the IT girl

Breakfast with Family

Lando carried Gemma in his arms as Lily walked beside him, still blushing faintly from the earlier surprise. She had quickly changed into something more presentable, but the memory of Lando's parents walking in on their cozy morning lingered in her mind.

"Promise me," Lily whispered as they descended the stairs, "you'll lock the door next time."

Lando smirked, leaning in close. "Promise. Though, to be fair, you looked pretty cute trying to cover up."

She elbowed him playfully, rolling her eyes. "You're impossible."

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, the smell of fresh pancakes, bacon, and coffee wafted through the air. Gemma perked up, clapping her hands. "Pancakes! Pancakes!"

"Good morning, sleepyheads!" Lando's mum called from the kitchen. She was flipping pancakes on the stovetop, her apron dusted with flour. Lando's dad was sitting at the dining table, sipping a cup of coffee and scrolling through his phone.

"Finally decided to join us, huh?" his dad teased, setting his phone down.

Lando grinned, settling Gemma in her high chair at the table. "Blame this little one for the late start. She's the boss around here."

Gemma giggled, proudly banging her spoon on the table. "I'm the boss!"

Lily shook her head with a smile as she grabbed plates from the cabinet. "That's not something we should encourage, Lando."

"Too late," Lando said, winking at her as he poured a glass of orange juice for Gemma.

The family gathered around the table, the warmth of the morning filling the room. Lando's mum served stacks of golden pancakes, accompanied by bowls of fresh fruit, whipped cream, and syrup.

"Eat up," she said, placing a plate in front of Gemma. "You're going to need the energy to keep up with your dad today, Gemma."

Gemma grabbed her fork eagerly, drizzling a generous amount of syrup onto her pancakes. "More syrup!" she declared, earning a chuckle from everyone.

As they ate, the conversation flowed easily. Lando's mum asked Lily about her latest photoshoots, expressing excitement over Lily's recent Vogue spread.

"That blue dress you wore was stunning," his mum gushed. "You're a natural."

"Thank you," Lily said modestly, cutting a piece of her pancake. "It was a fun shoot, but the best part is coming home to this little one." She reached over to brush Gemma's cheek, making the toddler beam.

"And what about you, Lando?" his dad asked. "Ready for the next race?"

Lando nodded, swallowing a bite of bacon. "Yeah, but I'm also enjoying the break. Days like this remind me why I do all of it. For them." He glanced at Lily and Gemma, his expression softening.

Lily felt a warm flutter in her chest. Despite his hectic schedule and the constant demands of F1, Lando always made it clear how much his family meant to him.

After breakfast, Gemma toddled around the living room with her favorite stuffed bunny while Lando and his dad washed the dishes. Lily sat with his mum, enjoying a rare moment of quiet.

"She's growing up so fast," his mum said, watching Gemma with a wistful smile.

"She really is," Lily agreed. "It feels like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital."

"And now you're a beautiful little family," his mum said, reaching over to squeeze Lily's hand. "Lando's lucky to have you, you know."

Lily smiled, her heart full. "I'm the lucky one."