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First Race of the New F1 Season – Bahrain
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"Got everything?" Daniels asks locking the apartment door behind you.
"Keys, wallet, passport, phone, phone charger, suitcase, baby, baby's stuff, Camille will meet us on the tarmac. I think so." You say checking everything, Liam in the stroller ahead of you.
"Except this." Daniels says holding up your Red Bull pass.
"Oh my god, I must have left it on the counter. You're a life saver." You say grabbing the pass and putting it into your purse before heading downstairs.
Lando offered to get you a McLaren pass for the season, George a Mercedes one and Charles even said he'd give you one for Ferrari if you ever wanted it.
"I might take you guys up on that for the next race. But for this one, I need to at least try to talk to Max." You say and everyone nods in agreement over dinner one day.
"Just remember if he's being a dick come find us." Charles says.
"We'll kick his ass." Lando says in agreement.
"Thanks guys." You say smiling.
"Whatever Max says, this little guy is already so loved by us. You're not doing this alone." Charlotte says hugging you as you smile.
Daniel pulls his car up onto the tarmac and parks in the hanger of your plane. Daniel grabs the bags out of the back, while you get Liam out of his car seat and into his stroller. You smile as you see Camille standing in front of the plane bag in hand.
"Thank you so much for doing this." You say hugging her before boarding the plane with Liam, Daniel carrying your luggage.
"Of course, that's what I'm here for remember." Camille says taking a seat across from you. "How have things been going with the little man?"
"Good. He's growing like a weed." You say smiling at the bouncing baby boy in your lap.
"For nearly 8 months old that's to be expected." Camille says smiling as Daniel comes down to sit next to you.
"How have you been doing Daniel?" Camille asks.
"Alright, the night terrors are slowing down. Still feel numb to everything though. Except this little guy." Daniel says tickling Liam in your lap. Liam smiles and lets out the loudest giggles clapping his hands together.
"Oh, please don't encourage him." You say swatting his hand away as your son starts giggling even more. "Great now he's not going to settle for like another hour."
"I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not. Am I little guy?" Daniel says talking to Liam. He likes to do that, you both do actually, seems to be easier to have tough conversations when you don't have to look at each other.
The plane starts to move, and your knee starts to bounce out of nerves, only encouraging Liam's laughter.
"Here watch this," Daniel says pulling up a video of Liam a few weeks ago when he started to crawl for the first time. You instantly smile and relax looking at the image of the baby in your lap starting to crawl across the floor with your words of encouragement, panning to you crying happy tears smiling up at Daniel who's taking the video.
"That was such a good day." You say smiling as the plane takes off.
"Remember the gelato we got afterwards." Daniel says smiling at the memory.
"I'm glad you two have found some happiness after everything. You deserve it." Camille says and you lean your head against Daniel's shoulder.
The flight passes by fairly quickly you find once Liam settles down, even though it's over six hours you feel relieved to touch down in darkness. It's Wednesday night, you know Daniel will have a big media day tomorrow before practice Friday. You're going to meet up with Charlotte tomorrow to do some work outside of the track before braving the fans and Max on Friday.
You make it back to the hotel without being seen, and up to your and Camille's room for the weekend. Not wanting Daniel to suffer through Liam's crying and early mornings. He needs to be on his A-Game this weekend. You've booked a room on a lower floor than the other drivers in hopes of avoiding one in particular. At least until you're ready.
"Okay this isn't too shabby," Camille says looking around.
"Only the best for the girl who keeps me alive." You say laughing getting Liam settled into his crib for the night.
"Speaking of, I am going to call my connections at the hospital and get things set up just in case something happens." Camille says grabbing her phone and heading out to the balcony and you nod unpacking your bag and crawling into bed, already dreading this weekend. Having not been to a race since Abu Dhabi two seasons ago, the fear of something happening to you or to Liam has become exponential.
Looking down at your son's sleeping face you can't help but notice Max's features in him. His bright blue eyes when they're open, his smile, even his laugh sounds a little like Max's.
No matter what happens this weekend. You are worth the fight.
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Liam wakes you up early the next morning, but luckily you are able to feed and change him and coax him back to sleep for a few more hours laying in bed with you. Daniel and Camille are already at the track, so you get yourself and Liam ready for the day before heading downstairs for breakfast. You're thankful when you run into Charlotte in line for breakfast.
"Ari, you made it." Charlotte says hugging you. "And there's my favourite godson."
"Yeah, landed last night." You say smiling handing Liam over to her.
"How're you feeling?" She says as she bounces Liam on her hip.
"Nervous mostly. But I mean, I just need to tell him. After that it's up to him right." You say shrugging. And try not to kill him.
"Right and just because he wants to be in Liam's life doesn't mean you have to get back together." Charlotte says and you nod, "right."
The two of you get breakfast, letting Liam have a few small pieces of fruit and oatmeal, before heading out to do some sight seeing for the day. Together you walk around Bahrain, taking pictures at some of the local attraction for Charlotte's Instagram and admiring the history. Liam looks at everything in awe clapping and babbling away.
You're out with Charlotte for lunch when you get a call.
"Hey Dan, what's up?" You say answering the call.
"Me and some of the guys are going to go out for dinner tonight, do you and Charlotte want to come?"
"He's asking if we want to go out for dinner with some of the guys tonight." You say to Charlotte who nods her head.
"Sure, we're in. I'll see if Camille will watch Liam. Will Max be there?"
"I don't think so, I haven't actually seen him around today." Daniel says, interesting. That means Sara's been sneaking him to his media requirements. She's good.
"Sounds good, just let us know when and where." You say hanging up the call.
"I think that means it's time to go shopping for a dress for tonight." Charlotte says putting her tablet away. "You read my mind." You say smiling standing up and walking to the shops with her.
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"Alright, I think I've got everything this time." You say to Charlotte, after forgetting your room key and having to run back upstairs to grab it before Camille put Liam down for the night.
"Come on the car's waiting." Charlotte says laughing as the two of you walk arm-in-arm towards the car. Luckily the restaurant isn't far, as you and Charlotte are the last to arrive.
"There they are!" You hear Lando yell across the restaurant.
"Where is the little one? I miss the little man." Lewis asks looking around.
"He is pretty adorable; I don't blame you." George says chuckling.
"You brought him didn't you?" Carlos asks.
"He's back at the hotel with Camille. Needed some adult time." You say chuckling. "But I promise we'll do our rounds over the weekend so everyone will see him."
Meanwhile, Max stands at the hostess stand watching you laugh with everyone.
"I can show you to your party." The hostess says to Max.
"You know what, I've changed my mind. Thank you though." Max says turning around and leaving the restaurant just as quietly as he entered.
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You head to the track the next morning later than Daniel to avoid the assumptions by the fans and paparazzi and can feel your heart beating faster as you enter the familiar Red Bull garage. Max's and Daniel's faces everywhere. Head down to put your stuff in Daniels driving room when you accidentally run into Sara.
"Arya?"
"Sara? Hi." You say hugging her.
"Oh my gosh I've missed you. How are you?" She says squeezing you tight.
"I've been better. Nothing like getting stabbed, finding out you're pregnant, then being abandoned by your husband by a letter half way across the world." You say chuckling.
"Excuse me." Sara says looking at you shocked.
"What, Max didn't tell you?" You say looking at her in shock.
"He hasn't told me shit." Sara says looking down at the baby on your hip. "Do you have time for a coffee?"
"I dont do coffee right now, but I'll grab a tea or something yeah." You say walking with her into the hospitality building. The two of you order your drinks and you can feel people starting to stare. You head up to the patio and tell her everything, leaving out the mafia portion of course.
"No wonder he's in such a bad mood. And why he did so shit last season." Sara says sipping on her coffee and hearing that hurts your heart just a little bit.
"I don't even think he knows about our son. I mean he knew before everything happened but then we were both pretty sure I lost it, but I didn't and now..." you say trailing off as you spot Max walking down the paddock with Daniel towards the garage.
"Now he won't talk to you." Sara says sighing.
"Exactly. Calls, texts, DM's, all ignored. I went to his parents place for gods sake." You say almost embarrassed. "I just need 5 minutes with him. If he wants to end our marriage on a piece of paper, fine. But if he's going to abandon our child, he can do that to my face, because I'm not going anywhere."
"I'll try my best, but you know how his is with his schedule. Might be easier if you just bump into him in the paddock." Sara says and you sigh, "yeah, you might be right about that."
"Even if you can tell him, maybe then he'll try to reach out." You say sipping on your iced tea, giving Liam a small sip.
"I don't think that's my place to tell him." Sara says feeling her phone vibrate.
"He's in the garage if you want to talk to him now." Sara says holding up her phone.
"Might as well get it over with." You say sighing rubbing your sons back. Let's do this.
You walk down to the garage with Sara and your heart starts to beat faster seeing Max's back turned to you talking with Daniel and Bradley. You're a little thankful that Bradley sees you first.
"Ari?" Bradley says a big smile on his face walking over and giving you a hug.
"Hey Bradley, how are you?" You ask hugging him back.
"Good, busy keeping Max in shape you know. I've missed having you around, where have you been?" Bradley asks as the three of you walk up and you watch Max's jaw clench looking at the baby on your hip.
"Just at home. Must've missed the last few invites." You say laughing awkwardly. "This little guy keeps me pretty busy though."
"I bet, congratulations by the way. How old is he?" Bradley asks smiling at Liam who leans against your shoulder.
"Almost eight months now." You say looking over at Max, and you can see his face as he works out the math in his head.
"Do you have a couple minutes? There's some things I need to talk to you about." You say adjusting Liam on your hip.
"Sure." Max says tensely. "Let's go to my drivers room."
The two of you walk silently up to his drivers change room and you look around. Yup looks the exact same as always. Liam's eyes are big looking around the room as he reaches for things.
"Sit." Max says but you stay standing.
"I'm okay, I know you have a lot going on and you like to keep to a schedule, so I'll make this quick. Thank you, first of all, for saving us." You say putting a rubbing Liam's back trying not to cry. "I thought there was no way that our baby could have ever survived what we went through, hell, I didn't think I was getting out of there alive. But by some miracle we both made it so, thank you." You say taking a shaky breath.
"I understand if you want to end our marriage on a hastily written hospital note. It sucks, but I'm getting over it. But I need you to know that this is your baby Max. Nothing happened with... just he's yours. If you don't want to be involved then that's fine, but I'm not going anywhere. Lando has already offered to teach him how to golf, Pierre wants to teach him French, Charles the piano." You say taking a deep breath. "But of course, of you want to be involved then we can work something out for his sake."
"That's a lot to take in." Max says a blank look on his face.
"I tried to call you."
"I know." Max says sitting down putting his head in his hands.
"This was a lot of information, so I'll let you process this. I'll be around for the rest of the weekend if you have questions or want to talk. You have my number." You say heading to leave when Max reaches for your hand. That undeniable spark you've been trying to downplay still there as your fingers touch.
"Please just sit," Max says, and you take a deep breath before sitting next to him on the bed. Liam happily sitting in your lap looking over at Max.
"Are you and Daniel?"
"No."
"I came by the apartment one day and he answered so I just thought." Max says almost ashamed.
"Well, I'm going to kill him for not telling me this now." You say and Max chuckles. "Neither of us could stand being alone. After Daniel lost Cass and I lost everyone, he moved in so we could be lonely together."
"You didn't lose everyone." Max says softly.
"I lost my best friend. I lost my father. I lost someone who I thought was my friend. I lost my husband, and I thought I lost our baby all at once so. Yeah. I lost everyone." You say sniffing back tears. "Daniel was the only one left."
"Is that why you're in his garage this weekend?" Max asks and you stand up annoyed holding your son tight against your body.
"Yes. He's been there for me, and you haven't. This was the only way I could think about actually getting a chance to talk to you." You say sighing. "Because you don't answer my calls, or texts, or DM's and your family and friends weren't telling me where you were so what was I supposed to do Max? Where the hell were you?"
"Away."
"You know what, I can't do this. When you're ready to have a real conversation about this come and find me." You say heading out of his dressing room slamming the door behind you.
"How did it go?" Daniel asks.
"I really wish I could have a drink right now."
"That badly?" Sara asks.
"I told him, he knows. Ball is in his court. If he wants to reach out he can, I'm going to just continue living my life."
"He'll come around, just give him some time." Bradley says sympathetically.
"No. He had his time when he ignored me for months when I needed him. I'm done waiting around for him." You say storming off to Daniel's side of the garage. Not hearing Max come out of his change room behind you hearing the whole thing.
"Man, you really fucked up." Bradley says looking at Max.
"Shouldn't we get ready for practice soon?" Max says sternly.
"I can't believe you got married and didn't tell me." Sara says looking sadly at Max.
"You guys got married?" Bradley whisper to Max.
"Let's just focus on practice okay." Max says walking down to the car.
"So much for being nicer when she's around." Bradley whispers to Sara.
"I heard that." Max says retuning to focus on the car, but the events of the last year keep playing through his head. Focus Max come on.
Both Red Bull cars do okay in their practice sessions. Daniel looks better than Max who is cursing over the radio and struggling to put a good lap time in. You know it's probably your fault for distracting him before practice, but hey that's what he gets for ignoring me for over a year.
You and Camille head back to the hotel while Daniel finishes up his media duties trying to avoid adding fuel to any drama speculations.
"You should eat something." Camille says as you change into your PJ's after a long day.
"I'm not hungry. I just want to sleep." You say and Camille tosses you a granola bar.
"Just eat it. For the baby, you need to keep your energy up for him."
"Fine. For Liam." You say eating the granola bar and then heading to the bathroom to get ready for bed already dreading the next day ahead.
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