F1 One Shots II

#74 Mick - Torn ligament

5:30 IN THE MORNING
NARRATOR POV: Mick is suddenly woken up from his peacfull sleep, but not by what you think, as an ringing alarm clock. He woke up from the noises comming from their home gym.
Still half asleep, he covers his burning eyes with his right arm, which is a clear sign that he hasn't slept enough and is still suffering from the jet lag, caused by crossing several time zones in the space of a week.
With a three-week break from racing, due to cancelation of the race in China, Mick hoped that he could re-ajust his biological clock to European time-zone and rest for at least a bit, before the race in Baku, Azerbaijan. To do that, his recent activities, apart from light training to stay in shape, were relaxing walks, lazy days at home, romantic dates and spending time with their families and friends.
Apparently, Maddie has different agenda than him, as Mick hears music coming from their gym, which his girlfriend also uses as the "training room" for her dance practises. She's full time dancer, student and a qualified teacher, so she also has lots on her plate.
Mick just lies there, wide awake now, thinking about whether he should get up and check on her, or try and get back to sleep. But the dilema is short, as he draws back the covers soon after that and throwing a hoodie on himself, steps out of their bedroom, to check on Maddie. She's his top priority after all...
Maddie, who is even more workaholic than he was in his "Haas days" and can try to go more than 24 hours without any sleep, barerly eating, to just get something done perfect. Right now, in week time, she has another dance competition, where she has 2 solos, a duet and 4 group numbers, apart from coaching her 2 dance groups and studies. It also meant that in her mind everything needs to be perfect to succed and bring next trophies home, to make herself and her family proud.

With a big yawn, Mick walks towards the gym area of the house and blinks hard at the sudden brightness in the room.
Maddie is going over another full out of one of her contemporary group dances, panting and out of breath, while her hair escaped the high ponytail and is flowing everywhere, while she's spining in al-secondes'. She's once again driven by the mentality that, if it's perfect when she's dead tired, it will be perfect in any surcoumstances.
-Mad, Liebling, what are you doing awake at the crack of dawn?- Mick asks softly, but firmly, when she ends the choreo and their gazes meet through the large, full wall mirrors. He's still standing in the doorway, leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest.
-I need it to be perfect..- Maddie pants in reply, as she bends down to pick up her water-bottle with electolytes in it, to take 2 large chugs, before she's playing the music again, to start dancing. At first Mick wants to object, that she won't do herself any good while dancing tired (it's more likely to cause injuries, when she's not focused and councious enough), but bites his tongue instead, knowing what it can cause. A temper tantrum at best, or quiet days without talking which he despises as hell. He watches her instead, how she glied around the floor, one with the music, exactly how he's with the car when he drives, but deffinitely more effordless-like and beautiful. He only speaks up when she's finished once again and the music died down to complete silence accept Maddies' erratic breating.
-Come on, let's go to the living room. I'll make delitious breakfast for us and you can drink your favourite iced-tea I prepared yesterday. Then we can go for a run with Angie- Mick suggests, and finaly gets a reaction from her, as she turned to him, to look at him for real, dripping with sweat and panting, her hair completely undone and crazy.
-I already jogged around the house when it was still pitch black, for a warm up before streaching and dancing- she says, matter of factly, and drinks again from the bottle, before beating him up to it and speaking up again -Running is the best to warm up your musles before streaching and I didn't feel like doing it on the machine. The air is better outside!
-I don't doubt it Liebling, you know what's best, but overtraining is counterproductive. If you put yourself through this dancethron (dance-marathon) you'll tire yourself to the point where you won't be able to move tomorrow, and that's only the top of the unpleasant consequences you're gonna have, like pain all over and discomfort. And, God forbid, you could end up with injuries and fractures!
-Well, if I tear any ligament I can put kinesio bands over it and still dance. I've done that before.
-I know, but we both know how it ended afterwards!- Mick argued, not aproving this tipe of aproach. After the torn ligament she danced, sure, but then she was out for half of the competition season with broken bone and back problems, preventing her from sitting upright for long periods of time. However, this does not give the girl the right to bring up that situation every time she is stressed out before any major competition or any event in that matter.

By now Mick knows how to disarm his girlfriend off any arguments and make her see clear again, witnessing that type of behaviour too many times since the accident to not have learned how to handle it. So Mick doesn't give in to Maddie's opinion, avoids getting angry with her, losing control or accusing her.
-I'm going to prepare you a bath while you finish your full outs and, maybe, finally you try to put your health first for once!- with that comment he left the gym, not waiting for her reply.

**** *****
Mick is filling the tub with water and scented salts when a cry of pain makes him drop everything he's been holding and rush back into the gym where he left Maddie.
One look makes him see Maddie, lying on the floor, with tear tracks on her flushed cheeks, as she's holding her left knee close to her chest.
-Liebe, what happened?!- he's beside her in seconds.
-I...
-Breath for me, alright. I got you, it's alright!- he tries to calm her down at least a bit, to know what happened.
-I did an aerial, but when I landed on my left leg.. It buckled under me, as the floor is too slipery and I fell..- she explained, gritting her teeth in pain.
-Ok.. Let me look..- Mick says calmly and gently pries her shaking hands from the already swollen flesh -I'm taking you to the doctor. It's not looking good- he decides firmly, looking her in the eye. For once, Maddie doesn't fight him.
Making her walk is pointless, as it'll only spike up the injury, so Mick has to carry Maddie to the car, muttering affectionate:
-Stupid balerina!

AT THE HOSPITAL
After an X-ray, a rather short visit to an orthopedist and understandably serious reprimands over the phone coutesy to Gina and both their moms, at midday, Maddie finds herself on the sofa in their living room, with her leg bandaged up and raised on a cushion in confortable position. Maddie looks at her knee in resignation, and then her gaze drifts to Mick, as he comes back from the kitchen with an ice pack.
-Just don't say "I told you so!". Torn ligament in knee is enough of a punishment! Besides, Gina already told me that!- Maddie pleaded, not happy, as Mick placed the ice pack on her aching knee, wrapped in a kitchen towel to not be too cold.
-I know you're angry about that missed competition, but you still have long season ahead of you, so you'll bring even more throphies than before when you return to health, I'm sure of it!- he reasured her and kissed her forehead in compassion, seeing how Maddie blushed guiltly at his words.
-You think?
-Of course! You're my super-star, don't you?!
-I guess...- she agreed and sighed, making Mick laugh.
But instead of the bitey responce, Maddie leans back and relaxes as much as she can, as she pulls her boyfriend to herself, still carefull about her knee.
-I mean, we needed to buy a new book-case for them anyway, so we have the time now..- Maddie comented, smiling into the kiss Mick pressed onto her lips.
-Anything you want Princess...- she feels extriemly happy, even with the curent curcumstances.
After all, she has everything she wants by her side....
THE END

Looks like someone needed a break...?!
Have a nice day! / Goodnight!
F.