Call you mine - Charles Leclerc

Chapter 30

As George followed where Ellie had gone, his heart heavy with concern. He could feel his heart beating out of his chest, and when he found her, his heart broke even further. He found her sitting on a bench near the back exit, her head in her hands. As he approached, he could hear her quiet sobs. He sat down beside her, not saying a word, and simply placed a comforting hand on her knee. She immediately fell into his shoulder, seeking comfort from his best friend.

After a few moments, Ellie lifted her head, her tear-stained eyes meeting George's. "I'm sorry your caught in the middle of this. I saw the look on the others, they obviously know you knew" she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of exhaustion and sorrow.

George squeezed her shoulder gently. "You don't have to apologize, Ellie. Your my priority, always." he said softly.

She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "It's just... everything's falling apart, George. My dad... It's all a mess."

George didn't know what to say, but he knew he needed to be there for her. "Ellie, you're strong, and you've got people who care about you, and now that everyone knows maybe you can let more people be there for you. We'll figure this out together, as we always do."

She gave him a weak smile. "Thanks, George. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He smiled back at her. "You don't have to find out. I'm not going anywhere." He sighed before continuing, knowing she wouldn't like the next part. "You have to fix things with Declan, you know that right?"

She only looked at him, at a lost for words, her situation with her brother the last of her worries for the moment.

As they sat there, the weight of the world seemed a little lighter. They might not have all the answers, but they had each other, and that was enough for now.

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Meanwhile, inside the motorhome, tensions were running high as Stephanie confronted Toto about their daughter's situation.

"What in the hell was that Torger?!?" Stephanie yelled

"Not now Stephanie, I know I was out of line." Toto sighed, exhausted

"Out of line doesn't even begin to cover it. You know her, this could very well drive her over the edge. She came here for you, not herself, for you! Think about that for a second." Toto just stayed silent, not knowing how to defend himself.

"You can't just force her to quit her job and move back home," Stephanie argued, her voice filled with frustration, "and you most certainly do not talk to someone in her situation like you just did."

Toto ran a hand through his hair, his anger beginning to dissipate. "I know, I just... I can't bear to see her suffer like this. She's been doing this her way long enough. She needs more help if she wants to continue living the way she does, and actually getting treatment"

Stephanie sighed, realizing the depth of Toto's concern. "I get that, but Ellie is your daughter, you should know better" she said nudging his shoulder, earning a heartbroken laugh from him. "She's been handling this in her own way. We need to support her choices, because in the end, their her choices to make, no matter how much we hate it."

Toto nodded, his shoulders slumping. "You're right, Steph. I just... she's my little girl, out of all my children, she's the one that always been like me... I can't go through this without being there for her."

Stephanie reached out and took Toto's hand. "We'll get through this together, Toto. We have to be strong for Ellie."

As they sat together, their hands entwined, they knew that the road ahead would be challenging, but they were determined to be there for their daughter, no matter what.