Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The week between the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix passes by in record time and soon enough, Queenie is being dragged through the paddock by Charlotte in order to reach McLaren's garage and motorhome a little more inconspicuous than walking alongside Lando would have been this morning.
Queenie feels nauseous; she's meeting the Norris family today—or at least, the remainder of them, anyway, having met Oliver in the summer—and she can't help but feel out of practice. The last time she had to meet a boy's parents was back when she was dating Will. This is different, though. Meeting this boy's parents feels like it means a lot more important to Queenie than meeting any other boy's parents has previously.
There wasn't any pressure with Will's parents, Queenie started out as just a friend; a girl in his class at school. Meeting the Lahey family didn't come with any stress... meeting the Norris family comes with a whole lot of stress.
When she reaches the McLaren motorhome, Lando is waiting for her with a cautious smile. "Are you okay?" He asks, amused by the look on the girl's face.
"No." Queenie whines, walking into Lando's open arms.
Charlotte shares a smile with Lando before leaving the pair on their own, having to catch up with other colleagues to prepare for the weekend.
Lando chuckles. "It's going to be great, Queens. They'll love you."
"What if they don't?" Queenie frowns.
"Then we have to break up." Lando says, smirking when Queenie jolts away from his grasp to see if he's joking or not. Once she's satisfied that he's only poking fun at her, she shoves at his chest and rolls her eyes.
"You're not funny." The twenty-two-year-old scowls, shoving past her boyfriend so that she can enter the team motorhome and take a seat in the make-shift staff café.
"You should use that when my mum asks you what you like about me." Lando calls after her, laughing harder when Queenie flips him off over her shoulder.
"I'll just tell her you're a pity shag." Queenie retorts as Lando wraps an arm over her shoulder. She yelps when he pulls her closer to him and rubs a hand in her hair, wasting the effort Queenie had put in that morning to make it look presentable.
"Even better," Lando says. "Then you should follow up with questions about how much the family is worth."
"How much is the family worth?" Queenie jokes, already laughing at the deadpan look Lando sends her way before she can even finish her sentence.
"You're not funny." Lando pouts, using Queenie's words against herself. Queenie only smiles innocently in reply.
"Is everyone else here?" Queenie asks, taking the hint from Lando and changing the subject towards the Quadrant team visiting for his final race of the season.
