Another World

Max Verstappen

Max laid on the sofa in the Red Bull motorhome, watching Julia, Ruusu and Ember playing on the play mat in front of the TV, each with a toy car in their hands and racing them around a track that looked suspiciously like Suzuka.

Sergey had turned up at the motorhome quite early that morning, holding a well-wrapped up Ember who was squiggling in his grasp. The Russian said something about having to race that day and he needed someone to take care of Ember as Lance had the flu and was ordered to stay bedridden for the weekend by the doctor, and as Max was already taking care of Julia, would he mind looking after Ember as well?

Of course Max said yes, taking the brown-haired girl and the pale blue nappy bag from her blonde father as Sergey was practically dragged by his ear to the Williams garage.

The Dutchman had placed Ember on the mat and managed to peel her coat off her as Dan rushed out of the motorhome, kissing Max's cheek and flashing Ember a cheeky grin as he left.

Julia had woken up not long after, and Max rushed to get her ready so she could play with Ember.

Valtteri had materialized out of thin air with his daughter, all swaddled in blankets, asking if it was okay for Ruusu to stay with Julia while he attended a meeting.

That's how Max basically ended up running a daycare, only missing Abbey who was visiting her grandparents in Finland.

Not that he complained, mind you. He'd been waiting for ages to see Ember, and Julia liked having Ruusu around to play with when Abbey wasn't there.

The three girls got along like a house on fire and were soon sharing Julia's toys and giggling as they played, only stopping for food and a nap.

Valtteri had reappeared two hours later, looking tired and fed up after his meeting, and Max had pulled him in with a promise of coffee and cake as Ruusu didn't seem to want to go back to the Mercedes motorhome anytime soon.

The two drivers settled themselves on the furniture with their coffee and a plate of biscuits on the table in front of them while the girls whizzed the toy cars around the playmat, squealing with delight and cackling with delight each time they finished a race.

Eventually, they tired themselves out and were fell asleep on the mat, Max and Valtteri laughing quietly, gathering them up and placing them on Max and Dan's bed while they slept.