Part 21 - Let's give this a chance

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"Do you remember happy together?
I do, don't you?"

Lily Lawton's POV:

Co-parenting with Lando is a maze of emotions I never thought I'd have to navigate. Some days, when he's there, playing with Audrey or just watching her smile, I feel a twinge in my chest—like a little reminder of what we once had. I hate that I still have this soft spot for him, that he can make me smile even when I don't want to. I remember those moments, like when he used to surprise me with breakfast or hold my hand while we walked around the city. We were good once, really good.

But then, I think about the fear that gripped me when my water broke, alone in the middle of the night, and the anger comes back. He wasn't there when I needed him the most. He left, and even now, every time he leaves again for another race or misses another moment with Audrey, it feels like I'm reliving that night. I can't just let that go, no matter how much I wish I could sometimes.

We try to make this work for Audrey's sake. When he comes to visit, there are moments when we fall back into that old rhythm—laughing over something silly Audrey does, sharing little stories about her first words, her first steps. It's almost like we're a family again, if only for a second. But those moments are fleeting, always shadowed by the reality of our situation. It's like walking a tightrope—one wrong move, one reminder of how things fell apart, and we're back to arguing.

I see him trying. I really do. But his life, his career, takes him away so often. And I can't just keep pretending that doesn't hurt. It's like he's here, but never fully here. I know he loves Audrey. I see it in his eyes. But love doesn't erase the nights I spent crying myself to sleep, or the fear that I'll always be doing this alone, even when he says he's by my side.


Lando Norris' POV:

I went to Brazil with Max and his girlfriend, hoping the trip would clear my head, but all it did was remind me of everything I left behind in London. Everywhere I looked, I found myself thinking of Lily—how she would have rolled her eyes at some of the jokes Max made, or how she would have loved the views from our hotel. I kept telling myself this break was a chance to reset, but all I felt was this weight pressing down on my chest.

New Year's Eve, we end up at this club. The music is blaring, lights flashing, everyone's dancing and celebrating. It should have been enough to drown out the noise in my head, but it wasn't. Then I run into Luisinha. It's been a while since I've seen her, and somehow, after a few drinks, we end up spending the night together. I'm not even sure how it happened—one moment we were catching up, and the next, we were...well.

The second I wake up, reality slams into me like a ton of bricks. I sit on the balcony, looking out over Rio, and I feel sick. I tell myself it shouldn't matter—Lily and I, we're on a break, right? But it does matter. It matters because I realize that none of this, not Luisinha or anyone else, can fill the space Lily left. I miss her, and not just the idea of her. I miss the way she used to make me laugh, the way she held Audrey like she was the most precious thing in the world. And I know that what I did last night doesn't change how I feel—it just makes it all worse.

I can't stay here. I don't care if it's New Year's, or if the guys will think I'm crazy for cutting the trip short. I need to get back to London. I need to face everything I've been running from, even if it means hearing all the things I know I deserve. I book a flight as soon as I can, and all I can think is, I just hope I'm not too late to fix things. 

Coming back to London, I don't waste any time. I get off the plane, my mind racing with what I need to say to Lily. It's not just about apologizing—it's about showing her that I've changed, that I understand what I did wrong and that I'm ready to make things right. When I reach her apartment, my hands are shaking as I knock on the door. She opens it, and the sight of her, standing there with Audrey in her arms, nearly undoes me.

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