Eight photos from the past which history is darker than the night

Chapter 4

„It's Brazil 2004, uncle Micheal's seventh title" Max said, looking at the next photo. "He was taking me with himself on races. Pretty often. There was a period of time when I basically lived in Ferrari's garage. Me and Mick. Gina and Victoria not so often. They preferred different things."

"I remember that" Pierre said quietly. "I watched that race on TV and... at the end there was you with Schumacher. I was so jealous."

Max smiled for a fraction of a second. Then he looked up at Pierre.

"You have quite a lot memories with me."

Pierre laughed lightly. He had. Before he didn't realize how many.

"Yeah! But I think many drivers can say that, can't they?"

Max didn't say anything. He was again intensely looking at the photo, as if he was trying see something else in it. Tears again appeared in his eyes. Silence lasted for so long that Pierre started to wonder if he said something wrong. But finally, Max started talking.

"It was... such a nice time. Years 2004-2006, when my dad already didn't drive in Formula 1, but my uncle still was there. Malaysia, Germany, Italy, Belgium... he was taking us with himself on those tracks, we knew them so good already back then... we were growing up there. And then, years 2010-2012... it was so beautiful."

Max started telling Pierre about how he and Mick were playing with their toy cars at the main straights of many tracks, driving on scooters and skateboards and how happy children they were. How Ferrari's, and later Mercedes' garage was being their second home. How they loved sitting in F1 cars, wearing Schumacher's helmets and pretends that they're driving in a race. How kind other uncles were. How Williams' mechanics were giving them sweets and sometimes they were sitting in their garage for hours and eating lollipops and many kind of sweets. How they were trying to get a can of Red Bull from Red Bull Racing but they always were getting only firm answer: no, because you're too little for that. Mercedes were giving them scooters and skateboards, every driver loved giving them their caps. Max was smiling more and more while talking about his relationship with drivers.

And then Pierre reminded himself that during his short stay in Formula 1 he managed to notice strong relationship between Max and Fernando Alonso. It was an ideal moment to ask about that.

"And... what is between you and Alonso?" Max's face beamed for a moment.

"Fernando..." he started. "He is someone very important for me. You know... when he got to F1, it was 2001, my dad was there already for many years and... somehow, Fernando and my mom got a great contact. It all basically started because I was all the time running to the Minardi's garage, because Fernando drove in Minardi back then, and I wanted to play with him because I considered him as someone very cool and... yeah, my mom had to run after me. And somehow it all started. They got along really well, they quickly became friends. They still are friends. My mom was always telling Fernando about everything when, you know, it got... worse. He was a big support for us. And my mom is still telling him about everything. He... really cares about me, I don't know if you already notice that. Basically he's still uncle Nando for me. He's a very important person for me.

Max looked at the first photo again and pointed at it.

"With Kimi I also always had and have close relationship. You may not see it, but... he knows a lot, you know, about my past and all those things which happened. He always was and is a big support if you need it. And I appreciate that a lot."

"I never talked with him" Pierre said without thinking.

Max smiled a little.

"Never? I talked with quite often. You probably can't see it, but... we talk often. He very nice and kind person, he's just don't like media and all that bullshit. You have to try to talk with him a bit."

„It must be nice, have such a good relationships with other drivers" Pierre said.

"Yes. It's nice."

The awkward silence began and Pierre felt raising tension.

Max started intensely looking at the photos. Finally he pointed at those two during movement. And Pierre already knew that the something was coming.