Love, Eternal

Best Buddy

Nola and Freya spent the rest of the week in Italy. Nola was quieter than normal but spending the time with Freya had started to put her back together, she spent a lot of time on the phone to Lando who insisted on calling and texting to make sure she was okay, she found it nice. By the time her meeting come round Nola felt half herself. She sat down with Andrea first, telling her all about her current situation, Andrea made it clear that as long as the therapist and the doctors cleared her to work she could, if anything changed then she would have to inform Andrea, she promised she would but her boss seemed very sympathetic, concerned more for Nola's wellbeing rather than forms and rules.

Then Nola met her team, there was her manager Elena, who she relayed the health matters to as she needed to know as well when handling her commitments. Then there was Luisa her stylist, Marco her hair stylist and Carla her makeup artist. All of them were incredibly nice and welcoming and they all clicked straight away, none of them actually meeting each other until that day, so it was all new for them all.

Nola was now on her way home, back to Monaco. She had seen so many pictures and videos of Pierre in Paris, he had still gone, but of course he would. Even Nola could tell he didn't look right, not completely himself. Freya sitting beside her for the short flight, they had shared a room because Freya refused to let Nola out of her sight, which she was okay with. Her body was adjusting to the medication and her first therapy session was Monday, she felt calm and more in control, she was apprehensive to go home, she wasn't sure what to expect. She had already called her mum who told her she could stay there if she wanted, Lando had also offered up his spare room along with inviting her over for dinner regardless tonight. Nola heard nothing from Pierre, Charles or Charlotte, which she wasn't fussed about, she had asked for space. Did she miss them? Yes. She missed Pierre liked crazy, she missed her brother, she was sad about Charlotte. Through the grapevine, being Luisinha, then Lando who then told Nola, Charlotte was so upset and had been miserable at home, which upset Nola, but there wasn't anything Nola could do now. Nola would land in Nice, where Lando was picking them both up, taking Freya home to see Olivier before Nola went to Lando's house for dinner.

"Thank you, for everything. I seriously mean that, you've done so much for me and been the most amazing friend and I don't even know how to thank you" Nola said as she slumped onto the sofa in Lando's house, they'd eaten dinner which was a takeaway because Lando was cheating slightly before he got ready for the next race. Nola was still unsure if she would even by flying to England.

"You don't need to thank me Nola, I just want to make sure you're okay. It's what friends do"

"I'm short on those at the moment... and family"

"Have you spoken to any of them?"

"Nope, not since I left, I could barely speak to them when they came back from Canada, I just don't know where to even begin"

"Just know you've done nothing wrong, none of this is your fault, and you said yourself you're starting to feel better already so just focus on yourself" Lando put his arm round Nola and pulled her into his side for a hug

"I am focusing on myself, but it's hard. I feel so detached, so lonely. I miss Pierre, I miss my brother, I've never not spoken to him, the longest has only ever been when he's racing, otherwise I'm always there, I feel really lost"

"Then talk to them"

"What do I even say?"

"You just speak your mind, calmly. If they apologise they do, if they don't then you know where you stand"

"And if they don't?"

"If they don't you have me, you have Freya, you have Luisinha, Dan, George, Alex, your mum but don't worry because I can bet it will work itself out and they will, they're not horrible people, same as you" Lando mumbled "now do you want to stay here or shall I take you home?" He asked. Nola wasn't sure what to do, she had no energy and couldn't be bothered to do anything.

"I don't know"

"Stay here then, and we can go for a run in the morning and then you can just go back to yours?" He said, Nola nodded

"Thank you"

"Always, my best buddy" Lando laughed, he had a way of making everything seem bright and sunny even if the clouds where still overhead.

"Come on kiddo, you've definitely got better pace than that" Lando shouted out to Nola as she ran behind him

"Against a professional athlete, no" Nola slowed down and walked with her hands on her hips and Lando jogged back and walked with her "I also haven't ran for a few days" she sighed

"Well, you're here now" Lando said. Nola nodded and nudged him as they both began running again. They made it to Charles and Nola's house and Lando fistbumped.

"Good job, right text me if you need anything, you know where I am for an escape" Lando said, he went to turn away before he pulled Nola into a hug

"Thank you for everything" Nola said to him as she wrapped her arms around her friend. But now it was time, she knew Charles was home, she could see his car from the steps of the house, she sighed and walked in the door.

"Nola" Charles breathed out a sigh when he saw his sister, she was home.

"Charles" Nola nodded at him

"Let's sit down, Charlotte is here" Charles spoke, she nodded and walked into the kitchen and took a bottle of water out the fridge and caught Charlotte watching her from the dining table, she sat down across from her.

"Who wants to go first?" Charles asked. Nola shrugged and started speaking, she said her piece. She actually spoke to her brother and to Charlotte, a whole week after the blow up. They each said what they wanted to say and resolved all of the issues, Charles took his sisters hand on top of the table. He was completely relieved to finally be able to speak to her, now he would be able to help her as much as he possibly could.

"I've been so worried about you, you looked horrible when I saw you, not at all yourself. You look better now which is great but you still don't look okay"

"I'm not if I'm honest, I'm better but I'm not okay"

"What can I do?"

"Aside from not shouting at me or not listening to me?" Nola joked making Charles smirk

"I'm sorry"

"I know, I just need support, I need to get back to being good. I'm going to be working, and doing therapy and on these tablets and I need to focus on myself" Nola smiled and Charles nodded, she looked over at Charlotte, she took Nola's other hand

"I'm sorry to, I shouldn't of done what I did. I was in shock, of course I should of believed you, I just didn't know you had already been set off with Pierre" Nola nodded and squeezed her hand

"Speaking of Pierre?" Charles began

"I don't know Charles, he hurt me" Nola sighed

"He's worried about you, he's come back to Monaco from France, waiting for you to come back" Charles said

"He has?" Nola didn't expect that

"Yeah, regardless of whether it's fixed or not, I think you still need to speak" Charlotte said. Nola nodded

"Probably, I'm not about to let it build up again" Nola sighed

"Then go and see him" Charlotte said "he's staying in the place he normally stays in" She said. Nola nodded, she knew where. She sighed

"Okay" Nola had the whole day, she went to get up

"What are you doing about England?" Charles asked

"I'm not sure" Nola shrugged

"I want you to come" Charles spoke

"I know" Nola looked down at her feet "let me see how it goes with Pierre, then I'll let you know" Charles nodded and Nola left the house after having a shower and getting changed. She stepped into her car and sat for a minute trying to build herself up to leave.