Olivia's pov:
August 2021
"Are you sure you can do it, I don't want you to overexert yourself!" Charles said as we were packing our suitcases, it was wednesday which meant we were flying to Belgium for the belgium grand prix in the weekend. "Yes I can do this, it's been two weeks since the surgery, the doctor said when the two weeks are over I could do more things again, so I wanna come" I said insisting. "Alright, but I will keep an eye on you the entire time! your wound still needs to be taken care of and the doctor said you could still be dizzy and nauseous" he said.
"Fine, but I promise I'm good," I said and went to give him a hug. "I know you are, and I know you also are very stubborn. So I won't even fight you on this, even if I think you should stay home until the next one" he said and gave me a kiss on my cheek.
We finished packing our things and drove to Nice airport since Monaco doesn't have one, the drive there was not that long. I didn't feel completely safe in the car, but that is very normal after what happened. But it has helped that I have driven in a few cars since the accident. I think it's better to see your fears in your eyes instead of avoiding them.
After a few hours we arrived in Belgium, which was a country I loved very much. It was my second childhood country, since mom is from here and she has lived here most of my childhood. We drove towards the hotel and checked in, the room was lovely.
Since we arrived late we just ordered some room service and ate our dinner at the hotel.
The day after Charles went to the track alone, since he just had some meetings and a few media duties with Carlos. So there was really no point in me going with him. I stayed at the hotel, where I watched some netflix since I still had to take it easy after surgery.
But I managed to do a few easy workouts since I have missed working out. It felt good but I could really feel the pain in my abdomen when I stretched out.
Charles got back home to the hotel after a few hours, he had bought some lunch for me on the way home, which was just so sweet of him. I ate my lunch and then we just chilled, talked and had fun together..
"Maybe we should post something about what happened, so we don't get tons of questions tomorrow" Charles asked. "Yeah you are right" I said. I went to my instagram and chose a random picture of me from a few weeks ago, then I started to write something..
"What about this?" I asked and showed Charles what I had just written. "That's good," he nodded. He also wrote something, then we posted it. It was a good thing to do since I couldn't handle all the questions tomorrow, but we let everyone know that we didn't want too many questions about it, since its very private and emotional, and something we don't feel like sharing with the entire world.
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It was now Friday, which meant we were going to the track for the first two free practices. I was really excited to go back, since it had been so long since the last race week. I have missed everything about it, and so many of the wonderful people around the paddock.
We got ready, I wore something chilled but fancy at the same time, and Charles wore his classic jeans and his Ferrari shirt, I must say I have missed seeing him in his ferrari clothes because he definitely looks amazing in it.
"Ready?" he asked and smiled. "Yes, let's go" I said and nodded. We then left the hotel room, walked down the stairs and drove towards the track.
We arrived at the track, scanned our cards and walked into the paddock, Charles took my hand and then we walked together though the paddock, and quickly to the ferrari hospitality. The media and fans were taking a bunch of pictures of us arriving.
A few fans stopped Charles on the way to get a picture and an autograph, which he of course wouldn't say no to.
"Olivia! Are you alright?!" Mattia asked as he saw us walking inside. "Hey Mattia, yeah I'm fine" I said and smiled. "I'm happy to hear, that was really something.. I understand you had surgery? are you supposed to be here already?" he asked. "Yeah, I did. but I'm healing and I feel fine, nothing to worry about".. "Alright, but if there's anything you need just say so, and I will let someone handle it" He said insisting. "Thanks, but really it won't be necessary" I smiled politely. "She will Mattia, she's just being stubborn as always!" Charles said and looked at me, I rolled my eyes while letting out a little laugh. "Don't be, the Ferrari team has your back if you need anything, I promise!" Mattia said whilst looking at me. "I know, thanks" I nodded. It was true, I know it was but I didn't want these people to look out for me, I am after all nothing here, nothing else than their driver's girlfriend. So for them to do this for me is just too much.
The practice was finished and went well. Charles finished as the fourth fastest with Carlos right behind him. Charles had a little moment on the track complaining with an understeering problem, which made him drive though the gravel.
"That was good!" I said as he walked towards me."It was alright," he said positively, and smiled. We walked to his driver's room where his physiotherapist gave him a massage on his shoulders since it still was sore after the accident, and driving a very fast and complicated formula one car, didn't make it better. But thankfully the massage helped a lot on him.
"What would you say if I went to see Max, before fp2?" I asked Charles. There was still about two hours until the next practice would begin, and I wanted to talk with him. "Please do, I have to go talk some strategy though as well" he said and took his shirt on again after the massage. "Great, I'll come back soon" I said and went to give him a kiss before leaving. "I'll see you, love you" he said and gave me a hug. "I love you" I said and walked out of the door..
I left the ferrari building and walked the short distance to the red bull building, they of course knew who I was so they let me inside with any hesitation.
"Omg Olivia, how are you holding up? I just read your instagram post this morning" Carola asked as she saw me entering the building. "Hey Carola, I'm fine" I said and smiled. She pulled me into a hug. "That's good to hear, I'm so sorry this happened to you" she said, her hug was really comforting. "Don't be, I'm all good.. It just doesn't feel real that something like this actually happened".. "I know, it's surreal. Thankfully you both are doing good" she said.
Carola and I talked for a little while, I told her more detailed about what had happened, she was really good to talk with.. After a little while Max and Checo walked out to meet us after their meeting. Max looked surprised to see me here, since it had been so long since I had visited red bull hospitality on my own.
"Oli, what are you doing here?" he asked and hugged me. "I just wanted to visit my brother, is that so wrong? Oh and Hi Checo" I said and smiled. "Hey Olivia, you good?" he asked and I nodded.. "No, I'm happy to see you really" Max said and answered my question.
Carola and Checo left us and then it was just Max and I. "Can we talk?" I asked and looked at him, "Sure, come with me" he nodded and then we walked to a room where there was no one else. I closed the door and started the conversation.
"So are we good? it's been weird since the accident" I said and sat down on the chair, since I could feel I needed to sit down. I hadn't been sitting down today as much as my doctor told me too, woops.. "Yeah, aren't we?" he asked and sat down next to me. "I dunno, that's why I'm asking? It's up to you, since you know I'm not gonna leave Charles, just because you hate him, but that you just have to understand if we are gonna be good again?" I said directly, he took a deep breath and to my surprise stayed calm..
"I don't hate him anymore, I saw how he cared for you when you were in the hospital.. Am I the biggest fan of him? Well still no, but I don't hate him, will I respect your relationship? yes that I will" he said and smiled a bit. "Really?" I smiled big..
"Yes really, if it means I can be with my sister again and talk to her everyday, then I can't see the problem".. "Aw that's sweet of you!" I said.
"And I'm so sorry Oli, I have been a terrible brother.. I know it's your life and you make your own choices, but I was just trying to protect you" he said and looked down, he looked a bit sad and guilty. "It's fine Max, I don't need it. Charles won't hurt me I know it.. But I accept your apology! Maybe we could arrange a day where you and Charles actually could get to know each other?" I suggested.
"I would like that," He said. "Great, I'll talk to Charles I think he would like it too, I mean you both are amazing people and I genuinely think you would like each other very much" I shrugged. "Oh Oli, one step at a time! We are almost enemies, you can't expect us to be best pals over one talk!" Max laughed, which I did too. "Nah, but it would be fun!" I said.
Max and I talked a bit, it was wonderful to have my brother back. He told me that he felt really guilty about the accident which made me kinda sad, since it isn't his fault at all, I made sure to tell him many times that he shouldn't feel guilty and that he couldn't have done anything to prevent this from happening, it happened and we are alright which is just the most important thing.
It was time for practice two which meant I had to go back since I promised Charles that I would be there.
"I was thinking if you would like to watch the next race from my garage?" Max asked as I was about to leave. "I would love that," I said and went to give him a hug. "Yay" he smiled and hugged me.
Next race is The Netherlands so I feel like I have to be at Max's garage since it's his home race. Plus I have missed everyone at red bull so it would be great to see everyone again.
"Hey babe" I said as I saw Charles, who was getting ready for the second practice. "Hello, how did it go?" He asked and smiled. "It was great, we are good again, plus he wanted to meet you properly one day!".. "Oh really? That can be arranged".. "Thank you for also giving him a chance, it means a lot!" I said and went to give him a hug. "Anything for you mon amour" he smiled, which I did too.
"Now get out there and do your best!" I said and pulled away from the hug. "I'll try to, love you" he said and went to give me a quick kiss. "I love you too!" I said and sended a smile his way, as he was walking towards his car.
The green lights were turned on and the second practice was on the go. Compared to the first practice today, the second one was on a really wet track since it had been raining a lot today. I have always loved wet races, but I know Charles is struggling a bit with them, since the ferrari car isn't the best in wet conditions.
Max was killing it out there by being really fast, which made me happy. Charles did have some good times too.
They filmed a lot on Charles while he was trying to set some good laps, but then at turn 6 he crashed into the barrier. "Oh no" I said silently to myself, my heart was beating fast since I was really nervous, the crash wasn't that bad, but everything inside me almost turned a hundred times while watching the crash. It reminded me about the accident, not that it can be compared like that, but a crash is a crash. "Charles, are you alright? please confirm?" the team asked over the radio. "I am, sorry guys" he answered. "copy" they said back. He then got out of the car and the sight of him getting out made me a bit more calm, it's always the best feeling seeing the driver come out after a crash.
With ten minutes to go, the green lights were out again and the other 19 drivers could continue. Charles came back to the garage where he quickly had a word with his engineer, and then walked to the back of the garage where I was watching the race from with a couple others. "Sorry this happened" I said and laid my head on his shoulders. "Yeah, it sucks" he said, he was disappointed but managed to keep a smile.
"Red flag!" someone in the garage said, which made us both look at the screens, as we were a bit unfocused while talking. "It's Max!" Charles said, my heart skipped a few beats again. "Not him too, what the heck is happening" I said, literally my two favorite boys and drivers had crashed. Replays showed that he lost rear out in turn 7, and hit the high curbs, which made him go though the gravel and into the barriers.
With not much time left, the session was not being resumed as it would take a lot of time to get his car out and clean the track. Max was out and his car was parked in the barriers, in the background Charles' car was still parked there, so this wasn't a sight I enjoyed to watch, both their cars a bit destroyed, but thankfully they are both doing great, and that they both have good mechanics that will fix the cars for qualifying tomorrow. Fingers crossed it will go better for them both. Even though Max actually got p1 in practice, he had sat a good lap which made him get p1.
The rest of the day went by fast, they all had some media things to attend. And after that they were off for today, so Charles, George, Lando, Daniel, Carlos, Alex and I decided to hang out for a bit. We hung out in George's room, since it was quite big. We had so much fun, we also ate dinner together and hung out until they all had to go to bed a bit early, so they all could be fresh and ready to kick ass in qualifying tomorrow..
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(2660 words)
That was it for this chapter, I will write more about the qualifying and race in the next chapter, I just didn't wanna write more about it in this, since it has a good length.. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading along.:)