Right Where You Left Me

3. Broken

Do you need, do you need someone?
Are you scared of what's to come?

- Isak Danielson

03

The journey to Monaco had been exhausting, Charles had spent most of the time sleeping or grinding his teeth because of the pain.

His whole body was aching because he contracted violently during the crash.

However, he was surprised that his right leg did not hurt. Actually, he didn't feel it at all.

When he and Andrea finally arrived at his mother's, he felt relief, after all he just needed his mother.

His mum opened the door and took him in her arms. Keeping him tight against her chest as long as possible.

"Mon garçon... you're finally here..." She laid kisses on his forehead and he let himself melt into her embrace, as moved as she was.

Lorenzo, Arthur and Joris soon arrived at the open door and joined them. Arthur and Lorenzo embraced their brother with relief.

Charles tensed in pain but said nothing and accepted their comforting hugs.

Joris shook his shoulder briefly, nodding his head and smiling.

The small family went to the living room and offered Andrea to stay for the evening. He gladly accepted the invitation and helped Lorenzo to put Charles on the family couch, his right leg stretched out on an armchair in front of him.

"Your leg doesn't hurt too much? Asked Andrea carefully.

- It's okay." He answered without elaborating on the subject, he did not want to alarm him by telling him that he could not feel his leg at all. He was sure it would pass.

Pierre, Georges and Alex were soon to arrive to hear from Charles. The four had known each other since the years of karting championships and had not let go since. They had done many parties together as teenagers, and had maintained their friendship ever since.

They all had a beer while Pascale finished cooking dinner. Charles tried to follow the conversation but fell asleep quickly, exhausted.

He was awakened by the bell at the front door announcing the arrival of Pierre, George and Alex. The three pilots were greeted by his mother before joining the salon and greeting the whole group.

They sat down in the armchairs close to Charles, and the conversation resumed. Joris was sitting right next to Charles and was very attentive to his friend. He had seen the accident on his television with Lorenzo and Pascale and the evening quickly turned into a nightmare for them too. They realized they might have lost Charles.

The Ferrari driver, stunned by his medication for the pain and the difficult journey he had just made, fell asleep again, his head resting on the shoulder of his friend who took great care not to move so as not to wake Charles.

After half an hour the doorbell rang again, and Charles realized that he had forgotten that Max had said he would come.

***

Max had arrived in Monaco with Kelly at the end of the morning. He had unpacked, washed his clothes, fed his cats and went out for a run to clear his mind.

When he was under the hot water of his shower, he had tried to think about what he could say to Charles but apart from apologizing he didn't know what to say to the Monegasque...

He and Charles had never had a serious discussion. And they had never had a one-on-one conversation without the presence of other Formula One drivers around them. It was hard to believe that after all these years of racing against each other, they never had a chance to talk.