The One That Got Away (Sebastian Vettel)

3. Everything Changes

Seb hauled himself out of the swimming pool.  The water dripped off of him as he headed towards his ringing phone. He dried his hand on a towel and picked it up.  It was Darren Rashford.

His heart skipped a beat.  Darren usually texted to keep him updated. He'd never actually called in person. Something must have happened.

He felt sick. Was this going to be the news he'd been fearing? Was this when he found out that Mollie had given up the fight?

"Hello Darren," he answered, nervously.

"Seb, she's awake. She's going to be ok Seb." 

Seb felt the relief flood through him. He was speechless. His eyes filled with tears. Tears of relief.

"Seb, did you hear me? Mollie's awake."

"Darren, that's the best news. I am so happy to hear that. How is she?"

"Moody as fuck. She's frustrated, upset, in pain, but she's going to be ok. That's the main thing."

"What about her injuries?"

"Her spine is healing well. The fractures were only small. Her head injury, it seems there's no lasting damage but she's going to have to take it easy for a while. It's her leg that's the problem. It was a compound fracture and she has a metal plate holding it together."

"Shit, she will race again though, won't she?"

"It's early days. They just don't know Seb."

"Are they letting her have visitors now?"

"Soon. They're looking to move her out of intensive care in the next few days all being well."

"I'd like to come and see her after Hungary if that's OK with you and Kate?"

"Of course. That would be great Seb. I won't tell her,  it will be a nice surprise."  

They chatted for a few more minutes, then ended the call.

Seb smiled. Mollie was ok. Now maybe they would have that date after all.

                           ***

Mollie sat up in bed. She had a book laid open on her lap and her phone in her hand. She was so bored. There was literally nothing to do. She was going out of her mind looking at the same four walls day in, day out.

She had so many get well messages to reply to but she just didn't know what to say . It seemed she'd had everyone frantic with worry.   She'd even received a message from Alexandre DuBois, which was a miracle as he'd often made it clear to her that he thought women had no place in motorsport.

Will had been in to visit a couple of times. His brother, Joel, had brought him in, having taken time off from work to help look after his younger brother.

Will's leg wasn't as badly broken as Mollie's and he hoped to be back racing for the beginning of the following season.

He'd been to see her that afternoon and had just left and now she was trying to find something to do to relieve her boredom.  

She opened up her Twitter app and began scrolling through.  She soon came across an article that made her half angry and half upset.

It was discussing her accident and, even though it wasn't her fault at all, discussing whether this was proof that women did not belong in motorsport.

She wiped an angry tear off of her cheek. Most of the comments on it were lovely, defending her and pointing out that it was men that caused the accident.