Sparks - Daniel Ricciardo

Seventy

📍25th March 2023 - Perth, Australia

"Let's get a picture of you then." Grace informed Amber as she twirled her finger in the air to signal Amber to turn around for the camera held ready in her hands.

"Grace!" Amber complained as she rolled her eyes but laughed it off, ready to settle her mother-in-law's requests. "Where do you want me?"

"In front of that balloon arch. Don't you look beautiful?" Grace said as she suggested a new location for her photograph, carefully walking side by side her daughter-in-law as her stomach was now that large, she had started to struggle.

"I don't feel beautiful." Amber laughed quietly as she moved just as slow. "I've never been so big."

"You look gorgeous, sweetheart. And I'm not just saying that because you're Daniel's fiancé or because you're carrying my future granddaughter." Grace said convincingly as she used her hands to motion for Amber to stand in front of the large pink balloon arch in the garden. "Remember to smile."

"I'll smile when my feet fit into my normal shoes." Amber said with bitterness lacing the tone of her voice. "Grace, can you please put the camera away now?"

"Why dear?" Grace chuckled as she placed her camera to her side. "It's your baby shower! You're going to have loads of photographs."

"Please." Amber reiterated as her eyes filled with tears, her bottom lip trembling wildly as her hands fidgeting either side of her. "I just want Dan."

Grace looked around the garden and through the double doors inside their home, locating him eyeing up the buffet both herself and Michelle had spent hours arranging and making.

"Daniel, hands off the food! I've told you, not until the guests arrive." Grace shouted at the top of her lungs. "Would you come out here?"

"I was only looking at it." Daniel moped as he walked outside of their home, noticing Amber's obvious unhappiness as soon as his eyes met hers. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"I'm fat." She cried in her spot, letting the tears she had once held, cascade down her face like a river. "I don't want to see people, I don't want them to see how disgusting I am." She added, crying even more than before.

Rushing to her side, Daniel placed his arms around her so she could bury her head into his chest and cling onto his back like an orphaned koala. She started to bunch the material of his casual t-shirt in the balls of her fists as she let her hormones rage through her body.

Grace was next at her side, rubbing her back in support as she let Amber cry in her son's loving arms.

"Don't be ridiculous." Grace scolded. "You could never be disgusting."

As Amber sobbed even louder, Daniel looked at his mother with a perplexed expression whilst cradling his uncontrollable fiancé.

"What do I do?" Daniel mouthed widely so his mother could interpret him before planting a kiss to Amber's head.

"I'll leave you two to it." Grace said abruptly, leaving Daniel to widen his eyes in panic. "I'll meet you inside in a moment, Amber." Grace said as her hand left Amber's back. "You've got this." She whispered to her son whilst leaving them alone in their garden.

As Amber's sniffles quietened down, she pulled herself away from Daniel's chest, bringing her hand up towards her eyes to wipe the mascara that had bound to smudge.

"What's all this about?" Daniel asked as he lowered his eyeline to meet hers. "What can I do to help?"

"Nothing, you can't change the way I feel about myself." Amber said with a sharp exhale. "I'm sorry, all you've seen me do for the last week is cry."