hitched•cl•

Hitched Bonus Chapter - 1

Milo & Lewis Leclerc = 7 years old
Jules Leclerc = 5 1/2 years old
Benjamin Leclerc = 2 months old
•••

"Babe, you're going to be fine, you're their dad, and they love you," Presley smiled, picking up a rucksack and yoga mat, "Worst come to worst, just call the boys to help; they are all in the same position."

Presley pressed a kiss to her husband's cheek and quietly closed the front door of their South of France house.

Charles waved goodbye as Beau stopped her jeep outside to pick up his wife before turning around and setting a countdown alarm on his phone for 19:30, which was when Presley was due back.

It wasn't that Charles was not confident in his parenting abilities; he was, well, when it was just Milo and Lewis. Then Jules came along and having a daughter was just as hard as everyone said it would be. He loved the little girl, but the toddler knew precisely how to press the buttons of her older brothers.

And then came number four. At two months old, you would think that baby Benjamin would be easy, but he was anything else but easygoing. The little one was the only one of the Leclerc children not to be named after anyone else, yet he seemed to have the energy of Lewis, Milo and Jules combined.

It was precisely 31 minutes after Presley left the Leclerc household for a spa day with the rest of the girls that Charles regretted gifting her the voucher. He wanted his wife to have a good day, but this was the first time he was alone with all of his children.

It was inevitable that the first day in charge without Presleys supervision was bound to be chaos in the Leclerc household. Less than seventeen hours ago, Charles was racing around Singapore, nailing his 3rd win of the season but still trailing Pierre in the Mercedes AMG - Hamilton F1 team.

"Daddy, where is Mummy?" Milo pouted as the older of the two twins trailed into the kitchen. It was a surprise he was the first one up. Usually, you couldn't budge him in bed.

"Mummy has gone out with Auntie Juno, Emma, Scarlet, Beau, Indie, and Darcy" Charles pointed out as his son reached his arms out for a hug. The seven-year-old then perched at the breakfast table, waiting for cereal to be poured.

"Rice Krispies for Sir Milo Leclerc, are they to your tasting?" Charles acted, holding a hand behind his back.

The seven-year-old took a small spoonful of the cereal and pondered. "Delightful, Daddy," Milo remarked.

Shortly after, Lewis also appeared in the kitchen holding onto the cuddly toy dinosaur Lewis Senior had gifted him on his first birthday. It had been his favorite toy ever since.

Lewis jumped into the seat next to his brother and had his bowl of cereal poured out. A glass of orange juice was also placed next to each of the twins.

Milo pressed a kiss against the boy's head as he called out for Jules, who was presumably playing in the den with their 9-month-old Golden Retriever puppy, Sheldon.

The doe-eyed five-and-a-half-year-old walked through to the kitchen, and as guessed, Sheldon was wobbling behind her.

"Morning Princess," Charles said, picking up his daughter and pressing a kiss to her forehead. She smiled and wrapped her hands around the driver's neck.

"I love you, Daddy," Jules laughed as he put her in the third seat at the kitchen island.

So far, so good. Only eleven hours and twenty minutes until Presley was back. Not that Charles was counting.

Once breakfast was made, it was time to bring a bottle to little Benjamin, but the baby was still sleeping, and Pascale had told Charles that if they were sleeping, do not wake them. Charles could live with that.