We're in This Together

Episode 36

As I spent my very first time in the Formula 1 paddock with Seb, it was quite an experience. Initially, I felt nervous about meeting him. However, it turned out that he is a really nice German man. He is kind-hearted and also has a great sense of humor. He graciously showed me around the paddock, much like a father guiding his daughter through his workplace for the first time. I also took some photographs of the buildings, paddock, and other facilities.

"So, the last stop is our drivers' garages," he added as he led me to the pit lane. Stepping onto the pit lane, we could see groups of workers busy in their respective garages.

"Wow," I exclaimed in amazement as I observed how engrossed they were in their tasks.

"Surprised or caught off guard?" Seb asked with a chuckle. I turned swiftly towards him, meeting his gaze.

"To be honest, I never realized they were so focused and busy," I confessed, glancing back at the pit lane. "I always assumed they were just driving their racing cars," I added, eliciting a hearty laugh from Seb.

"Trust me, Jennifer, they'll be even more serious once the race starts," he remarked, taking strides towards the garages. "Come on," he gestured for me to follow, and I swiftly joined him. As we walked past several garages, Seb discussed racing, while I examined the garages and noticed driver portraits with their names, each representing a team garage.

"This is Aston Martin, my last team before I retired," Seb added, stopping in front of the garages adorned with a green theme.

"Why did you decide to retire?" I inquired softly. He turned towards me, his soft smile evident as he heard my question.

"I just felt it was time... time to make room for new drivers. And I wanted to prioritize my family and kids," he explained. "I have three kids," he said, holding up three fingers, eliciting a small chuckle from me. "What about you?" he asked as we continued walking. "Do you have a family or a boyfriend?" he added. I paused briefly before formulating my response.

"Um, actually, I also have a daughter who is 5 years old. Her father passed away when she was just 5 months old, so I've been taking care of her by myself," I answered with a small smile, my gaze avoiding Seb's momentarily.

"Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that, Jen," Seb swiftly added, his tone softened as he processed my words. I shook my head gently in objection.

"It's okay, it doesn't really bother me anymore," I reassured him with another small smile, trying to convey that I was okay with discussing it. He returned the gesture with a soft smile of his own before attempting to steer the conversation elsewhere. However, our exchange was interrupted by a sudden call of his name from behind us, prompting both of us to turn around to face the speaker. It was Daniel.

"Hey Seb!" Daniel called out, running towards us. However, his brisk approach came to a halt as soon as he laid eyes on me. "Jennifer? Is that you?" he asked, his expression filled with disbelief. I couldn't help but let out a small giggle at his reaction.

"Well, absolutely," I replied, noting the huge smile that spread across Daniel's face.

"You guys already know each other," Seb added as Daniel approached us. Without saying anything, I simply smiled and nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, we all already know her," Daniel chimed in, giving Seb a hug with gentle pats on his back.

"How you doing, mate?" Seb inquired.

"Well, just doing my best," Daniel replied, and they engaged in a brief conversation about themselves until Daniel shifted his attention towards me. "It's been a long time since we've seen each other, right Jennifer?" he said, opening his arms for a hug, which I gladly reciprocated.