ALICE Ch 14

The Bahrain Grand Prix results:

1. Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Bottas (Aston Martin)
3. Flores (Freedom)
4. Hamilton (Mercedes)
5. Sainz (Ferrari)
6. Ocon (AlphaTauri)
7. Wilde (FUTA)
8. Woodcock (Williams)
9. Leclerc (Ferrari)
10. Magnussen (Haas)
11. Woodcock (Williams)
12. Darcy (FUTA)

Bright lights shine on the chair in the studio. Erica Bruhl takes her seat in a familiar fashion, crossing her legs.

“What were your first thoughts after Bahrain?” the interviewer asks.

Erica counts on her fingers. “First, what a devastating race for McLaren. Second, what an exciting race for a newer driver like Valeria Flores. And third, remarkable driving from Alice Wilde to salvage a P20 start and fend off Charles Leclerc for more than forty laps. It was a wretched day for a lot of teams. But not FUTA.”

FF1

It’s all a little bit of a blur for Alice after the checkered flag. She recalls being pulled out of her car by the pit crew and lots of hugging. She remembers hugging Lora, which is the first time that’s happened. And she saw Glynda and Faye.

“I’m sorry,” Faye was saying.

“It’s all right. You brought the car back in one piece. Eight other drivers didn’t even do that,” Glynda had said, giving her a brief but reassuring hug. Then she’d spotted Alice. “Alice!” she’d shrieked, dashing over to pull her into her bosom. “That’s how it’s done, Alice! Bloody brilliant!” Alice had a face full of soft cleavage, but when Glynda finally let her up for air, she saw Faye standing over there by herself.

There was press after the race. And watching the podium, where Max, Bottas, and Val were spraying each other with champagne. Val even found a way to do that in a way that seemed aloof, yet she looked at home up there. It’s hard for Alice to get too deep in her envy. She’s mainly just relieved not to have wrecked another car.

She has dinner with Erica, where she gushes about every detail of the race in a way that’s probably embarrassing, but Erica seems to find it cute. Although Erica does excuse herself right after dinner, throwing a metaphorical bucket of water on Alice’s heightened, post-race libido.

It all goes by in a rush. Back at the hotel, after a lengthy phone call with her family, Alice takes a long, hot shower. Her thoughts are mainly on the race, but other things crowd into her mind.

Val on the podium.

Erica last night.

Getting smooshed into Glynda’s boobs this afternoon.

Faye standing by herself.

Alice sighs. That kills the mood. As she walks out of the bathroom, drying herself off as she goes, she realizes how overwhelming this is. On a night like this, there is nothing she can’t do. If she doesn’t want to spend the night alone, she doesn’t have to. It’s just a lot.

Damp and naked, she sighs again. Heavily. Behind her is a wall, and on the other side of that wall is Faye. The toy thing. And the way that she looked after the race. It’s hard to ignore.

Alice groans and goes to her suitcase. She dons panties and a pair of shorts as well as the T-shirt that she’ll sleep in then steps out into the hallway.

Two figures in white at the end of the corridor catch her eye. It takes her a moment to realize that it’s the Woodcock twins. They’re wearing fluffy hotel bathrobes.

It’s not strange that they’re here; half the teams are at this hotel, which is the best in Bahrain. The fanciest people of all like Max and Lewis will be in rented-out penthouses. Everyone else has a nice suite here. Alice is not complaining.

The Woodcock sisters spot her. Alice can see them whispering to each other.

Then in unison, they smile at her.

Should Alice check on Faye?

Or talk to the Woodcock sisters?