One Day // Daniel Ricciardo

CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2

Today was no improvement. I smiled shyly at Danny when I started work this morning and wished him good morning. We had planned coffee for this afternoon, I was looking forward to it although extremely nervous. I spent the whole morning in the factory working on the car, hidden from everyone including Lando.

When I got to the break room Lando and Danny were in a playful chat in the corner, everyone else was still busy. They both smiled and waved when I entered, "Are you joining us Jess?" Lando asked. I could've shot him; he knows I was much happier getting a drink and leaving them.

As I sat down my phone started ringing, I answered it almost thanking the person on the line for saving me. I watched Danny carefully, everything about him was the same but somehow different. His hair was cut a little differently and he was better shaven, less rugged neater and tidier and his eyes. His eyes were still as beautiful as I remembered him except, they were hurt, they weren't the same as before. I understand that.

'Guys I'm sorry it's an emergency I have to go." I announced hanging up the phone, "I'm sorry Danny I have to cancel later and Lando you're on your own for lunch."

They both looked at me concerned, "If you need something I... I mean we could come and help you we're not needed here for anything else."

I shook my head gathering my stuff together, "I'll see you later." And ran out the door.

Just as I almost expected he followed me out the front door and in to the car park. I decided to give him the chance, any longer and I was making it more difficult for both of us.

"Meet me at my parents' house in an hour, I'm sure you still know where it is? They're... not home so I'll be there when I can."

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My stomach fluttered as I pulled in to the street of my house, I could see Danny's car parked on the side of the road allowing me to reverse my car in to the driveway. When I was parked and secure, he got out of his car and waited for me on the pavement.

"Danny, I don't want you to freak out, I have a lot of explaining to do to you and this is not how I wanted to do it."

He walked towards me and I wanted to vomit on the spot. Instead, I had to lift the tiny baby out the back of my car in her car seat, she cooed a little and cried when I lifted the seat. "Just hear me out, don't jump to conclusions please come inside." I begged.

The colour had drained from his face and I almost thought I'd have to drag him inside too.

A little while later a sick baby had been fed, changed and put down for a nap and I found myself back at a dining room table. A very similar scenario to how we were years ago.

"I didn't know you were... I don't know... having a baby? In a relationship? I mean I'm happy for you but I can't lie completely heartbroken."

"Danny, I haven't looked at anyone since you. I couldn't, I still can't. You were the one and only love in my life and honestly it terrifies me admitting that."

He gave me a confused look and I laughed; I think I was about to give him the most insane story reaping the past two years.

"Not long after I left you things went a bit wild; my Mum went through one of her phases and basically announced she'd spent her whole marriage having affairs and my brother and sister weren't my dad's. He had no idea, it absolutely broke him, it broke all of us but of 3 children he found out that only one was his it was horrible."

He rolled his eyes when I mentioned my Mum. I had never had a good relationship with her, she was always going through 'phases. That was essentially code word for mental breakdown? Undiagnosed Psychosis? Bipolar? Honestly nobody knew, she had a love hate relationship with drugs, she'd disappear for months on end and when she came crawling back claiming to be clean and claiming to want to 'be a better Mum' my dad would allow her back home from fear of not wanting to cause any damage to us.