Racing Bac to Love

My apologies for the delay in getting this completed. Computer issues meant that I had to completely re-write this.

This story starts from where the first part finished, so you may wish to read that before continuing.

*****

The team were all there after we finished in third place at the biggest race of the year. There were lots of handshakes and congratulations. Mel, the girls, my sister Brooke and her husband Simon were all there too enjoying the celebration. Chloe and Jessie even went and sat in the racing car. After a short while Mel took me by the arm to a quiet corner of the garage.

"I'm so proud of you Matt. You drove so well. I love you so much."

"I love you so much too."

Mel looked nervous and began biting her bottom lip. I asked "What's troubling you Honey? You look worried."

Mel sighed and said "Ummm Matt... I'm pregnant." She looked down a little.

The big smile I already had on my face only got bigger. I was so happy. "Oh Mel, that's wonderful." I said as I wrapped my arms around her and kissing her.

"I thought you might be upset Matt. We weren't trying to have ..."

"No Mel. Why would I be upset? We will be adding to our family. That is great news. You have made a great day even better."

We cuddled together, holding each other close, celebrating our amazing news together. I kissed her again and a thought raced into my head.

"Mel I do have one concern." I said.

Mel who had been looking happier suddenly looked worried again. "What is it?"

I had a serious look on my face. "We will have to redecorate the office now to be the nursery." I said with a laugh.

Mel laughed with me. "I love you Matt."

"I love you Mel."

************

We kept the news of Mel's pregnancy to ourselves, not even telling Chloe and Jessie that they were going to be big sisters. It was still very early days, only a little over 3 weeks actually and was a big surprise as we weren't trying yet to start adding to our family. Mel and I worked out it must have happened when we 'celebrated' our engagement.

Mel and I had planned to get married the following year, possibly in March or April, while the weather was still warm. With our very exciting news we decided to bring our plans forward and get married this December. Mel wanted to be married before she had our baby, but also didn't want to be 'too pregnant' on our wedding day. So we got busy getting this all organised.

By pulling in a few favours from friends, we were able to organise our wedding date to be 3rd December. We were only going to have a small ceremony, just family and close friends, about 60 people in all. The ceremony was to be held in a vineyard not far from where we lived, with the reception in the restaurant there on site.

While my personal life was wonderfully hectic, my professional life got even busier after the great result we achieved at Bathurst. I had lots of interest from other teams wanting me to drive for them for the following season. Some wanted me for the endurance races and others wanted me for the whole season or even multi-year deals. I was flattered by all the attention, but I told them all that I would only negotiate a week after my contract was finished for this season.

For my final race of the year I travelled to the Gold Coast alone. The girls had things on at their schools and Jessie was getting organised to go into 'big school' the following year. It was hard to be away from them, particularly as Melissa was suffering with morning sickness. As Mel hadn't been sick like this with either of the girls, she somehow thought that she was going to have a boy. While I was at the races I spoke to Melissa as often as I could and she watched on TV at home, recording the races so we could watch it together.

The racing up there was tough work. I had never raced on the Gold Coast before and being a street track it was like racing in a 'concrete canyon' with very little room for mistakes. I was pleased with my own performances, getting quicker every time I went on track. We finished 8th in the race on Saturday and a very commendable 4th in the rain on Sunday. My stints in the car went without incident, and while I would have liked to have been even faster than I was, I kept the car in one piece for our lead driver Sam to work his magic.

Outside of the car however the atmosphere within the team was a little strange. There was nothing that I could specifically put my finger on as to what was wrong. Everyone was great to me, but things in the crew around our car felt a little strained.

After the race Team Boss Andrew came up to me and thanked me for my efforts. He appreciated what I brought to the team and he said he would be in touch very soon. I again thanked him again for the opportunity to drive for them. After saying goodbyes to all the crew I headed home late that Sunday evening.

On the Monday I was at home with Melissa. The girls were at school and pre-school, and we were watching my races from the weekend on replay, cuddling together when my phone rang. It was Andrew from the racing team. He was ringing me from his personal phone, not from his office. He asked me to come down to the offices the following morning for a meeting. He wanted me to also bring down my passes and team shirts as cover for the meeting. I was also to enter via the workshop and not the main doors.

I told Mel about this and she laughed at all the 'cloak and dagger' stuff they wanted me to do. Something was definitely up.

I left early for the drive to Sydney. Melissa was also up as she was feeling very sick. Her morning sickness had been a constant presence everyday but today it was a lot stronger. I almost rang Andrew to cancel the meeting, but Melissa insisted that I go. She assured me she would be alright.

Arriving at team headquarters, Andrew greeted me at the workshop entrance and we went straight to his office. Sitting there he told me that my co driver Sam had signed with another team for the following season, and he was taking his engineer Bryan with him. I immediately realised that this was the cause of the 'strange atmosphere' over the weekend.

Andrew then offered me a two year contract driving full time in car 14. We then discussed who would be my engineer. Many names were suggested, before I brought up our data engineer Adam. He and I had a great rapport and I felt he knew his stuff. Andrew agreed with my suggestion.

By this stage the team were working on the cars in the workshop. Andrew called Adam up to the offices and after his initial surprise at seeing me there in the office, he was told about the plans for the next season. Adam was very eager for the opportunity, agreeing to terms and would be my engineer for the following season. Adam and I planned to catch up properly after the team got back from the races in New Zealand in a fortnights time. This was to be just before Melissa and I were to get married. All of this was to remain quiet, as there was going to be a full announcement in January. We all shook hands and as it was now nearly lunchtime I left the building through the front door.

I tried to ring Melissa on my way home as I couldn't wait to tell her the good news. She wasn't answering the home phone or her mobile. I finally arrived into my street at about 3pm and I could see the girls were playing with their Grandad in his front yard. I pulled up in our driveway and was about to head over to Phil and Sonia's house when Sonia came out from my house. She looked very sad.

I was about to ask what was wrong when she said "Go in and be with Melissa. She needs you Matthew." Sonia gave me a motherly hug and I headed inside.

I entered our room and Melissa was curled up on the bed. Her face was stained with tears and it looked like she had been crying for hours. Mel looked up at me and held her arms out. I went straight down and sat next to her, wrapping my arms around her. She buried her face in my shoulder and held me tight, still sobbing.

After a short time she moved her face from my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. I had never seen a sadder face. Still sobbing Mel managed to say what was wrong. "Oh Matt. I'm so sorry. I... I lost the baby..."

Tears immediately fell down my face. I held her close to me as I started to cry as well. The sadness I felt was unimaginable. I was worried immediately about Melissa. "Are you alright Mel?" I asked.

She looked at me and just nodded her head, managing a little smile before scrunching her face up in sadness again and cuddling back up to me. We stayed arm in arm for ages, consoling each other as best as we could.

After this, the events of earlier in the day paled into insignificance...

************

It took a little while to get back to some sort of normality after this. I won't say we got over it, because I don't think that you ever get over something like this. The only good thing was that this had occurred so early in the pregnancy. Mel and I went to the doctors and she was given a clean bill of health. As the doctor said these things happen and they happen more often than you realise. It just wasn't meant to be.

Mel and I kept ourselves busy with organising the final details of our wedding and honeymoon, and getting things set up for Christmas. I too was busy continuing to train to ready myself for my full time drive the next season.

As Melissa was still working and I was at home, I took care of Chloe and Jessie a lot of the time. I was doing all of the little things that needed to be done like getting them ready for school in the mornings, taking them there and picking them up. I had to work out all the things that Mel seemed to do by instinct. I learnt how to do their hair properly, what they liked for lunch and dinner, their bedtime routines and all the little details of their lives.

I soon learnt all about their school friends and their teachers, what they liked to watch on TV, the books they liked and the games they played on the computer. I also got to know they liked to fight with each other, about almost anything, and that Jessie liked to stir Chloe up all the time, mostly just to get Chloe's attention.

The girls started to confide in me, even when Melissa was home. When we all were relaxing after dinner, watching TV, either of the girls would sit on the lounge and cuddle up to me and the other with Melissa. Even though they weren't my children, I loved them like they were my own. Mel and I discussed this as we were planning our wedding and we worked out what we wanted to do.

Even with life being somewhat normal I began to feel that something was missing, like there was something that I needed to do. I was at home by myself one day; Mel was at work and the girls at school and pre-school. My sister Brooke and husband Simon were away on tour with their band, up in Queensland. I thought about whom I would usually have shared news with. My brain clicked when I realised what I hadn't done.

The following day Melissa wasn't working so I took her for a drive. It was an overcast day, but it didn't look like it would rain. She asked where we were going and I said it was to do something I should have done a lot earlier. Mel could see that I had something in mind, so she just rested her hand on my leg and squeezed a little, letting me know she was there.

Arriving at our destination, Mel looked across at me with reassurance written all over her face. She smiled and gave me a hug. "Yes Matt, this is a good idea." She said quietly.

We hopped out of the car at the Memorial Gardens. It took a little while but we found where my parent's ashes were interned. It was in a raised garden with flowers around the plaque. I hadn't been here since after their cremation some 8 months earlier.

I was already tearing up as I brushed some small pieces of dirt off the plaque. Mel and I sat down on the wall of the garden, right near the plaque. She squeezed my hand and blinking back tears of her own she quietly said to me "Go on Matt. Tell them our news."

I took a deep breath. "Hi Mum and Dad. Sorry I haven't been out to see you ... Life has been very busy." I smiled at Melissa and she nodded back.

"I suppose I should tell you what has been happening since I have come back home. Mum and Dad you remember Melissa from down the road... Oh that's right you saw her last year when she was getting... Why didn't you tell me then you had seen Melissa?... Anyway I met up with Mel once I moved back home and we fell in love... Actually we were always in love, or at least I realised I that I always had loved her... Well Mum and Dad I asked Melissa to marry me and she said yes."

Mel put her arm around me and said "I do love Matt very much. Thomas and Susan, I can't thank you enough for raising such a wonderful, loving, caring son. He means the world to me...". The tears were now running down her face.

"I realised yesterday that I hadn't told you about us getting married and I should have. So here we are today." I continued. I held Melissa again and dried her tears.

"We have some other news as well... Not quite so good unfortunately. Mel and I were going to have a baby but... we are no longer pregnant now." I sniffled. "We both know that these things happen and they do happen a lot. We weren't even trying to have kids. Mel is alright and we ..." I looked across at Mel and she looked back at me lovingly.

"It is like we love each other even more now... If that were possible... Mum and Dad I know Mel and I will have children one day. It just wasn't meant to be right now." I said.

Melissa and I sat there for a little while longer as we talked about Chloe and Jessie, how they were looking forward to our wedding and our plans for them, how Phil and Sonia were also happy that we were getting married. I also talked about how well Brooke and Simon were going with their music and the fact that I now had a full time racing contract. It was cathartic to share all this news with them.

When we finished talking, Melissa and I felt happy we had come and done this. I was never a spiritual person, but sharing all our news with them really did feel good. As we were leaving I said "We are getting married on the 3rd of December and ... Well we know you will be there. Bye Mum and Dad." I kissed my hand and reached down and touched their plaque.

As we started to walk away the clouds parted and the sun shone down on Melissa and me. This lasted for about 10 seconds before the clouds moved together again. I looked across at Mel and she just smiled, taking hold of my hand and continuing to walk to our car.

**********

December rolled around and we were married on a beautiful warm summer's afternoon. The setting was brilliant but this could not compare to how gorgeous Melissa looked when she walked down the aisle to me. Her gown was simple but so elegant, her auburn hair was out over her bare shoulders, her green eyes were sparkling and she had a smile that couldn't be moved from her face. When we publicly declared our love and commitment to each other in front of our friends and family, it was the happiest moment I had ever experienced.

We honeymooned for a week in Fiji, staying at a beautiful island resort. The weather was perfect, the hospitality wonderful and my wife; well she is the most beautiful woman I have ever known. We relaxed in each other's company, lazing by the pool drinking cocktails, loving life and loving being married.

Melissa surprised me by wearing a rather skimpy bikini when on our honeymoon and she looked incredible. I couldn't keep my hands off her. She loved this and we enjoyed each other's company on many, many occasions.

On the second day we were down on the beach, relaxing on our sun lounges, enjoying the afternoon. We were virtually by ourselves as our villa opened straight onto our little section of beach.

I turned to Mel and said "Do you realise Mel that on our honeymoon now it is the longest we have ever been together just the two of us? You know with no kids, no parents or friends around, just us."

Mel popped her sunglasses up, leant across from her sun lounge, and kissed me. Her lips parted and she tasted me. I returned favour, our tongues dancing together. Our embrace became passionate. As our lips parted she smiled at me and said "I know. Isn't it great?"

I kissed her again and replied "Yes it is."

We kissed again and began to embrace. Hands started to wander as we caressed each other, sharing our love. Mel broke away from our embrace, sitting back on her lounge. She took a drink from her glass, finishing it, leaving only the ice cubes in the bottom of the glass. She kissed me again and took off her sunglasses, placing them down on the table between our lounges.

Mel sat there for a second and I returned to lying back down, relaxing. I noticed Mel had stood up and she stretched, raising her arms above her head. Oh she looked gorgeous. Her auburn hair was tied back in a ponytail and she was wearing a red string bikini. The top was stretched tight holding her beautiful full breasts and the bottom was 'cheekily' cut, showing some of her gorgeous bum.

Melissa did have a bit of a tummy, and was never going to be a model, but she had something so much more important in my eyes. She was a beautiful person and my best friend. I couldn't want anything more than to have her with me.

As she stretched she looked at me and smiled. Leaning back down Mel kissed me again.

"Matt honey, I'm going for a quick swim." She said.

As she turned to head down the beach, she grabbed her glass off the table, spun around and emptied the ice cubes from her glass straight onto my crotch.

"Whahhhhh." I groaned as I began to get up from the lounge.

Mel squealed and ran away down to the water as I got up and gave chase. She was laughing all the way and I too was laughing. Mel reached the water first and I soon caught her. We wrestled and splashed in the lovely warm ocean.

I eventually caught Mel properly and she was giggling with delight. We were now in chest deep water. Holding her in my arms, we looked into each other's eyes and kissed. A long passionate kiss ensued and hands also started to wander. Mel's hand moved down my chest all the way down to the front of my board shorts. Her fingers deftly undid my shorts and she slid her hand in and stroked my ever hardening erection.

My hand was cupping her breast through her bikini top, teasing her nipple to full hardness and still kissing. Mel caught my lip and held it gently between her teeth. She let go of my lip and looked me in the eye with desire was written all over her face.

"I want you Matt. Right here in the water. Right now." Mel groaned as she continued to stroke me.

I kissed Melissa and slid my hand down, catching the bow at the side of her bikini bottoms. Pulling this they undid at one side, exposing Mel. She had managed to slide my shorts down and my hardness was bumping into her tummy.

I slid my hand down around her bum and lifted Melissa up a little. She wrapped her left leg around my waist and before I knew I slid deep into Melissa. We groaned at the exquisite sensation of being united, being one. While extremely turned on, I took my time, luxuriating in the sensations of feeling Melissa wrapped literally all around me.

We moved with the gentle motions of the ocean. I sped up and slowed down and Melissa moved in a beautiful rhythm fully enjoying the feeling. She had her arms wrapped around my shoulders and we kissed constantly, tasting ourselves and the salt water splashing up between us. The experience was exquisite.

"Ohhh Matt. You fill me so good. Yes that's it. Unnnurghhh Ohhh Matty..."

"Mellll... I'm gonna cum Honey..."

"Yes Matt. Mmmmm ... fill me Baby. ... Oh Matt I'm Cumming... Munnnghhhh"

I climaxed deep inside Melissa as she squeezed herself further down onto me, cumming all over my erection. We held each other really tight as the waves of ecstasy rolled over us.