Belonging to the Iceman

Amber and The Professor

She couldn't deny it, Espoo was beautiful.

"Setä Kimi! Täti Shantelle!" Justus and Tiitus exclaimed, running up to hug them.

Kimi stood in front of his wife, as she was holding baby Amber, he didn't want the boisterous boys hurting their baby cousin.

"Hello, boys!" He grinned, hugging them back.

"Isoäiti is SO GLAD that you are home Kimi!" Justus said

"I bet she is and you know what? It's wonderful to be home!" He said with a grin.

*

Shantelle spent the next few weeks getting used to living in the ice and snow in Kimi's beautiful, mansion which overlooked an amazing lake that was currently frozen.

He was in Dubai for the pre-season testing.

She hadn't told him but she hated the cold, even with the split system air conditioner and wonderful large fireplace in the living room she missed sunny Brisbane.

She missed Warrawee House...she missed home....she missed Sacha, Delphine and Angeline, and she missed her days out with Delphine and her walks through Toowong Cemetery with Kimi and Pharaoh.

The big, hairy dog watched her as she rocked Amber who had severe colic.

The poor little baby wouldn't stop crying and her Mother was becoming flustered and stressed.

She had tried everything and still, nothing worked.

"Oh, darling..." She said, trying to burp her "I know sweet Amber; I know...If only Mummy can help you..."

Still, the baby cried, if not louder than before.

A knock on the front door shook her from her thoughts.

She nursed the now screaming baby as she headed to the door.

When she opened it to see Alain and Anne Marie on her front doorstep it was more than wonderful.

"Someone's got colic!" Anne Marie said, her smile fading.

Shantelle rocked the screaming baby; the tears were now streaming down her face.

"And I can't handle this anymore...I am the WORST Mother..." She sobbed.

Alain had stepped forward, taking the baby from her.

"Come now, little Amber," He said softly in his calming, accent. "Shhh, come on, Little One...

Slowly he headed through the house, holding the baby in close to his chest, so she could feel his beating heart.

"Did I ever tell you about the time, that I, your Grand-père, was pushed up against the pit lane wall at Estoril way back in 1988 by a very charismatic Brazilian Formula One pilot and your Mère's FAVOURITE pilot, but don't tell her, that I am the better Pilot!" He said softly to the baby who was now starting to settle down. "It was the third start of the race and I pulled out of Senna's slipstream to pass him. But of course, Senna had different ideas and moved violently over right next to my car! We were wheel to wheel and he forced me towards the pit wall at over one hundred and seventy-four miles an hour! That's two hundred and eighty kilometres an hour Little Amber! Nonetheless, I maintained my will to pass that Brazilian, not lifting off the throttle, and passed Senna into the first corner! And do you know? Your Grand-père won the Portuguese Grand Prix, I am a Formula One Pilot just like your Père and you are a beautiful little baby girl but you need to stop stressing out your Mère before your Père gets home from pre-season testing! She is the most amazing person I know and you come from her...and you will grow up to be someone amazing...because after all your Grand-père is known as The Professor!"

*

Shantelle and Anne Marie enjoyed a hot cup of tea snuggled up in the living room.

"Why isn't the fire going in the fireplace Shantelle?" She asked, shivering.

Before she could answer, Alain came into the room.

"Little Amber is asleep, finally!" He said

"Alain, could you light a fire please?" Anne Marie asked, "get some warmth into his house!"

He smiled and went about getting some firewood from the basket next to the ornate fireplace, within moments he had it blazing, and instantly the room became a lot warmer.

"The main thing you need to do is make yourself at home, if you are happy and settled then Amber will be happier, believe me...she knows you're homesick!" Anne Marie said wisely "Does she cry much when Kimi is home?"

"He hasn't been home much but no, she's good around him" Shantelle answered.

"That's because he knows he's home..."

Shantelle cut her off "but he grew up here, in Espoo! In the ice and snow! I didn't!"

"Shantelle," Alain said "the only thing you need is some 'tough love'! THIS is home! Espoo is your home, as it is for Amber and Kimi! Now! Make yourself at home! Use the air conditioner, and use the fireplace! Don't lock yourself away in what can be a cold home because it's not! It's full of love and warmth and will have many happy memories attached to it as you and Kimi raise baby Amber!"

"Kimi is back in Formula One Alain! He'll be away for many weekends!" Shantelle argued

"And it's hard with little ones at home daughter," Anne Marie said "believe me! I raised Nicolas by myself while Alain was away racing! Luckily Sacha was only three when Alain retired"

"But I nearly went crazy today with Amber's colic" Shantelle still argued.

"I will give you some tips on Colic, my Mother gave me! Nicolas was also a very colicky baby, believe me! It tears your heart out knowing that they can't settle themselves!"

"How is Nicolas?" Shantelle asked.

Anne Marie gazed at her husband, she knew he would answer.

"He packed his bags, sold his Aston Martin and his house in Paris and now we don't know where he is..." Alain said, "We've tried calling him, and emailing him; he shut down his Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!"

"And you really don't know?" She asked again.

He gave her a look and said "And I just told you, no...Anne Marie and I have no idea, Sacha has been trying to find him but we haven't been able!"

"Can you and Anne Marie stay until Kimi gets home please Alain?" She asked.

"Well now we're here in Finland we might as well!" Alain said with a smile.

"Come on, I'll help you make up a room for Alain and I" Anne Marie said grinning as she and Shantelle got up.

"I tell you, to have your Mother have a good night's sleep was heaven!" Shantelle said

"Well you were a first-time Mum, Kulta and I wasn't home all the time, I had to travel the world racing," Kimi said to his wife.

"You know I miss arrière grand-père et arrière grand-mère" Lucas said sadly.

Amber hugged her little boy and said "So do I, they were your Isoäiti's parents, plain and simple!"