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Asami’s glory days were well spent with several podiums but those came to an end when she announced to the world with her pregnancy and her temporary departure from the sport until she was ready to return. Her team Future Industries Racing was left with a seat to fill. Her wife, Korra ended up being the replacement to finish Asami’s season.
Korra wasn’t an amateur to the sport. She used to race with Asami to help her practice. She also became Asami’s coach whenever she needed it. Korra did decent in some races she did participate in to help Asami’s team out.
After a few months, Asami gave birth to their child named Ani Yasuko Sato. She was delighted to give the baby her mother’s name. Korra was brought to tears after seeing their daughter in Asami’s arms.
“She already looks just like you, babe.” Korra spoke softly and kissed Asami’s forehead. “We did it, babe. She’s here.”
“I can’t believe it. Ani Yasuko, you are a blessing and a gift.” Asami whispered while Ani began to cry in her arms.
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It’s been almost a year since Ani was born. The little one was eleven months old, she was a curious baby. She was obsessed with eating strawberries and making a mess out of it. Asami’s maternity leave ended and she was ready to return to the track after a year. The first race of the season was at Ember Island.
Asami was in her full racing gear and held her helmet. She was in the garage, standing next to her car. Korra held Ani in her arms and walked to Asami. Ani cooed and reached her arms out for Asami.
“I’m about to race, little one.” Asami held her daughter and left kisses on her head as Ani gave a hug. “I dedicate this race to you, little Yasuko.” She spoke before handing Ani back to Korra and left a kiss on her wife’s cheek.
Asami put on her helmet and her gloves before getting inside of the racecar. Korra stayed in the garage and placed baby headphones over Ani’s ears for protection. Asami was feeling nervous but she had practiced many times on this track before returning. She wanted to make her family proud of her, no matter what position she placed.
Asami took off on the track and aligned herself on the start line. She gripped the wheel tightly and breathed slowly as she remembered to work through her nerves and focused on the light, waiting for it to turn green.
Asami took off as soon as the light turned green. She wasn’t first place just yet from the start, she started out fast as the other competitors. She made sure to overtake a few of them. She began to hear her engineers over the radio, giving cues and advice for each turn she took. They let her know the time and how the car was doing.
After completing twenty laps, the checkered flag began to wave. Asami crossed the finish line with her heart beating fast in her chest. She claimed victory for the first time in a year. She was brought to tears as she heard her team celebrate over the radio. Korra and Ani were seen in the garage, excited. Ani clapped her hands and cooed with a smile on her face.
Asami did it, her first race back and she won. She couldn’t believe it. She did one thorough lap and waved her hand at the crowd while she heard their loud cheers. The commentators were excited for her too.
She parked her car in the garage and stepped out rather quickly. She took off her helmet and gloves and began to cry. She walked to hug her wife and her child first.
“Baby! I did it. Ani! My little Yasuko, oh my god. You are a blessing and a gift.” Asami sobbed as tears streamed down her cheeks. She held Ani so tight in her arms and Korra wrapped her arms around them. “I won, Ani. Just for you. Kor too.”
“You did it, Sams.” Korra kissed Asami’s forehead and was brought to tears too. Asami went through a lot with her pregnancy and thought she wouldn’t be physically ready after she gave birth. She thought she would lose her skills and it would lead her to never racing again.
Ani was the blessing that reminded her to keep going no matter what. Ani babbled in Asami’s ear and clapped her hands, Both Asami and Korra awed their daughter together.
“M-ma.. mama!” Ani began to speak her first word towards Asami. Asami’s eyes lit up as she realized what she heard.
“Did she just?” Asami gasped and looked at Korra as her wife nodded at her.
“She did. She just said her first word!” Korra freaked out and looked at Ani. “Ani, who won today?”
“Mama!” Ani clapped her hands together in excitement. She was just happy to see her mama again. Asami cried some more.
“This has been the best day ever. I don’t- Kor, babe I wasn’t expecting Ani to say her first word today.” Asami softly spoke and wiped the tears off her face. “That’s right, Ani. I did.” She gave her daughter a kiss on her forehead and handed her back to Korra.
“I have to go do the podium, then we can really celebrate together as a family after this?” She spoke to Korra and rubbed her arm. Korra gave a nod and kissed Asami on the cheek.
Asami ran to the crowd and waved at everyone. Everyone from all the nations came to see her race for the first time since her departure. They called out the winner as Asami stepped up on the platform and began to cry again. She held her trophy and lifted it up in the air, pointing to her family.
“Thank you!” She shouted and stepped down from the platform. She ran to her family and Ani held her hands out to touch the trophy. Korra and Asami placed their hands on the trophy too.
“This is our good luck, babe. I’m so proud of you.” Korra kissed Asami on the lips as the cameras were on her family. Asami was about to do the interview. She held Ani in her arms and nodded, looking at Korra and kissing back.
Ani squealed and held onto Asami. The interviewer gave questions to Asami and she felt slightly overwhelmed but she thought of things quickly to say.
“I just want to say a big thanks to my wife, my team, and of course Ani right here.” She spoke into the microphone, “I owe everything to my little baby girl. She is a blessing in our life. I doubted myself for a while about the first race. After looking into Ani’s eyes, I knew I could do anything possible. My wife Korra helped so much and kept me going too.” She choked on her words and quietly cried tears of joy.
“You won’t believe this but Ani said her first word today in the garage. I lost it completely after the win and her word. She called me mama. I am the luckiest mother on the planet. I wish my mother Yasuko was here with us today but I know she would be so proud of me, Korra, and Ani. She had big dreams that she never got to complete in racing. I am here to say that I will finish those dreams for her and my family.” Asami spoke and held the trophy up together with Korra while Ani waved and babbled.
The family walked away together to the garage again as Asami changed clothes in the private locker room. Ani crawled around in the office.
Asami walked in and looked at her wife and daughter playing together. She couldn’t believe that this was going to be the next chapter of her life. She was already having the time of her life.
“This has been the best day ever.” She walked to Korra and sat next to her, watching Ani play with toys.
“Two wins in one day. I am lucky.” Asami whispered.
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