Antonio had been on a winning streak for quite some time and as Francis sat up in the private box (only the best for him, after all), he smiled and nodded along with the coaches and wives and mistresses. When the races starts, he's still chatting with another driver's wife, flirting with her though they both know it won't go anywhere. They've met up before while their men raced and are friendly with each other, though not quite best friends. Enough to tease and flirt and blow kisses at each other in mocking ways when their 'team' pulls ahead of the other.
On the final lap, they've stopped to watch their respective partners race up the road, Francis chortling into his wine as Antonio took the lead. "Well, it appears that this time, my Tonio will be bringing home the trophy," he crows as he pours himself another glass. He's too concerned with winning such an important race that he doesn't pay attention to the gasps behind him until the spectators start to scream.
Spinning around, he can't see out the window so he's forced to look to the large screens above the crowd further inside. Antonio's car – number 54 – is on fire.
Something inside him seems to freeze over as he watches firemen and track crews rush over to the burning car and he prays as hard as he can in such a state to anyone who will listen that Antonio will be alright. He has to be alright. They were going to vacation in the tropics after this race…..
He's not aware of it, but somehow he's moving. Downstairs and to the race track where he's allowed past the barriers and to the waiting ambulance. Antonio's not moving and Francis is allowed inside before the vehicle starts moving, apparently on its way to the hospital. As the medical crew work on Antonio, Francis carefully takes his hand, his bruised, bloody hand and slips off the glove to touch the skin.
At the hospital, he's taken away by a nurse who needs medical information and he gives it to her in a daze, finding himself sitting in a lounge with a cup of coffee sometime later. He falls asleep there and after hours of fitful sleeping, a different nurse woke him to tell him there were beds for visitors, if he wanted one of those. He groggily accepted her offer under the condition that he be told how Antonio was as soon as they could.
It's another couple of hours before he wakes again, this time with a doctor leaning over him.
Antonio will be alright, and as he takes the rest of his life to look after his husband, he can't complain. Not for one minute.