Something Gained

Chapter Seventy-Six

The season had concluded, the last two races flying by so quickly. We currently were all on the team plane back to the UK to wrap up some bits for the end of season and do a big team dinner before we went off for the winter break.
"So plan?" Daniel asked me, as he flopped down in the vacant seat next to me
"For?"
"General life?" He asked
"Do you have to speak in riddles?" I laughed at him and leaned my head on his shoulder, it was nice to fly and not have to work.
"Well while we're in England do you want to sort out the house?" Daniel asked, I nodded. It was going to be a very busy time, but in truth there wasn't a whole lot to do. It just felt like there was a lot to do, packing, unpacking, moving, selling a house, furnishing another. We had three days in England, then to LA for five days before we were off to Australia where we would be for three weeks, including over Christmas, before going to Monaco for a couple of weeks, from there we would fly to and from the UK as and when needed. I didn't need to go as often, I could do a lot from home when I needed to work, it was Daniel that needed to be around for stuff to do with the new car. It may be a 'winter break' but the work didn't stop for too long. The beginning of February would drag us all back to England again properly, and then onto sunny Spain for pre season track sessions. That's where the fun would begin all over again.
"Hello?" Daniel was waving his hand in front of my face, I laughed and snapped out of my thoughts.
"Sorry, yeah that's all good" I smiled at him, I was also quite excited for our first Christmas together, in Australia though, it wouldn't be snowing or cold or horrible, it would be a normal Christmas for Daniel and his family but it would be peak summer for me which was bizarre.
"I'm excited" Daniel said
"Would you say more or less excited than getting in the car" I asked him
"Ehh, about equal" he laughed. I clutched my chest dramatically and he laughed more.

Walking into the MTC, to escape the bitter horrible English weather, which I certainly did not miss, the building was warm, a complete contrast to outside, and it was all christmassy. Travelling and being on the road you didn't get time to be festive and celebrate these things much, so the whole building had trees and decorations and lights, everyone was cheery, of course they were, it's winter break.
"Meeting with Zak and Andreas, last minute, we need to go" Hannah said quickly as I grabbed a coffee with Daniel and Lando in our cafe. She disappeared just as quickly
"Is that bad? Seems it"
"I don't know, I'll see you later" I said quickly, and I left Daniel and Lando behind with very concerned looks on their faces, I didn't think there was much wrong so I wasn't worried, just curious. I took the lift upstairs and walked down the hall and into Zak's office. Andreas was sitting around the meeting table next to Hannah, I took a seat next to Zak.
"Sorry to grab you last minute, unfortunately with Hannah's condition she is unable to work now, not even from the office" Zak started. I looked up at Hannah confused, I knew she had gone straight to the doctors straight after we got off the plane.
"Condition?" I asked them
"I've been put on bed rest, I have to be really careful, no stress, no work, nothing" Hannah explained, I nodded along, she had to put herself first of course, I just wasn't sure what it meant for me
"You're probably wondering why this matters?" Zak said, I laughed in my head and nodded
"A little yeah" I said
"You'll be going straight into Hannah's job, so you'll be officially Chief of Communications, she won't be here to help out for half of next season, she's not doing anything. It will be you" Zak said
"But there's one issue with that" Andreas added
"That's fine I understand, what's that?" I asked them
"We think we're going to have to employ new PR assistants for Daniel and Lando" Zak said, I looked over at him.
"Right?"
"Not because we don't think you're capable, of course you are. But that's a lot of work. A lot, and you need to be able to manage all teams, and the drivers need people with them all of the time" Andreas spoke, I nodded again, I could understand that, although it was upsetting in a way, like the end of an era.
"But we want your input, we want you to help find the right people with us" Zak said
"People?" That was plural, I've been doing the job on my own for the whole year, I did it last year as well with Carlos and Lando
"Yes, people. We think we need one assistant for each driver" I nodded along with them, that was up to them. But I knew the conversation wasn't going to be good with the guys.
"So what does this mean in general race week life?" I asked them
"You'll still be with us, travelling the world of course, but you'll be doing a lot for the media, content, social media and filming teams. You won't be attending actual media commitments at tracks, not unless there's a problem. Any big commitments you'll need to be there, for example all of the pre season unveiling and the build up, that will be on you. Of course when there's qualifying and races on you can be in the garage, but your focus isn't just the drivers now, you've got other people to focus on. Yes you'll be needed to oversee their media duties and arrange them and things, but you won't be with Lando and Daniel 24/7" Zak explained "now, if you don't want to do it, and you want to go back to PR, then we completely understand, whatever is appropriate for you" I could understand, Hannah never looked after drivers, she always had so much to do, she wouldn't be able to, I was silly to think it could work, it wouldn't. Now I was diving straight into it without Hannah.
"Do you need an answer?" I asked them
"Ideally by the end of the day" Zak said
"End of the day, okay and what do I do about commitments and things until then, like today for example?" I replied, I wasn't even sure what to think. Of course I wanted this promotion, I wanted to do it and be the most successful I could be. I would miss Hannah like crazy anyway but this even more so, without her to lean on, thank goodness I had already shadowed Hannah the last two weeks, otherwise I wasn't sure what I would do.
"Carry on as normal today" I nodded. I knew Daniel and Lando were free for a little while before they had something to do, so this was probably the best time. I needed Daniels opinion more so as I was with him. But Lando was equally as important.
"Okay" the meeting ended and I walked out with Hannah and down the hall to my office.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, it was such a rush" Hannah said
"You have to think of yourself, don't worry it's fine. I just don't know what to do" I said as I walked in
"You do what you want. But you're going to be amazing at this job"
"I don't want to upset the guys, I love working with them everyday, it's my favourite. It's why I love my job so much" I said as I sat at my desk, Hannah sat opposite me
"I know you do. You're still working with them and around them, just not as closely" she said "speak to them both, see what happens" Hannah said, I nodded, I had already text them in our little groupchat.
"What are you going to do?" I asked, changing the subject
"Be bored" Hannah said simply before laughing
"Got to make sure you and baby are healthy" I smiled
"Exactly" Hannah replied before there was a knock on the door "I'll leave you to it" she said. Daniel and Lando walked in and said hello before Hannah walked out again.

I sat quietly, looking at both Lando and Daniel after telling them what was happening. I felt bad, I had worked alongside Lando for two years, seeing him for most of the year, day in and day out, I had been with him through the highs and lows, changing teammates, watched him grow up almost. I felt like I was losing that. Daniel, well Daniel came in and did his thing with his ridiculous charm, goofy laugh and infectious smile. I knew I would still see them and be with them, but it wasn't going to be the same and that's what I didn't like. I had already decided I was going to continue in the job, but I wanted the input from the guys.
"So you won't be with us anymore?" Lando asked, I wasn't sure who looked more upset
"I'll be there every race as normal, I just won't be with you 24/7. I have other people to sort out and focus on. I'll be there in the garage still, and of course I'll be overseeing the new people you have, but I won't be with you" I explained "that's if I actually continue with this job"
"What do you mean?" Daniel asked me
"I can do this, or I can go back to being your PR assistant" I said
"What drop back again, lose the two promotions you've got" Lando asked
"Yeah basically"
"You can't do that, you've worked to hard" Daniel said immediately
"You'll have someone with you still. They're going to get two people, one for each of you instead" I said
"I don't want new people" Lando moaned. I chuckled, sometimes he was like a child
"If it helps, I'll be helping to find them. So they'll only be the best" I said
"They're not you" Lando said
"Guys I wanted to speak to you to know your views. If I don't drop back then this is it. You'll still see me, I'll still be there, the same way you see the engineers, or Andreas, or Tom. We'll still have team meetings, dinners, we'll still have our late night McDonald's runs, I'm still here. Just not right with you every minute of the day" I spoke
"Michael and Jon won't be happy about it either you know" Daniel said, I sighed nodding. Although we were incredibly close as a three, Michael and Jon were like honorary members. But again I would still see them.
"We've still got the break, we're still all back here in February, we're still all going to every race, taking the same flights and staying in the same hotels" I said. I was trying to convince myself as well as them
"Do you want to do it?" Lando asked, I nodded. I didn't want to step back, I knew that. But I didn't want to not be with them.
"Then that's that" Daniel concluded
"The worst part is, you'll still see her everyday" Lando frowned
"Lands, I'll see you as well, you know that"
"Oh I know, I'll be barging into your room every day, trust me" he laughed. I got up and walked round my desk and stood in front of them both.
"I promise, I'll get you the best people. As long as you don't love them more than me" I laughed. They both stood up and Lando hugged me
"It's going to be crap" he said, I patted him on the back.
"So we're good?"
"Yeah we're good" Lando said, Daniel nodded
"Well I'm still in charge today so let's go before we're late" I said which made them both laugh before I pushed them out of my office.