Shape of you (Daniel Ricciardo)

Family times.

Melissa drops Daniel off a couple of blocks away from the house just like she told she would. He sprints home and goes inside, panting and sweaty.
"Honey I'm home!" He shouts, as he walks into the living room.
Stevie is on the floor playing with Zara and Cole.

Tina has gone to Maranello because tomorrow Ferrari will have their launch and Charles obviously invited her to be his plus one. She will be back before the Red Bull launch so she can be with the kids when Daniel and Stevie go to Milton Keynes.
Stevie didn't feel comfortable asking her parents yet, her dad is still recovering and watching two kids is too much for him right now.

Zara, now almost nine months old, is sitting up by herself and giggling while Cole is doing silly dances on music.
"Hello my sweethearts." Daniel walks to the three people that mean so much to him and drops on the floor next to them.

Zara immediately reaches out to him, wanting Daniel to pick her up. He would never leave that girl hanging, so he picks her up and pretends that he is struggling to get her off the floor.

"Oooh my god you are getting so big." He lets himself fall backwards on the soft rug, keeping Zara up in the air.
The little girl is making the most amazing sounds, laughing and squealing but also sometimes she will sound as if she wants to talk.
She can't yet, but he loves hearing her babble.

He starts to make raspberry sounds, which causes another wave of laughter escape the baby girl.
He stays on his back and sits Zara on his stomach holding her little hands to keep her steady.
She starts to copy the raspberry sound he is making and starts to drool. Her fifth and sixth teeth are coming through so she drools a lot.

"Isn't she a bit fast with those teeth that are coming through? When I was reading about babies and their month to month development it said that those two would come between nine and 12 months. She isn't even 9 months yet. Well ok in two weeks she will be, but still."
Daniel looks at the four complete teeth and the two white lines that are now starting to come through the baby girls gums.

"Every child develops in their own pace. Cole was pretty fast with his teeth as well and he was walking when he wasn't even one year old. He just didn't want to take his time. Some babies don't start walking until they are way past their first birthday. It's all good." Stevie explains.

She knows it's all new for Daniel, he missed a lot of his niece and nephews development. The fact that he is reading about it is really cute though. He wants to know as much as possible about what is happening and going to happen.

"Oh she's drooling all over you!" Stevie jumps up to get a burp cloth so she can wipe Zara's chin before Daniel is covered in drool.
"As if I care about that huh little princess? You can always drool over me. I seem to have that effect on women sometimes." Daniel smiles at the giggling baby with love radiating from his eyes.
That's 'his' daughter and he doesn't care if she drools, spits or pukes all over him.

When it's time for Zara's nap, Daniel takes her upstairs so he can take a shower once she is in bed.
As he tucks Zara in, she smiles at him a bit sleepy.
"I love you my little princess. But just for your information... No boyfriends until you are at least 25. Don't grow up too fast ok?"

He runs his finger over the soft, chubby cheek. Zara's eyes start to close and she is soon fast asleep.
Daniel heads into the shower and as he is standing under the hot spray washing his hair, he feels content. He feels peaceful, complete and extremely happy.

Before he and Stevie met, he always felt like he was looking for something. He always thought something was missing, but he didn't really know what that was.
Now he does. Being a part of a family of his own, that was what he was missing. Raising kids together with the love of his life, planning a future with them, that is what he needed.