75: Every step of the way

Tuesday.

Sienna's point of view.

It wasn't a long drive, from the hotel to the beach, only 15 minutes.

We ordered some drinks before we headed to the tent.

The sea breeze carries the sound of excited fans as Lando and I walk toward the meet-and-greet area. It is so beautiful in The Netherlands. People underestimate it, although the weather sucks.

I can feel my heart racing with nerves and excitement. This is the first time I am attending such an event with Lando, I'm not sure what to expect.

Of course, I met people on the streets, with my brother. But never was 'I' in the spotlight for these meet&greets.

'Are you ready for this, Sweetheart? ', Lando asks, squeezing my hand gently.

I smile up at him, I try to mask my anxiety. 'As ready as I'll ever be. Just a little bit nervous'.

He chuckles. 'You'll be great. The fans will love you',

As we approach the tent, the crowd eruptes in cheers. Lando's name is on everyone's lips, I can hear a few people calling my name too, which makes my heart skip a beat. We take our seats at the table and the line of fans begins to move forward.

Come on, Sienna. You can do this.

Lando's point of view

Seeing the fans so excited is always a rush, but today feels different with Sienna by my side.

I know she is nervous, but I want to make sure she feels supported.

'Hello everyone! Thanks for coming out!', I call out to the crowd. The response is overwhelming and I glance at Sienna, she's smiling but looks a bit overwhelmed. 'You will all have the opportunity to meet us so please no skipping the line or fighting, that will result to being kicked out. Sienna here is excited to meet you and so am I! Please respect our boundaries tho!'.

One by one the fans come up to us, sharing their stories and asking for autographs. It is heartwarming to see how much they care. I watch as Sienna interacts with them, her natural charm and warmth shining through despite her initial nerves. This is why I love her.

A teenage boy with a big grin approaches the table, clutching a die-cast model of my car. 'Hello Lando! Hello Sienna!'.

He takes a deep breath, obviously he's nervous.

'Hello there! Don't be nervous', Sienna comforts him.

'I've been a fan for years! Lando, you're my hero and Sienna it is so amazing to see you here. It is so cool that you support each other!'.

'Thank you so much!', I smile at him. 'What is your name?'.

'It's Tobias', he replies, eyes shining with excitement.

'Nice to meet you, Tobias', I respond as I sign the model car. 'Do you have any questions for us?'.

Tobias nods eagerly. 'Sienna, what is it like to be part of such a famous racing family, Sienna?'.

She looks a bit scared, trying not to take my spotlight. I give her an encouraging nod.

'It's wonderful, but it can be a bit overwhelming at times. I'm really proud of my brother and father and of course Lando. The best part is the support from fans like you', she smiles.

Tobias beams, clearly thrilled with Sienna's answer. 'Can I please get a photo with both of you?'.

'Of course!', Sienna and I stand up and lean in for the photo. Tobias' mom takes the picture and the boy walks away smiling. Sienna immediately gains a surge of confidence.

She's handling everything so well, it's clear that the fans adore her.

Sienna's point of view

A young woman, maybe in her early twenties, approaches us next. She has a scrapbook filled with photos and news clippings.

'Hi Lando! Hi Sienna! I've been following both of you for a long time, long before you got together! This scrapbook is a collection of my favorite moments!'.

She hands me the book.

'Wow, this is incredible', I say, flipping through the pages. 'You clearly put a lot of effort into this'.

'Thank you, I did', she says shyly. 'I just wanted to show my appreciation. Sienna, I really love the photos of you supporting Lando at the races. You're such a great couple'.

'That's really sweet of you! It means a lot'.

We both sign the scrapbook to her request.

As the meet & greet progresses I start to feel more at ease. The fans are so kind and welcoming, it helps a lot.

A little girl, no older than ten approaches the table, her eyes wide with excitement.

'Hi Miss Sainz, I'm a huge fan of your brother, but I think you're amazing too!', she says, clutching a small notepad.

I feel a lump in my throat, she's so small and her words are so sweet. 'Thank you so much, you may call me Sienna. What is your name?'.

'My name is Emily', she replies shyly.

'Nice to meet you, do you have any questions for us?'.

'What is it like being with Lando?', she smiles.

I look over at Lando, who is smiling at the interaction. 'It's wonderful. He's very kind and supportive, and a great driver, of course. But if you can keep a secret, sometimes he's a bit annoying', I laugh.

She giggles and my heart fills with love.

Emily beams and asks for a photo, which we happily take. As she walks away, I feel a surge of confidence. This wasn't so bad after all.

Lando's point of view

Watching Sienna with the fans made me proud. She was handling everything so well, and it was clear that the fans adored her. After a while, we have a short break, and I turn to her.

'See? You're a natural at this,' I say, taking a sip of water.

She laughs softly. 'Thanks, Lando. It's actually kind of fun.'

The rest of the meet & greet went by in a blur of smiles, autographs, and photos. By the end of it, I could see that Sienna was more relaxed and enjoying herself.

As we wrapped up, I took her hand and led her towards the beach. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over everything.

Walking along the beach with her, away from the crowd feels like a breath of fresh air. I can't get enough of her.

'Thanks for being here today, with me', I smile at her.

'Always, we're a team'

We can handle the spotlight together.

No one will make rude comments to her on my watch.

After all, I promised Carlos I'd keep her safe.

I will always keep her safe.

We found a quiet spot on the sand and sat down, watching the waves. She leaned her head on my shoulder, feeling the weight of the day lift off my shoulders.

'Do you think we'll have more days like this?', she asks softly.

I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer. "Definitely. And we'll face them together, every step of the way."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, I felt a sense of peace. We had each other, and that was all that mattered.