Back to the Present
"I did not understand his words about the lap timings and all then, but I remembered every word he had told me. After a few years as I grew up, all he had said started to make sense, and I worked hard every day towards it until I achieved it three years ago," Liam said.
"Then your uncle must be really proud of you, right?" Lea asked.
After a few seconds of silence, Liam said, "He would have been if he could see me now, but…"
"What happened, Liam?" Lea asked.
"A few years ago, he met with an accident, and since then, he has been in a coma. All the doctors have given up hope of him waking up," Liam said.
"I... I am sorry... I didn't know," Lea stammered, hearing the information shared with her.
"It's okay, it is all in the past now. Don't burden yourself with this. I just got a bit emotional coming back to this place," Liam comforted Lea.
Lea gave him a reassuring smile in return.
Lea did not know why, after hearing about Liam's uncle, she was feeling empty inside, as if she had lost something very important to her, but she could not pinpoint it correctly. Then she consoled herself by saying that she might be feeling bad for Liam.
On the other side, what Lea did not notice was when Liam was speaking about his uncle's current condition, his full concentration was on her. He was observing her every action and the emotional changes she went through.
He wanted to see if she might slip up hearing this news, but he could not see any emotion he expected to see. She just reacted like any outsider would react to this news.
"Is she really not her? Am I just thinking too much about this? After all, he was her father, how can she be so calm?" Liam thought to himself.
There was silence between them for a few minutes, each lost in their thoughts as they looked at the racing track before them. This silence was broken by a phone call Lea received from Ria.
"Lea, we are here. From which gate should we enter? The main gate is locked, and there is a hell lot of crowd outside," Ria said.
"Come through the west gate. I have informed the security. Just tell them I have invited you guys," Lea answered.
"Okay, bye, see you inside," Ria cut the call after that.
After the call, she said to Liam, "They are here. Let's go meet them."
"Let's go," Liam replied, and then they left to catch up with their friends.