Rivalry of the Century ~ Ayrton Senna Love Story

Time

February 1985

Third Person POV

Isabelle's aunts funeral was small, but everyone that went cared for both of them. In the green area around her grave were her aunts friends who were there to mourn, Niki Lauda and Marlene were there for both of them, in surprise Isabelle's father and brother were there, along with a few other drivers. Not that Isabelle was even looking, her grief was too heavy for her to notice anyone, in the very back hidden from most was Ayrton Senna. Isabelle had gotten his letter, many letters from many people, but she didn't have the energy to reply. As everyone was seated, Isabelle walked to the front.

Isabelle's POV

"Thank you to everyone that showed up, Aunty was a magnificent person who changed a lot of peoples lives, she sure changed mine. When my parents kicked me out, I had nowhere to go, no name, no money, nothing. All I had was a piece of paper and an address, thank goodness I was stupid enough to show up to some random house off a piece of paper because it led me to her. I remember the moment she looked at me, she almost slammed the door in my face, until I said my fathers name. She stopped and I saw the look on her face, it was the same sorrow I see on a lot of your faces, she mourned for her brother though he wasn't dead. She took me in and from there she cared for me, loved me, supported me. My Aunty was the first person to cheer for me whenever I got a job, when I first landed with Toleman she drove me to the shoot and I hesitated. She knew and I remember what she told me "If you're not ready it's not too late for me to drive away, but if you do you might regret giving this chance up. Life is awfully dull if we always chose the safest path." Even though I never saw her do anything extreme, she always pushed me to, saying "live your life and spread your wings, I want to see you soar" I remember telling her I could never leave her but she simply said, "I've lived my life and wrote my book, now it's time for you to start yours." I didn't know what she meant until a few days ago... When I was cleaning through some of her things I found a box of letters. They were all dated with events and all were addressed to me, one said when I'm gone. It turns out she knew she had cancer, she was in remission when I showed up, to find out later that it was back, and very progressive. But she kept a brave face, she still danced with me in the moonlight, and always sang when we cooked. And on every special occasion, she gave me wild daisies, now it's my turn to return them to you."

I stepped towards her grave with wild daisies in my hands and kneeled down, placing them gently on her grave, one hand on her stone. 

"I'll meet you in the sky someday, until then I'll live like every day is my last because, in a split second, it's gone. Beauty was never made to last, that's what makes it beautiful and you were the most beautiful woman in this world." 

After saying that I lean to kiss the top of her stone and stand back up, taking two steps away and not moving. I knew if I moved I would crumble, so I waited, waited for everyone to leave and they did. When I thought there was no one left I fell to the ground, arms catching me before I hit the dirt below. I clutched to the person sobbing, feeling their tears hitting my shoulder too. I looked up and saw through my blurred eyes that it was my father, I wasn't angry the pain was far too great. So I held onto him harder, clinging to the only person left of her, and I knew my father was thinking the same thing. We needed each other in that moment, that was enough. After all the emotions were let out we were left with silence, I looked at him and said,

"Aunty never forgot about you, you know. She had photos of you and her through the years in her bedroom. She would cry holding them when she thought I was asleep."

He looked at me wiping his eyes and letting a smile sneak through.

"She was always the stronger one, but I was too stubborn, too blinded to go see her and apologize. I don't want to make that mistake again, I am so sorry Isabelle I should've done better, I should've fought harder for you. Can you ever forgive me?"

I looked at him in shock, those were the words I had always wanted to hear for years and I was finally hearing them now. As I was about to let out all the anger I had pent up, the wind blew my curls into my face so I turned my head to move them. I was now faced toward my Aunty's tombstone so I took a deep breath and closed my eyes,

"I want to yell at you, tell you how much pain you cause, how much I hate you, but I can't because it wouldn't be true. She wouldn't want that, she would want me to forgive and to let go of everything that happened. She would want the two people she loved the most to have each other, I forgive you, Father."

We smiled while tears fell down our faces, embracing again, promising to do better, we would heal, we would be ok because we had each other again. Even though I lost the only blood family I had, because of her, I gained back one more. Even now she was changing my life, the sun turning the sky orange as it went to kiss the Earth goodbye.