Kyra

12th March 2020

Lando
I left the day after her show, I didn't want to but she insisted she'd be okay. Flo and Zach stayed with her which I'm grateful for. But I can't shake the guilt for leaving her, and flying to the other side of the world!

Every second I'm not on track or in a interview or meeting I'm on the phone to her. I should have taken the dress to her myself, I shouldn't have sent Carlos. I should have been there to look after her. I should have pushed her to tell me what happened. I saw how uncomfortable she was when I met her backstage on the Saturday. I should have known. I should have protected her!

I can't shake the guilt, I need to focus on this weekend but it's hard when I left my heart at home. Flo sends me updates, when I'm not int be phone. Flo thinks we should encourage Ky to report him, which she is refusing to do. For once I'm in agreement with my sister but I respect her wishes.

"Lando?" A distant voice calls me. I snap out of my thoughts and turn to see Charlotte, my media rep running towards me.

"Hey you okay?" She stands in front of my a little out of breath. She shakes her head, only then do I clock the worried look in her eyes.

"It's over, we're going home." I have no idea what's she's on about. "We're pulling out." Still none the wiser. She rolls her eyes. "Mclaren, we're not racing this weekend." My mouth falls open. But that means I can go home!

"When can I go home?" She shakes her head, still panting a little.

"One of the engineers, he has covid! There's a couple around him sick and we think maybe there's five infected in total. We have to isolate before we go home." A sad look crosses her face. "Two weeks." My heart breaks a little. I rush towards the motorhome leaving Charlotte standing in the middle of the paddock. I enter Zak's office without knocking. Andreas is sat opposite the CEO.

"I can't stay for two weeks. I need to go home." The older men turn to me. What a state I must be, I can feel the warm tears building in my eyes threatening to spill. "I need to go home."

"I'm afraid, we have to take this seriously Lando. There is too much at stake if we let you go home. This is a dangerous illness." Zak offers the fakest sympathetic look I'm sure he could muster. I normally have a lot of respect for him, we get on. But right now he is the one stopping me going home to Kyra when she needs me most. I shouldn't have come to Australia.

"I get that, but I can't be here for two weeks!" My voice rising in volume, and coming out more shaky than I expected. Zak narrows his eyes at me, a slight annoyance reading in them. "Please." My volume drops. Desperation reading in my trembling voice.

"Take a seat Lando." Andres pulls the seat out next to him gesturing for me to sit. I do as I'm told, my body slumping in the seat. I cover my face with my hands a, the tears slowly starting to fall. "What's going on?"

I drop my hands and look at the older males. "It's Kyra," Zak once again narrows his eyes. No doubt expecting some form of relationship drama. "She was attacked, I shouldn't have left her. But she insisted. I, please, I, I can't be away from her for two weeks." Zak's face falls. I start to sob a little. "If I'm not racing please, please can I go home to her?"

"It's a sensitive situation Lando, most countries in Europe have already gone into lockdown, we have multiple employees who are sick, god knows who they've come in contact with. If we let you go, and you get sick then that's on us!" He shakes his head slightly. "It would look bad for us as a team, and Mclaren as a company." I can't help roll my eyes. Of course it comes down to reputation.

"What if I find my own way home? And flew private" Andrea's and Zak look at each other, communicating silently through their eyes.

"If you can arrange it then I will think about it." I nod. My mind already thinking of solutions. Max. He has a private jet. Maybe I can exploit his crush on my girlfriend.