Lost Love

Kaylee French peered out of the sitting room window. Auntie Kristie was late and Kaylee was getting impatient. \'She\'ll be here,\' her mother said smiling. Kaylee said nothing but scowled, she was 6 and didn\'t like being kept waiting. At last the taxi pulled up and Kaylee kissed her mother goodbye, \'See you on Monday,\' she said before picking up her little suitcase and running down the path.

Kristie waved to Paula who waved in return, \'You take care of my baby,\' Paula called out with a smile. Kaylee jumped in the taxi and shuffled impatiently. She was going to see Uncle Mac and Uncle Gianni, always an exciting time. Kristie shrugged her shoulders, \'See you Monday,\' she sang out. Kaylee looked out the window and waved good bye to her Mother, it was Thursday today and she would be home on Monday.

Kristiilediled down at the dark haired girl who looked out of the window as they made their way to air airport, she loved these weekends away at the track, loved the cars, the engines, the people and her Uncle Mac. Kristie and Mac weren\'t Kaylee\'s real Uncle and Aunt, Kristie and Paula had been penpals since they were just into their teens, then when Mac came along he became her friend too. Kristie and Mac had two children of their own, Kelly who was 12 and Simon, 10. Kaylee had been the result of a bad relationship for Paula and so she and Mac had helped out as best they could. Mac drove cars for a living, a racer, something meant to be glamerous but was far from it. Long hours and durations away from home meant that she and the Kids suffered but they loved Mac. Gianni was Mac\'s boss and owner of one of the largest team\'s in the business. When Kaylee had been born she came along to the locals races, at first with Paula and then later with the Kristie, Gianni loved her anyleeylee loved him right back.

The flight was quick and painless enough, the pilot even letting Kaylee into the cockpit for a look around. Kaylee had her colouring books and story books and was always asking questions, she liked to know what everything was. When they landed and were allowed out of the plane she bounded along pulling Kristie with her, \'Come on Auntie Kristie,\' she said trying to make the woman go faster. Kristiugheughed and soon they were through customs and in a car on their way to the circuit.

Kaylee ran through the garage and into the arms of Gianni who twirled her about his head and sat her on the bench. \'Mac\'s out on the track,\' he said to the girl, \'Kelly and Simon are in the back room, you wanna go in?\' his thick accent sometimes made it difficult to understand him but Kaylee loved his flashing brown eyes and thick bushy beard. \'Yes,\' she said clapping her hands. Gianni pulled her off the top and set her down, \'Go, I\'ll let you know when Mac gets back.\'

Kaylee ran through the spare parts and the mechanics who smiled and waved at her,imonimon,\' she called out for her Uncle\'s son, \'Simon.\' She pushed the door open and found Kelly and Simon sprawled out on a couple of couches with the Tv switched on and doing some homework. Kelly flashed her a smile, \'Kaylee,\' she said as Kaylee gave her a big hug. Simon scowled at her out of the corner of his eye but hugged her back anyhow. \'Kaylee,\' he said quietly before going back to his books.

Mac came in from his run a little later and came into the room, \'How\'s my girl?\' he asked as Kaylee ran for her hug, \'I\'m fine Uncle Mac? Hows the car?\' Mac grinned surprised as always she seemed to show so much more interest than Simon ever did. \'The car is great,\' he gave her a big kiss on the cheek and Simon rolled his eyes. Kelly smiled, \'Hey Dad.\' Mac sank down onto the couch next to Kelly with Kaylee on his knee. \'How you doing son?\' Simon grunted. \'I\'ll take that as an alright,\' he said.

They went out for dinner that night and Kristie took the three of them to see a film. Kaylee sat inbetween Kelly and Simon and held onto Simon\'s hand at the scary bits. In the car on the way back to the hotel Kaylee fell asleep and when she woke up it was Friday practice time.

She sat on her special seat in the garage next to Albert the chief mechanic and watched the monitors as cars went past. Albert kept rubbing her hair and she scowled across at him, she didn\'t want anyone to mess her hair up. She stood her tongue out at him and Albert laughed. \'Alright Missy.\' Kelly had gone shopping with Kristie and Simon was getting a lesson from a tutor today so it meant she was alone watching Uncle Mac practise.

She sat with the mechanics and ate later on, Gianni and Uncle Mac were in a big meeting so Albert and the others were taking special care of her. They made sure to give her plenty of ice cream and sweeties. After the meeting finished Uncle Mac picked her up and took her out for the afternoon to see a museum. Simon was brought out by his tutor later in the afternoon and the three of them spent an enjoyable time together.

Saturday seemed to come around all too soon and Kayle couldn\'t believe the weekend was nearly over, still she would be able to go back to school on Tuesday and tell them all the stories of her weekend away. She sat on her seat next to Simon and Kelly sat at the back scribbling away in her notebook, Kristie paced around at the back of the mechanics waiting for Mac to do his run. Half way through qualifying and Mac was lying third, it wasn\'t good enough he wanted pole so he decided to do one more run.

They all stood watching the monitors waiting to see what this run would produce. The cameras followed him most of the way around the circuit, then he seemed to disappear, they were waiting for his car to show up on a camera somewhere but he didn\'t. Kristie began to pace and bite her nails. Kaylee looked at Simon who looked at the monitors. Then a cloud of dust seemed to appear and it looked as though they had found Mac\'s car broken down on the circuit someplace. The dust settled and Kaylee could see Mac was still in the car.

Albert turned away from the watching faces and whispered something urgently in his headgear and Kaylee could have sworn she could see the colour drain from the back of his neck. Men seemed to be swarming around Mac\'s car and Simon had gripped her hand in a vice grip but Kaylee didn\'t know what was going on. Kristie had stopped pacing and Kelly stood next to her Mother.

Gianni came in and his face was as white as Albert\'s neck, \'He\'s been in a crash,\' Kristie raised her hand to the screen, \'Its bad, their taking him to hospital.\' Kaylee heard a strange noise and as she turned she saw Kristie crying, \'Steve\'ll take you.\' Kaylee was helped off her seat and she went with Kristie, Kelly and Simon to the hospital.

She was still sat holding Simon\'s hand two hours later when a man in a white coat came out and spoke softly to Kristie who began to wail, her face contorted with an expression Kaylee didn\'t understand. \'He\'s dead,\' she managed to get out, clutching Simon and Kelly to her. Kaylee didn\'t understand what that meant but she knew it must be bad because they were all crying. Steve had gone to the phone and Gianni appeared shortly after picking Kaylee up. \'Uncle Mac\'s gone to heaven,\' he said. Kaylee cried then, wondering if Uncle Mac would see her fish Able.