A Chance for Normalcy

CHAPTER 28; abu dhabi

.......

Time Jump to the Last Race of the Season – Abu Dhabi

......

Things have finally felt surprisingly normal the last six months. A little too normal.

For the three-week summer break in August, the two of you spent a week in the Maldives for your 'honey moon', before joining Cass and Daniel in Ibiza partying it up. Spending the third week back in Monaco spending time with Max's mom and sister, as well as Dimitri, visiting your mother's grave site.

You've tried to keep the wedding stuff off of Max's mind as possible, as well as managing both your parents expectations for the wedding. The wedding date was set for the first weekend in December, two weeks after the last race. You hired a wedding planner, and basically told Cass to go nuts. 

Our parents want big and extravagant, they'll get big and extravagant all right. 

Cass still runs some things by you, and the two of you go wedding dress shopping again with Max's mom and sister to find something that is more geared towards extravagance. Plus, your last one is kind of ruined after your rendezvous in the bathroom after your first wedding. Max's mom and sister have also been very helpful with wedding planning and even threw you a small bridal shower to celebrate. Neither you nor Max wanted to have a bachelor/bachelorette party since you were already married. But Cass wouldn't take no for an answer. So, Cass kidnapped you for a night at a private villa in the south of France for a relaxing day of massages and drinking with the girls, while Max had a day on the yacht with the guys to let loose before the last stint of races.

You continue to work for Charlotte, and travel to races with her, Cass joining in when she can. Max and Charles have been neck and neck in the driver's championship this year with Max going into this last race only 5 points ahead of Charles. Essentially, it's all down to the wire and whoever wins this race becomes world champion. This has put extra pressure on Max, and although he tries not to let it show you can see it affecting him. He spends all his free time at home on the simulator practicing over and over again, or with Bradley doing extra training sessions to keep him focused. He barely sleeps or eats recently, and you know he's not in the right mind set, but every time you try to talk to him or distract him he just snaps.

"Amore it's three in the morning, come to bed." You say rubbing your eyes seeing Max still on the simulator.

"Can't sleep." Max says concentrating on his simulated driving lap.

"Maybe I can help with that." You say rubbing his shoulders.

"Doubt it." Max says still focused on the game. You sigh frustrated reaching over and turning off the simulator.

"What the –"

"Get your ass into bed and let me fuck you until you fall asleep." You say sternly pointing towards your shared bedroom. Max begrudgingly gets up and angrily heads towards the bedroom taking off his shirt mumbling as he goes. That's exactly what you did, and he slept for almost 12 hours and was actually in a good mood for the rest of the day. That didn't last long though, a couple days later he was back to not sleeping and obsessing over the simulator.

It's now the week of the Abdu Dhabi race and you've barely heard from Max since he landed after the race in Saudi Arabia. He's just stressed about this race, he's under a lot of pressure. You keep telling yourself not wanting to consider another possibility.

You're sitting on your private plane with Charlotte and Cass, and you text Max that you're about to take off and that you'll see him soon not expecting a response at this point.