No Regrets, Only Memories

Outback

Maeve

From Silverstone on, things had been rocky at work. Neither Daniel nor I had seen a podium in the last three races before summer break due to a variety of reasons, mostly the car though. It had been hard on me at work, even making Christian ask me to assist on the cars again. That put a bit of strain on my school work and project timeline, but I was able to get a majority of the pieces I needed for my build completed. They were machined and shipped to Daniel's parents house to receive before we arrived. I was more than thankful that they agreed to receive the dozens of heavy boxes being shipped to Daniel's childhood home.

Speaking of Daniel, he had been magical. All through the week in Silverstone, I found little things that he had left around to surprise me. It was a pastry he knew I loved in the mornings in his hand as I entered the paddock. A single Peony on the table in my driver's room at random times during the day when no one was looking, they built themselves up to a full bouquet situated on the same table they were left on during the week. Even the most incredible and romantic handwritten notes with wishes of good luck and loving messages left in my helmet before I had to get in the car. He had been discreetly trying every single day to make me smile and I couldn't deny it was working. He was also still dealing with the repercussions of our post win/birthday celebrations though. After a week of incessant teasing from the rest of the paddock because of his birthday night escapade that we had essentially made up, we agreed that we weren't allowed to leave any marks on each other that could be seen again. Everyone cracked enough jokes about Helga incoming or asking if Helga would be there to congratulate him if he was on pole by the end of the week that Daniel had to respectfully ask everyone to stop. I found it hysterical, he simply told me that he didn't like the idea of people saying he slept with someone else when he was actually with me.

By the next week that was forgotten though, as I finally told Christian that I would like to drive next year. He had been thrilled and drafted up a contract for my new manager, Blake due to the short notice, had looked over. Blake and I agreed that we would make interest known and decide in the last part of the season. That was all the paddock seemed to be talking about though. With the knowledge I carried, I was probably the most valuable thing on the grid. At least, that's what every team principal was saying. They were ballsy enough to come to me and say it to my face, leading me to believe that some of the other drivers weren't as safe as it seemed they were in their current roles. It was nerve wracking and I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do yet.

How would I possibly focus on my future while trying to live in the present? Especially when the present had put a gorgeous blue ocean under me as we flew into Perth. Daniel had booked the flight to Perth and we didn't even wait for the sun to be down in Hungary after the race before we were at the airport. The flight was long, bouncing us to Dubai and then to Daniel's home city of Perth. Immigration was simple enough, another thing Daniel had taken care of before we walked out to the pick up area. Nerves getting the better of me as I was about to meet Daniel's parents again for the first time in years, and this time as his girlfriend.

Grace and Joe were there, excitedly waiting for the three of us(Michael included) to arrive from our long flight. Daniel had been so excited to see his parents after the last few months that we had been on track, they should have felt the same way. Imagine my surprise when Grace didn't hug her own son first, instead pulling me in for a tight hug that left it hard for me to breathe.

"Sweetie, I am so happy you're finally here and for good reasons! You're going to love it here." She squeezed me as Daniel hugged his father, not giving me a moment to speak until I was released.

"It's wonderful to be back Mrs. Ricciardo. I'm so excited to spend some time at Daniel's home." She pulled back after Joe patted her back, having let go of their son.