Connections (F1 story)

Chapter Thirty Five: Decisions

Still shaking and angry, I composed myself as much as it was humanly possible, ready to speak to Christian.

Sam had stormed back inside, and Daniel had followed along with Sebastian and the Team Principal. Ricciardo still looked as if he was going to hit the roof.

As much as I didn't want to, I knew that I too had to enter the lobby and find out my fate- preparing a small speech in my head, not that it made any sense. None of my thoughts made sense at that moment in time.

I was going to be sick again. Hotel staff were going to love gardening over the next few weeks, especially that particular flower bed.

With one more wipe of my eyes to check for runaway mascara, I took another deep breath. This time managing not to begin sobbing again and walked as confidently as I could inside.

Christian was sat at one of the tables I had been perched at prior to the almighty war of words. I'd do anything to be sat back there emailing the BBC instead, but no- I would walk out of this meeting and head straight home. Forever.

"Take a seat." Horner said, rather relaxed. I had seen him like this before he got rid of the tyre guy: Joel, who crushed the podium chances in Malaysia. This was just the calm before the storm.

Gingerly, I sat down as tears threatened once more. I had to hold my shit together, even if I was cheap and desperate.

Christian paused and studied me closely, why now? He stifled a smirk as I sneezed from where I had been submerged in the plants outside.

"Right, anyway, Saskia. Here's the thing- there's no point in beating around the bush... "

Brilliant, great. I held my breath.

"Tomorrow and Sunday we shall have an old friend in the paddock. As well as your duties with Mr Ricciardo, I need you to look after him too. There's an interview arranged with the two guys together. It's all written down here." he spoke.

He then handed me a sheet of paper, maybe he wasn't going to kill me off just yet.

"Okay." I said slowly, wondering if it was in fact my P45.

"Bridget was going to email it across, but I decided it'd be better to hand it to you, in person." He smiled warmly.

"Thanks." I didn't really know what else to say.

"Everything okay then?"

"Yes, everything's fine." No, absolutely not. I was seriously considering walking back to Milton Keynes and trashing Sam's apartment. That would be an incredibly mature thing to do, right?

"Good. Would you like a drink?" His eyes were kind, and I thought for a brief moment that maybe he hadn't heard what had been said between Sam and I. But then I remembered the look on Daniel's face. It was almost impossible not to have done.

"No, thank you, though. I need to...uh-" I needed to sleep and eat in that order. And then speak to Lizzie and try and work out what was going on.

"Alright then. I'll catch you in the morning, before the events. All written down there though."

"Thanks!" The pace of my heart slowed fractionally for the first time in half hour. "I thought-"

No brain, shut up.

"Thought what?"

"Nothing."

"I didn't hear a thing." he half sighed, half smiled.

Being sacked wasn't totally out of the equation then.

"Mm." I mumbled, the ground could have swallowed me up there and then. Probably would have made things easier.