Red Silver

S2.C1 - Birthdays and a chat (Winter break)

"What if you are pregnant? I... I mean I'd like to keep the baby but I don't want to..."
"Lewis breath, we will keep it, I will be the happiest person on the planet, it might get difficult for my career but we got this" I say looking at his hands shaking while we are waiting for the results of the pregnancy test.
-Not pregnant-
I look at Lewis a bit worried "I am not pregnant"
He looks a bit sad "Oh, I guess the problem is solved"
"We will have a baby, Lewis, just not now"I say sitting on his lap and touching his face.
"Yes, I know" he says stroking my hair "a lots of babies"
"Hey, hey, hold on" I laugh and he puts his arms around me.
"At least one driver and one engineer as their parents"
"2. Ok, that's better"

"Tomorrow my family will be here" Lewis says coming out of the shower, we have been in the chalet for a week waiting for his relatives to arrive here so we can celebrate Christmas all together.
"I know, I am a bit nervous"
"Are you?" He smiles
"Of course, do you prefer this or this?" I say showing him two outfits.
"Red looks better on you" he comes closer "don't worry about this, this is our last night all alone here" he says as he starts kissing my neck
"Lewis" I close my eyes
"I got chocolate and champagne for tonight"
I try to get away from him, I have so much things to do but his arms are closed around my waist "You thought about everything"
"Of course" he whispers near my ear while his hands start to take off my dress "I love your collant"
I smile and throw his towel on the floor "Time to take the chocolate Sir"

The morning after, I run around the chalet trying to get everyone looking perfect, Lewis is on the phone with his uncle giving him the directions to get here.
I hear the door opening "Hi, welcome, wait. Isabelle! They are here!"
I give myself a last look in the mirror and go downstairs.
"Good morning" I say softly
"Oh here she is, he always talks about you and we look for you on the screens every time, you are really beautiful" his mom turns to him "how did you get this girl?"
"She was the one who got me, with a water bottle in Jeddah mom" answers Lewis smiling
"Oh come here, give me a hug, I am Carmen"
I get closer for a hug "It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Isabelle"
A little girl and a boy run inside the house and jump on Lewis "Uncle Lew!"
"Here they are!" Says Lewis smiling and hugging them.
The girl leaves Lewis and comes to me "You must be Isabelle, I'm Willow"
"Nice to meet you Willow"
"You are my uncle's new favourite girl?" She looks sad
"Don't tell anyone but I think you are still on the first place"
She smiles and screams at Lewis "Uncle, I like her!" then she looks at me "Do you wanna play with me?"
"Sure"

Two weeks on the Alps are almost like a dream but as soon as the new year comes I go back to work in Brackley.
"You have the afternoon free" says my colleague Anne to me.
"No, I don't" I say keep looking to the datas on my iPad.
"Yes, you have" I hear Lewis and see him behind me with a bouquet of flowers "Happy birthday little star"
"Lewis, oh my... thank you, you didn't have to"
"I know, but my birthday was a few days ago and I wasn't even in town, today is yours so I asked the permission to take my girlfriend out so she doesn't overworked"
"I am not overworking" I notice the pink tulips and smile.
"I guess that means I'll take care of this, go!"  Anne takes the tablet from my hands smiling.
"Thank you Anne, if you have any problems or doubts or..."
"Shut up, go enjoy your day"
"Thank you" I say smiling.

"As I know your favourite place here is London" Lewis says driving out of Brackley "we will do a little trip there tonight, I booked us a room in my personal favourite hotel and I also booked in a not fancy restaurant, as you like"
"Lewis, what? How?"
"Tomorrow is Sunday so we are going to be back here on time to go back at work, you need to relax a bit, you are too stressed lately"
"I wrote you a letter for your birthday because you said 'no presents' and you organise a trip as a gift?" I say punching his arm.
"And that was the best present ever. This isn't the main present by the way"
"Lewis Hamilton! I said 'no gifts' too"
"Yes but I don't care, you deserve this"
I am happy and angry at him at the same time, we arrive in London and I am stunned when we get in this beautiful hotel room in a skyscraper "I can see everything from here" I say pointing at the window.
"Yes, that's why I love this place. It's 6 pm, on the bed there are some clothes for you, get ready for dinner"
"Clothes?" I say and he smiles, I give him a little punch and go to the bedroom, on the bed there are a pair of jeans, a sweater and a jacket, all by Tommy.
"It's the new collection and it is so your style I thought you'd like it"
"I do, they are amazing"
"Change, we got a private reservation in you favourite pub, beer and burgers, I checked they have vegan options"

We have dinner in my favourite place in London, we drink way too much beer but we don't get drunk, we just keep laughing all night.
"Your present" says Lewis giving me a Cartier bag
I open the red bag and find a little box, I look at him before opening the box.
"Lewis..."
"Do you like it? I chose it because it reminds me of your eyes"
I look at the ring, it is a ring with an emerald.
"It is not a proposal or anything, I just..."
"I love it and I love you, Lewis, I love you so much"
I put the ring on and kiss him "But next time you do an expensive present when I say no present and after I haven't even given you anything for your birthday, I'll kill you"
"I'd love to see you try that" he says smiling and pulling me closer
We look into each other eyes for a few moments and then he gently hugs me up and kisses me, my hands are on his neck "We should go home"
"You think?"
"I think we should run home because I really want to do more than kiss you"
He kisses me again "we have the same idea honey"

"Hi Carlos" I say sitting down, we have texted in the last few days and he asked me to meet, I am in Italy to meet my parents so I agreed for a coffe.
"Hey, I order you a macchiato, is it still the one you like?"
"Yes, perfect"
We sit in silent for a couple of minutes drinking our coffees.
"Carlos, before you say anything, I want you to know that this doesn't mean our friendship is fully back at what it was, but it is a first step"
His lips move in a shy smile "I know"
"How are you?"
"Good... I mean I can't wait to go back on track but being on holidays is nice"
"I know what you mean, I miss falling asleep on the motorhome couch because I'm exhausted" I say sarcastically but I know I am really missing it.
"You are a great engineer" he says smiling again.
"I hope so"
"I miss working with you, they gave me this new boy but we haven't connected yet"
"Now I have to drive home after work by myself, no Ferrari with driver available, can you believe it?"
He laughs "Do you like Brackley?"
"Yes, I do. Lewis got us a big house and I like the team"
"I like to hear it"

"How's in Maranello?"
"It is... ok"
"New TP"
"Yeah..."
"You don't like him?"
"No, no, I do like him but the atmosphere is awful, he is firing a lot of people and... I don't know it is strange"
"It is a big jump but it is just the transition moment that may be difficult"
"Lately everything is difficult"
"I am here if you need" I say grabbing his hand "just never try to kiss me again ok?"
He smiles "I won't"
"I am really here Carlos, text me, call me and soon we will be seeing each others almost every week again so"
"I am so sorry"
"It is not only on you, I have my faults"
He starts playing with my ring "Can we forget it all?"
"Yes" I say looking him.

Carlos smiles knowing well he could never forget her kisses and her touch, he dated other girls in the last months but no one was even closer to her, no one will ever be but at the same time he knows she is happy and he will try his best to act like he doesn't feel the urge to kiss her every time she is around because more that that he want her back in his life and he knows that friendship is all he can get.

We spent two hours sitting there chatting.
"Does Lewis know that you are here?"
"Yes, I told him"
"Is he still mad?"
"You are not on his favourites list yet" I say laughing "but he trusts me so he is not against this"

"I don't think the car will be as good as last year, I feel some kind of tension in the factory, I am worried" says Carlos playing with his napkin.
"It will be fine, your project was amazing last year they just have to update it a little"
"And the fans... I am trying my best but Italians just don't like me"
"We like you Carlos, I know a lot of Italians that love you"
He smiles "Thanks but I saw the comments"
"Those aren't Ferrari fans, c'mon cabron don't listen to them, you are an excellent driver and you deserve Ferrari"
"Thank you"
"I need to go now, I want to be home before the night comes"
"Text me when you are home"
"Sure" I hug him and smell his perfume, he always smells like soap and ashes, I have never understood why but it feel like home.

L-Are u ok?-
I-Yes, I'm on my way home-
L-I am here waiting for you-