STAY THE NIGHT || Charles Leclerc

SIXTEEN

Friday, 21st January

"Olly! Are you ready?"

Today was Friday, just over two weeks since the death of my parents, and the day of their funeral.

I was sitting on the floor at the end of my bed, looking at myself in the mirror opposite. I was dressed in a black dress and blazer, with my boots on the floor next to me, ready for me to put them on. Everyone else- Jack, Lottie, Charles and Ellie were downstairs waiting for me, ready to go.

Through the corner of my eye, I noticed the door to my bedroom open.

"Olly?" came Charles' voice as he poked his head around the door.

"Charles, I... I can't do it... I can't go" I blabbered, my breath already shaky and uneven from where I had been crying.

"Oh Olly..." Charles said as he stepped into the room, sitting cross legged on the floor in front of me, blocking the reflection of myself in the mirror. "Tell me everything that you're thinking about right now."

"I can't go, Charles. I don't want anyone to see me. I don't want to get up and speak. I don't want to attend the service. I don't want to go to the meal at the pub afterwards. I'm scared Charlie. I'm so, so scared."

Charles took my hand in his, rubbing small circles in my left palm.

"Do you remember just before Jules' funeral? I was in such a state, I was totally convinced that I wasn't going to go. All the cameras outside, the journalists. I was terrified. Do you remember what you said to me? You told me that I had to go, that I had to be there. Because if I didn't, I would regret it later on. And you were so right, Ol. You were so, so right. I'm so grateful for having you there that day, so grateful that you talked me into going. So we're going to go to the funeral. I can come up with you when it's your turn to speak, and if you want I'll speak for you, or we can do it together. If you don't feel like going to the meal afterwards then that's okay. Just take it one step at a time. Don't do it for present tense Olivia, do it for future Olivia. Do it for the Olivia who will look back one day and think 'I'm glad that I went. I'm glad that Charles got me to do it'. And whatever you do, whatever you decide, I'll be right here by your side, like always."

I took a deep breath, holding my eyes closed as I listened to what Charles had said, feeling the pad of his finger draw small circles in my palm. Deep down, I knew that he was right. He was always right.

"Okay" I said, opening my eyes "I'm coming"

*

"And now some words from Emily and Mark's daughter, Olivia"

I took a deep breath, taking Charles' hand in mine and pulling him up with me. I knew that once I started, I would maybe, probably, be okay. But I wanted, I needed, Charles to be by my side as I eulogized about my parents.

"My parents..." I began, my voice faltering. 'Breathe Olly, you can do this'. I told myself as Charles gave my hand a small squeeze. I turned my head to face him.

"It's okay" he whispered, quietly enough so that nobody else would hear "You're going to be okay"

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes as I did so, preparing myself to start the eulogy.

"My parents were two of the most amazing people this world had to offer. They were truly meant for each other. Like all married couples, they sometimes drove each other mad, yet they somehow managed to keep the other from going insane at the same time. We always were, we still are, a close knit family. Much of my childhood memories include baking with my mum, or drawing with my dad. They made me, me - a future architect who loves to cook. They gave me a big brother in Jackson, and a little sister in Charlotte. Emily and Mark - mum and dad - were the best parents that I could ever have asked for, and were just as amazing grandparents to Ellie.

Unfortunately, one of my friends in Monaco never got the chance to meet my parents. She asked me to describe what they were like, what my best memories were with them. I won't tell you what I told her, because mum would be absolutely horrified if I told you all. But what I can tell you, is that the best memories are simply the time that we spent together. Most often it was at a racetrack, we always were Jack's biggest cheerleaders. I'll admit, I sometimes hated going, especially in cold and wet weather, but these are now memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.

The role of a parent is often considered as teaching your child about the world you brought them into, serving as a guiding hand in the trials and tribulations that we call life. Maybe the most important thing that my parents taught me isn't something simple like how to tie my shoelaces, or how to write my name. They taught me to dream, to wish. Mum always told me that no wish was ever too big, she was the one who really gave me the push that I needed, encouraging me to move out of the country to study so that I could follow my dream. I think she was so encouraging for her children to follow her dreams because she never had the encouragement to fulfill hers. Sure, the life that she had with us was amazing, but I always think a small part of her wondered 'What if?'. What if she had been given that little push, that little bit of encouragement, so that she could attend the culinary school of her dreams. She taught us, her children, her legacy, to do whatever you can to fulfill your wishes.

I've completed a lot of wishes in my lifetime, and I have a lot more. But there's one wish, one that will stay on my list, uncompleted, for the rest of my life. I wish that I got to keep my parents with me for a little bit longer. I wish that they could be there for the little things I still have left to complete in my life. I wish that they could be there in the audience when I graduate, watching me toss my graduation cap in the air with my classmates. I wish that they would be there when I bring a boy home, hoping that they'd love him as much as I do. I wish that my dad would be there to walk me down the aisle when I get married, and I wish that my mum would be there, holding my hand as I give birth to my first child. Maybe it was too much to wish that they could be with me physically, but I know that they'll do whatever they can to be by my side for every moment.

Mum, dad, I'm so grateful for being your daughter, and I hope that you feel the same about me. Thank you."

Somehow, I'd managed to get through the entire speech without crying. However, I did choke up slightly once I had finished, Charles pulling me in for a hug as the funeral goers gave me a small, supportive round of applause.

"I'm so proud of you Ol" Charles whispered into my ear "And so are mum and dad"

A/N: The last chapter of 2022! What a way to finish the year I guess? I'll be taking a little break from uploading over the Christmas period to get some more chapters written. I haven't got another chapter finished yet so I'm panicking slightly lol. Don't worry though, hopefully have chapter sixteen published on January 5th, so make sure that you're following me and have this added to your libraries so that you'll be notified when I'm back!

If you celebrate, have a very Merry Christmas and happy new year to you all. See you in 2023!

Copse x