Christmas with the Leclerc's

8

~Biggest wish~
December 8

Julius runs straight to me the second I enter the paddock. Behind him, Charles stands, an anxious expression coated over his face. "Caro! You're finally here!" Julius exclaims, jumping at my feet. His brunette hair is messier than usual, the loose curls falling in his face.

I look over at Charles in worry, picking Julius up in my arms. "Everything good?" I ask Charles quietly when he approaches us. Dark circles lay under his eyes, his eyebrows permanently furrowed.

"Yeah.." Charles replies, forcing a tight smile on his lips. He neither looks nor sounds very convincing. I continue to furrow my brows in worry, trying to see through the walls he's suddenly built around himself.

"It's just been a long night" Charles admits, the tight smile returning again. It feels like there's more to it, but I leave it. After all I'm only his nanny.

I nod, sending him a smile, as I run a hand through Julius's hair. There's something weird in the air today, that's for sure...

"Well I really gotta go" Charles says, clearing his throat. "Oh and Arthur is coming later, so I've asked him to meet up with you again" Charles tells me, avoiding every possible eye contact. What is going on?

"I'll see you after the race, Mon ange. Be a good boy to Carolina" Charles quickly says to Julius, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Within the blink of an eye, Charles is hurrying away, leaving me extremely confused.

I gently rub Julius's back, as we both watch Charles disappear into the distance. I swear he isn't acting like himself today... "So what do you want to do today?" I ask Julius as an attempt to lighten the mood. Julius replies with a slight shrug, still looking at the spot where Charles disappeared.

Okay this is getting weird. Charles's behaviour is a mystery in itself, but Julius being quiet? Something definitely isn't right.

I push away the thoughts. It's none of my business. Okay Carolina, come up with something fun... I turn on my phone, the time showing up on the screen. Right under is the date, and something in my brain clicks.

"Have you ever written a letter to Santa?" I ask Julius, a smile already creeping up on my lips. This used to be my absolute favourite tradition.

To my surprise, Julius shakes his head no. "Papa Noël isn't real" Julius assures me, looking at me like I'm stupid. It takes me a second before i realize that's the french name for Santa.

Someone is really in a bad mood today...

"And who told you that?" I ask him, furrowing my brows at him. When I was five, I hadn't even begun considering if Santa was real. "Gabriel, my friend from school" Julius replies, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Well, I'm sorry to say this, but Gabriel is wrong. Papa Noël is very real" I tell Julius, starting to walk down the paddock. The photographers have started to notice me, and now they take pictures every time I walk past them.

Julius looks at me in confusion, before a little smile grows on his lips. "Really?" He asks, not being bothered by the sound of cameras being flashed. Sadly, he's probably used to it...

"Yes, and if you make him a really nice letter with all your Christmas wishes, I promise he'll make one of your wishes come true" I tell Julius, making his eyes light up. Hopefully he has at least one achievable wish.