RED LIGHTS | LANDO NORRIS

Muppets

"Max, have you seen my jacket?"

Lia was scavenging around Max's apartment looking for her jacket whilst both of them got ready. The two drivers were set to appear at a fundraising gala in Monaco soon but neither were adequately prepared or on time. They had made plans to just drive and arrive together but at the moment, no one was fully ready.

Kelly came hustling out of her room with another unfamiliar jacket. She extended it to Lia with a small smile, "I couldn't find yours but this will match it well."

The driver thanked her with a relieved smile. Kelly called out to Max as she slipped it over her neat satin dress. The man came out of their room in a tux with Penelope in his arms.

"Alright, have fun!" Kelly cheered, taking her daughter away from him and practically pushing them towards the door. She knew they were already late, and by their simultaneous eye rolls, she knew that neither cared to even go in the first place.

Max opened the door and allowed Lia to pass through, giving a quick peck to his girlfriend, before they both made it downstairs to his car.

"Did anyone else get forced to do this as well?" Lia asked, touching up her makeup in the mirror.

Max leaned forward to check the street for cars before pulling out quickly.

"Everyone else either isn't in Monaco at the moment or was given the option to just donate more."

"And we had to be physically present because..."

"I mean, who wouldn't want to see our faces?"

She laughed loudly alongside him at the brag. They both figured that their teams had asked them to be there because they'd bring in more donations and they could network at the same time for sponsors. Unfortunately, neither were the networking type.

It was a few minutes of relaxing silence until Max brought up Lando, asking how the two of them were doing.

"We're doing well. He's been really helpful during this whole thing," she stated, gesturing down to her injured leg. It was the first time she was out of the brace and it strangely felt unnatural to be without the clunky support.

"And how has that," he copied her gesture, "Been going?"

She sighed. The physical pain was fading, although longer periods of walking or standing drained her at times. The nightmares were persistent. The anxiety came in waves.

Max could see the struggle to answer in her expression so he changed the question.

"Are you racing this coming weekend?"

She hesitantly nodded.

Her and Zak had a conversation over the phone two days ago about the next race. She was cleared by the doctors-although warned she might feel pain-to get back in the car. That approval therefore sparked Zak's own. He simply need confirmation from Lia.

She wanted to be in her seat undoubtedly. But the past events lingered in the back of her head even as she warily accepted. It was with false confidence that she confirmed to the McLaren team that she would return this next weekend at the Belgian GP.

"Do you think you're ready?" he asked. Max knew Lia was not in the right headspace. He had a knack for seeing through people's outer walls they put up to protect themselves.

Lia shrugged, "I guess we'll see when we get there."

After she answered, he pulled up to the crowded street, effectively pausing their conversation. He slowly rolled up to the front of the building where the media awaited them at the doors.