What The Heart Wants (Sebastian Vettel)

58. Winter Break

Jessie pushed the front door open and Seb dragged a large suitcase through it into the hallway.   It was lovely and warm inside even though it was
-4 outside.  Katie had popped around to turn the heating on ready for their arrival.

After ten days in sunny Hawaii they'd finally flown home, and in just a weeks time Seb would
resume training in preparation for the 2024 season.

Jessie shut the front door and headed straight to the kitchen. She filled the kettle up and switched it on. She fancied a hot chocolate, and she knew Seb probably did too.

"I'm absolutely beat," she heard him say from behind her. To be honest she felt tired as well. It had been a long day. It was only lunchtime but they'd been awake for hours.

"Let's have a hot chocolate and then we can have a nap," she suggested.

"I like the sound of that," Seb replied. He walked over to the fridge and opened it, looking to see if there was anything to eat.   He sighed as he discovered most things were past their best before date.   "We really need to go shopping."

"I guess so.   Don't really know if I can bothered just yet though," Jessie told him.

Seb walked over to one of the cupboards and opened it. He stood looking at the contents for several seconds. Finally he took out two cans of ravioli.

"This will do for now," he said. "Want some?" Jessie nodded.

"Go on then. We can go shopping later after we've had a nap."

"Yeah, maybe we could have dinner at The Spud Pub, then go to the shop on the way back. It would probably be less busy then."

After they'd eaten their ravioli and drank their hot chocolate they went upstairs to their bedroom. They both changed into something more comfortable. Joggers and a tshirt for Seb, and leggings and a tshirt for Jessie.

Snuggling down in each others arms under the covers, they were both soon fast asleep.

***

Jessie awoke first. A glance at the alarm clock told her they'd been asleep for nearly three hours.

She glanced to her right and smiled as she looked at her sleeping husband. 

How could she have left him?   She hadn't been thinking clearly, but now after regular therapy sessions, and Seb's undying love and support she was almost back to normal.   Well, her version of normal.   She was still infertile but she saw a bright future ahead of them.   She may still have guilty feelings about depriving Seb of the chance to have his own biological children, but she also accepted that it was his choice.   He had chosen her, and for that she was grateful.  

She was also grateful for the support and love of both their families.  Her parents had been there for her when she'd been at her lowest point.  Seb's parents had been understanding and forgiving of her behaviour.  

She and Seb had spent Christmas in Heppenheim with them, and despite her worries that Heike in particular would hate her for what she'd put Seb through, they'd been nothing but welcoming. 

Christmas had been so different to the ones she'd experienced growing up, but she'd loved every second of it.  

Seb had bought her a white gold necklace with an infinity symbol pendant on it. He'd also bought her an obscene amount of lingerie, which he'd argued was as much for him as for her.   He'd also bought them both a ten day holiday in the Maldives for the summer break.  

Once again she'd struggled to know what to get him.  In the end she bought him the latest Eintracht Frankfurt shirt, another framed Beatles vinyl to join the ones he already had, some aftershave and a large canvas print of him winning the Australian Grand Prix at the beginning of the 2023 season.