Away We Go • 2 • Formula One

Chapter 86

"I've missed you, too," I mumbled. 

"I'm sorry I couldn't fly home to you, but they needed me here."

I pulled away and shook my head. "You don't need to apologise. Zara was a huge help and I can honestly say that we had a good couple of days just the two of us. Look at the girls' room!" I excitedly pulled my phone from my pocket and presented the picture that displayed the nearly-completed room. "I used the colour you wanted, and we assembled a lot of the furniture together."

"It looks amazing. I'm glad you two are getting along," he spoke with a look of relief on his face, seemingly expecting a rivalry between the Dutch girl and myself.

"I have no reason to dislike her, really," I said, shrugging my shoulders. Max took my suitcase in one hand and linked his fingers of the other with mine as we began to head towards to car park. "What happened between you guys was before we got back together so I can't hold any resentment there. For once, I'm glad you have a type because it means we're actually similar and have shared interests. Did you know she prays for our safety before every single race?"

Max's face brightened with a smile. "Really?"

I nodded my head. "It's sweet. I wish I could have the same belief and faith in something that she does. She also mentioned something about raising the girls in a way that makes them aware of religion, and I told her that I'd speak to you about it."

"But neither of us are religious?" Max's words sounded more like a question than a statement. It just so happened that we had reached his hire car at this point, which was parked pretty poorly between the white lines of a space.

"No," was my initial answer, but I paused and reconsidered as Max lifted my bags into the boot of his car, "well, I don't think I am. I mean, I believe in something, a higher power of some kind. My views don't align with any set religion, but I do find myself praying on occasion, I just never know who or what I'm praying to. It probably doesn't make any sense to you because it doesn't make any sense to me, but there is some comfort in seeking advice and guidance from something non-physical in nature. It's like even when I'm alone, I'm not on my own, if you get me?"

"I completely get that, schatje," he replied, closing the back of the car with a soft thud. He continued to speak as we made our way around to our respective sides of the car (he was driving). "For me, it's better to believe in something than nothing at all. I don't believe in God or anything like that, but I can't help but wonder if the way I approach things would be different if I did. It's confusing and hurts my brain to think about, and that leads to me getting all exi-ex..."

"Existential?" I looked over the top of the car to Max with a small smile as he struggled to get the word out, his accent making it cuter.

He climbed into the car and I followed suit, matching his laughter. "Yeah, that. I mean, until you mentioned it just now, I hadn't even considered religion when raising our girls, but now I am. My only issue is that I wouldn't know the first thing about teaching them about this sort of thing."

I inhaled softly through my nose, the cherry car freshener filling my nostrils as I considered an approach. I don't know the first thing about teaching a child about religion either. "We can't decide what the girls are going to believe in, and I feel like it's a choice or conclusion they should come to themselves. As long as what they believe doesn't harm them or others in any way, the best we can do is support them."

"I agree."

I raised my hand up and held it in front of him. Max smiled and slapped his palm against mine, fingers wrapping around my own after the contact. "First proper parenting talk - nailed it!"