Come Back...Be Here - Charles Leclerc

Chapter 170: Baby C

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The next day, I woke up completely knackered, but I didn't regret any of the drinks I had had with Joris - it had been the funniest evening I had had in a while. Besides that, I don't remembered much unfortunately, except for Charles taking me back to Monaco on his jet and driving me home. We must have butted heads once again, I was used to it by now.

Work was pure chaos and exactly today, I had an overly motivated summer intern knocking on my door every half an hour to ask if I had a new task for him in the meantime. I left work at around two in the morning as I only managed to get stuff done when the others had left the office. The next morning I was extremely tired and I hoped to be able to leave work early in order to get at least one good night of sleep, which I hadn't had in ages.

Around noon, my phone rang and I saw that it was Marta.
"Hello" I picked up and answered.
"Hi Mary! Ah shoot... No Chiara! Sorry - how are you?" she asked.
"Oh, just a bit tired, but I'm fine, and you? Where are you and what is that horrendous noise?" I chuckled.
"I'm at the hairdresser's - Riccardo wanted to take me out for a date night but now our babysitter just canceled and you're really my last resort: please please please can you look after Chiara for a few hours? She's really easy to handle and I'll forever be in your debt!!" she pleaded.
I sighed. I was so tired but she sounded so ecstatic about her date night and my older cousin who already had children had always told me how important it was to spend time alone as a couple without the kids around.
"Of course, when shall I be at your place?" I sighed.
"Oh my God, thank you thank you thank you!! Is 6 ok? We want to have an early start in order to not get back too late..." she replied ecstatically.
"Yup, I'll make it" I said and after saying goodbye, I hung up.

I threw my head back and turned around in my office chair to see the view over the harbour. A year ago, I had a boyfriend and a plan of how my next few years were going to look like. Now, I was sitting in a country in which I was a stranger, had no boyfriend and no plans for my life or whatsoever. What the heck was I even doing? Was a great job even worth it all? But I knew that I just couldn't quit now, it would look horribly on my CV. I had to hang in there a few years and hope that a great offer from the UK would make its way to me.

Way too soon, 5.30 came around and I started gathering my stuff to drive to Marta and Riccardo's place. I also packed my home office box with my laptop, monitor, a keyboard etc, hoping that when Chiara was asleep I would be able to do some work.

At 5.55 I rang the bell and the door downstairs buzzed and opened.
"Hey! Oh my... what is all this?" Marta greeted me and looked confusedly at my home office box.
"My work stuff-"
"Hey, did you open the door?" I heard Riccardo shout and he then appeared in the entrance.
"Erm? Hi Mary, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"Oh Mary saved us, she agreed to babysit!!" Marta exclaimed.
"What?! I told you I would take care of it and find a babysitter!" Riccardo replied.
"You said you would ask your Mum and when I didn't hear from you again I thought she didn't have time so I asked Mary!" Marta now told him agitatedly. "Ok and who did you call? Nico who can't recognise the front or the back of a diaper?!"  she added.
"No-" Riccardo replied, but was cut off by a way too familiar voice.
"Ciaoooo Ric- Oh, what is going on here? Am I too early?" Charles said, also appearing in the small hallway of Riccardo and Marta's
apartment.
"Charles?! Have you ever even looked after a baby?" Marta exclaimed.
"Uh - I have a little brother?" he replied confusedly, not having caught on yet.
"Ok, if Charles is here I'll just go home, he knows Chiara way better than I do and I'm sure he'll do just fine" I said and hoped to get away from this scene.
"Nonononono, sorry Charles, you're my best friend but you have no motherly instinct or whatsoever. That's why I prefer female babysitters" Marta said, now turning to Riccardo.
"Nope, I'm not going, I rarely see Chiara and I'm here now." Charles said sternly.
I didn't want to ruin Marta and Riccardo's date night so I just sighed.
"Ok, I'll stay if you're more calm with that Marta. I'll just set up my computer somewhere and Charles, who knows Chiara way better than I do can look after her." I sighed.
"Ok, but-" Marta said, but Charles cut her off.
"You two go now, the Pêcheurs will cancel your reservation if you don't make it on time!" my ex-boyfriend said and the couple quickly stuffed their belongings in Marta's purse and Riccardo's pockets.

While calling the lift, Marta shouted towards us: "She gets her bottle at 7, then lay her down around 7.30, you have to hold her hand for about ten minutes, then she's usually asleep!"
And with that, they were gone, leaving us behind with Chiara, who was sitting happily in her baby bouncer. We looked at each other weirdly until I spoke up: "Ok, I'll just get to work and you can play with her."
He nodded and without saying a word, we did as I had said. While typing my e-mails, I kept an eye on my watch and I was happy to see Charles make his way to the kitchen with Chiara shortly before 7. He looked sexy as fuck with a baby on his arm and I started drooling, but quickly snapped out of my thoughts when I saw what he was doing.

"STOP! What are you doing?!" I shouted and hurried to the kitchen aisle.
"Her bottle?" he asked confusedly.
"Nonono, you have to boil the water first, you can't just use tap water!" I explained and took the bottle from his hands to empty it.
"Are you sure?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.
I shot him a look.
"Ok, ok, then you prepare it and I'll feed her" he said and walked back to the living room where he had been playing with her. I could have stared at them for a while longer but suddenly he looked up, and I quickly got to work after he had caught me staring. It took me a few minutes and then I took the warm bottle to Charles, who then started to feed a very hungry Chiara. He looked at her in the most adoring way and I thought that he would be an amazing father.
"Just not the one of your children" my subconscious told me and I sighed, walking back to my computer, but feeling Charles' stare on my back.

At 7.30 Charles took Chiara to her nursery and started getting her ready for bed. I was surprised that he knew what he was doing and after a few minutes, I saw the light switch go off, meaning that he had laid her down in her crib. After fifteen minutes, I still heard Chiara making baby noises and mewling around, so I decided to take a look.
"You ok?" I whispered.
"She won't close her eyes" Charles whispered back, sounding a bit frustrated.
"Let me try" I said and took the baby's hand that he had just let go, but Chiara continued to kick her feet around.
"Let me try again" Charles whispered and I wasn't quick enough to take away my hand, so we were both now touching Chiara's hand. Suddenly, her breathing started getting slower and she relaxed her legs. I couldn't believe this - I took away my hand and in an instant, she started kicking her feet again.
"Chiara! You can't be serious!" I whispered, trying to sound pissed but I had to chuckle lightly before putting my hand back into Charles', who was still holding on to Chiara.
The baby relaxed and after exactly ten minutes my ex-boyfriend and I nodded at each other, signalling to let her go. She continued sleeping and we sneaked out of the room.

Charles closed the door behind him and we both let out a sigh.
"She's a great wingwoman" Charles chuckled and looked at me.
"Then you should take her to Twiga next time" I replied and turned away from him.
"Why are you playing so hard to get?" he asked and took my hand, making me turn around again.
"Hard to get? You left me a year ago in such a painful way and have been nothing but hot and cold since we met again! I'm sorry, but I don't know what to think." I replied sternly and shook my arm out of his grip.
I sat back down at my computer and tried to continue working. Charles just scoffed and slumped down on the couch.

It was impossible to concentrate now, I waited all the time for Charles to say something but he stayed silent and stared into space until Marta and Riccardo came back two hours later. As soon as I had heard the key in the door lock, I sprang up, gathered my stuff, quickly greeted them and ran downstairs to my car.