Woman in a man's world

Last race of the season - Abu Dhabi

Last race of the season - Abu Dhabi

Norah could finally get back to the track, not to race but just being there was enough. See her friends again and her team. This time she wasn't alone, for the first time her new Boyfriend Josh would join her. Mostly to help her with basically everything since she couldn't use her hands or go long places.

Arriving at track Norah had a smile on her face, the whole vibe around the track was like a drug for her, she needed it. Smiling to the cameras taking photos of her, doing her best to wave with the big bandages on her hands. Josh walked by her side, his hand on her lower back as they made their way through the paddock to Williams. Everybody greeted her happily, her trainer Adam, the mechanics, Claire, George and the reserve driver Nicholas. They all spent some time together, talking through everything that happened. At 12 Norah would be in one of the driver interviews, everybody at the team agreed that having her in an interview she could tell the world her side of the story instead of doing multiple interviews. Norah took a walk along the pit lane to see her friends again. Everybody didn't know that she was here. The closest garage was Mclaren, she couldn't wait to see Lando.

"Landooo!" She said happily seeing her best friend back, he turned around with a big smile and went to hug his best friend. Norah noticed that he was much more careful in the hug so that he wouldn't hurt her.

"Oh my gaad you're back, please get better soon this is so boring without you!" Lando complained.

"Am I that bad Lando?" Carlos answered, walking up to the pair.

"I'm sure Carlos is taking good care of you Lando, and I'll be back soon I promise" Norah said and went to hug the spaniard. The three spent a few minutes talking until Norah decided it was time to see her other friends. She walked over to Pierre and Alpha Tauri.

"Mon Ami! You're back" Pierre stopped what he was doing when he saw his friend, he as well was a bit more careful when hugging Norah.

"I've missed you so much, I promise I would've visited you but the races have been so close. I'm sorry"

"Don't worry about it silly, I get it! Besides you have the whole break to visit me, no need to hurry."

"I'm so happy that you're here. Everybody has missed you so much. Have you seen Charles?"

"No, i haven't even had time to tell him I'm here" Pierre looked disapprovingly at Norah and shaked his head.

"Then we'll see him now" He grabbed Norah's shoulders and pushed her from the garage, they walked over to Ferrari only to meet Charles on the way. He stopped in his tracks and just stared at the pair.

"Norah?"

"In the flesh" She laughed, he slowly walked to the girl and hugged her. They shared a long soft hug. He let go and just looked at the girl

"I can't believe you're standing here."

"Oh stop it, I wouldn't be away for too long. You know me" The three kept talking for a bit until they heard somebody call for charles. It was Seb.

"What are you doing man, you said one minute- Oh Norah, you're back!" His tone changed from a bit angry to happy. They shared a hug but then went back to Charles.

"We have to go, interview in ten!" Norah stopped, what was the time? When was her interview?

"Norah!!!" was screamed through the pit lane, she turned around to see Josh waving for her to come. She walked over to see what he wanted.

"The time is 11.50, interview in ten! Let's go" He ushered her away so that they wouldn't be late for the interview.

Arriving just in time she sat down at her assigned seat, she felt everybody's eyes turn to her.

"Welcome everybody to the first interview group for today. We have Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Daniil Kyviat and Norah Wellington Knight with us today. Now we have a feeling that everybody has a lot of questions for Norah considering her race at Bahrain but please be respectful and don't ask too many questions to her about that. Thank you, who wants to begin?"

"Well I have to begin with a question for Norah. How are you feeling now that it's been a few weeks, I'm sure it will take time to get back to 100% but could we see you in a racing car soon?"

"Right now I'm happy, all things considered, just to be here although I can't race is a big step forward. Right now i just want to take it easy so that my body can heal up as soon as possible, when i will get in a car depends a bit on my contract since i don't have one for next year. But I'm positive I could race next year." The interview went on slowly, not being able to use her hands she couldn't sit and sketch which is what she always did otherwise.

"Question for Daniil. Do you in any way blame yourself for Norah's crash at Bahrain? To be fair you were the reason her car turned into the barriers." This got Norah attention, of course it wasn't his fault.

"For sure, yeah especially because of the outcome. If she just drove on my tire and nothing happened I think I would be mad at her but in this scenario, yes."

"Oh don't do that please, no way was the crash your fault. You can't blame anybody but me"

"But if I wasn't there the crash wouldn't happen."

"You can't blame yourself for being in the place you were. You're here racing because you're a great driver. You were just unlucky that you were at that place but I'm at fault for driving into you without thinking of the consequences" The interviewer stopped us and kept going with the real interview.

After the interview Norah and Charles walked out together talking. Daniil was a few metres in front.

"Hey Daniil, please try to get those thoughts away. I don't want you to blame yourself. None of it was your fault" Norah spoke to her friend.

"It's nice to hear from you, I've felt a bit anxious the last few weeks about it. It doesn't matter how i think i just blame myself for it but thank you, it means a lot when it comes from you."

"Of course, go out this weekend and just enjoy being on track. Don't think about the accident at all, just have fun. For me, okay?" Daniil and Norah shared a hug. She knew this would be his last race in F1 so she wanted him to enjoy it.

Charles and Norah went on, walking through the paddock planning on getting lunch together before Charles had more media.

"Norah!!" Was screamed by the same voice again, Josh. They stopped and turned to the tall man.

"Yes darling?" She looked happy to her boyfriend. He got to her and gave her a kiss and hugged her, his eyes on Charles.

"Hey mate, Charles" He put out his hand.

"Hey man, Josh her boyfriend" The two shaked hands weirdly, tension between them.

"We were thinking of getting lunch, wanna join?" Norah's happy voice tried to ease up the tension between the two men.

"Yeah.. sure something small." The three went to one of the restaurants to order.

"I guess I'll have a smoothie, the only thing I can get down myself" Norah huffed.

"You don't get help? You have a strong man beside you, can't you help?" Charles looked irritated. If Norah were his girl he would help her at every meal, make sure she got something in her body.

"Not in public, it feels weird for both of us. That I have to feed her like a baby, besides no need for a full meal. We're not doing anything today." Norah stood quiet in her thoughts, nodding along when Josh talked.

The three sat down with their food, they all ate in silence. Sometimes one would speak up but no real conversation made the lunch table. Norah struggled a bit with her smoothie, she had a straw but not getting a firm grip on the glass made it hard to get the smoothie down. Charles was concerned but They both made it clear that Norah got all the vitamins she needed, just that eating out was harder for both of them. Charles did still not understand why Josh couldn't help more.