We're in This Together

Episode 41

"Jennie!" As I entered the cafe, Adie swiftly ran up to me, and I scooped her up into my arms, swinging her around.

"Adie! I've missed you so much," I said, showering her with kisses all over her face, eliciting giggles from her. As I playfully continued the kissing game with Adie, Lewis also entered the cafe.

"Now you're back," Lexa walked out from behind the counter and gave me a small hug.

"Hi, Lewis," Dan greeted with a small wave, to which Lewis responded in kind.

"Hi there," Lexa greeted him too. "Thanks for bringing her back safely," she added with a playful smirk, which made Lewis chuckle in response.

"Don't worry, I'll protect her at all costs," Lewis replied with chuckles, while I gently nudged Lexa's arm and shot her a sidelong glance. Then, I turned my attention back to the little girl in my arms, who was still rubbing her cheek against mine playfully, prompting giggles from both of us as we exchanged Eskimo kisses.

"I've missed you so much," I said, pretending to pout.

"I miss you more," Adie replied, resting her head on my shoulder. As I attempted to engage Lewis in conversation, he was already gazing at us with a softened smile until our eyes met. I gave him a quick, small smile before returning to the conversation.

"Thank you for accompanying today, Lewis," I added with a soft smile.

"No problem, Jen. I should be the one thanking you," he responded with a gentle smile.

"It's only day one, and are you already turning into a Ferrari brand ambassador?" Dan joked, chuckling. 

"No, I'm not," I replied with a playful frown, glancing at him.

"But you look like you're modeling for an advertisement," Lexa remarked, pointing to the jacket I had received from Charles and was wearing. I quickly checked my jacket before objecting to Lexa's observation.

"Oh, you mean this?" I paused and pointed to my jacket. "I got this from Charles because I had a huge coffee stain on my tank top when I accidentally collided with a waitress in the lounge room," I swiftly added with a small giggle. As soon as I finished speaking, Lewis chimed in without hesitation.

"Did you get hurt? ...or any burns? You should have told me, Jen," he asked quickly, his expression filled with concern, catching me off guard with his sudden worry. Not only was I caught off guard, but Lexa and Dan were also looking at each other, surprised by Lewis's reaction.

"Oh, I'm fine, Lewis. Luckily, the coffee was already cold, and I didn't get burned," I paused and looked at him. "And thanks for caring, but you know I've already made all of you guys feel like babysitting me in the paddock. So, I just didn't think to mention this small thing," I added, giving him a reassuring smile to assure him that I was truly okay.

He slowly nodded in acknowledgment, his gaze still fixed on my Ferrari jacket until Dan joined our conversation.

"Lewis, would you like to grab something?" Dan asked.

"Yeah, I'd like to treat you for taking care of my Jennifer Alison," Lexa added with a wink, prompting chuckles from me and a playful eye roll.

"Oh, please, don't mention it so much," Lewis replied with soft laughter. "Taking care of Miss Jennifer Alison is also part of my job. So, I don't need anything in return." He gave me a playful wink, causing a slight blush to spread across my cheeks, and I laughed softly to ease my shyness.

"Well then, I'll leave for now," he said, starting to make his way out.

"Thank you so much for today, Lewis," I added, giving him a grateful smile.

"You're welcome, Jen," he replied, nodding with a warm smile. Then, he turned his attention to Adie, who had fallen asleep on my shoulder, hugging my neck.

"I think she's fallen asleep," he whispered, gently checking on her. As he observed Adie's peaceful sleeping form, his eyes softened even more, and he let out a soft chuckle, softly squeezing her chubby cheeks with his fingers. "She's so cute," he added, looking back at me.

"Yeah, that's why Adie is my all-time favorite," I replied with a wink, causing him to laugh softly, careful not to wake Adie. After bidding us farewell with a wave, he stepped out of the cafe and drove away in his black sleeve Mercedes car. As he disappeared from sight, I let out a sigh of exhaustion, still carrying Adie in my arms.

"Go and take a rest now, Jennifer," Lexa urged, handing me a small package.

"What's this?" I asked, furrowing my brow.

"It's chicken soup made by Aunt May," she explained, placing it in my hand. "Go and rest now, you look like you're about to pass out," she added, gently pushing me towards the door.

"Thank you, Lex," I whispered, moving only my lips. She nodded and gestured me to go home with a small wave. With that, I headed back to my apartment, still carrying my precious baby girl in my arms. As I walked, memories flooded back, reminding me of the time I first arrived in London with a five-month-old Adeline. Reflecting not only on the old times but also on the worst times of my life, I marveled at how far I had come. Now, I was Jennifer Alison: a mother to a beautiful daughter, an art professor at Oxford University, the proud owner of a small apartment in downtown London, blessed with a wonderful best friend who owned a cafe, and embarking on a new journey as a campaign volunteer alongside the famous former Formula 1 driver, Sebastian Vettel.

It may seem like I have a wonderful or delightful life now, and I won't deny that. Compared to my past, I truly am living an extremely delightful life. But before I became the Jennifer Alison you see today, I was a young orphan teenager who faced numerous failures while caring for 5-month-old baby after my brother's tragic suicide in my bathroom.

You might be wondering how it all began and how I transformed into the independent young woman standing on her own feet with a small child in the midst of the cruel world, here in London.

It all began in a small town in California on the day of a five-years-old girl's birthday. That girl was me, Jennifer Hal Alison...

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From Next Episode there will be only Jennifer's flashback times.~~~

Hope you guys love it 🫶🫶