Red Silver

S2. C8 - A dinner (Barcellona)

After coming back from Montreal, I decide to go straight to Brackley, I am still upset for what Max said and I don't know if it is more to prove them wrong or it is to prove myself I am really what Lewis and Toto told me.
"Mick?" I say looking at the young man who is ordering a coffee at the cafeteria "Mick Schumacher, right?"
"Yes, hi, Isabelle right?" He turns around and I notice how similar he is to his dad.
"Yes, so nice to meet you"
"Need help for something?"
"Actually yes, I was looking for you, Toto told me you are available for the sim"
"Sure"
"I need a huge amount of data for this weekend race and well, Lewis is I don't know where and George is working for sponsor stuff"
"It's ok, at your service" he smiles and grabs his coffee "I love the sim"
"I love that you love the sim" we both laugh and walk to the sim room.

I spend two entire days in the sim with Mick, he is a really nice guy and a hard worker so it is a pleasure to work with him.
"The set up is ready, we will test it on Friday, if we are wrong I think you should get a huge mug of coffee ready for Friday night"
"I really hope we are right, I am not thrilled to do another night at the sim"
"You love the sim"
"Not after midnight" he laughs
"Well, I think you won't be here on Friday so you shouldn't worry about that" I say smiling

As it turns out, we were right, the set up we prepared is amazing, excellent race pace and a good fast lap for quali as we show on Saturday when we qualify P1 and P3.
"Prove them wrong eh?" Carlos says looking at me
"You know how I am. Anyway you got P4 not bad"
"Hope your friend don't crash into me"
"Georgie isn't the type"
"Austin 2022"
"Shut up, you know why he did that" I say punching him
"Unfortunately yes"
"Hey" Lando appears from behind Carlos "Isabelle"
"Hi Lando"
"Is there any price to pay for have you as my engineer?"
"Sorry Lan but I am not on sale, you did good today, McLaren looks good you are P2"
"Yes but-"
"You did good muppet" says Carlos tickling him
"but our race pace sucks so, do you think we will get a podium? Me? Carlos?" Lando asks me
I look at them "The one who can manage to defend from Max will"
"So easy" says Lando sarcastically "I have the debrief so bye bye my friends"
"Bye Lando"
"Bye Muppet" says Carlos "Can I offer you a drink tonight? Just to talk a bit. Analcoholic of course"
"Tonight? the night before the race? Are you sure?"
"Yes, I need a little chat with a friend, home race is amazing but also kinda stressful"
"I should be done by 7 pm, we can have dinner together"
"Is Lewis ok with this?"
"He is fine, I'll ask him later but I don't think it's a problem, he will stay here till late probably"
"I'll pick you up at 7:15 ok?"
"Perfect"

"Hey Lewis" I say going to him before our debrief "have you something on your mind for tonight?"
"My love, no, I want to stay here with Bono as much as I can"
"Can I go to dinner with Carlos? He will take me to the hotel after and I'll wait for you there"
"Yes..." he says looking away
"We talked about it"
"We did and I am fine, really, you can go, just text me ok?" He says touching my hand
I kiss his cheek "Certo amore mio" (sure my love)

I wait for Carlos outside Mercedes motorhome till I hear someone calling for me.
"Ehi!" I turn around to see Max looking in my direction "Yes, Miss, I am talking to you"
"What do you want?"
"You are still here?"
"What do you mean? That after your stupid speech I'll have to leave my work? Oh Honey, I need more than that"
"Can't you just sleep with Lewis and live your life without showing up here every day trying to prove that you are more than a girl looking for money?"
"sorry to disappoint you but I don't care about money and I love my work"
"Annoying. You really think you are here because you deserve it"
"I deserve it, dickhead"
Max grabs my arm tight and gets closer "You are here for luck, for your beauty, I worked for this, don't disrespect me"
"Take your hands off me, Mr Verstappen, you are the one who disrespect me no viceversa"
"Slut" he says looking into my eyes
"What did you just say?" I try to slap him but he stops me
"I said you're just a little slut"

Lewis appears from behind and pushes him away from me "Take your hands off her!"
"Here is the prince" Max does a little bow
"Go away now! And don't get close to her again!"
"Lewis" I try to push him away from Max who finally gets that he may have gone too far
"I am tired of your no sense words, stay away from her! I was nice after everything that happened between us but I am done now, stay away from me and from her!"
"Lewis!" Carlos grabs Lewis arm and pulls him further from Max "Ehi! Ehi! He has been a dickhead ok? but you need to calm down now"
Lewis breaths heavily and without saying anything he takes my arm and walks away

"Lewis?" I say walking fast to keep up with his pace
"I'm sorry ok?"
I push him behind a truck and grab his face in my hands "Lewis"
"I should have been less aggressive but he was-" he stops looking at my arms "did he hurt you?"
"No, ok? he didn't but you don't need to be sorry, you were protecting me and I love that but he also loves when we react like that so now, calm down please"
He hugs me for a couple of minutes, then he places his hand on my belly and smiles "I love you"
"Love you too baby"

When me and Carlos arrive at the restaurant we are both quiet.
"I am sorry" I say putting down the menu "for whatever happened today"
"You don't have to be sorry" Carlos says "it wasn't your fault"
"I feel like I'm doing all wrong, I am not working enough, I am not in the right place, I am a bad thing for you and even for Lewis and the bab-"
"No, don't think anything of these, and don't think it just because of what they say, have you ever read what people say about me? I don't listen to them"
"You say this just because you are my friend"
"No, I really mean it and you can ask anyone who knows you and they will tell you the same"
I smile "thank you"
"Always here if you need" he says smiling "but now, I'm starving so please let's order"
I smile at him and open my menu again.

On Sunday we win, Carlos overtakes Lando and steps on the podium with the Mercedes boys, he invites us to his home party after the race but we decide to go straight home with the rest of the team. When we are finally on bed that night we cuddle a little.
"You need a size more for the shirt, honey"
"I already got a large, is it not enough?"
"It starts to show" he hugs me and kisses my forehead "I think we should start thinking about a way to tell people"
"I agree but not now, I am very tired, can we sleep?"
"Sure" I feel his hand on my belly and we stay in the same position till we both fall asleep