This Ain't A Fairytale- Lando Norris

11. Maybe we got lost in translation, maybe I asked for too much

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Hannah asked again, hovering by the door.

"Hannah, I have taken care of a child before." Her mum pointed out. "You survived, didn't you?"

"I know but..." she trailed off. "Just call me, okay? If you need me."

"We will, have fun." Her mum waved as she opened the door and headed out to the waiting car to join Alice.

"You okay?" Alice asked. "You look a bit rattled?"

"Uh... Isla's been playing up. She always gets unsettled when Lando leaves, but it's been worse this time." She sighed. "I've barely slept all week and I'm wondering if I'm doing the right thing."

She didn't add that she'd also barely spoken to Lando all week. Every time he'd FaceTimed she'd handed the phone off to Isla, and generally by the time she had finished filling her Dad in on her day, he'd run out of time to talk to Hannah.

Either that or he was just avoiding talking to her. She hasn't quite decided.

Alice was quiet for a moment. "I know I keep asking this, and you keep saying yes, but are you really, really sure you want to do this?"

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore, Alice." Hannah sighed unhappily. "I want my career back, I want to feel like me again, but I feel like I'm driving a wedge between me and Lando by doing it."

"You guys will figure it out." Alice comforted her. "You always do."

"I'm not sure it's going to be so simple this time." Hannah shook her head. "Maybe I should just give up and go back to Monaco. I don't know..."

Alice was quiet for a moment, considering her words. "I think if you really want to get back out there and perform, you should. You going back to Monaco doesn't solve anything if you're going to spend the whole time resenting him for the fact you're there. We're talking about next year, don't forget. You two have got plenty of time to figure things out by then."

"I guess." Hannah nodded. "I could move our flights up a bit, couldn't I? Try and get home before he leaves for the next race so we can talk about it properly?"

Alice nodded. "I can sort the rest, I'll call you if I need to ask you anything."

"Thanks, Alice." Hannah smiled. "The only upside to all this is I haven't even had time to get nervous. I can't remember the last time I did one of these shows."

It had been a long time. She'd point blank refused to do any of them after the Joe and Cassie drama, not wanting to be caught out by the awkward questions on live TV.

"You'll be fine." Alice smiled. "Just think of it as a chat with a friend, sing something at the end and then we all get to go home."

"You make it sound so easy." Hannah laughed.

"It's like riding a bike. You'll be fine." Alice repeated. "I have faith in you."

****

It was like riding a bike it turned out. She'd sat in the dressing room, getting her hair and makeup done and suddenly it was like no time had passed at all. She was transported back to a time where this used to be a weekly, sometimes daily occurrence.

Before she knew it, it was time for her to go on and she was stepping out into the studio, taking her seat across from the host.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, we're absolutely delighted to have Hannah Scott with us tonight. Hannah, it's been a long time since we've seen you."