Love Always Wins

37

Friday March 13th.

She lay on her side; facing, unusually, away from her husband and stuck a hand out to check the time on her phone - just gone one am. Sleep still felt like it was miles away from her, it felt like it was back home in Switzerland. Putting her phone back down as quietly as she could, she slowly and softly turned the other way to face her husband. She could just make out his handsome features in the dark room, he was fast asleep as though he hadn't got a care in the world. She moved once more to lay on her back; even though she knew there was a good chance the Grand Prix would be called off, her mind was racing, presenting her with worst case scenarios like getting stuck here in Melbourne, one of them showing symptoms, both of them having to self-isolate in this hotel suite for up to fourteen days, finding out that either someone from her family in the UK had got it or Seb's family in Germany had got it or, god forbid, Mia or Leonie had got it. They'd be stuck here, thousands of miles away. Her heart was racing and she felt sick, even feeling the flutters of movement from her son wasn't helping her. No doubt he could feel her nerves jangling from his cosy, warm den in her womb. She was probably keeping him awake.
"You've not even been to sleep yet, have you." Seb mumbled groggily as he turned onto his side to face her.

She shook her head, there was no point in lying and making out that she had, he knew better than that. He could see right through her, even in the dark.

"I wish you'd just switch off and close your eyes instead of laying there mentally torturing yourself." He shuffled close to her and kissed her bare shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I just can't sleep ." She sat up. "I think I'll give mum a call, it'll be midday there."

"Lay back down, you're not calling anyone." He took a gentle hold of her arm. "And even if you did, your mum would tell you exactly the same as me which is lay down, stop worrying and get some sleep."

She sighed and laid herself back down, letting him snuggle up to her and lay a hand on her tummy where he began to slowly stroke her, round and round while leaving his lips pressed to her shoulder. "It's not that simple, I can't just switch off." She moaned.

"Try it, just relax. You're safe with me." He cooed. "Have you felt him moving much today?" He asked in an effort to divert her mind elsewhere.

"He's been moving on and off all night. I think I'm keeping him awake too." She admitted.

"Well take that as an even bigger reason for you to relax." He stopped moving his hand, leaving it below her belly button, to see if he could feel any movement for himself. "Is he moving right now?"

"Either he's moving or I've got bad gas brewing." She giggled.

"Warn me if you're going to fart." He chuckled, finding her giggle both delightful and infectious.

"I think it's safe to say that he's moving. Can you feel it?" She took his hand and moved it just a fraction to where the fluttery feeling was.

They both fell quiet and still as Seb kept his hand in place, closing his eyes to concentrate further. But right now he couldn't feel anything. "I think he's maybe still a little too small for me to feel anything."

"It probably won't be too many more weeks before you do, we'll keep trying it." She turned onto her side to face him. "Can I cuddle up?"

He nodded and shifted onto his back, putting an arm out so that she could cuddle up to him as close as she could comfortably get. "Just relax now. Try to get some sleep." He murmured quietly, letting his fingers idly draw little circles on her shoulder. "I love you beautiful girl."

"I love you too." She yawned and closed her eyes, trying to think of nothing else except how it good it always felt to be in Seb's arms.