Somewhere in amongst everything that had happened, Lando had completely forgotten his parents were flying in for the race. It had led to him being awoken with a jolt on the Friday morning when they phoned to say they'd arrived at his apartment and couldn't get in because he was nowhere to be found.
He'd woken dazed and confused to find himself still perched precariously on the edge of Aimee's hospital bed beside her. His ability to fall asleep pretty much anywhere did come in handy at times. Despite the uncomfortable position and strange location he'd still managed a good nights sleep.
"Hello?" He whispered into his phone as he answered his mother's call.
"Lando? Why are you whispering?" She asked.
"I uh... don't worry about it." He dismissed. "What's up?"
"What's up?" She scoffed. "We've been stood on your doorstep banging on the door for the last twenty minutes. Are you going to come and let us in?"
"Ah shit." He cursed.
"Did you forget we were coming?"
"No." He lied.
"You always have been a terrible liar." He could feel the eye roll through the phone. "Just open the bloody door."
"I can't I'm not there." He apologised. He glanced over at Aimee who was still fast asleep, her head rested on his shoulder.
"Where are you?"
"I'm at the hospital with a friend. It's a long story." He slowly began to manoeuvre himself out of bed, trying his best not to disturb Aimee. "I'll be ten minutes. I'm so sorry."
He'd hastily scrawled a note and left it for Aimee, explaining he'd be back later, then made a mad dash back to his apartment to let his parents in. He needed to shower and change before he headed to the track anyway.
"I'm so sorry." He repeated as he unlocked the door to let both his parents in. "I completely forgot what day it was. It's been a funny weekend."
"Calm down, it's fine." His mum laid a hand on his shoulder. "Go and shower and get ready, I can make some breakfast and you can tell me about it."
"I uh... I..." he floundered looking for the words as the reality of the situation suddenly hit him.
"Come here." His mum wrapped him up in an hug, holding him tightly. "What on earth is going on?"
It all came pouring out as his mum and dad stood listening in a shocked silence. The overwhelming guilt that had consumed him that he hadn't done something to prevent this was still eating away at him.
"Lando, there was nothing you could've done." His mum said softly. "She clearly wasn't ready to hear it. And she's safe now, that's all that matters."
"I should've..." he stopped, he didn't know what he could've done. He'd been going round and round in circles ever since it had happened wondering what he could've done and replaying all the different scenarios in his head until he'd driven himself insane.
"It doesn't matter now." His mum repeated. "It happened and you can't change anything. Go and shower and we'll get some breakfast, then we'll have time to head back to the hospital before you have to be at the track for practice. Your dad can go to the track with you and I can watch from the hospital and keep Aimee company if it's going to make you feel better."
"Thanks, Mum." He let out a sigh of relief.
****
"You're back!" Aimee smiled as he walked back into the hospital room.
"Yeah sorry, I forgot my parents were coming and had to go let them in." He smiled sheepishly. "How are you feeling? You look so much better!"
There was some colour in her face that hadn't been there this morning and she looked so much more rested. Her face wasn't pinched tight in pain and she was actually sitting up in the bed instead of being slumped awkwardly.
"Yeah, getting there I think." She smiled hopefully. "I'll be so glad to get out of here, they said I might be able to go home tomorrow."
"That's great." He smiled. Although he had the sudden realisation his parents were currently occupying his spare room. He wondered how offended they'd be if he booted them out into a hotel to make room for Aimee.
"How are you feeling about practice today?" Aimee asked. "Should you not be at the track?"
"I'm on my way now, I promise. I just wanted to check in with you first. My mum's here, she said she'd keep you company for a bit."
"She doesn't need to do that." Aimee protested. "She's come all this way to see you. She doesn't want to spend her whole day sat here with me. I'll be asleep again in half an hour I'm sure."
"You can argue with her if you like but it was her idea not mine and let me tell you I've never won an argument with her." Lando raised an eyebrow.
He wasn't going to be complaining about his mum volunteering to sit with Aimee. It had allowed him to let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and turn his focus to the impending session at the track.
He knew what it was that was making him so uncomfortable about leaving her alone. It was the fact that despite the best efforts of the police, they still had no idea where Tom was.
"Just let her sit here, it'll make her happy." Lando pleaded. "And me."
Aimee nodded. "Thank you."
He reached out and grabbed the tv remote. "We'd better get you set up to watch me do my thing." He winked, flicking through the channels until he found the coverage of the Grand Prix.
"Go get 'em." Aimee grinned as he stood up. "We could do with a race win to celebrate this weekend."
"I'll see what I can do." He returned her smile. "I'll be back later, okay? Get some rest."
"Good luck." She called, he opened the door and stopped in the doorway to talk to his mum, and then he was gone.
YOU ARE READING
Stay With Me- Lando Norris
Fanfiction*Completed* After discovering that one of his coworkers is in a desperate situation, Lando makes it his mission to try and help her. Except she doesn't want his help, and does everything she can to push him away.
