enthralling (max verstappen)

twenty seven

The next day was filled with planned out activities, cooking, and setting up for fireworks. The gang decided that shooting fireworks would be the most fun on the Verstappen estate, given the stunning view and so they managed to drag the entire house across the lake. The night flowed on perfectly. Everyone shared in laughter. Max and Daniel were more talkative with each other, and my mother seemed to make less remarks on every little thing about me as soon as father got her loosened up with some brandy.

"It's always been your mother's drink. Not that wine shit that she tells everyone. Hard.
Core. Brandy, Baby" He drunkenly spilled the secret to Heidi and I right before he stumbled off. Daniel and I kept shooting each other's looks throughout the night. Neither of us took the first step to make a truce or apologize for the previous night's conversation.

The night slowly came to an end, and people started getting ready to make their ways back across the lake, despite Maxs continuous offers of staying the night inside the main house rather than the hotel.

"Guys! There's enough rooms for everyone.
You don't even have to share!" He kept insisting. My parents decided to call it a night earlier than the rest, and were adamant about sleeping in their own bed. Aunt Linda had a little too much to drink and I put her to bed in the main house

"I'll take ya up on that, Max" Charles fell in after a while and waddled over to the house with Alex closely behind him.

Next up were Pierre and Kika, closely followed by a horrendous attempt from Hannah and Lando to leave separately so no one would suspect they were actually planning on sharing a room.

Soon enough even Daniel and Heidi made their way to the main house in search of a room. Me and Max decided to call it a night and crawled into bed. I insisted on keeping the large window uncovered for now, so that I could stare out at the swaying pine trees that decorated the view.

I hoped it would help me fall asleep. But I ended up twisting and turning anyway. My mind was racing with the conversation I had had with Daniel the night before. I had felt guilty about not telling Max, but had ultimately decided that nothing good could come of it.

Eventually I decided to roll out of bed, but as soon as I attempted to put my feet on the ground I felt Max's heavy arms pulling me back.

"Where'd you think you're going?" His sleepy voice pressed against my back, the warmth of his body spreading into mine.

"Just gonna get some air" I turned around and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I'll come with you.." He insisted, scrambling to sit up in the bed and follow me, his eyes still closed.

"No, no, no! It's okay. Stay. I'll only be a few minutes. I'll be back before you know it" I pressed my hand against his chest, pushing him back down onto the mattress.

"Y'sure, ells?" His sleepy words barely intelligible.

"Yes" I giggled and pressed another kiss to his forehead before getting up. i wrapped myself in one of his lumber coats and headed out to the dock at the front of the cabin. I took a seat at the very edge and just listened to the sound of the lake, the trees and the wind dancing across the estate grounds. I was only given a few moments of privacy before she felt the dock starting to wobble.

"Max, I told you I'm okay-" I turned around and was met with my brother.

"Oh...It's you" I turned away from him.

"yeah.." He walked closer and took a seat next to me.

"What do you want?" I kept my gaze locked on the water.

"I couldn't sleep. I saw you come out here."
He shrugged.

We both remained silent

"This is exactly where I punched Max in the face, when he told me he was in love with you" Daniel chuckled to himself, it really wasn't in his nature to get violent, not at all actually. He must've been extremely mad.

"So I've heard" I kept my tone cold.

"You know... It was really strange at first. I couldn't imagine the two of you together. And then I saw it. And it made total sense. I actually felt stupid for not seeing it earlier" He looked at me, but I refused to turn to him.

"I've been... thinking about what you said last night. About how, I was lucky to meet my person at the right time" Daniel sounded nervous.

"Oh good for you, finally using that big head for something" I took a shot at him, and he let me.

"I talked to Heidi about it. And I realized that, I can't even imagine what it must be like. To know the person you want to be with, to have had a taste of what it could be, only to realize there is no place for them in your life right now. And then, to go on living, wondering if once the time is right, if they are still gonna be ready, willing, able..." He kept his eyes on me, waiting for me to look back at him.

"You never did ask me much, Dan. Not about how I felt, how I was doing, any of that..." I finally turned to him, my gaze filled with disappointment. "But you know who did? Max. He cared about what I wanted to do with my life, the things I wanted to explore, who I wanted to be. Even now, he's cared enough to find out that I have bought one of biggest galleries in Louisiana and I'm going to showcase my art."

"Wait...really? El, that's huge" Daniel looked shocked and excited at the same time.

"I know" I smiled at him, feeling too annoyed to say thank you.

"...But you're right. And...I feel awful. When you left, things just took such a chaotic turn, I mean. I was here with Max, I was able to see and feel his pain with him. But you were like, in another dimension. And for a long time...yeah... I thought you were the bad guy.
I never really understood what it was like for you" Daniel was struggling with his words.

"Is this...an apology?" I chuckled.

"No...Yes...I don't know? Is it? Is it good enough? I could say I'm sorry. But would it take any of it back? I don't know, El... I just know that, I was in a really fucked up position, stuck between the two of you."

"I'm sorry about that" I looked at him.

"And I didn't handle it the best way. I wasn't a good big brother. I should have been. I'm sorry" He sounded like he was helplessly trying to mend the past.

"I forgive you" I leaned against him shoving him slightly

"Thank god" Danny exhaled. "I was really starting to think I'd lost you as Heidi's bridesmaid" He chuckled.

I responded by just laughing, feeling how sleep was finally catching up to me, "You're gonna do great, you know? As a husband. I really think so. And Heidi really is the best. I like who you are when you're with her." I smiled comfortingly.

"I'm terrified," he admitted. "I mean, I know I want this more than anything else. But I'm still scared shitless." He giggled nervously.

"I know. That's okay. You just gotta...look at her, you know? You got from this moment, until death do you part. Everything else that falls in between, can be dealt with" I gave him a wink.

"Since when are vou a fuckin' poet?" Daniel wore an impressed look on his face.

"aaah. Maybe I always was. You just never asked" we both laughed.

It felt good to know I finally had my big brother in my corner.