This Ain't A Fairytale- Lando Norris

20. The sky turned black like a perfect storm

If she could, Hannah would've stayed in the perfect little bubble that Saturday had been forever. She was still getting over the excitement of being back on stage again after all that time, Lando still soaking in the fact that things seemed to have turned around and he might actually have another chance to win his home race, which had seemed impossible a few weeks ago.

But, as always seemed to be the case, the perfect moment they seemed to have found themselves was shattered by another race day.

Lando had been up early, slipping out of the room quietly so not to wake either his wife of his daughter. He'd headed into the still relatively quiet paddock to begin his day.

The clouds loomed ominously in the sky again, the first few drops of rain just beginning to fall as he made his way into the McLaren building to catch up with the team. From what he'd seen in the forecast it looked like they were in for another downpour just in time for the race. Although the car had gone well in qualifying in the wet, so he was quietly hopeful he might still be in with a chance.

It would be the perfect end to a perfect weekend if he could get himself on that podium to finish it off.

****

Hannah and Isla had a much slower and more leisurely start to the day, both of them tired from all the excitement of the day before. It was mid morning by the time they made it into the paddock. The weather was abysmal yet again and Hannah had been relieved to find Lando had left his McLaren coat in the hotel room for her to at least keep her mostly dry.

Hannah had been walking along, chatting away to Isla who was walking beside her, not really looking where she was going when she heard her name being called.

She turned around on autopilot, Isla turning with her, and she stared in disbelief.

"Joe? What are you doing here?" She hadn't seen him in years, and she hadn't been expecting to run into him at Silverstone of all places.

"We were invited by Red Bull." He explained.

Isla tugged on the sleeve of Lando's coat that Hannah was wearing. "Who's that?" She asked loudly.

"Uh..." Hannah bent down and scooped her up off the floor. "A friend of mine." She answered in the end, not really knowing what to say.

"How have you been?" Joe asked. "Don't see you around much these days?"

"I've had my hands full." Hannah pointed out. She had no idea what he was hoping to get from this weird and rather uncomfortable interaction, but she was hoping it was going to be over soon.

"I can see." Joe nodded. "You look.... Happy?"

"I am." She nodded. "I should uh... I should go." She wasn't particularly in a hurry, but she really didn't want to be having this conversation.

"We should catch up some time?" He suggested as she started to walk away.

"I uh... I don't think that's the best idea." She mumbled, shaking her head. "Enjoy the race, Joe."

She turned and headed for McLaren quickly before he could say anything else or get any ideas about trying to follow her.

The bizzare interaction was still hanging over her when she got inside, ducking out of the rain that was beginning to fall much more heavily now. The second she put Isla down she bolted across the room to Lando, who was sitting with his mum and dad.