"Freddie! Freddie!"
Freddie Page turned to see Hester Collyer waving at him from behind the barrier. He froze for a moment, wondering why she was here but it had been at least four years since he had last seen her, she surely couldn't expect anything from him after all that time, could she?
He approached her but the smile he gave was hesitant.
"Hes, it's been a long time."
"It has," she grinned. She looked healthy, and happy. He could hardly remember her cheerful, there were too many dark times that had overshadowed his early memories of their relationship.
"What are you doing here, Old Fruit?" he asked.
"I don't know, really. I've been reading about your racing career and when I heard you'd be racing here, I just wanted to come and say 'Hello'. So, Hello."
He smiled. "Did you come alone?"
"I- No, I-"
"Freddie! Laing wants you now," a member of the pit crew said, jogging over to where he stood.
"Can't it wait?" he asked.
"Apparently it's waited, since yesterday lunchtime. Laing said if you don't come now, they'll do it anyway, your approval is just a courtesy."
"All right, fine." Freddie sighed and the crewman headed back the way he'd come. He looked to Hester, unwilling to say goodbye just yet. Things had ended badly between them and if he could talk to her for long enough to know that she was all right, it would salve his conscience. "Did you say you were with someone?"
"Yes, but he's in the bar with his friends. Why?"
"I've got to see the crew manager but you could come with me, if you want."
Her smile widened. "I'd like that."
Even as he helped her over the barrier, he knew this was a bad idea. Terrible, awful, but like so much in his life, he was unable to stop himself. At least he didn't take her hand as he led her to the garage.
Hester looked around with interest as they walked over the race ground concourse, at all the sights and sounds around them. She had never been to a motor race before and she had to admit, it was rather thrilling. The race itself was still hours away, this afternoon, but the place was alive with activity.
She entered the L&D garage and saw two mechanics in overalls by the car and bent over one of the work benches, were another two overalled mechanics. One was side on to her and appeared quite stout, while the other had their back to the door, but he had quite a slight build compared to the others.
"Is there a problem?" Freddie asked as they entered.
The mechanic with the slight build straightened up and turned to them, and Hester realised it was a woman in the overalls, not a man. Her face was ringed by a halo of dark curls, a short for a woman's style but long for a man. She noted Hester's presence but only for a moment.
"I just want to run these changes by you before we do anything." She said in a very refined English accent.
"Very well. This is an old friend of mine, Hester. Hes, this is Cathy Laing," he gestured to the woman, who was obviously the manager the crewman had spoken about. "This is Pete, and that's Archie and Tim over there."
"Pleased to meet you all," Hester smiled at them all.
Cathy Laing gestured with a bob of her head for him to move and he went over to the workbench they were at. Hester stood a few feet behind as Cathy began to point to the blueprints.
