[3] MARANELLO || C. LECLERC

FIFTY ONE

* this chapter is around 5k words, hence why it's taken a little longer than planned to get it uploaded. it warms my heart. i really hope you enjoy - i absolutely loved writing this chapter and also felt super emotional throughout. please, please, please engage and let me know if you cried as much as i did... *

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CAMILLE

Having my best friend by my side to walk me down the aisle provoked a feeling I'd never felt before.

My heart was about to explode with the love and the pride I felt as I walked with Max beside me. Everyone was stunned to silence - probably because they all thought the same as me - and I could see the smile lifting on Max's face as he pushed on. One foot in front of the other.

I was yet to even catch a glimpse of my husband-to-be because I was so focused on making Max feel accomplished.

However, when Max pointed his finger towards the bottom of the aisle, and I finally snapped into reality, with an instrumental piano version of Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You by George Benson playing softly through the speakers, I took my first glance at Charles. He smiled at me. This song was one we picked randomly, after we were slow dancing in the front room of his apartment under candlelight and it played softly in the background on the radio.

We locked eyes and my heart skipped a beat. He looked divine.

He's mine.

Charles stood proudly at the bottom of the aisle with his hands locked together by his torso. He released them for a second to brush the skin beneath his eye. He then pointed at Max and showed him a thumbs up. My heart melted at the sight. Never did I believe there would be a day where Max and Charles actually, genuinely got on.

Then, I noticed Lando, who was sitting in the third row. Like me, he obviously had absolutely no idea about Max being allowed to fly to Italy to be here, because his hands cupped his mouth and he looked at us in disbelief. His family sitting beside him, Lando was literally being held down by Cisca, probably so that he didn't rush to us and hug Max like a fool. By his side, a petite blonde girl, who I knew to be his not-yet-but-almost girlfriend. Charles and I were desperate to meet her so we invited her, too. Part of me felt guilty for keeping Lando from Selene recently, but they weren't officially together, and from what Lando told me, she was very understanding, so it was all okay. I appreciated it. She seemed like a nice girl for him. What he needed. Right now, however, Lando's focus was entirely on Max and I.

When we approached the front row, I noticed a wheelchair almost hidden in the corner of the room, whilst the seat on the end of the row was reserved for Max. Papa let go of him, and Max focused on gripping both of my hands with his.

"You look so pretty," through tears, Max looked at me, from head to toe. He removed his left hand from mine for a moment, just to caress the material of my dress. The movement in his arms and hands hadn't been impacted too much by the accident, but feeling his fingertips brush over my dress made me shiver. "I'm so pleased to be here."

"I love you more than anything else in this world," I didn't want to cry because it would ruin my makeup. Later on, Max and I needed to take more pictures than ever before to make up for lost time. "Can't wait to dance with you later."

When I was sure that Max was comfortable in his seat, I stepped back towards Papa, my heart feeling full knowing that Max was right there. When I woke up this morning, I never expected this.