“Another natural talent.”
“In addition to you?” Her eyes sparkle as she smiles behind her helmet.
“Of course.”
“So humble. You really need to start motivational speaking. You will inspiresomany.” Sarcasm is thick in her voice.
“I have been considering. Taking notes from you.”
“You need no notes.”
The puttering and revving of bikes in the distance draw our attention over to the bush track entry, and we see the crew coming into view.
“Home time. Need any refreshers to head back?” I offer.
“I think I have it,” she fearlessly replies.
“Let’s hop to.”
12
Mabel
My eyes are glued to the monitor in the pit box. I’ve watched motorsports before, but this is something else. The ease in which they all throw their bikes around the track, dipping into a corner a hundredth of a second behind each other. A flurry of delayed colour synchronicity.Hanging their bodies off the side as it tips impossibly low to the tarmac, an elbow or knee pad grazing the ground. On top of the near 300kph speeds they are hitting. And how do they fall off and then just…get back on the bikes and go again? Superhuman! I know they have special suits that inflate with an airbag as soon as there’s impact, but watching it doesn’t help my anxiety!
They appear like they are defying physics, but they are toying with it. Pushing the machines to their limits. Understanding it and commanding the power to do what they want. Riley fills the screen, and my heart skips. Fuck, he looks menacing, dangerous, captivating. He looks the complete opposite of what I know him to be. Kind, caring, open. Why do both versions of him get me going so much? It scratches that itch in my brain when I think about him.
Last track we were at was Philip Island, and now we are in South Australia. Two months together at Philip Island was so natural. Easy. I could be myself with no repercussions. No expectations for me to reach. Acceptance for who I am. Just as I am.
At this South Australian track, we aren’t in the same room. But we are only in this hotel for one month, then we move to another in the same state. Apparently, this isn’t the norm, and everyone in the paddock had to split the accommodation between the two hotels. Rayna is working on Riley and I getting a two-bedder again. We have become accustomed to being together. I mean, hanging out together.Shit, I need to stop thinking like that. Boyfriends don’t work for me. It’s just something I can’t do like a normal person.
The crew starts moving in the pit, indicating Javi is coming in. Putting my mind back on task, I pull out my phone to take some stills for our socials. Uploading and getting things sorted, an incoming call displays on my screen.Mother. Grimacing slightly, I answer the phone.
“Hello, Mother,” I answer as I head down the corridor of the pit box to the back of the garage.
“Hello? Mabel? I can’t really hear you.”
I push the heavy door to the quieter side of the pit box.
“Hello? Can you hear me now?”
“Yes. Just,” she replies through the phone.
“Sorry, it’s going to be noisy here. The bikes are on track.”
“Don’t you have an office?”
“No. I am in the pit with the team. No office.”
“How is that professional?”
Wow, fourth sentence into the conversation and criticism. This might be a record.
“It’s the way it is here. I use my boss’ office if I really need to,” I say, rubbing my forehead. “It was the same over at rally.”If she even cared to ask over the last few years.
“I don’t see how this could be considered a proper working environment.”
“What’s been happening, Mum?” I pinch the bridge of my nose.
