Sparks - Daniel Ricciardo

Thirty

📍17th January 2022 - Perth, Australia

The next few weeks had been extremely difficult for Amber. She had been spending more and more time with Daniel's sister, who wouldn't stop talking about her upcoming new arrival. Then, she would speak to Francesca who would complain about certain pregnancy symptoms and cravings as she just reached her fifth month.

She felt as if she had nobody to talk to and loneliness was engulfing her every being, even though she knew she could confine in Daniel. She just felt as if she was bringing unnecessary sadness to him during his time away from driving, which isn't how she wanted to set the tone for his winter break.

Daniel spent many days out with his friends, whom he didn't have much chance to see during the driving season, racing dirt bikes and going on hikes which would take up the entire duration of the day.

Amber spent a large majority of her time alone, thinking about the elephant in the room and what she didn't have as opposed to everything she did have. She found it hard to shake off the feelings that something was wrong and there was an ultimate reason for not being able to conceive straight away.

Even though they had only been trying for three months now, her thoughts were eating away at her and something, subconsciously, was giving her warning signs.

The test results had been further delayed from the doctors. Daniel's tests had come back wonderfully; his sperm count was as it should be, indicating no possible fertility issues on his end. He tried not to get too enthused over his news as they still waited on Amber's results.

On this lonely Monday morning as Amber scrolled through a Vogue magazine, her mobile rang which caused her mouth to jump into her throat and her breathing to become unstable as the number on the screen wasn't saved in her contacts. The area code was a dead giveaway as to who was attempting to contact her.

"Miss Corbelli, Dr Seeley would like you to come down to the office today, if that's possible for you?" The soft toned receptionist asked Amber.

"Of course. Can you give me anymore information as to why?" Amber said as she closed the magazine in front of her.

"I'm sorry. This is all the information he's given me." She apologised, but Amber understood and arranged to attend the surgery within the next hour.

Without informing Daniel, Amber quickly threw on some clothes and headed out towards his car. Daniel had informed Amber that she was allowed to drive any of his vehicles, within reason, but reminded her on a daily basis to be especially careful with the car she was currently sat in. Daniel's trusty truck.

She started the engine and carefully reversed it out of the yard and headed down the road, allowing Google Maps to direct her from her mobile phone. She was still getting used to the roads and directions around Perth, but felt more confident as places and signs were becoming more familiar to her.

Pulling up into a parking space, Amber turned the engine off and applied the hand brake before taking the deepest breath imaginable, clutching tightly onto the steering wheel as her fingers turned white as the circulation decreased in her hands.

Giving herself a pep talk, Amber made her way inside, where she was quickly triaged and taken into a private clinical room towards the back.

As she took a seat, she tapped her foot nervously as she waited for the doctor to appear, which he did just a few moments after she had made herself relatively comfortable.