Amber & Honey ~ [DR3]

BONUS CHAPTER: What Happens in Vegas

I can't thank you guys enough for 800k reads...this was meant to be for 750k but you continue to amaze me so!
Enjoy!!

"Oh my god." Fireworks illuminate the sky but my eyes are stuck on the screen, the cheers of Daniel echoing through my ears as I fight a laugh of disbelief once his car crosses the white line.

"I know." Blake yells over the commotion in the same daze as me. The two of us are stood plastered together, as we always seem to be on these weekends, with idiotic smiles on our face and Red Bull headphones on our ears. We'd been passing mimosas back and forth over the last two hours, becoming giddy as Daniel climbed from fifth up to pole position - he had assumed winning the race wasn't happening. We had all assumed him winning the race wasn't happening. Max is fierce competition and if Charles didn't keep the lead from his P1 start, I had assumed Max would from P2. I think even max had thought so.

"Oh my god!" I repeat the words are more of a cry of excitement this time as Daniel slows on his cool down lap (or 'victory lap' as he'd started to call them after doubling his pre-2022 wins this year).

"I know!" Blake cheers again this time sounding just as insane as me as we look around the garage almost hysterically removing the headphones from our ears. Engineers are cheering and team members clapping each other on the back in celebration of another victory for the team.

"This is..." I trail off taking in the sight before me. Everyone is so happy and proud of Daniel I can't help thinking that he didn't fit in at Mclaren at all in comparison. They've given him everything and in return he's secured them a world championship.

"I know..." Blake agrees for the third time as the two of us gape at each other almost hysterically. The crowning points for the drivers championship were grabbed by Daniel last week at the Brazilian Grand Prix - a race I had planned to attend but ultimately had to miss because of Miele being sick. Whilst the race was so important to Daniel we had both agreed that our daughter came first. I couldn't take our sick five month old daughter on an 11 hour flight, and I also couldn't leave her behind for the weekend whilst I got on an 11 hour flight. I'd only be sick with worry. Still, it killed me when Daniel pulled himself from the car, P1 for the eighth time in the season crowning him champion of 2024.

I had cried in pride (and a little selfish sadness) when he stood on the podium not able to shake the feeling that I should've been there, Miele should've been there too. Lando (via the podium) and Dad were there, of course, and Daniels parents plus his sister managed to fly out from Perth for the occasion which made me feel better about it all. But I couldn't help but feel that I was letting him down. There's still a pearl of guilt biting at me somewhere.

It's been a common theme over the last few months as I've missed races and victories to focus on Mimi. It's strange, because on the flip I know Daniel has been experiencing the exact same feeling of loss. He's felt as though he's letting us down by leaving every second weekend, but I couldn't complain about a thing.

Daniel's press officer is directing us to the podium, herding Blake and I (as instructed by Daniel) to the Parc Fermé area just as we have been at every podium (apart from when I was more heavily pregnant with Miele, then I was left in the garage, chasing Daniel down enroute to the cool down room to share kisses away from busting crowds). My head spins with calls of Daniel's name as we're pushed to the front of the crowd. The metal barriers press  into me as my eyes fall onto Daniel's car. The golden '3' and 'Ricciardo' on the black Red Bull car larger than it was on other weeks to celebrate Daniel and his championship win.

He climbs out of the car and it's like I can feel the joy radiating from his body all whilst I can't even see his face. Daniel's holding three fingers in the air as he punches his chest in victory throwing his body onto the concrete with a cheer from the engineers around us. He throws his body into the team, his joyous laugh echoing through my ears as he cheers again. Hand after hand slaps him on the back and helmet in a rhythm of claps as he thanks each person until his feet meet the floor.