Past and Present

4

Short fluff update!

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Lando and I were seated at the backyard as he starts telling me everything that has happened today at qualifying. Happiness radiates off of him as he tells me that he starts P3 for tomorrow's race. As excited as he is, I start contemplating whether I should watch or not, I mean Max starts P2 and Lando's on the second row with him. I missed going to races and supporting my best friends -- especially now, I finally get to watch Lando to actually race in F1.

I felt so guilty about it when I abruptly left Monaco, it was the year that Lando's finally going to race in Formula 1; I wasn't able to watch him race or even cheered for him when he won a podium back in Austria. I miss the craziness and festivities of a race week, how I managed to squeeze attending race weeks to my hectic med school schedule. Come to think of it, I've been prioritizing med school most of my life, even when I had Addison — having her never stopped me from finishing my intern and residency year on time.

I'm already on my Fellowship year, even though I picked General Surgery as my specialty since it will give me more time to eventually spend time with Addison once I finish it — nobody said that it's going to be a walk in the park to study; that's why I'm doing my best to finish everything on time so I can finally focus on Addison; especially now that she's going to start her school soon enough. And yet, being finally back here in Monaco with my family makes me want to hit pause on Fellowship even for just a few months — I think that'll be more than enough to catch up with friends, family, and maybe, fix what I broke when I left five years ago; or maybe give myself that well-deserved rest.

That's it! I'll request to take a sabbatical; I just hope that the hospital's Chief of Surgery would allow it, I mean it's only my first day back here and I am already going to request a six month sabbatical.

"Charles accidentally met Addison earlier." Lando suddenly said pulling me away from my noisy thoughts, my eyes widened as I focus back at him.

As I was about to open my mouth to give him an earful, he butted in and said, "before you get mad at me, I need to say two things." I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrow at him.

"One, your daughter's talkative and quite adventurous with a big appetite like you." I pouted at him as I slap his shoulder, "She got hungry and couldn't wait for Jon, so she went to the hospitality except she mistook the red hospitality for the orange hospitality." I gestured him to continue his explanation; "Charles' trainer found her seated inside the Ferrari hospitality eating during qualifying."

I couldn't help but let out a little laugh at my daughter's adventures at the paddock, "so how the hell does Charles fit into this situation?"

Lando smiled at me, "well Charles was about to head home when he saw Andrea sitting with your daughter. So he asked for Addie's name and she basically outed herself to her own dad." I rolled my eyes as I massage my temples while I hear Lando laugh a little because he knows that I taught my daughter to tell her full name if she befriends a stranger or if she ever gets lost.

After that I noticed that Lando went silent and I looked at him, "what else happened?" Lando started fidgeting with the strings of his jacket and for some reason I started getting nervous.

"He now thinks that Addison is my daughter with you." My mouth literally hanged open as I stare Lando dead in the eye obviously wanting to know how on earth did Charles made that assumption. He continues his story and explains that Charles cornered him at the parking lot and asked whose kid is Addison; he thought that it wasn't his story to tell and that I should be the one telling Charles that story and that it should not come from anyone even from him.

"Well thanks for protecting my little girl's privacy. But you just made it even more complicated, tch." I whined at him already thinking how the hell am I going to talk to Charles now about Addison. I'm already stressing out over the fact that if I tell Charles, he would give me an earful about this and that and how I made a decision for him; then now, I even have to stress over the fact that I have to explain to him that Addison was never Lando's kid and that he just said that protect me.

Uggghhh, can I just fly back to Minnesota again? 

"Tell me Lando, how am I going tell Charles about it? Addison is way too excited to meet her father." I asked as I rest my head on his shoulder.

I can feel Lando's body shifted as he take a glance at my face, "Just talk to him, Sky. After Spain next week we have a one week off before the next grand prix"

"But how?" I sighed.

"Max and I will help you of course. Because earlier when I was talking to Charles, he looked hopeful that Addison was his, but I can see how his eyes went dark when I told him that Addison's my kid." He explains, I lifted my head up and smiled at him, "what will I ever do without the both of you in my life?" I chuckled.

"Your life would just be medical school and opening up people and taking their organs." He sarcastically said, I hit him in the arm pretending to be offended as he laughs.

"I missed you, you know?" I suddenly blurted out in the middle of laughing.

Lando stopped laughing and looked at me smiling instead, "oh yeah?"

I nodded as I smile sheepishly while looking ahead to the dimly lit pool, in front of us, "I missed seeing you in the house back in Minnesota. I missed your bear hugs whenever I'm having a rough day at the hospital. I missed those forehead kisses you always give me." I muttered the last part silently as I felt my cheeks turn hot.

"I missed you too, Sky. So much." Lando spoke as I felt his warm hand against my cold hand; his gesture made me look at him and noticed how his eyes glow in the dim lights of the pool.

He smiled softly at me as he pulls me by the hand he's holding and crash into his chest; he hugs me tight but not too tight for me to be suffocated. It's enough for me to wrap my arms around his waist and hug him just as tight; I missed this. I missed his scent filling up my nostrils.

"Welcome home, Sky." Lando whispered close to my ear and I just smiled widely as I close my eyes savouring this moment.

We stayed in that position for quite some time. Oh to be hugged by Lando again, it brought new energy in me. I pulled away first and looked at him, "my muscles are cramping already."

Lando chuckled, "You stopped working out, have you?"

"Yep, my trainers were gone for a year." I sarcastically said as I smirk at him. Him and his performance coach, Jon, were my trainers. Whenever he trains for the season or during summer break, I will work out with him in the comfort of our Minnesota backyard.

He shook his head, "now that you're back in Monaco, you'll go on runs with me then. Starting tomorrow."

"Can't. I have to be early at the hospital tomorrow." I lied to him.

Lando frowned a little but eventually it turn to a smile as he shakes his head, "just say you're lazy when it comes to working out." He said which made me hit him again in his arm.

"Lando Norris, that's rude!" I answered him as I continue to hit him while he started laughing at my over reaction again.

After my conversation with Lando, he bids goodbye since he needs to sleep early for the race tomorrow. Although I'm anxious about going to a race, it did not change the fact that I want to watch tomorrow and getting a request for my sabbatical.

I made my way to my dad's office knowing full well that he's still awake; possibly looking at the data and strategy for tomorrow's race. I knocked on the door before opening it, "Yes Schuyler?" Dad asks as he takes a glance at me before focusing back on whatever he is doing in his laptop.

"Hey dad, do you still have my F1 ID?" I asked which surprised my father.

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A/N: Next update's during the Japanese Grand Prix next week. For now, I do hope you're looking forward to this story.