Minefield of Mirrors

-22-

It was ten in the evening when Iris was sitting at the little staircase in front of the Red Bull motorhome. She noticed how lights inside other motorhomes slowly turned off one by one. The last people on the track were almost ready to leave the hotel as well. She was actually the last Red Bull member present. All the other ones had already packed their stuff as soon as the last meeting ended an hour ago.

Iris had missed the last van of the team to take her back. She questioned whether it was intentional that she had missed it or if she really had lost track of time. Sick of all the messages she was getting, she had turned her phone off. This way she could just sit peacefully on top of the staircase, staring into the paddock that was getting emptier and emptier as the time ticked by.

But well? Peacefully? So many thoughts were running through her mind, that she felt anything but peaceful. Thomas, Mick, Max... They all mixed up inside her thoughts and she couldn't distinguish the moments anymore.

A gust of wind went past her and a member of the McLaren team sat down next to her. 'Still here, huh?'

'Yup.'

Lando took off his cap and put it on top of Iris's head. A little chuckle sounded next. 'Orange suits you way better than the navy blue of Red Bull. You're sure you want to stay working here?'

'Oh, believe me, if I could run, I would've done it yesterday. But I have no choice, Lando.' She sighed.

'Everyone always has a choice. It's more the question if people are ready to see the possibilities and the consequences that go with it.'

Iris took the cap from her head and held it in her hands. Slowly she moved her finger over the embroidered logo. 'You're a wise man, you know that?'

He chuckled a little and pushed his shoulders sideways against hers. 'Don't let my dumb media appearance fool you.'

A few members of the Haas team walked by them and wished them a good night. Of course, Lando happily wished them a good night back, but the Dutch girl was way too much in her mind to answer.

So to get her attention, Lando ticked against the cap that she was still holding. 'Where is that mind of yours at the moment?' When she remained silent, Lando shot her another question. 'Did something happen today? Is that why you didn't answer my texts?'

She sighed loudly and leaned a bit back. 'No, it was just a crazy busy day.'

'Hmm, yeah. That totally explains why you're still sitting at the staircase in front of the motorhome, not paying attention to anything around you. A plausible reason, yes.'

Iris could feel him looking at her while he was mocking her. Yet Iris couldn't laugh about it all. So many things were running through her mind, that she didn't feel capable of putting her focus on anything else.

Suddenly the McLaren member got up and held up his hand in front of her. 'Come on, let's go back to the hotel.'

Maybe it was indeed a good idea to go back to her hotel room. Why would she even stay any longer in the paddock? The next two days she would practically live here as the race weekend was really about to start with the qualifying tomorrow.

Still a bit doubtful, Iris put her hand in Lando's and immediately he grabbed it a bit firmer so he could pull her on her feet. As soon as she took the last step down to get to the ground, Lando spun her around on her feet. A little smile appeared on her lips.

'Look, there you are! I knew you could still smile.' He winked.

'Yeah, I obviously can.'

Iris grabbed her bag and silently she walked along with Lando towards his car. It sounded heavenly to just carpool with him so she didn't have to call a taxi. Otherwise, she had to wait for at least another half an hour before she was even able to get into the vehicle and she wouldn't arrive in her hotel room any sooner than eleven o'clock. Which was way too late if she thought about the alarm that would go off tomorrow morning at seven again.