SLIPSTREAM. ➟ 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘤 𝘢𝘶

➟ 34. clean air

"Let's unravel these knots together, Charles." She gives him an understanding gaze, "So let's start with that fear. What else can you say about it?"

"I'm just scared of losing everything... and it really just frustrates me that I feel I'm not strong enough to endure it anymore."

"You mentioned that you used to manage these issues well on your own. What triggered these overwhelming thoughts, Charles? The catalyst? The one thing that started all of this?"

Charles then hesitates, his eyes moist with unshed tears. His mind floods with all the heavy and gut-wrenching moments of his life thus far; the arguments yelled, the grievances kept, the trusts shattered, the friendships severed... but as he traces back to the prime agitator that caused him to just lose all sense of control over his life, his heart clenches.

It was a terribly crushing weight on his soul—the soul he once pledged to his wife.

Then he admits shamefully, his voice barely above a whisper, "An empty bottle of coolant..."

Dr. Dumont's expression remains compassionate, but her eyes hold a knowing glint, "And... why is that significant?"

The rain intensifies outside, thunder starts to break... it's as if the heavens were sharing in Charles' inner turmoil.

His words tremble with emotion as he replies, "When I couldn't even remember something so simple and small... it made me realize I'm failing her in all the big things too."

_________

Andie sits alone at the dining table, a sense of isolation creeping over her as she quietly sips her morning tea. The weather's been gloomy all morning and she couldn't help but feel even worse just thinking about it. Another bout of morning sickness had already left her feeling drained, leaving her with a slight sense of queasiness, but she soldiered through it with grace.

And she couldn't ignore how her plate held the remnants of a solo breakfast, a stark reminder of how empty the apartment felt without the presence of her husband and daughter.

As she nibbled on her toast and her senses focuses on the pitter-patter of the rain outside, her thoughts drifted to the events of the previous day—the race, Charles' stunning victory, and her unexpected role as his race engineer. It had been a day filled with excitement, triumph, and a sense of unity within the Ferrari team.

But now, in the quiet of their penthouse, Andie can't help but feel the solitude pressing in on her, as if the weather outside had began to seep into the penthouse to slowly drown her. The emptiness of their home mirrored the growing distance between her and Charles.

But then her thoughts then drift to Cami, the little ray of sunshine who had brightened their lives. She misses her daughter desperately, the sound of her laughter, the feel of her tiny hands in hers. Andie knew it was necessary for her to stay with Charles' mother while she recovered, but that didn't make the separation any easier.

As she idly pushes her food around her plate, her mind finds itself wandering to more melancholy... to the days when the roar of F1 engines had filled her world, when racing had been her life. Those days were long gone, and she couldn't help but miss the adrenaline, the camaraderie, and the thrill of competing on the track.

Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by the cheerful chime of her phone. She picks it up, looks, and sees it's Julien trying to FaceTime her. A bright smile breaks across her face as she accepts the call; delightfully surprised to see the faces of the Renaldi twins filling the screen.

"Hey, you two!" Andie greets them warmly, her heart warming at the sight of their familiar faces.

"Allo, Andie!" Yves chimes, "Congratulations on that epic race yesterday! You and Charles were amazing!"