Death of a Bachelor (COMPLETED)

#50 Last dance with Mercedes

Abu Dhabi-2024

"Enjoy the moment, Amor" Simone said softly, her voice gentle through the phone's speaker. "Feel it, feel every second."

"I-I will, Mi amor"

Lewis sat on the edge of the hotel bed, staring at the glowing screen of his phone. The curtains were slightly open, allowing a sliver of moonlight to spill into the room. He rubbed his tired eyes with one hand and exhaled slowly. His voice cracked a little when he finally spoke. "I miss you."

A beat passed before he added in a quieter voice, "I miss Lucien so much."

Simone's smile was tender but tinged with sadness. "We miss you so much too" she replied. She tilted her phone camera to show Lucien, their tiny son now just two months old, sleeping peacefully in his crib back home in Monaco. His tiny chest rose and fell with each breath, a soft blanket tucked around him.

"Papa, I miss you"  Simone said playfully in a baby voice, as if speaking for Lucien. It made Lewis chuckle, a genuine smile forming on his lips despite the heaviness in his heart.

"You're a little crazy" he said, shaking his head with amusement.

"Yes" Simone replied immediately, her eyes twinkling, "Crazy only for you."

She turned the camera back to herself, and Lewis saw her face clearly again. Her hair was pulled back, her cheeks slightly flushed from being awake at such a late hour, but her expression was full of love. The sight of her warmed him from the inside.

She's so beautiful, Lewis whispered to himself. Even though she's not sleeping peacefully after Lucien was born.

"You need to sleep now, Amor" Simone said gently, her tone turning more serious as she watched his tired face. "It's midnight already there. You need to clear your mind... and enjoy the moment. This is not just any race. It's the final one of the season — and your final race with Mercedes."

Lewis nodded slowly, his throat tightening. He glanced toward the window where the skyline of Abu Dhabi shimmered in the distance. "I know" he murmured. "I'm just... scared."

Simone frowned gently. "Scared of what?"

He looked back at her face, searching for the right words. "That this day will go by too fast. That I'll step out of that garage, off that circuit, and it'll all be over. Just like that. And suddenly... I won't see everyone anymore. The people I've worked with for over a decade. The routine. The adrenaline. The silence before a start. The team radio. Everything."

A silence fell between them, but it wasn't empty. It was filled with understanding.

Simone nodded, her voice quiet but steady. "Change is always hard. Especially when it comes after so many years of giving your soul to something. But endings, Lewis, are just doors opening to something new. You're not losing your legacy. You're adding to it."

Lewis let her words sink in, and he looked down for a moment, his thumb absentmindedly brushing over the edge of the phone. "It just feels like saying goodbye to a part of myself."

"You're not saying goodbye" she said softly. "You're just growing. And the people who matter—those who love you, your team, your family—we're not going anywhere. We'll be there in whatever comes next."

Lewis smiled faintly, the emotion in his chest growing heavier but warmer. "You always know what to say."

She grinned. "Of course. I'm your biggest fan. Now go to sleep. Tomorrow... the world is going to watch you one last time in that silver arrow. And no matter what happens, remember—Lucien and I are already are already so proud of you."