Love Always Wins

73

Sunday August 8th. Switzerland.

Seb had never been so relieved and pleased to be home in his entire life as Heikki brought the Audi estate to a stop outside the large converted mill.

Next to him, Heikki switched the engine off and turned to look at his driver who'd been so subdued and had barely spoken ever since the race had ended. The most Seb had talked all afternoon had been to the media and even then his answers to their questions had been relatively short compared with how he usually was. There'd only been one person he'd spoken to and uttered more than a few words to and that was Viviana. Heikki had found that very strange, especially as he knew that Seb wasn't too keen on the team's media officer but to see them earlier it was as if they'd suddenly formed some sort of friendship. This was worrying, not because he didn't trust Seb not to stray and cheat on his wife but because he didn't trust Viviana, there was just something about her that made him feel uneasy and fired off warning sirens in his head. "Chin up mate, you're home." He put a hand on Seb's shoulder, breaking him out of the trance he seemed to have to fallen into. He knew that the de-brief after the race would have been tough, relations between driver and team (especially the team principal) were getting more and more strained and the awful strategy they'd put Seb on during the race wouldn't have helped matters either.

"Yeah." Seb let out a breath, trying to shake off all the memories of the weekend. "It feels so good to be home." He broke out into a smile for the first time since before the race, home is where his heart would always be. He could already feel the stress and tension leaving his body, making his shoulders feel lighter. A couple of days to reset and refresh his mind was exactly what he needed.

The two men got out of the car and Heikki opened the boot to get out Seb's black case and rucksack. He already felt less worried about his driver, he could see the difference that being home made to him.

"You get home, I'll get these as far as the hallway and then I'm going straight up to bed." Seb said, noticing that Heikki looked a little tired too.

"Ok. I'll see you in the morning, yeah?" Heikki replied as he made his way back to drivers side.

"Yeah but not too early." Seb was keen for a rare lay-in, if Luis would allow it.

"Sure, around ten?"

"Ten will fine." He smiled, that meant he could hopefully stay in bed until nine cuddled up to his wife.

"See you tomorrow then." Heikki got back in the car and by the time he'd driven off Seb was already in the hallway where he dumped his rucksack down first and then retrieved his case from the gravel outside.

Having noticed lights on in the lounge, he left his case in the hallway and quietly shut the front door before heading into the lounge to see who was still up. He was greeted by four sympathetic looking faces in his parents and his in-laws. He hated that look; yeah he'd had a bad race, he'd had two bad weekends but that didn't mean he wanted their sympathy when he got back home. "Has someone just died?" He joked awkwardly as he stood there.

"It is so good to have you home." Heike rose from her seat to go to him. "Can I get you something to eat?"

"No mom, I'm fine." He accepted her kiss on his cheek as she greeted him.

"You look tired." She said, leaning her head to one side as she looked at him and placed a palm on his cheek.

"Which is why I'm going straight to bed." He stepped back, he'd had enough of their 'poor you' looks for now.

"Chloe's up there, she went up about half an hour ago but said she'd stay awake for you." David said before taking a swig of his whisky.

"Thanks, I'll see you all in the morning." He turned and left the room before anyone could say anything else and then bounded quietly up the stairs in a last minute burst of energy. Getting to their bedroom door, he slowly turned the handle and pushed it open, trying to not make a sound, knowing that Luis would most likely be sleeping. To see his wife sitting up on the bed waiting for him was the best thing to happen all day, to see his baby son sleeping in his crib next to her was even better. Their eyes met across the room as he pushed the door shut, enclosing them both in their own little haven. He undressed without saying a word, leaving his clothes where he stood on the floor until he was only wearing his snug fitting boxer shorts then he crept across the room to the crib that was attached to their bed to look at his son. The difference was remarkable, Luis had already grown a little and was starting to gain weight; it showed in his chubby little cheeks, in his wrists and plump little hands. His rounded belly in his mint coloured babygrow that had little puffins dotted all over it, told Seb that Luis hadn't long been fed. He looked so beautiful, so peaceful and so content; at seventeen days old Luis hadn't got a care in the world, he had no idea of what else was happening in the world, he wouldn't even know what Coronavirus was, he wouldn't have a clue of the torrid two weekends his father had had to endure and how badly he'd been missed along with his mother. The only things that would worry him in his little life right now was sleeping, being loved and cuddled, fed and cleaned. Seb's heart melted at the sight of his perfect baby boy, he longed to pick him up and hold him against his chest, to nuzzle his nose over the fine hair on his head and shower him with love and affection but that was going to have to wait until he next woke up.