Free Now- Lando Norris

1. Time Heals

"Lando?" Flo looked blankly at her brother as she opened the front door of her house to find him standing on her doorstep holding a duffle bag. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Flo, I've missed you too." He rolled his eyes at her. "Are you going to let me in or what?"

She moved aside to let him in without really thinking, still looking at her brother in confusion. "What are you doing here? Mum didn't say you were coming?"

Lando shrugged. "Thought I'd pop back and see everyone. It's been a while. Can I stay here? I love mum but she'll drive me nuts if I go stay there."

"I uh..." Flo was still trying to catch up with his unannounced arrival. "Is it someone's birthday or some kind of special event I've forgotten? I don't understand what you're doing here."

"I just felt like coming home for a bit." He tried to brush her off again. "God, if I'd wanted to be asked a million and one questions I'd have gone to mum and dads."

"Did you tell Mum you were coming? Because I spoke to her this morning and she didn't say a word." Flo asked.

Lando shook his head. "I thought I'd surprise her in the morning." It was a lie, he hadn't called his parents to tell them because he'd only decided about half an hour before he got on the plane that he was coming.

"Is everything okay?" Flo asked. "You never come back and visit willingly."

"I'm fine. Stop being so weird about it." Lando brushed it off, faking a laugh and a joke. "Can I stay here or not?"

"Yeah." Flo nodded. "But my friend is staying too. I've got to go pick her up in a bit."

"Which friend?" He asked curiously. "I can go, if it's gonna make things awkward. Sorry, I should've called. I didn't think."

"It'll be fine. I'll make up the other spare room later." Flo told him, still watching him carefully as she tried to work out what was going on and why he was there. There was something off with him, she just couldn't put her finger on it. "It Lottie, she had an accident and she's being discharged from the hospital today. She can't go home on her own so she's going to stay here for a bit."

"What happened?" Lando asked curiously.

"She had a horse fall on her while she was competing." Flo explained. "It was bad, she's been in hospital a couple of months. Lucky to be alive by all accounts."

"Ouch." Lando cringed. "Have I met her before? I don't remember the name?"

"Uh...." Flo considered it for a minute. "Maybe? She was here for my birthday last year."

"I guess I'll see if I remember her when she gets here." Lando shrugged.

"Please don't be weird, the poor girl has been through enough."

"My company isn't that bad is it?" Lando joked.

"I can't remember, it's been that long since you've visited." Flo joked. "You ready to tell me why you're here yet?"

"I just felt like coming to visit." Lando brushed her off again. "Can you just leave it?"

"Alright, you'll get a break for a while. I need to head out to go get Lottie."

"Okay. See you in a bit." Lando yawned, dropping his bag inside the door and kicking off his shoes as Flo picked up her car keys and headed out of the door.

As he heard the door close behind his sister he flopped down on her sofa, grabbing the tv remote and settling in.

He didn't even realise he'd fallen asleep, the weeks of sleepless nights apparently finally catching up with him, up until Flo came crashing back through the door.