Determined to Be Strong
Rachel
I calmly observed the screen of my phone, without revealing any surprise, after scrolling through all the articles and photos that had appeared since Enrico left for another of his trips as a Formula One driver. If, in previous times, he was linked to an Australian model, now there were so many others that neither I nor the media had any idea who he was getting involved with, or if there was just one person, to be honest.
The gossip tabloids never tired of reporting how the American pilot was at the center of attention and always surrounded by beautiful women, ranging from singers to even fans, with whom he was caught exchanging kisses worthy of movies. Some news outlets speculated that he had broken up with the Australian model Tayla Corbin, who seemed to be now in a relationship with another pilot from the same team as Enrico. This fueled speculation that this was the reason behind seeing him with a different woman every day.
In just one week, this was already the fourth woman he was linked to in the news, which showed a remarkable readiness on his part, to say the least. I decided it was better to try to sleep before Enrico's actions hurt me more than they already were managing to. I deactivated all my social media accounts and decided to put my phone aside for a while, for the sake of my mental health.
The next morning, I woke up early for another day where the first thing I did upon waking up was to fight against morning sickness, something I was getting used to, after all, it had been a week since it started, and not even the medications prescribed by the doctor had managed to eliminate it. However, as happened in the previous days, after a comforting shower and a glass of fresh orange juice that Lindsay always brought me in the morning, I managed to gather strength and start another day of work alongside special friends. I was being well taken care of by them, and the fact that Enrico had disappeared without giving any news in the past few days shouldn't affect my spirits. After all, he didn't show faith in me and didn't even give me the benefit of the doubt. Now, I was determined to be strong and face whatever came my way on my own.
"You are not alone, and you know that," Lindsay countered when I shared my feelings with her. "We are by your side, and I will help you."
We were in the garden talking, while Joseph discreetly followed one of the free practice sessions for the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, despite claiming not to like the sport. Lindsay broke the silence, asking:
"And what about your apartment? What did the realtor say?"
I had made it clear to the realtor that I didn't want to renew the lease agreement for the property and that I wanted it back, but I wasn't getting a response, and that was making me anxious.
"I haven't received a response yet," I said, showing concern. "If we were in Seattle, it would be easier to contact him. But with an ocean of distance, it's much more complicated now."
We noticed someone approaching, who was Joseph. Now that our relationship was much more friendly, and he seemed completely committed to supporting me, I didn't hide anything from him, especially my desire to return to Seattle.
Lindsay offered assistance as he was walking with difficulty, although he resisted the idea of the modern wheelchair that was ready for him, choosing to use just a crutch.
"I've been thinking..." He commented with a smile as he reached where I was sitting. "I don't want to fail my grandson the same way I failed my son."
That comment puzzled me, and I furrowed my brow in confusion, not understanding the direction of the conversation, something Lindsay seemed to feel too. However, Joseph quickly explained.
"I still have my house in Seattle, unlike what happened with yours, Rachel. I don't rent it out, and it's available anytime. So, I think we should all go back to Seattle."
I was extremely surprised by Joseph's proposal, but at the same time, I felt great happiness for the possibility he was offering. After all, returning to Seattle was all I desired at that moment. I didn't want to be in Enrico's house when he returned from his trips, especially after all his recent achievements, which weren't limited to Formula One victories alone.
"I think it's a great idea, although I still have a slight fear of encountering Fred in the city..." Lindsay expressed, a mix of excitement and concern. "But I miss Seattle so much."
A wave of apprehension ran through my body just at the mention of the thug who had attacked Lindsay's apartment, but that wouldn't deter me.
"Seattle is a huge city, with millions of inhabitants," I replied to Lindsay with confidence, I was far from feeling complete. "I believe we won't encounter that thug."
At least, that's what I wanted to believe, but I quickly remembered something crucial that could affect our plans.
"But Enrico might not agree to you going back to Seattle, Joseph."
"I'm the master of my own desires and I don't want to stay in this city anymore, girls," declared Joseph.
Joseph wasn't exaggerating when he said he was the master of his desires, and when he decided he wanted to return to Seattle, he managed to resolve all the issues related to his return to the United States quickly. The house was already ready to receive us in Seattle, as Lindsay had hired a cleaning company to leave everything clean and organized for our arrival, which was scheduled for the next day.
With our bags packed and hearts racing, as Joseph hadn't yet told his son about our departure to Seattle, we boarded the plane that would take us back home. At every moment, I imagined Enrico arriving, perhaps to prevent our trip. I had never been a romance enthusiast, but I soon realized I must have been dreaming to believe that anything could happen between Enrico and me, especially when he didn't even believe the child I was expecting was truly his.
We departed from London at seven in the morning, with the same bags we had taken to the city, just two, as Lindsay had to leave behind many of her things when she hastily left her small apartment. She now carried only the essentials, supplemented by a few items she bought when we arrived in the English capital.
Joseph chose this flight time for the convenience of leaving in the morning and still arriving in Seattle in the morning, due to the eight-hour time difference between the two cities. After a long flight of almost ten hours, we arrived in Seattle around nine in the morning and took a taxi to Joseph's house. By a strange coincidence, his residence was only a few blocks away from Kael Graham's mansion, my sister's current fiancé, where she had been living since the accident. This coincidence stirred my emotions, and Lindsay soon realized something was wrong.
"Are you feeling nauseous? Do you want me to stop the taxi?" Offered Joseph, who also seemed to have noticed my discomfort.
"No, I'm okay," I reassured them quickly. "I'm just tired, nothing serious."
"We're almost there," Joseph notified politely.
He was right, and in less than five minutes, the taxi was stopped at the place that would become my home for the next few days until I could get back to my apartment.
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