5. Mabel
Mabel
Feverishly tapping away at my laptop as I finish up my weekend’s marketing and strategy plans, I sit back with a sense of contentment and achievement.
There’s solid planning, and I love I am nailing this role. I can see Rayna’s icon on the screen in our shared document, a bandicoot, jumping around the page; no notes added anywhere. My phone buzzes with a message from Rayna.
Perfect weekend set up. Now take your lunch.
I smile and reply:
Will do.
Lifting my head, I see Sophia and Fleur walking in. They spot me with greeting waves.
“Mind if we join you?” Sophia asks as they approach with their lunch .
“Please!” I reply, closing my laptop and dragging my lunch over from the opposite side of the table to make room. They settle down at the table, laying out their food.
“How have things been going? Settling into the groove of it?” Fleur asks.
“Enjoying it a lot. It’s a great environment to be in,” I reply.
“She’s fit in seamlessly,” Sophia adds with her dazzling smile.
“You’re not at the hotel with us on this track?” I ask Fleur.
“Nah, I bought some property down the coast, which I stay at when we are this way.”
“It’s amazing,” Sophia notes.
“You should come down to the hotel gym when Riley does our condition training tomorrow. Get yourself out of the room. Then the three of us can hang out on the property after, I just got the spa fixed,” Fleur offers, gesturing around to us all.
“As long as it’s okay?”
“Absolutely! More the merrier.”
“Then I’m in!”
The gym the next morning was brutal, but I didn’t want to let on I was struggling. I was surprised by how intense it was for athletes who get around with engines, and Cole seemed to be the only one complaining about the session.
“Surprisingly quiet today, Riley!” Their trainer, Hamish, laughs .
“Must be getting used to your torturous ways, Ham!” Riley throws back. “Ohhh, famous last words.” Hamish rubs his palms together.
“Oh, fuck!” Riley barks out. A worried look washes across his face, to which we all do the completely mature thing and “ oooooo” together like we are in a primary school class and Riley got called to the principal’s office as we laugh.
By some miracle, I get through the session, and with jelly legs, Sophia and I pile into Fleur’s car—a cute, red Audi convertible.
The drive to her property is picturesque. Twisty, tight road hug the hills. The vibrant greens flourish and glow under the late-February sun.
We make our way up a hill to a modest, single-storey house. It’s dark wood exterior is bold and deep in contrast to the surrounding green.
“Wow,” is all I can utter as I take it in.
“Beautiful, right? I was so lucky to have found this,” Fleur beams as she also gazes out, taking in the surroundings. “I’ll give you the tour.”
Walking through the house, it’s Fleur all over. Bold yet understated. No need to be over the top when the natural beauty is so present. The dark wood flows through the minimalist house, taking centre stage. We end the tour out the back at a large spa under the patio.
Fleur gestures with her hand. “You can change in the bathroom there. I’ll pop in and get some drinks. ”
Stepping into the “bathroom” is ridiculous. Yes, it has a bathroom, but there is a long bench and storage, akin to a locker room setup. I set my bag down and change into my bikini taking a few steps around before Sophia comes in to change too.
“Insane, hey?”
“It’s amazing!”
“Go around that corner. Check it out,” she encourages.
I continue with my surveying and find a huge sauna and a room with a massage table setup.
Coming back into the locker room, Sophia is in her bikini and nods to me. “Brilliant setup, right?”
“Yeah! Sucks she has to leave this for majority of the year.”
Sophia nods. “It would definitely make it hard for me to leave. Guess that’s why she bought here. She can spend the most time of the year here; off-season, preseason, and the first month of the season here.”
“Makes sense.”
We hear the rattle of glasses being placed down outside, and head out to see Fleur setting out some juice, water, and snacks for us around the spa.
“Let’s get in and relax!” Fleur exclaims, already in her bikini and waving towards the spa.
The water is the perfect temperature. Even though it's February and warm under the Victorian sun, this is on the south coast of Melbourne, and the cool air from Antarctica ensures it’s not too hot.
The view is hard to pull your eyes away from. Rolling green hills surround the house. In the distance, moving black blobs of the far neighbouring cows mind their own business. I could get lost here.
“How has Riley been to room with?” Sophia asks.
“Great! We get along well, so it’s not been an issue,” I reply.
“Has he mentioned his sister at all?” Fleur asks.
“Just that Kiara is normally here with him. Did they have a falling out? Is that why she isn’t here?”
Fleur and Sophia share a look.
“It’s not our place to say. I’m sure he’ll explain what happened when he’s ready,” Fleur replies, and I can see a regretful look pass over her face.
“That was so sweet of him to offer you his spare room,” Sophia gushes.
“Yeah, but that’s Riley, right?” Fleur adds.
“I was wondering if he was legit with that. Like, who does that?” I ask.
“Riley is really considerate when he’s not being an annoying little brother-type,” Fleur replies and we all laugh in agreement.
“Do you have any of your family around here?” I direct to Fleur.
“Nah. I’ve never had a good relationship with them, so I stay to myself. Haven’t spoken to them since I was a teenager.” Fleur looks out to the rolling hills and squints against the sun behind her sunglasses, the silence falling thick between us for several minutes .
“Sorry. It’s all good. They just aren’t nice people. Better to keep them out so I can focus on myself and my career.”
“Thanks for sharing,” Sophia directs to Fleur, placing a hand on hers.
Fleur smiles and looks to her glass. “Not the type of convo to be had with no alcohol in our cups.”
“My relationship with my parents is really strained,” I offer.
“They're set in their ways, and it took me starting therapy to come to terms with the fact that I won’t be able to change how they behave and their attitudes. It was one of the reasons I wanted to move from rally to bikes. I can travel with the team now, where before, I would race home as soon as the rally weekend was done because I didn’t want to deal with them guilting me.
But my therapist was really helpful and supported me when I thought about switching and travelling here.
I knew it was time to put the distance between us.
And it has already been so much calmer. I can’t believe the stranglehold they had over my happiness and mental wellbeing. ”
“That’s a really powerful move to recognise that. Well done,” Fleur comments with a smile.
I nod and smile. A shared understanding.
“How about you, Sophia? Awful or amazing parents?” I ask.
Fleur swaps her hand and puts it on top of Sophia’s, who smiles at the gesture. “I had amazing parents. Dad passed away when I was twelve from prostate cancer, and Mum had a heart attack a year and a bit ago.”
“Shit, I am so sorry.” I instantly regret asking .
“No, don’t be. It’s ok. I mean, yeah, it does suck. But there isn’t anything I can do about the situation.”
“Plus, you had Javi Bear to secretly console you last year,” Fleur teases to lift the mood.
Sophia rolls her eyes and laughs. “You hang out with them too much.”
“Kinda my co-workers there.”
“Hang on, secretly console you?! You’ve gotta tell me the story now!”
Sophia regales us with the story of what happened between her and Javi last season. The secret romance, the support he showed her when she needed it the most, and the ultimate accepting of her developed feelings once she felt she was ready to let someone into her heart.
“Well, if I wasn’t a puddle of jealousy of you before, I definitely am now. That all sounds so romantic,” I gush.
“Yeah, it was pretty fucking adorable,” Sophia replies wistfully.
“Alright, I am pruney and I need more food other than these nibbles. Did we want lunch?” Fleur announces, stepping out of the spa.
My stomach growls at the mention of lunch, and I have no choice but to agree.
“The bathroom you changed in has showers all set up, so take your time. I’ll make us some lunch,” Fleur offers.
After lunch, Fleur drives us back to the hotel. Javi waves Sophia over in the hotel as he stands around, chatting with Dave and a brunette woman. “See you tomorrow.” Sophia nods with a squeeze on my shoulder and moves to join them.
Continuing up to the room, I hear Riley finishing up a call with his parents as I enter the room.
“Hey. How was your day?” he asks as he shuts his laptop.
“Great! Fleur’s property is beautiful.”
“Yeah, it’s incredible there at night.”
“Hey, so, the girls asked me if you had mentioned Kiara to me? Did you have a falling out, and that’s why they were asking how you were going?”
Riley’s face turns from happy to solemn in an instant, and I regret asking him such a personal question. “Sorry, you don’t have to tell me if it’s too much.” I raise my hands up.
“No, it’s okay. I’ve wanted to share this with you but haven’t found the right time.” He inhales deeply.