Seeing Red

Nice

I can't stop thinking about the ball, calling it magical would be an understatement. I felt like I was floating, everything felt so lovely.

Mia's little caterpillar was now weaving its cocoon, she wanted Cali to be ready by the time we had to fly to France where she would spend her summer.

"Can I carry Cali's jar to Mama's house?"

"You're going to have to ask your papa." I smiled.

"Are you coming to my mama's house with me?"

"No, I'll be there to drop you! Have fun with her!"

"You would have liked my mama." She sighed.

I heard my phone's notification sound, it was Charles he had replied to the meme I sent him. We had started talking about more than just "oh there's an event today evening we should get pictures taken."

We were actually becoming friends, I found out more about him and he was learning about who exactly I was. Mia approved of it, she was happy that her papa was making friends.

I went home that evening, started packing my bags for Nice, he couldn't secure a paddock pass for me and he felt terrible about it. I was okay with it, let's be honest the French Grand Prix is kind of boring.

"Julia's coming over, it's been like three days since the ball and you haven't told us a word about it." Harriet chided

"Let her come over and I'll tell you both everything." I continued arranging my suitcase.

The doorbell rang, Harriet dashed to the door and pulled Julia into the house. She's here! Now start speaking! She yelled from the living room. I let out a little laugh and walked to where the two of them were standing.

"It was dreamy!" I swooned collapsing on the sofa dramatically.

"Tell us more!"

"At first I got a little bored because he was talking to these people I knew nothing about, so I decided to jus sip on my Champagne and stand aside."

"Tragic."

"Will ya listen?"

"Go on I promise not to let Harriet open her mouth."

"As the night progressed, he was finally done talking to all these people and we waltzed." I smiled thinking about it. "It was like, no one else in the room mattered or existed, just the two of us gliding across the floor."

"That's so romantic! It sounds like a scene right out of a fairytale." Julia bubbled.

"So he is a decent boyfriend, except for making you walk-"

"We talked about it, he apologised."

We spent the rest of the evening watching shows and eating good food, both of them discussed about work that's when I snuck in texting Charles. He was so excited about the race in France, he was talking about how he wanted to carry forward this good momentum he had gained since Monaco.

"Why are you smiling at your phone?" Harriet smirked.

"Nothing." I put down my phone.

"You can tell us if you're talking to him." Julia smirked.

"I have had enough of this, good night!" I marched to my room.

I woke up early and decided to make Harriet breakfast for a change, I quickly ate some and saw a text from Charles saying that he was here. I told him I'll be down in a minute, but before I could even get downstairs he had began honking.

"Harriet bye!" I yelled shutting the door after me and hurrying down the stairs with my suitcase.

"I'm going to kill you!" I yelled running towards the car.

He started driving before I could even sit down, when I yelled about it he started laughing. Mia, who was sitting in the backseat with Arthur was laughing too. Arthur was the only one who wasn't laughing, he still looked grumpy and looked like he couldn't wait to get to Nice already.

"So, we're going to drive to Nice, check in so that Arthur can sleep and then head to Charlotte's house." Charles explained to me.

"Okay! Sounds like a plan." I smiled.

"It is a plan." He laughed.

"Don't you ever crack dad jokes around me ever again."

"But he is a dad!" Mia chimed in.

We sang along to road trip songs while Arthur looked like he wanted to strangle all of us, within an hour we were in Nice and now looking for our hotel. After lots of fighting over who can't read a map, we were finally here.

Arthur didn't even wait for the car to fully come to a halt before leaping out of it, we got off and checked in quickly so he could go sleep. We freshened up and started for Charlotte's house.

I felt nervous for some strange reason, she was still on good terms with Charles but it felt awkward. Mia was still holding Cali's jar tightly in her hand, saying Cali was ready to come out as a butterfly anytime now.

We reached Charlotte's place, the conversation was very brief. He introduced me to her and she introduced her boyfriend Leo to us, she asked him some questions while Leo and I stood there awkwardly.

"Nice meeting you Tara! Mia can't stop talking about you." She beamed.

"It was so good to finally see you! She's always all praises about you."

"See! You would make such good friends!" Tara exclaimed.

"Would you like to join me and Mia for lunch later? We're going to this place by the beach." Charlotte asked.

"I'd hate to interrupt on your time with her..."

"She's going to be all mine for three months! We should catch up." She smiled.

"Yes! I'd love to come! See you later!" I smiled.

We headed back to the hotel, Arthur was still asleep. Charles and I decided to get breakfast and walk on the beach for a bit, this was the first time we were by ourselves in a relaxed environment. A few people looked at him, but he didn't mind.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing." He continued looking ahead.

"Charles, look at me. We're friends." I gave him an awkward side hug.

"Nothing, I just felt a little weird."

"About what?"

"She feels so delighted every time I drop her off at her mother's house, it's almost as if Charlotte is her favourite-"

"Do you have any idea about how proud Mia is? Of her papa?"

He looked at me confused. I continued.

"Mia, loves you. She makes you cards and paintings all the time, when you're not around all she can talk about is how cool you are, how she can't wait to watch you race and I don't think you realise she's a mini you!"

"A mini me?" He laughed.

"Yes! Both of you have a passion for making me cry and apart from that she copies everything you do. The way you laugh, the weird faces you make when you eat something you don't like the taste of, she wants to be just like you." I smiled.

"Thanks, I really needed that." He smiled at me.

"Now you focus on winning that race so mini Charles can be super proud of you."

"That I will!"

"Also remember, that Charlotte is her mother. Every child is emotionally attached to both their parents and needs them, so don't make her pick and choose or feel less loved because she wants to spend time with her mother."

"Yes, I will. I also promise to be more present in her life, she needs it." He smiled.