[3] MARANELLO || C. LECLERC

FORTY FIVE

* chapter 45 is finally here! i am so sorry for the delay, i really hope you can understand and appreciate that i have a few other stories to keep up with, as well as daily life, too! don't forget to engage until your heart is content... it really means so much to me. i do this for free, so each comment is like earning £1 for my work. give me £100 in the form of comments, guys. you know you want to... :)
there is a medium trigger warning in this chapter. i have clearly indicated where it begins and ends. *

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CAMILLE

"It'll be better today," as we stood in the lift, I gripped onto Lando's hand. Running on absolutely no sleep, and with a painful ache behind my eyes, I just wanted to be close to him. Charles would return to the hospital to be with us later today. "His condition will be much better."

"And if it's not?"

"Don't think like that." Lando pressed a kiss to my forehead. All night, while I didn't sleep and he tried to keep his eyes open beside me, he held onto me, and told me things would be okay, while kissing my forehead each time he found the strength to lift his tired body. I felt awful for keeping him awake, knowing that he would be just as stressed and exhausted as I was. I struggled to believe how these men actually put themselves behind the wheel when this was the risk.

Thinking about the moment when the lift doors opened made me feel nauseous. Unable to figure out how to face my family without crying, I just wanted to stay here until I knew Max was okay.

Charles wouldn't be here for a little while longer yet and without him, I felt lost. I felt unsure on how to act, or how to even understand the situation I found myself in. Despite having Lando all night and right now, something just felt off. That's character development.

"Come here," Lando pulled me closer towards him by tugging on my hand as we exited the lift. In a few minutes, we'd be back where we started yesterday, and I hoped that there would be plenty of positive updates from Jasper and the nurses. "If you need a minute today, we can step outside. Until Charles arrives, and even when he arrives, I'll still be here for you, okay?"

I nodded my head as I dragged my tired feet along the floor. Hospitals terrified me. The walls were so bleak and it was a reminder of what happened here; although life is found, life is also lost. I feared Max might lose his life. In that instance, I would lose my life, too.

"Mama," as soon as I saw the familiar figure of my mother in the hallway outside of Max's room, I dropped Lando's hand and rushed into her grip, fearing the worst. "I'm so pleased you're here. I really, really needed you."

I felt Papa place his hand on my waist while I found comfort in the embrace of my mother, noting that my parents were alone. I assumed Victoria, Sophie and Dilara were together in Max's room, but I only saw his petite girlfriend standing by his side. She was alone in there, consumed by the awful thought of losing her boyfriend while he was hooked up to all sorts of machines. Said machines were the sole reason Max was alive. That thought was too much for me.

"Sophie and Victoria are due to land soon. Dilara arrived before them from Nice," mama explained as I pulled away and she immediately lifted her fingers to wipe my tears. "She is absolutely heartbroken. Your dad and I thought it would be best to give her some time alone with Max."

I could only nod my head. Mama took my hand and rubbed her index finger carefully across the back of my hand, grazing my knuckles gently. Although I was absolutely inconsolable with tears once again, I stepped to my right, just to gain a better view of Max's private room. The blinds were tilted so I could just about see in, easily able to make out Dilara's figure. She was hunched over the bed, her hand resting on top of Max's; he looked just as peaceful as yesterday.