Double Sided Tracks

Love like this

"Hey baby," Lewis greeted Nora in the kitchen, placing a long kiss on the side of her forehead. She's scraping food off the plate into the garbage disposal, "where's Isa?" he asked.

She quickly loaded the one plate into the dishwasher and shot Carmen, his mom a thankful smile when she loaded a few more in. "With your dad." His mom answered instead, having clearly overheard him.

He sighed, he knew he made a mistake. And, fuck. He left Nora's side to make his way towards his mom, "Happy birthday, mama." He said with a smile. "I'm sorry I missed dinner." He added sincerely.

She smiled, but it didn't touch her eyes. "Dinner was really good, Nora spent hours on it. Thank you, sweetheart." She said, and Lewis got the message clear as day. He fucked up, and he's the worst husband in his mom's eyes.

Nora gave her a quick peck on her cheek, "no problem, Carmen."

His dad walked into the kitchen with Isa in his arms and Carmen, sensing there's going to be a fight brewing, gently ushered him and Isa away from the kitchen.

Once they're alone, Nora leaned back on the sink. Waiting for him to say something, anything.

"I'm sorry," he said after a few beats. "I'm really–"

Nora sighed so loudly, "are you?" she asked softly.

And, well– that is just not fair. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, trying to stay calm. "Do you think I planned this? skipping my mother's birthday dinner?" he continued when Nora stayed silent.

Nora shook her head, wiped down the kitchen island quickly and was about to walk away until Lewis caught her wrist. "You can't walk away now," he said gently. He knows his wife, this is what she does. She runs, she walks away when it comes to fighting.

Lewis wants to stay, wants her to fight him, yell at him. Anything.

She stopped, and for the first time tonight, she looked up into his eyes. "I don't want to do this here," is all she said.

She walked away from the kitchen, towards their room. Lewis followed her quietly, closing the door behind them. Once they're inside, Lewis was expecting her to blow up on his face. But she started taking off her dress, having struggled with the zipper but Lewis doesn't dare to say anything or to offer help.

Lewis watched her intensely, instead of doing what they usually does after he's away for a few days. They're fighting, Lewis being forced to watch her undress but not being able to do anything.

She grabbed a pyjama set from their closet and quickly put it on, like being half naked in front of her husband is so unthinkable. Lewis wanted to scream.

"Look," he started, he can't do this whole quiet dance around.

"You know I was fine, I was fine with you not retiring. I never asked you that–" she cuts him off, sitting herself down on the floor to put on her fuzzy socks. Lewis got her those at a random store in Japan when she was still pregnant with Isa.

Lewis looked at her with a small head shake like he disapproved of her statement, "but you made me choose between having Isa or staying in Formula 1," he said, and he knows he's wrong but he's not backing down. He's never learned his lesson.

Isa wasn't planned, he was a surprise, and sure they made a better plan. Retiring then trying for a baby.

"I never asked you that Lewis," she said, her cold tone sending shivers down his spine. It's Lewis and not Lew. "I never made you choose, I told you we can wait. We can wait for all of these, for us to be married, to have Isa– we can wait." She said, emphasising each word.