro stated, wrapping his arm around her. 'Come back'

'No, thank you very much. I already turned down a job in F1 from a rival team. For as much as I love you guys... I just can't.' She smiled. 'Our future is green, I am sorry'

'We understand' Pietro smiled. 'I just miss you. It was so much more fun when we were working together'

'It really was' Charles had just joined their little group. 'Hey' he smiled.

'Hi, Charlie' she let him hug her. 'Ça va?'

'Ça va bien, chéri. Look at this little guy. He...'

'Don't you bloody say he looks like Seb or I will break your legs'

'I was about to say he's got your nose. Hopefully not your fierceness' Charles laughed.

When Seb eventually found his wife in the paddock, she was still amicably chatting to their former teammates. He hadn't seen her that relaxed in a long while, especially around Ferrari. He tried to contain a sad smile as he walked over to them.

'Sorry to interrupt the reunion' he said apologetically. 'I am done with stuff here today. Should we head back? I have an early one tomorrow'

'Of course.' She nodded. 'We've got a pole to get tomorrow'

'Keep dreaming, darling' Charles teased her. 'That pole's got my name on it'

'Try not to crash this time' Valeria teased him.

'Too soon, Vale, too soon' he laughed. 'See you tomorrow. au revoir, Jules. J'ai vraiment besoin de t'apprendre un peu de français' (I have to teach you some French)
'You really do' Valeria smiled. 'I have been brushing up on mine... I haven't spoken any since...'

'I know' he let out a sad smile before pulling her into a hug. 'I love you Valerie.'

'Love you too, Charlie'