Love, Monaco

00.15

The next afternoon while i'm on my lunch break enjoying the surprisingly nice weather outside I get a FaceTime request from Charles. I furrow my brow confused by the call as I calculate the 8 hour time difference between us, with a shrug I accept the request. The Monegasque appears on my phone screen grinning, "Della!" he exclaims, I smile, "Charlie" I reply, the nickname making me cringe the minute it comes out of my mouth, "i'm sorry that was horrible" the brunette laughs. I squint trying to figure out what he has in his hair, "what?" he asks confused by my expression, "are you wearing a bandana?" I reply, he moves his phone closer in response making me giggle, "you are! wow I would've never guessed" he shrugs and looks away from the phone for a second, "where are you walking?" I ask making him look at me again, "let me show you" he flips the camera so that I can see the empty street ahead of him.

I rest my elbow on my knee with a sigh, "I miss Monte Carlo" the camera flips back towards the Ferrari driver, he opens his mouth to reply but I hear a faint shout of his name so he looks away, he moves the phone down so that I see nothing but the pavement. I hear a thank you in French before the screen goes back to Charles, "sorry Della, just some kids asking for a picture" I smile, "not a big deal, you're famous after all" he shrugs a small smile on his face. "To answer your earlier question, Monte Carlo misses you too, especially this bandana wearing jokester" I laugh, my heart fluttering at the way he makes me feel like the most important girl in his life.

Suddenly my phone timer goes off letting me know that my lunch break is over. "I have to go back to work" I say sadly while standing up from where I was sitting, "okay Del, hope you have a great end of the day" I smile, "by the way I miss the bandana wearing jokester too" he chuckles a smile appearing on his face. "Nous nous reverrons bientôt" he tells me, "je compte les jours" I reply before saying goodnight. Once I've hung up the call I sigh and go back to work changing my mindset to be able to keep working on the drawing tasks I've been assigned.

☕️☕️☕️

Later that day while i'm sitting in front of my computer, my preferred drawing software open on the monitor there's a knock on the cubicle wall. "Della" I look over my shoulder freezing at the sight of Josh, "what's up?" I ask after a few seconds of silence to gather my thoughts, "can we please talk?" he replies. I bite my lip looking at the man that I used to love, the crinkle between his eyebrows tells me that he's nervous, I sigh turning in my chair to face him completely, "alright, but not too long I have a lot to do" he nods and gives me a small smile. He holds up a finger to tell me to wait, after a few seconds he brings a chair over sitting down. "First I want to say that i'm so sorry for what I did, I think knowing that you would always be there made me take you for granted at the end of our relationship" I look down at my lap not wanting to show him my emotions, "I don't expect your forgiveness because what I did behind your back was so horrible and you didn't deserve that after all of your commitment, but I just wanted to thank you for opening my eyes to how I started to behave, which got me to wake up and smell the rot that was consuming me" I shake my head and smile at the play on the original phrase.

"Josh, I think I forgave you awhile ago, but I will never forget how you broke my heart with a snap of your fingers" I hear him sigh so I look up, "my family will never forget the dark place I went to after the break up" he hangs his head in shame. I look over at the cubicle wall to put together what I want to say, "but I met someone recently who made me realize that i'm stronger because of all of the stuff that happened" I smile thinking about Charles, "maybe it was a blessing in disguise" I add with a chuckle making Josh look at me. "I'm glad that you're okay Della" he says with a smile, "not quite okay but I will be" I reply with a shrug. "Is there any chance of us being friends?" Josh asks hopefully, I purse my lips looking down at my lap again, "I don't think so" he sighs, "I understand, I guess i'll see you around" I nod still not looking at him only hearing him leave with the chair he rolled over. My thoughts swirl around my head trying to process the closure that I might've finally gotten after years of mentally struggling with my shattered heart.

☕️☕️☕️

Once I get home at the end of the night and change into some sweats I flop onto my bed pulling out my phone. I go to the group chat to update my friends on what happened at work.

Del-ah
We talked it out

ren
Are you talking about josh

Del-ah
Yes, we sat and talked it out, I don't think I'll ever be friends with the guy but the closure of that chapter has lifted this weight off my shoulders

émie
Del I'm so proud of you for having that conversation

ren
You're amazing babe, this is a huge step for you

Del-ah
I can't thank you guys enough ❤️ I love u

ren
we can't take all the credit here

émie
she's right Del, you meeting Charles was not a coincidence , I think it was meant to happen

Del-ah
That's crazy

émie
If you hadn't forgotten your wallet you never would've talked to Charles, and you wouldn't have grown to like the race car driver

ren
he got you to face fears physically and mentally which we were never able to do

émie
he started mending your heart at that track in Brignoles and you didn't even realize

Del-ah
that can't be true

ren
When was the last time you cried because of the break up?

Her text makes me look away from the phone trying to remember. I blink a few times when it seems like the answer is that first week in Monte Carlo. The realization has me shocked as I look back down at the group chat.

Del-ah
week one in Monaco

émie
I'd say something went right during week two if that's the case

Del-ah
Charles is what went right

ren
You said it not us 👀

☕️☕️☕️

Translations:

Nous nous reverrons bientôt - We'll see each other soon

je compte les jours - i'm counting the days