Middle of the Night

Chapter 1 - The Interview

Two years. It had been two long years since it had happened. Two years of sympathetic looks from her friends, her family, her co-workers. Claire Lancaster just couldn't take it anymore. She needed a change. She needed to... escape. Claire told herself that she needed to do it for herself and prove to the world that she wasn't a broken 37-year-old. And that's when she saw it. Just what she needed. It combined her skills with the sport she had loved for years.

A week later, Claire made the 31km drive from Oxford to the Mercedes AMG Petronus factory in Brackley. She parked her 2013 Ford Fiesta in the parking lot and did her final checks. Her long blonde hair pulled back into a low, slightly messy bun. Her make up light, but just enough to highlight her green eyes. She touched up her lipstick and climbed out the car. She brushed off her black suit and strode to the front door with confidence.

As Claire approached the front desk, a beautiful brunette looked up at her. "Good morning and welcome to Mercedes. My name is Rebecca, how may I be of assistance?" She greeted Claire with a bright smile. "Hi there, my name is Claire Lancaster. I have an interview at 10:00am for the PA position." Well at least I sound more confident than I feel right now, Claire thought to herself. "Oh yes, we have been expecting you. Please just take a seat and Otto will be down shortly to collect you," Rebecca said kindly.

Claire turned around and chose a chair near the reception desk. She took a deep breath in and out just to calm herself. Come on Claire, she thought to herself, they wouldn't have asked you for an interview if they didn't see something they liked. She smiled to herself softly. She knew she had this. It was just getting through the interview.

"Claire Lancaster?" She looked up at a warm, smiling face. "Hi there, my name is Otto. I'm here to take you up to your interview. Just follow me." Claire nodded and stood up immediately. They climbed up the metal staircase and she couldn't help but look around to see the hustle and bustle of the office. She knew it would probably be a busy time for them. If she remembered her Formula 1 calendar, there was just over a month until testing in Bahrain. They walked down a long passage until they stopped at a door. She could hear someone speaking angrily on the phone and hoped that this wasn't where she was about to go. If that was it, she was in trouble.

But of course, she knew it had to be. Otto slowed down in front of the door as the angry voice quietened, whatever conversation was being held had ceased without even a farewell from what she had heard. He stopped, smiled apologetically and then knocked on the door. "Come in," was the terse response. Otto opened the door tentatively and peeked around the corner. "Hey Toto, your interview is here." Toto glanced up, he looked intently at Claire standing behind Otto and then he just grunted, "Come in."

Wow, well this is just welcoming, Claire thought sarcastically. However, she plastered her professional smile on her face and walked forward with her hand extended to shake the Toto Wolff's. Time to shine Claire.

Otto Kline closed the door behind the woman. She was pretty, she was professional. He just hoped she made it through the interview. It had been over a year since Susie had left Toto. She loved racing, but their child was born and Toto was still traveling the world while she stayed at home. It became too much and she had given him an ultimatum. His career or his family. When he couldn't make the decision on his own, Susie made it for Toto. Otto had been there through that transition period. Not that any transition had actually happened. Susie divorced Toto and he was never himself again. When he was with Susie, Toto was known as intense but kind. Afterwards, he was just a bear with a sore head. His personal assistant, Alicia, had taken the brunt of the berating the entire time and eventually she just broke. The last Otto saw her, she had packed her things and walked out the door, never looking back.

Otto took one last glance at the door and returned to his desk. Well maybe this change will be good, he thought.