Unexpected

Chapter XVI

'OK' - I say once she is fully ready for my endless questions and opinions and suggestions. She is shocked. I smile and tell her 'OK, to everything you said.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean I have no objections to anything.' - I grab her hands and kiss them. 'You have raised this wonderful human being. Who am I to tell you how to continue raising him? I want to be part of it, but you're doing it perfectly. Why should I interject? Do I wanna spoil him? Absolutely! Do I understand your point? Yes, so I will contain myself. You want him to spend time with family and carry on his studies? I'll back you up. You would consider moving to Monaco? I'll rebuild the house to accommodate you two. You don't want to officially put a ring on it? Too bad because I already got you one. You want to keep James away from the spotlight. I will sue photographers for breakfast and potentially murder them, if it comes to it. You want me to be honest with you 100% of the time? I'm all in. So in, that I need to tell you that I'm 5 seconds away from carrying you down those stairs and making love to you until the morning.' - I mentally start counting to five.

'Wait, what?!' - she says but I'm already getting up, throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her down the stairs. I lay her on the bed and take a ring box from my trousers. 'No, Charles.' - she begs. 

'Relax, I'm not asking you to marry me.' - I'm not sure how I feel about the relief on her face. But she did warn me. 'It's just a gift, nothing more. It's not an engagement ring or anything. It's a present for you. It's not flashy and it suits you and your work attire. It will look perfect on you. It reminds me of the different pieces that come together to build the perfection that you are.' - I take off the ring and lay down beside her putting it on her finger. 

She looks at it and she smiles. She kisses me but we are interrupted by her phone ringing. Aurore is calling her on a video call. She puts on one of my shirts and sits on the lounge couch. I sit next to her, thumping my leg up and down. I am so nervous. She told me she would try to tell him tonight. I listen to the conservation unfolds.

'Bonsoir mon chou chou!'

'Bonsoir maman! Tu me manques trop.'

'I miss you even more my angel. What are you doing baby?'

'Nothing. Auntie Aurore said I should call you because it's getting late there.'

'Yes it is, non ange. Listen, do you think you can sit down and speak to mummy? I have something to ask you. Is that OK?'

'Yes' - I can hear his steps through the phone and him trying to climb something, I guess a sofa at home.

'Mon amour, you remember when I said dada was driving the fast cars and you thought he was Colin McRae?' - I try to start with something that is familiar to him.

'Yes' - he says reluctantly. I can hear it on his voice.

'Well, dada is not Colin McRae but you knew that, right?'

'Yes'

 'You remember watching the fast cars in Monza a few weeks ago?'

'Yes'

'You remember there was a red car spinning on the track?'

'Yes'

'You remember you said he was an idiot sandwich? That the car is supposed to go straight, not around and around?' - She looks at me. I am chuckling. I may not be able to contain my laughter. This kid is hilarious! My kid, my son is hilarious!

'Yes'

'Do you know the name of the idiot sandwich? Do you remember the name of the driver?

I can hear him mumbling something and then he says in a low voice. 'Was it Éclair?' - Alessandra chuckles but keeps her composure.

'You are correct baby! Good memory.'

'I remember mummy because it was the red car and Mick wouldn't do that.'

'Very good, my love. You even remember Mick's name.' She pauses for a bit, I guess figuring out what to say next. 'Baby, I have someone here with me that very much would like to get to know you. Someone that you know as Éclair but his name is actually Leclerc.'

'C'est la meme chose, maman.'

'I won't argue on that, baby.'

'Bebe, his name is Charles Leclerc, and he is your dada.' - she looks at the screen in anticipation. I wait for instructions to move closer to the her, to see his face, to say hi, to get to know my son. What's he doing? What does his face look like? Is he mad? Is he sad? Will he start crying?

'Maman, Éclair is not with you and he is not my dada.' - I hear him say through the phone.

'Why do you say that?' - she's taken aback.

'Because I don't see him. Where is he?' - I can hear sass on his voice. He knows he's got his mum wrapped around his finger and I find it adorable.

She moves closer to me and once I am on the picture, I wave. I have tears in my eyes and all I can say is 'Hi James.' He has my eyes, my smile, he has freckles like his mum, and his nose is also mine. He is my spitting image. I'm in awe of this little human when he asks:

'Tu es mon papa?' - I look at Alessandra not knowing what to say. I turn back to the mobile screen.

'Oui, mon couer. Je suis ton papa.' - I say and he looks lost in thought.

'OK' - he says and we both chuckle and laugh. This kid is so unexpected and so full of attitude.

'Mon chou chou, do you think you would like to meet daddy tomorrow? Would that be OK?' - Alessandra asks him.

'Yes.' - he looks like he's trying to find words. 'Will he bring the red car?' - We laugh.

'Non mon couer. But soon, is that OK?' - I tell him.

He smiles wide and says 'OK'. He hops off the couch and gives the phone to who I assume is Aurore.

'Hey you two. Hi Charles, nice to finally meet you! Sorry about that, he's off to play with Louis. I think that went OK, no?' - She asks.

'Yes, I think he is OK.' - Alessandra confirms and my anxiety diminishes. This was the most worrying part.

We say goodbye to each other on the phone and as soon as the call is over, I hold this wonderful woman and I kiss her like my life depended on it and like promised, we make love the whole night. I can't get tired of her, of us. I can't stop falling in love with this woman. The future is bright and I am in complete bliss.