Formula One - One-Shots Collection - Complete

48(TBP) - Daniel Ricciardo

'I COULD'VE BEEN A PRINCESS, YOU'D BE A KING'

Lifting her glass of wine to her lips, Jenna looked over at her ex-partner, Daniel. She kept her face neutral as he sat on the sofa with their young daughter who was giggling at the silly words her father was saying. It was two years since the couple had broken up, it had been four years and two months since their daughter had been born and seeing him did not make it any easier. 

Jenna turned away, going into the kitchen where she stood in front of the sink and stared out into the back garden. Even when she was alone she could hear her daughter's sweet laugh and cute voice as she tried to think of other things. 

She had to find a time where she and Daniel could research schools, she had to apply in the next two weeks or miss out on her daughter attending school. She had to go shopping in the next few days to fill the house with food and other things that Ella needed. There was also the mighty task of taking her young daughter to Melbourne to watch her daughter race in an F1 car, just doing his job. 

Finishing the remainder of her wine, she placed the glass into the sink as she heard a squeal from Ella. "Stop it, Daddy!" Her mother could hear the happiness in her voice as she spoke. "It tickles, Daddy!" This was followed by little laughs of delight. 

"Come on then," Daniel spoke to his daughter as the laughs died down. "Why don't you go and say goodnight to Mummy and I'll put you to bed."

Jenna listened as Ella groaned, "But Daddy, I am not tired. I don't want to go to bed yet." She smiled at the words her daughter was saying, at least it was not just her that would have problems getting Ella to bed. "Can I stay up a bit longer? We watch Lightning and then sleep in Daddy's bed?"

"Baby, you know you can't stay at Daddy's, not tonight."

"You never let me stay at yours," Ella whined as Jenna walked back to where she had been before. Leaning against the doorframe, she crossed her arms as she looked at her daughter who was now standing in the middle of the living room floor with her hands on her hips. "Mummy," Ella glanced up at Jenna, "Tell Daddy to let me go to his!"

Jenna smiled as she looked at her young girl, "Come on now, Madam. I think it's time we get you to bed, Daddy has work in the morning."

Ella crossed her arms as she pouted, she looked at her Daddy before she stomped her right foot. "I'm not going!" She frowned at her father as her mother stifled a giggle. 

Daniel got to his feet, scooping his young daughter off her feet, a small scream leaving her lips as he walked with her towards the stairs. "Right baby," her father carried her, he looked over at Jenna for a few seconds before leaving through the door towards the stairs. 

Jenna listened as Daniel took their daughter to her bed, she heard his steps on the stairs, always skipping the top step. Walking through the living room, she sat on the bottom step and listened to her daughter talking to her father. 

"Please, Daddy." Jenna knew exactly what her daughter was going to say, it was a conversation she had heard many times when Daniel visited. "Can't you just stay? Forever?"

She put her head in her hands, the tears filling her eyes as she heard the frustration in Ella's voice. 

"Now, come on Ella, we both know that me and your Mummy don't live together," Daniel told his young daughter. "I can't stay here, you have your Mum here. Once the work season has ended, you can come and stay at mine."

"But Daddy, why don't you and Mummy live together?" Jenna sighed as she got to her feet, walking up the stairs slowly stopping five steps up. "I want you here too, Daddy."

Daniel sighed, Jenna knew the sound anywhere. "Ella, Mummy and Daddy don't work together in the same house." She heard the floorboards creaking. "I'll be back in the morning, baby girl. Please be a good girl for your Mum, just because Mummy and Daddy aren't together it doesn't mean we both don't love you."

Walking back down the stairs, Jenna sat on the sofa in the spot where her daughter had sat picking up Ella's book before holding it close to her. She didn't even hear Daniel return to the room five minutes later. 

"She's all tucked in," Daniel told her making her look up at him almost surprised he was there. 

Jenna nodded, "Thanks." 

Daniel sat down on the chair, he looked over at the woman who had given him such a precious daughter. He would always be grateful to her for that. "She knows what she wants," he joked as Jenna nodded. "She's just like you."