One last Chance

only ray of hope

*Evelyn

I was awakened the next morning by a loud knock on the door of my room. Tired, I pushed myself up while Charles grumbled.

"Evi! Get up! Time for breakfast!", I recognized Max's voice immediately.

This was going to be awkward in a minute, for sure.

Max and I had been best friends forever and he had been beyond furious, to say the least, when Charles had broken up with me. He had nearly exploded, especially after the Mella thing. He had been on the verge of punching Charles in the face and I appreciated that protective nature about him, but I had stopped him then. For his sake.

It had taken him quite a while to talk to Charles again, and he only got along with him now as long as I wasn't the topic of conversation.

He probably wouldn't react very well to the fact that I had agreed to Charles' request yesterday. But he wasn't my father and couldn't control my life. I already knew what I was doing.

"Good morning, Maxie.", I smiled as I opened the door.

He walked right in "Ehm, before you freak out now. It's not what it looks like.", I mumbled as he entered the room and his gaze immediately slid to my bed.

"So that's not Charles in your bed right now?" he snorted.

I could see the flush of anger rising in his face.

"Yes, it is. But it's not what it looks like."

"So you didn't...?"

"No!" I said with such clarity that Charles now raised his head.

"He was just sleeping here," I clarified.

"What's he doing here anyway? I mean, where did he get the idea to sleep here?" growled Max.

"I'm here, you can talk to me," Charles said, sitting up.

"Be glad I'm not doing it right now. Otherwise I might do something I'll regret.", Max grumbled over his shoulder, then looked back at me "So?".

"He offered me a job and I took it," I said straight out.

His eyes widened. I could see him counting to 10 inside to keep from yelling at me.

"What kind of job, Evi?"

"Charles is getting sole custody of his daughter. She'd have to go into foster care otherwise. And he needs someone to take care of his daughter," Max's anger faded immediately.

When it came to children, the Dutchman was incredibly soft.

He turned to Charles, "How come this is only happening now?" he asked.

Charles ran his hand over his face "I guess Mella didn't take care of things so well. Child services was involved. I can't let her go into foster care, can I? And Evi is an educator. Besides, I trust her."

Max nodded "But build shit again, Leclerc, and I'm not going to let that mini-Vettel there stop me."

"I won't screw up again. I promise.", he looked past Max and straight at me at that.

I avoided his gaze "Will you give me five minutes Max? I'll just get ready and then we can have breakfast, ok?" he turned to me and eyed me closely before nodding.

At breakfast I had also told Seb about my new "job". He hadn't said anything, but I could read in my brother's face how unenthusiastic he was about it.

He appreciated Charles, even very much, but that he had broken my heart back then, he had not been able to forgive him completely. I had really had to nibble at the separation for a long time. Much longer than with others and Seb had suffered with me. Just as he had always done.