The Photographer

(1) That first connection

March 2021....
"Hey babe, I'm here!"

"That's good, I've been worrying about you."

She smiled at the soft, affectionate voice of her husband, "no need to worry, the sat nav did good. Missing you already though."

"I'm missing you too but you know I'm happy for you, right?"

"Yeah," her smile got bigger. Ben was her biggest fan and most passionate supporter, without him she was sure she'd never have ended up in a job that combined her two greatest passions - photography and motorsport and in particular today, formula one. "And thank you."

She heard him chuckle at the other end, "what have you got to thank me for?"

"Because without you I don't think I'd be sitting here in the car park of the Aston Martin Formula One team. I've now got a job that means we have to spend time apart and you've always been so understanding, so encouraging and so supportive of me. I love you so much Ben, I hope you know that," her voice broke as she finished, causing Ben to chuckle again.

"Are you getting emotional Iris?"

"Sorry, I just miss you," she released her seatbelt and then leant over to reach a hand out and open the glovebox where she found a McDonald's serviette to dab her eyes with. There was no way she was going to head into that building looking like she'd been crying.

"You'll see me tonight and don't forget I've booked us a table at The Shard so we can celebrate when you get back."

"I know and I can't wait," she pulled down the sun visor in front of her to check her eyes in the mirror just as an expensive looking Aston Martin car parked up a few spaces away from her modest little Audi A3. The sun reflected heavily off of it's shiny black paintwork, making her feel like her own metallic gunmetal grey car looked dull and dirty. But it was the car's occupant that really made her stare.

"So I've booked it for eight thirty, think you'll be back in time?" Ben asked, while in the background the noise of the coffee machines in the branch of Starbucks that he worked in could be heard.

She couldn't believe it! Sebastian Vettel had only parked his car just a few spaces from her own! The Sebastian Vettel! Her mouth hung open while she inwardly cursed herself for not having her camera handy, especially when she noticed that two other people had got of out the car too. Fuck!! Britta and Antti were here too!

"Iris?"
"Babe, are you still there?"
"Iris!"

She was transfixed as she watched Sebastian lock the car and then walk away. Even in a padded black jacket and dark grey jeans he still looked very slim, much slimmer than she'd imagined him to be.

She couldn't believe her luck, she'd just had her first glimpse of a man who she thought was F1 royalty.

"Iris!!!"

"Shit!! Sorry Ben!!!" She was bought back down to earth by her husband almost yelling down the phone. Then she excitedly squealed, "I've just seen him!! I can't believe it!! I've only been here five minutes!!!"

"I thought you'd cut me off or something," Ben replied, sounding relieved that she was still there, "who have you seen?"

"Sebastian Vettel!" Then she groaned in frustration, "urgh, wish I'd had my camera handy!"

"Starstruck already, huh? You'll get plenty of chances to take photos of him inside, just get his autograph if you get the chance, yeah?"

"I'm not doing that!" she squeaked, "I've got to try and ask him questions for the magazine as well as take photos and I bet he probably hates photographers!"