Racing Back to Love Pt. 02

Mel kissed me as the final throws of her orgasm gripped her, groaning into my mouth. Moving her face back I could see a look of pure happiness on her face. She still quivered around me as I was slowly subsiding inside her. Unwrapping her leg from my waist, Mel eased off me and then held me close again.

"Oh Matt that was amazing. Whew... ohhhh ... You make me come undone. Ohhh Matt I love you."

"You are amazing Mel. I love you too."

*************

Our honeymoon did have to come to an end and we headed home to get ready for Christmas. Celebrating this with the girls was a great experience. I hadn't had a Christmas with children for a really long time and it was great to see their excitement at seeing 'Santa' in the lead up to Christmas and their excitement on Christmas morning wondering what he had left for them. While it had been great before, it was here that I really felt like I had a family of my own.

In the New Year it was announced that I was driving full time with Roberts- Hart Racing. Again there were press conferences, TV and web interviews. The series I race in also has a documentary series that runs throughout the season. Before the season began they filmed me and my family for the first episode. This showed us at home, interviewing both Melissa and myself, as well as showing me training for the upcoming season and working with my crew at team headquarters. I had never been filmed like this before and Melissa and the girls certainly hadn't. It was fun to do, but not something I that would want in my life every day.

The first race of the year was in Adelaide, and everyone travelled with me. For the first time in my career I was travelling with my wife and my children. In the week leading up to the race the paperwork was all completed and I was now Chloe and Jessie's legal father.

During her divorce settlement, Melissa became the sole parent to her girls as her ex signed away all rights and obligations. He didn't want to have anything to do with them, or any responsibility for them. He seemed to think that Melissa tricked him into having children and he didn't want to be a father. Melissa had the girls surnames changed to her maiden name 'Williams' and they would not have any contact with her ex ever.

As Melissa was their sole parent, she arranged that I would become their legal father once we were married. In a sense I 'adopted' the girls, or at least partially adopted the girls as they were still with their mother. Their names would now be 'Turner' and we would be a family in the fullest sense of the word.

We told the girls all about this at home, and Jessie was very excited. Chloe on the other hand was very quiet which was totally unlike her. Chloe went straight to her room after we told them the news. Mel went and talked to her wanting to reassure her about what we were doing. They spoke together in Chloe's room for a long time, before Mel came out and asked me to speak to Chloe.

I went into her room and Chloe was sitting on her bed, holding her teddy bear. She looked at me with a very sad face.

"Can I sit down here Chloe?" I asked before sitting next to her on the bed.

"Yes Matt." She said quietly.

"Mummy said you wanted to talk to me."

Chloe nodded her head and continued to play with her teddy. She looked up at me and started to speak.

"So you are my Daddy now Matt?"

"Yes that's right Chloe. I hope that is ok?" I asked her quietly.

She nodded her head, looking down at her teddy. She turned and looked towards me with very teary eyes.

"Are you going to leave like my first Daddy?" she asked sniffling.

My heart just broke. I put my arm around her and held Chloe close to me.

"Oh my Chloe, I'm never going to leave. I love you and Jessie and I love your Mummy. You are so special to me and I will never do anything to hurt you. I want to be with you all forever." I said, still holding her close.

Chloe was sniffling into me and wrapped her arms around me too. We cuddled for a few moments before Chloe turned her head to face me.

"Do I have to call you 'Daddy' now?" She asked.

I smiled. "No Chloe you don't. You can call me Matt still. I don't mind what you call me."

Chloe smiled when I said this and she cuddled me again.

When we finished our hug and she looked a lot happier than before. I dried her eyes and fixed her hair up a little. She smiled at me and said "I love you Matt...Daddy."

"I love you Chloe... Hey did you just call me 'Matt Daddy'?" I asked her with a giggle.

Chloe was now giggling too. "Yes Matt Daddy." She burst into a fit of laughter at her own 'joke'.

"That's ok by me Chloe."

Still giggling she said "Thanks Matt Daddy". As she raced out of the room to tell her mother her funny news.

*************

The races in Adelaide were a real baptism of fire for me and my crew. A lot of my crew were working together for the first time, Adam was a first time Chief Engineer and I was a rookie driver. The pace of the weekend was incredible as it all went by so fast. As a group we were learning on the run.

Thankfully there wasn't pressure from the bosses to win first time out, but we all knew we had a good race car and we should do well. I qualified mid field for both of the races, finishing 10th on Saturday and 14th on Sunday. On the Sunday I was given a friendly 'welcome to the series' by a couple of the veteran racers, who decided to help me around a few corners by running into me and pushing me wide, or off the track.

Adam was on the radio blowing up about it and I told him it's a long season and there will be plenty of time for payback. The back of the car did look a little 'second hand' when I finished the race, but I was so glad I did finish.

Melissa and the girls had a good time, making friends with my team mate Franco's wife and enjoying being at the races. Melissa did get nervous watching me race, wanting me to do well and to be safe. She was always there in the garage to greet me when I finished. The girls liked being in the garage with the team and my crew all made them feel welcome.

We all returned home for a couple of week's normality before the next race. Having a 'real life' at home was great for me. While I was busy at work, going to the workshop regularly and training as well, coming home and having a family kept me grounded. Whenever I got caught up in the 'bubble' of trying to make our car go faster, and the frustrations and challenges that came along with this, I was soon brought back to Earth at home.

The next race was at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix. This race meeting was always on my calendar. I always wanted to race here, but I dreamed of racing in an F1 car, not the V8 supercar. I expected to be making my F1 debut at this meeting at some stage, and prepared myself for the attention that would come my way. Melissa came with me to this race, as she knew how much I wanted to be racing F1 here.

Going into the paddock and seeing all the F1 teams getting ready for the weekend brought many feelings up for me. My disappointment was palpable as I knew that I would never race at the international pinnacle of my sport after being so close just a few years ago.

We practiced on Thursday and I finished 12th fastest which wasn't too bad considering that I was a little preoccupied mentally. After we finished practice and had our team debrief, I changed back into my jeans and team shirt in the transporter. As I came out of the transporter Mel took me by the hand.

"C'mon Matt, let's go and have a look at the F1 cars. I really want you to show them to me and tell me all about them." Mel asked with a smile.

"Ok Mel, let's go." I said somewhat reluctantly.

With our 'All Access' passes we headed down into the F1 pit lane. Most of the cars were out in front of their garages, as the mechanics prepared them for their running the next day. Mel and I looked at the cars and she asked me questions and I pointed out all of the various details about them.

Some of the mechanics from the teams recognised me, or had worked with me when I was racing in England and they all said hello. They asked what I was doing now and how the V8's were to race. I enjoyed speaking to them as these conversations improved my mood immensely, realising I was remembered for my driving when I was overseas.

As we headed further down the pit lane we came to the newly formed 'Orion' team. As Mel and I looked at their car, a familiar voice said hello. It was their driver Ben Anderson. Ben and I had been teammates in British F3 when I won the championship and he was a rookie, a few years younger than me. I then went up to GP2, and he stayed in F3. He won the series 2 seasons later and was now making his debut in F1.

Ben came over and said hello, and we chatted together like the old colleagues we were. I introduced Melissa to him and we talked about many things, catching up. Ben was a lot less 'arrogant' than he had been was when he was younger and we had a very good catch up.

We had been talking for 5 minutes when a female British voice called for Ben from in the garage. "Ben, Honey, come on, 'Sky' are wanting an interview in 5 minutes."

I immediately recognised the voice and looking across I could see her coming out of the garage. It was Lucy, my ex- Lucy, the woman who dumped me as soon as I lost my GP2 contract. She came strutting out of the garage and I noticed her hair was shorter, more strawberry blonde than when we were together. She was glammed up massively, wearing designer jeans, very tight shirt which exaggerated her apparently recently enhanced 'assets', fancy sunglasses and high heels that definitely did not suit the situation. Her whole outfit would have cost more than my first go kart.

When she saw that I was talking to Ben she did a slight double take, before coming over. Ben introduced Lucy to me and she shook my hand. "Hello Matt." She said, without giving the slightest impression that she knew me. Ben then introduced "Matt's wife Melissa." Lucy smiled her smarmiest smile and looked down her nose at Melissa, while still saying hello politely. What a stuck up bitch I thought to myself.

"Come on Ben. You really need to get ready for this interview." She said before turning to Melissa and I. "Nice to meet you both." She said without really meaning it.

Ben said his goodbyes to us and thanked us for saying hello. We wished him well for the weekend and he did the same to me. As they went into the garage Lucy took his hand and she turned and looked directly at me. She had the real smirk on her face almost as if to say she was so much better than I was. I just shook my head.

Mel squeezed my hand and we continued to walk down the lane. "Ben seems like a nice guy, but his girlfriend... Lucy was it... she seemed like a real piece of work."

I grinned. "Yes Lucy is a real piece of work... You realise who she was don't you?"

"No Matt, who is she?"

"She was the 'Lucy' I used to go out with. The one who dumped me when I lost the GP2 drive."

Mel looked at me incredulously. "REALLY? Oh Matt why would have gone out with her. She seemed such a ... Not nice person."

"Oh I know all about that Honey. She is so shallow and self-centred..." I said.

I was looking at Mel and she was looking into my eyes. I smiled and then leant forward and kissed her and we cuddled together.

As we moved apart I said "You know Mel, I am really glad we saw her."

"Why on Earth would you be glad to see her Matt?" Mel said with a bit of a scowl on her face.

"It reminds me just how lucky I am that I have you, how wonderful you are and how much I love, really love you."

Mel cuddled up close again and said "I love you too... Whether you are racing V8's, F1, go karts or not racing at all... I love you Matt Turner, not your job." She then kissed me again.

************

The racing that weekend was great and I had my first top 10 finishes in the last 2 races of the weekend. This included my best result of 7th on Sunday. My crew were starting to really gel together, and Adam and I were beginning to get an understanding of each other and how to communicate what was needed to get the most from the car.

After the first 2 'glamour' races of the season, we began the real work of racing every fortnight all across Australia. Victoria, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and across to Western Australia. Melissa and the girls didn't travel with me to these races as they had 'real life' back home, and we didn't want to keep taking the girls out of school. This also allowed me to really become part of the team and to concentrate on my work.

In Perth on the Wednesday before the race, Franco and I had an appearance right in town. Our team was sponsored by a bar and grill restaurant chain and traditionally on the Wednesday before the races, we would have a 'meet and greet' with fans, competition winners and ordinary patrons in the restaurant.

These were usually relaxed affairs, chatting with the fans, taking pictures and signing autographs. The event in Perth was no exception, with a good number of people in attendance as well as the regular bar and restaurant patrons. We usually spent about 90 minutes at these events, but made sure we saw all of the people who wanted to see us.

As the evening was winding down a man wandered over towards where Franco and I were standing. He had obviously been in the bar for a while beforehand as he was a little 'wobbly' in his walk. He pleasantly said hello to Franco and shook his hand, wishing him good luck for the weekend.

This man was taller than me, probably a little over 6', dark hair, early 30's, nothing outstanding. He came over towards me and extended out his hand to shake mine. I did the same and said hello.

"Hello Matt. I all saw about you on that documentary series on TV... How is 'your' wife and MY kids?" he said, with spite practically dripping from his words.

It was the classic sledge or piece of banter said many times in sporting contests all over the world. Except this time it was for real. In that split second looking at him I realised who this was. It was Paul, Mel's ex. He let go of my hand and I could see the look on his face had changed to pure anger. His right arm went back and he took a swing at me.

Thankfully as he was partially intoxicated I had time to duck and avoid the punch. However his punch connected with a nearby pillar and he cried out in pain. Security came rushing over and grabbed him, holding him.

Paul looked in pain and not just from his broken hand. I had adrenaline pumping through my veins and I began to berate him.

"You... You abandoned Melissa and your children. You dumped divorce papers on the table and left, not even saying goodbye to your kids. How could anyone do that..." I said with anger.

I was about to say more when I looked at Paul. His shoulders were slumped down and he was looking at his hand that was rapidly turning purple. The look on his face told the real story though as he looked like a broken man. It looked to me that his life hadn't turned out how he wanted and he was just angry with the world.

"Do you want to press charges Mr Turner? We can get the police here and they will take him away." One of the security men said to me.

I looked at Paul being held by the security guards and he looked as though he was thoroughly defeated.

"No mate. But get him an ambulance as that hand looks broken to me. They can take him away." I said starting to calm down again.

The security people took Paul away. Franco and our PR lady Sarah came over and made sure I was alright. We wrapped up the night a little while after this. The incident happened very quickly and was no different to thousands of other incidents that happen in bars all the time. Thankfully the incident didn't get any news time.

When we left and I returned to my hotel room I got on the phone and rang Mel. It was late back at home with the time difference when I rang and she was surprised but happy for my call.

After our initial hello's I said "I had a 'fun' night tonight at the meet and greet. I even met an old friend of yours."

"Who was that? I don't think I know anyone in Perth." She replied a little sleepily

"He said his name was Paul and he didn't like me very much."

"PAUL. What?... What happened? What was he doing there?... He spoke to you? What did he say?" Melissa babbled now sounding wide awake.

I recounted everything that happened and Melissa was so worried about me. I assured her I was alright and nothing happened to me. I told her that Paul was taken away by ambulance to have his hand treated.

When Melissa calmed down she asked me "Did you tell him that you adopted the girls?"

"No I didn't Mel. I was going to but he looked so... Defeated I decided not to rub his nose in it so to speak." I replied.

"Oh Matt honey I'm so sorry you had to go through that. He is horrible and ... I wish I could give you a cuddle to make you feel better."

"I feel fine Mel... Although, I would like that cuddle. But I won't be home till Monday."

"Well I will have more than a cuddle waiting for you then..."

************

Not long after this Melissa and I decided to actually try and add to our family. We stopped taking precautions and wanted to have a baby together.

Melissa was working and the school holidays were on. I took the girls to the workshop with me during this time. Chloe and Jessie both loved coming with me to work. They loved talking to everyone there. Jessie really took a shine to Erin who is one of the crew on my car and always wanted to go and talk with her and help her. Erin liked Jessie and let her 'help' in the work she was doing.

We had a new member join our team at this time. Jenna Saunders joined us as a new PR manager. She was hired to look after my activities and Sarah, our existing manager, would look after Franco. The role had her organising all of the promotional activities both at and away from the track, transport logistics for me to and from events, media appearances and interviews. She also looked after my 'Social Media' accounts on race weekends.

Jenna was 25, quite tall at 5'8", long blonde hair, blue eyes and glasses. She was good looking, not quite 'model' good looking but certainly a few steps up from 'the girl next door'. Jenna was also very smart, very determined, would not take no for an answer, organised but friendly. She had a great nature. Chloe really liked spending time with Jenna and Jenna seemed to like having Chloe help her in the office.

It was now the end of June and we were racing at our home track in Sydney. The team were getting better and I was improving in my driving of the car at every race. I knew the track here like the back of my hand and I was determined to do really well. We had races on both the Saturday and Sunday, and being my home event I had a lot of my family there with me. Melissa and the girls, my sister Brooke and her husband Simon and my in laws Phil and Sonia were all there enjoying the team's hospitality.

On Saturday I qualified the car in 3rd and was feeling very confident. The race began and I managed to take the lead on the third lap. It was the first time I had led a race in this series and I was really excited. The car felt great. I pitted to change tyres and the team did an excellent stop. The race was going according to plan.

I had a lead of 8 seconds, with 20 laps to go. Coming out of turn 3, I accelerated over the rise when all of a sudden the engine just stopped. I looked around the car and all the switches were in the right spots and hadn't accidently shut the engine down. I got on the radio as I guided the car off to the left edge of the circuit. "What's happened Adam? It just stopped."

"Mate we can see that. It looks like the ignition system has stopped."

I brought the car to a stop and tried a complete reset of the electronics, but it was no use. The race was done. I looked out the window and could see the second place car roar past me. I slumped in the seat, feeling absolutely gutted. I had the race in my grasp and the car let me down. I undid the belts and hopped out. I had parked the car at the back entrance to the pit area, so I started to push the car into the garage area. Some of the marshals located nearby helped and some of my crew ran across from the garages to help me.