What The Heart Wants (Sebastian Vettel)

31. Team SV5

"Are you ok baby?" Seb asked Jessie as he heard her give a soft groan from next to him on the bed. 

"Yeah, it's just period pains," she told him.  "The downside of being a woman."  

Seb got off of the bed and walked over to his backpack.  He opened the small pocket on the front and took out a packet of painkillers.  He popped two out of the foil and went back to the bed.  He handed the pills to Jessie, who popped them into her mouth and washed them down with a mouthful of water from the bottle on her bedside table. 

Despite Seb's hopes for a miracle, they hadn't had one.  In the six weeks since Spa, Jessie had had two periods, the latest arriving earlier that day when they were at the track in Suzuka.  He still secretly hoped that they'd get their miracle one day, but he hadn't mentioned it to Jessie, as he didn't want her feeling pressured.   He knew she'd worry that he'd leave her if she couldn't give him a family, but that wasn't the case for him.   Jessie was his world.   It would be amazing if they were blessed with a baby, but it wasn't a deal breaker. 

He sank down onto the bed besides her, resting his head on her breast, and snuggling up to her. 

"Bet you can't wait to race here again," Jessie murmured, knowing that Suzuka was Seb's favourite track. 

"I can't wait to race again full stop," he replied, slipping his hand underneath her T-shirt and lightly stroking her tummy.  "I haven't felt whole since I retired.  I guess I've never felt whole anyway, but now I have you and racing.  What more could I ask for?"

A baby, Jessie thought. She wasn't stupid. She knew that Seb's urge to be a father hadn't just disappeared. She hated herself for not being able to give him a child. He deserved to be a father. He would be the best father ever, she knew that without a doubt.

Seb's phone beeped. He sat upright and picked it up from on the bedside table, quickly reading the text message, which was from Britta, who had already started to take care of him part time, as well as looking after Carlos.

"Britta wants me in by ten in the morning," he told Jessie. "She wants to go through some of the applicants with me, just so I know a bit about them before their interviews at Maranello."

"Yeah that makes sense I guess," Jessie said. "It's what I'd have done with you too. How many applicants are there?"

"Well, according to Britta there were six on the short list but she handpicked the top three and invited them to Maranello for an interview on Tuesday."

"And you trust her judgement?"

"Yeah I do. She knows me pretty well, and she knew Antti just as well. And you know me even better, so that's why I want you there at the interviews. You'll be spending as much time with my new trainer as I will, so I want to pick someone you get on with. If the first three are not right the other three will be asked to come and be interviewed."

Jessie nodded. It would be weird getting used to having a trainer around again. She and Seb had spoken at length about how things would be, and Seb had just the previous week had an offer accepted to purchase a small two bedroom semi detached house in the nearest town for whoever would become his trainer.

"Are you hungry?" Seb asked, changing the subject.  "I'm starving.  I was thinking of ordering in from room service."

"Seb, you already ate at the track," Jessie laughed, remembering the massive plate of carbonara he'd consumed in Ferrari hospitality.

"I know, but I'm hungry again and I won't get many more opportunities to stuff my face once I start working with a new trainer." Jessie rolled her eyes.