Racing Back to Love Pt. 02

Later that day Jenna came to see me. She had organised accommodation for Mel in Auckland and for us to fly home together in a few days, once the doctors said I could travel. Jenna updated my social media for me, giving everyone updates on my condition. Mel was so thankful for all that Jenna did for us.

Unfortunately due to the injury I wasn't going to be able to race in the final race of the season. I was hobbling around a little better by the time the race came around and I travelled to Newcastle to watch the races with the team and support Franco as he raced to win the championship.

Watching the race from the other side of the fence was hard, even harder seeing my car being driven by someone else. My co-driver from Bathurst Steve filled in for me and did a good job. Franco did win the championship and the celebrations for the team were very raucous. The team were so pleased at having both the Championship and Bathurst victories in one season.

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I was working hard to get strength and movement back into my knee. Having Melissa as my 'rehab nurse' was wonderful and she liked helping me. Actually I think she liked working me hard to get my leg back to full strength. She was absolutely glowing with her pregnancy, enjoying a very smooth time without the issues she had suffered last time. Chloe and Jessie were growing up and were wonderful daughters.

While my rehab efforts were long and strenuous I still had a huge amount of personal appearances and sponsor functions to do as the winner of the Bathurst 1000. The racing seasons seemed to blend into one another. Jenna seemed to be in touch every day, letting me know about something I had coming up to do for work.

In the New Year my fitness was good enough to attend the official test day. I drove reasonably well and was passed fit to drive in the first race of the season at Adelaide in late February. Again we all travelled to the race meeting, the girls loving seeing everyone at the track. Melissa was by now 7 months pregnant and was feeling the effects a little. She was getting tired easier and this was going to be the last race she attended until after the baby arrived.

At the races, Jenna had me working overtime. The previous year I was a relatively unknown driver, now as 'Bathurst winner Matt Turner' I was recognised all the time. I was in demand and had very little time of my own. Jenna kept taking me to various interviews, sponsor promotions and had me talking to lots of groups of people from our various sponsors.

Our major sponsor was a soft drink brand and its CEO, Frank Masters, loved being around the team. He is an older gent in his 60's but he has a passion for car racing. He and I got along very well, and he liked my family, enjoying talking with Melissa and the girls, and making sure that Melissa was looked after at the track and stayed off her feet.

It seemed that every time I started to have a moment with Mel and the girls, Jenna arrived to take me somewhere else to do something, or it was time to drive the race car. I hardly got to see them at the track at all. The best time for me was when I was getting ready to race as I had some peace and quiet. I was able to see Mel then, but she didn't want to distract me from my upcoming races.

The races went reasonably well, top 5 finishes both days, but my expectations had changed. I wanted to win all the time as I wasn't learning anymore and I wanted to be a serious contender for the championship.

When we all arrived home I realised Melissa was a little quieter than usual. She assured me she was ok, but I could tell that she wasn't. That night after the girls went to bed we had a talk. Melissa was so annoyed at me. She thought I didn't want to spend time with her, but wanted to be with Jenna. I was always going off with Jenna, getting messages and phone calls from her all the time, even away from the track.

Melissa was now crying as she was so upset. She said that she could see that Jenna was pretty and that now she (Mel) was 'pregnant and frumpy', that I wouldn't be attracted to her anymore.

"Melissa you are the only girl I love, the only woman I ever want to be with. Jenna is just part of my work. You are the only woman for me. I love you Mel. I love you so much. I married you because I always want us to be together." I said.

I then got my phone out and pulled out the messages that Jenna had sent to me. "Mel please read all of the messages from Jenna. They are all about work. While some are about our sponsors and the nick names we have for them, they are all about work. I don't have feelings for Jenna. I only have feelings for you."

Mel did look at my phone and I put my arm around her. She snuggled into me as she read the messages. She asked about some of them and I told her who the nicknames were about and she laughed as she had met these people too.

"Mel I'm sorry for not being there for you at the races. I was taken away from you and the girls too many times. It is difficult as it is my work, but I will make more time to spend with you and our children."

"I'm sorry too Matt. I should never have doubted you. I love you too."

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It was now early April and I was racing in rural Victoria. Mel was at home as she was due to give birth the following weekend. I however was on high alert at the track. If she went into labour I was going to leave the races straight away and fly home to be with her. I was constantly on edge every time my phone beeped or rang. I spoke to Mel all the time, and to be honest, she was getting a bit sick of me asking if she was ok all the time.

On the Sunday we had a good day. The car went well and we finished third. As I crossed the finish line Adam got on the radio "Well done mate. P3 great drive."

"Thanks mate. Good job team, great work in the pits today. Really good job." I replied back.

He then spoke again "Bring the car around to the main straight for the podium presentation." He paused and then said "Jenna will be there. Go with her, DO NOT STAY for the podium. You have to leave straight away. Follow Jenna. I repeat follow Jenna."

My mind was racing "Ok copy that. Follow Jenna".

I drove a little bit quicker than usual on the cool down lap and brought the car to a halt on the main straight, behind the 3rd Place sign. I quickly unbuckled my racing harness and disconnected the radio. Opening the door Jenna was there waiting for me. "C'mon Matt you have to go NOW." I got out of the car and we ran across the track, through pit lane and our garage, and out into the paddock where there was one of the team road cars waiting for me. I was still in my helmet and race suit.

As I got into the car and took my helmet and fireproof balaclava off Jenna said "Don't worry, everything is ok. Melissa called about 15 minutes ago. She had just started to have contractions. Dave is going to drive you to the local airport, not to Albury as planned. 'Old Man' Masters has his private plane there and it is waiting to take you straight to your local airport. There will be a car there to take you to the hospital. Your gear is all in the boot so you can get changed in the plane. Leave your race gear in the plane as it is coming straight back here after it drops you off." Jenna smiled, leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Good luck Matt and give Melissa all my best." She closed the door and we drove off.

We had a quick exit from the track, leaving barely 5 minutes after the race finished. As Dave drove to the airport, I called Mel. She answered, saying she was still getting to the hospital and her mum was driving her. I told her I was on my way, but she seemed more concerned about where I finished in the race.

I had never been on a private plane before and it was amazing. No queues, no hold ups, straight onto the plane and we took off. I changed into my regular clothes and before I knew it, we were landing at my local airport. This meant I had a 20 minute drive to the hospital, rather than an hour and 20 if we had flown into Sydney.

The car took me directly to the hospital and I arrived to find Mel in the Delivery Suite. She looked so pleased to see me. "What's happening? How are you feeling? How far apart are the contractions?" I babbled as I entered the room.

Mel cuddled me and calmed me down; telling me everything was progressing normally. She giggled a little as I was so flustered and kissed me, telling me she loved me.

At 9:42pm that night our very healthy son was born. Mel was amazing through the whole delivery and so was happy when the baby arrived. As he rested on Melissa's chest he opened his eyes and looked at us. I just melted. I couldn't believe that Melissa and I had a son.

The following day I brought Chloe and Jessie to meet their brother, Thomas Phillip Turner. Melissa and I decided to name him after both our dad's, as they were such a big part of us being together. Thomas was going to be called Tom most of the time though, as this is what the girls were already calling him. In hospital we had a picture of all of us together and I still have this picture on my desk to this day.

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Our life is still wonderful today. I retired from driving at the age of 37. By this stage I was feeling burnt out and really didn't want to race any more. I finished my career finishing 4th at my last Bathurst and completed the rest of the season. I was proud of my career, winning Bathurst twice, finishing top 3 there 4 times and only once not finishing. I didn't win the Championship however; with my best result being 4th the year Tom was born. I would have liked to have won it as I did win 24 races in my time racing, but competition is fierce in the category and I gave it my best shot.

Now I am 39 and life is good. After racing I had 12 months off, just wanting to get back to being with my family. The TV people asked me to do some commentary at Bathurst that first year after I retired and I really enjoyed it. I now do commentary for television at the races as my job, as well as writing columns on a couple of the web based racing sites. This is good work, with a lot less stress than racing, but I am still in the industry.

Melissa and I are very happily married. She is still a nurse and works a couple of days a week. She doesn't have to work, but she still does this part time. She likes her work and loves helping people. I also think she works as she has her own identity with her working, not just as 'Racing Driver Matt Turner's wife Melissa'.

Chloe is now 17 and in her last year of school. She is an amazing young woman, so much like her mother, auburn hair, green eyes but taller and slimmer. She has decided to pursue a career in PR and Management after school. Chloe saw this as a career being around the race team and working with them in the school holidays at the races and team headquarters. She is an organised, methodical thinker, planning things out well in advance. She will do really well at this.

Jessie is now 15 and she has light brown/ blonde hair and her mother's build. She is a classic teenager, social media and boy crazy. She has no idea what she wants to do, but I think nursing may be on her horizon, as she loves helping people and remains calm under pressure. She and Chloe are amazing big sisters to their brother.

The subject of their biological father didn't come up very often as the girls were growing up. Chloe could only remember a little about her father and it was mostly arguments with her mother and his leaving them; and Jessie didn't remember him at all. They didn't identify with him as they had grown up 'Williams' after the divorce and then 'Turner' after Melissa and I were married and I adopted the girls.

We never heard from him again after he and I had our little 'get together' in Perth all those years ago. He has never been in touch, nor has he ever wanted to find out about the girls.

Tom is now 9 and is a good kid. He is car racing crazy and wants to be a racing driver when he grows up. He has had a few runs in go-karts and we will probably start racing properly next year. He likes to come to the races with me when I'm working now, talking like an old friend to the drivers, mechanics and team owners. He knows more about their careers than they do. If only he studied his school work as much as car racing.

My sister Brooke and her husband Simon had great success for a couple of years after releasing 2 very popular albums. They took time off to have a family after they had been in the cycle of recording and touring for a couple of years. They have 2 children and now have moved down near where we live. They still play today, but they don't tour as much as they used to. They make their music because they love it.

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I arrived home from working at an interstate race meeting. As I got out of my car I could hear Chloe and Jessie arguing. Opening the front door I heard they were arguing about clothes and who took who's jacket. Tom was playing computer games with his headphones on. I walked straight through the house and I found Mel sitting out on our back deck.

"Hi Gorgeous." I said as I got out there.

She turned around and looked at me. Her smile lit up her face, her green eyes sparkled through her recently acquired glasses. She stood up and gave me a big hug and a kiss. "It's good to have you home Honey. I have missed you."

"I missed you too." I said as we held each other tight.

"What are the 'terrible two' doing? Have they killed each other yet?" she laughed.

"They are arguing about a jacket I think. No violence yet though. Tom is halfway through a race at Monza by the look of it."

We looked at each other and laughed, sitting down together on the outdoor lounge. The sun was shining and it was a great place to sit. I had my arm around Mel and could see her gazing down into the back yard.

Looking at Melissa, the sun beaming on her face, her auburn hair positively glowing, I could see just a glimpse of the schoolgirl I first became friends with all those years ago. I could see the same happy look on her face, her eyes were still beautiful, her freckles still there, but there were a few more 'laugh lines' around her eyes now. Her hair was now cut shorter, around shoulder length now, not the pony tail she used to wear as a kid.

I was feeling so contented. I had the love of my life in my arms, three fabulous children and a great career. All I could think was how everything happens for a reason. My racing took me overseas and even though it was a family tragedy that initially brought me home, it was my racing that contributed to me coming home for good and seeing Melissa again. I was destined to meet Mel and for us to be together, forever.

I kissed her gently on the head. "I love you Melissa."

"I love you too Matt."

Racing had indeed brought me back to love.