The screen showed Matteo crouched beside the medical team, his hand on Alexander’s shoulder as they pulled him from the wreck. Alexander looked dazed, his movements sluggish, but he was upright. He was alive.
Tears blurred my vision as I clutched Gianna tighter. I wanted to run to him, to see him with my own eyes, to reassure myself that he was really okay. But all I could do was sit there, my body shaking as the adrenaline coursed through me.
He was okay. But I wouldn’t feel whole again until I could see him, touch him with my own two hands.
“Mommy?” Gianna asked again, her small voice grounding me.
I kissed the top of her head, my lips brushing her soft curls. “It’s okay, sweetheart. There was a crash, but everyone is okay.”
The time spent waiting for Alexander was agonizing. Both he and Matteo were retired from the race, along with two other drivers, one being Alex’s competitor, Theo. The medical team had taken Alexander for evaluation, and Matteo had gone with him, leaving me in the pit with Gianna clinging to my side. Every second felt like an eternity, my mind running through worst-case scenarios no matter how many times I told myself he had said he was fine.
The atmosphere in the garage was subdued, the earlier energy snuffed out. The crew moved quietly, their usual chatter silenced as they focused on packing up equipment. Occasionally, someone would glance at me, their expressions filled with concern, but I couldn’t bring myself to meet their eyes.
Gianna was unusually quiet, her small hand clutching mine as she pressed against my side. Her Barbie, dressed in its tiny racing suit, sat forgotten on the workbench nearby.
“Mommy, when can we see Alex?” she asked, her voice soft but steady.
“Soon, sweetheart,” I promised, though I didn’t know if it was true. “They’re just making sure he’s okay.”
The words felt hollow, even to me. I had seen the crash. The car flipping, the force of the impact. My mind kept replaying it, each rotation of the car etched in vivid detail.
The minutes ticked by until finally, Matteo appeared at the entrance to the garage. His face was drawn, his hair a mess from running his hands through it, but his eyes softened when they met mine.
“He’s okay,” he said, his voice breaking the heavy silence.
Relief hit me so hard that my knees buckled slightly. Matteo was at my side in an instant, his hands steadying me.
“He’s bruised up, maybe a mild concussion, but the halo did its job,” Matteo continued, his voice gentler now. “He’s asking for you.”
I didn’t need to hear anything else. Scooping Gianna into my arms, I followed Matteo out of the garage and through the maze of hallways to the medical center.
When I stepped into the room, the sight of Alexander sitting on the edge of the bed, his hair tousled and a few smudges of dirt still on his face, made my chest tighten.
“Hey,” he said, his voice softer than usual. His eyes lit up when he saw us, and his smile, though faint, was genuine.
Gianna wriggled out of my arms and ran to him, her small arms wrapping around his waist. “Alex!” she cried, her voice muffled against his chest.
“Hey, little racer,” he murmured, his hand gently brushing her hair. “I’m okay, see?”
I stood there for a moment, my feet rooted to the spot as emotion welled up inside me.
He was here.
He was alive.
Alexander looked up at me, his gaze warm despite the exhaustion etched across his features. “Come here,” he said softly, holding out his free arm.
I crossed the room in a few quick strides, wrapping my arms around both of them as a tear slipped down my cheek. His hand came up to cradle the back of my head.
“You scared the hell out of me,” I whispered, tears breaking free.
“I know,” he replied, his voice tinged with regret. “Scared the hell out of me as well.”
Anna walked into the room, typing away on her phone, checking in with the aides and crew in the room. She walked over, a sullen expression on her face.
“Hey,” she said gently to Alexander, “how are you feeling?”
“Been better,” Alexander replied with a small smirk. She rolled her eyes, Gianna traced the tattoos on his hand.
