The Race Director's Daughter (Sebastian Vettel)

65. All I Want For Christmas Is You

Ten days later...

No one would have guessed it was Christmas Eve from looking at the Chandler-Webb house.

Any other year it would have been lit up like Blackpool Illuminations. Vicky Chandler-Webb loved Christmas, and she always went all out with decorations.  There would be fairy lights strung up all around the outside of the house, and all over the large fir tree in the centre of the front lawn. Indoors would be decked out like Santa's grotto, with Christmas trees in all the downstairs rooms, including the kitchen.  The only exception being the downstairs bathroom which had just a string of fairy lights draped around the mirror. 

This year however not a single fairy light or tree was to be seen. How could they even think of Christmas with Leah still laid in hospital in a coma?

Seb sat at the kitchen table, shredding a slice of toast with his fingers and popping the pieces into his mouth and chewing slowly.   He didn't really want it but he'd got into a habit of forcing himself to eat just to keep everyone from fussing over him.  It seemed like it was everyone's mission to make sure he ate properly. 

"Cup of tea Seb?" Vicky asked him as she bustled around, serving up a fry up to take through to Joel. 

"No thank you Vicky. I'm going to eat this, then I'm going to head up to bed for a few hours."   He'd not long arrived back from the hospital. Martin was staying through the day, and then tonight Seb would go in. He wanted to be with Leah for Christmas.  He'd go in later and stay until Boxing Day.  

There had been no change in her condition, for better or for worse.  The doctors were baffled.  They had no idea why she wasn't waking up. Her injuries were healing slowly but surely,  but twenty four days after the accident, Leah was still unconscious. 

Since Martin and his talk Seb had managed to get into a better routine. He'd felt guilty at first about leaving her but he'd realised that Martin was right.  He had to take care of himself. He'd be no good to Leah if he didn't keep his strength up. 

He stood and took his plate over to the sink, before heading out of the kitchen and up the stairs.  Within minutes he'd climbed into bed. He didn't sleep straight away. He never did.  He always lay there thinking of the first time they'd made love in that very bed.  Then he'd think about that fateful night, about how she'd  managed to say she loved him and that she forgave him.  The trouble was he couldn't forgive himself.  His actions had put her in that hospital.  If she died it was on him.

Eventually he drifted off to sleep.  It was a broken sleep, he kept waking and reaching out for Leah, only to remember again what had happened.   Eventually he gave up and got up to shower.  Maybe he could catch up with his family on FaceTime before heading into the hospital.

                        ***

Seb disconnected the call. He smiled briefly.  It had been so good to see his family, to hear their voices.  Then he thought of the reason he wasn't with them for Christmas and his smile disappeared. 

He grabbed hold of his borrowed grey hoodie and pulled it on over his head.  He wasn't supposed to be at the hospital for another hour but it was driving him nuts just sitting around here when he could be at the hospital with Leah. 

He slipped his phone into his joggers pocket and headed down the stairs.  He walked into the lounge after hearing voices in there.  Joel was laid on the sofa, his mother fussing over him.  He looked up as he heard Seb enter the room.

"Hey Seb, wasn't expecting you up yet.  You off already?"

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. Just spoke with my family, thought I'd go over early."