(italics are spoken in Spanish)

Upon arriving in Milton Keynes, Max, Celia, and Harper hopped into a car headed for the Red Bull Racing HQ. Harper dozed off during the drive, resting on her mom's lap with her feet on her dad's lap.

Suddenly, Celia's phone rang, showing a Facetime call from her dad, Maximo Morales. "Hola, Papa," Celia greeted warmly as she answered.

"Hola querida," Maximo replied, "busy?"

"No, just on the way to work," Celia responded, glancing at Harper who shifted in her arms, "did you need something?"

"Just checking in to see how my granddaughter is," Maximo said as Celia adjusted the camera to show Harper asleep in her arms.

"She's sleeping. We had to wake up early for the flight because apparently a storm is about to hit."

"Oh, be careful, my dear," Maximo cautioned. "Is Max with you?"

Celia nodded, redirecting the camera to Max, who flashed a friendly smile at the screen. "Hey, Maximo," he greeted warmly.

"Max, son, how are you?" Maximo's voice exuded warmth and pride. "It's been so long since we've heard from you."

"Yeah, that's my fault. I've been busy with the races," Max admitted with a sheepish grin, "but that's not an excuse."

"Don't worry about it," Maximo reassured him. "We've been keeping up with your races, we're so proud of you. Keep winning those races," he encouraged, his eyes shining with pride.

"Thanks, I'm giving it my all," Max replied, his smile widening. He cherished the support and encouragement he received from Celia's dad, especially considering his own father's distant demeanor.

"You're doing great, keep it up, son," Maximo continued as his tone turned more serious. "When we heard Celia wants to return to racing, Lucila and I were so worried. It's a big gap she's filling."

Max nodded in understanding, empathizing with their concerns. "But knowing you're her teammate is comforting," Maximo added, his voice filled with trust and gratitude. "Take good care of my daughter this time, promise me, you'll look after her at all times."

"Of course I will," Max assured him sincerely, "I promise."

Maximo's smile was gentle yet assured. "Good, good. I know she's in good hands as long as she's with you," he said before Celia redirected the camera to herself.

"Okay, enough catching up," Celia intervened, "where's Mom?"

"She's on set," Maximo replied, "and I'm headed to work too. Just wanted to make sure you reached safely. So, I'll call you later and talk to Harper, okay? Take care, my dear."

"You too, Dad, bye," Celia bid farewell before ending the call.

Celia sighed, tucking her phone away. "Sorry about Dad, he's been like this since I told them about returning to F1," she confided in Max, who shook his head.

"Don't worry, he didn't say anything wrong," Max reassured her.

"Yeah, but it's not okay for him to make you promise to look after me," Celia pointed out, "that's not your responsibility."

"It kind of is," Max countered, meeting her soft gaze. "I mean, you're my teammate, so that's one reason to look after you. And even more importantly, you're my daughter's mother. How could I not look after you?"

Celia hummed, reflecting on his words. It was true; their connection ran deep, with their daughter being a constant consideration in their decisions and actions.

"It's honestly great that Maximo still accepts me and treats me like a son after everything, you know," Max reflected after a brief silence, "I mean, after everything... I don't want to let him down. Not again."

"He's always going to be proud of you, Max," Celia reassured him, "even when there was a time he told me he's going to kill you the next time he sees you, I'd still catch him secretly watching all your races and smiling when you won," she added, prompting a sad smile from Max.

"Even then, it means so much to me that they forgave me and accepted me back into their lives after everything," Max admitted, "well, at least Maximo did. I don't think Lucila still likes me very much."

At that, Celia chuckled briefly. "Well, she's good at holding grudges. She's my mother, after all."

Max nodded, his smile softening. It was true; Maximo's forgiveness was significant after Max's past mistakes. However, Lucila's attitude towards him remained distant, and Max understood that she merely tolerated his presence for the sake of Harper and Maximo.

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They arrived at the HQ, and Max exited the car first. The driver opened the door for Celia, and Max lifted Harper in his arms before Celia stepped out too.

Looking around, Celia sighed softly. It had been years since she had last visited the HQ, only her second time actually. The first time was when Max signed his contract with RBR in 2016. He had invited her along, and she had agreed.

Now, nearly seven years later, she found herself back here. But this time, it was her signing a contract with RBR, and Max was the one accompanying her.

'How times have changed,' she thought to herself as they were greeted by Christian's assistant, Dan, who then guided them into the HQ.
 

As they entered, Christian greeted them warmly in his office, giving Celia a hug while Max settled Harper on the couch where she continued to sleep.

"She'll be fine here," Christian assured, "Martha will stay with her the whole time. Let's head to the conference room now; the lawyers have been waiting."

Celia glanced back at Harper once more before following Christian, with Max close behind. In the conference room, Christian introduced Celia to RBR's lawyers responsible for the contracts. Celia's personal lawyer joined via Facetime.

"Congratulations on your return to F1, Miss Morales," the RBR lawyer said, "my family are big fans of yours." Celia thanked him with a soft smile as he went on.

"We've prepared a standard contract for you for this 2023 season only," the RBR lawyer explained. "We understood you might be unsure about continuing after that. Is that correct?"

Celia nodded, explaining, "Yes, I'm not entirely sure about my long-term plans in F1. My daughter always comes first, so I want to ensure she isn't neglected while I'm focused on racing. That's why I wanted to start with a contract for just the remainder of the 2023 season, and then decide what to do next."

The lawyer nodded, jotting down notes. "I see. And you've requested a clause allowing you to withdraw from a Grand Prix if necessary and with proper reasoning, with a reserve driver replacing you then?"

Celia affirmed, "Yes, exactly. My daughter's needs are my priority, and I may need to be present for her at any time."

Christian chimed in, expressing his support, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Despite some uncertainty from fans, I have no doubt about your abilities, Celia. I want you to complete the rest of this season alongside Max."

Celia smiled gratefully, "Thank you for your trust. I may be a bit rusty after my break, but I promise to give my best for the team."

With a smile, Christian nodded, and the meeting continued, discussing the contract's terms and conditions. It was lengthy, but once finalized, Celia's return to F1 would be official. Despite her nerves, she felt a rush of excitement at the prospect of racing again, alongside her friends, on those iconic circuits she had missed dearly.