Chapter 2

As Chloe waited on the grid she was talking to her brother when ITV’s Martin Brundell taped her on the shoulder. She agreed to ask answer a few questions.

“So Chloe, second on the grid, can you win?”

“Well, anything can happen, I may win, I may spin out on lap twenty or I might crash out on turn one. No one can tell.”

“But if you avoid any problems how are you going to try to pass Michael?”

“Well, I’d probably slip stream him down a straight, but if that doesn’t work I’ll do what I’ve done before and shove the car up the inside of his.” She joked as her and Martin laughed.

“What does it feel like racing your first home grand prix?”

“Obviously it means a lot to me, but there is so much pressure, a lot of it none of you know about but it is special.”

“If you win and Michael is second you will still go clear of him in the championship, what does that mean to you?”

“A lot, but then my championship will be over so, it really doesn’t matter that much anymore.”

“You say your championship is over what do you mean?”

“You’ll have to wait until later.” She said with a smile as Martin thanked her and headed off down the grid.

As the race goes on Jeff lays and listens to the commentators. When it gets to the last eight laps he lifted his head and watched as Chloe followed the McLaren of David Coulthard. Schumacher had long since hit the barrier and gone out of the race. After her pit stop Chloe had come out behind Coulthard and wasn’t able to pass him.

With two laps two go Chloe out braked Coulthard and that allowed her into the corner first. She managed to build up a small lead and she crossed the line to win her home race. Coulthard finished second and Eddie finished third.

Jeff jumped of his bed and ran down stairs and greeted his dad with a hug. He smiled before he ran back to his room completely ignoring his brother. He reached for the phone and was halfway through dialling Chloe’s number when he stopped. As he threw the phone onto the bed, ran his hands through his hair and sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed to watch the press conference.

“Well done Chloe, another excellent win, what does this one mean to you?”

“Well, this win means the most to me because it’s my home race and to come across the line with two other British guys behind me makes it all the better.”

“You are now leading the world championship by seven points. What does that mean to you?”

“A lot, not only am I the first woman ever in F1, I am the first one to lead the world championship. It’s an amazing feeling.”

“What are you thoughts on the rest of the season?”

“Well, actually my season ends today. It has been declared unsafe for me to drive any more because I am pregnant.”

“Well, congratulations. Do you plan to return to F1?”

“Yes, after the birth of my child I think I might be getting a drive with Williams again, in about 2003.”

“We wish you all the best. Thank you.”

“Thanks.”

Jeff starred at the TV screen. “This was actually happening. She is having a baby. She’s having Matt’s baby. She has to give up her dream.” He said out loud.

“She does.” Came a voice from the other side of the room. He looked up to see his father stand looking at him. “Neither you or Matt have too, just remember that.” He said calmly as he walked to his son who has a single tear outlining his cheek.

“Why does this stuff had to happen?”

“That’s the way life goes.”

“But it doesn’t make sense.”

“Maybe not. But let me say something. What has happened between the three of you is in the past. Chloe has a future with Matt’s child. If she had any choice do you think she would want that? She’s nineteen. She has to live with the child for the rest of her life.”

“But she could have got rid of it.”

“Is Chloe the sort of person to go and kill somebody, to kill her baby?”

“No.”

“Exactly, how could you have expected her to do that then?”

“Because it makes everything so much easier.”

“For who? You or her?”

“I don’t know.”

“Jeff, you have to understand that if Chloe wants to be with you she will need you to be at her side to help her through all of this, she can’t do it by herself.”

“But Matt will be there.”

“Only for the baby.”

Jeff got to his feet and walked to his desk and put his put his hands on it and leant over and dropped his head as the tears began to fall from his eyes.

“Son, try and look at it from her point of View, she has you two fighting over her, she doesn’t want that, even I can see that. You are both making it harder on her and putting unneeded pressure on her.”

“I know but I can’t help it. At the airport, when you left us alone, she said she was sorry she ever met me.”

Gil got to his feet and walked to his crying son.

“I felt my heart rip in two.”

“Maybe but..”

“Dad, I just want to be alone.”

“Ok, I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.” He said as he left his son and walked down the hallway. He knew what he had to do; he needed to get Chloe here, now.

As Chloe was about to leave her trailer for the last time that season as he phone rang in her pocket. She pulled it out and answered it.

“Hello.”

“Hello Chloe.”
”Gil, is that you?”

“Yes.”
”How are you?”

“Not so good.”

“Why not?”
”Because I have two sons here who I ripping each other apart.”

“Oh.”
”That’s why I am ringing. I want you to come over here and talk to them.”

“Now?”

“Yeh, I can’t take this much more.”

“I tried talking to them but it Jeff doesn’t want to listen to me.”

“Please Chloe.”

“Ok. I’ll try and get a flight today. I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks.”

“I guess I’ll see you soon.”

“Yeh you will. Bye.”

“Bye.”

As she hung up she sighed and opened the trailer do and stepped out and was greeted Ben and Eddie.

“Hi.” She replied to them.

“Are you ok? You look kinda pissed off”

“I am. Ben, can you try and book me a flight to North Carolina for today?”

“Yeh, why?”

“Matt and Jeff.”

“Ok, I’ll go do it now. I’ll catch up with you in a little while.” He said as he headed of into the garage.

“You life is more complicated than mine.” Eddie said as she turned to look a him.

“I know. I can’t take much more.”

“What is up with them two?”

“Who?”

“Matt and Jeff.”

“Oh, the are arguing about me. The thing is I don’t know what I am going to say to them. I don’t think Matt’s the problem, it’s Jeff.”

“What has Matt got to do with it anyway?”

“It’s his baby.”

“Oh, I thought it was Jeff’s.”

“Nope, that’s the problem.”

“Shit Clo, you don’t have much luck do you?”
”Absolutely none.” She said as she smiled at him.

“Well, after you have been there why don’t you come and relax on my boat, my parents will be there but it’s a chance for you to get away from your life for a little while.”

“Are you serious?”
”Yes of course I am, so what do you say?”

“I let you know. Thanks Eddie, I really appreciate it.”

“I know you do. You better go, here comes Ben.”

“Ok, thanks. I’ll speak to you sometime.”

“Ok, bye.”

“See ya.”

Chapter 3

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