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december 2023, monaco
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MAX WAS NOT DOING WELL. He and Millie had stayed at Victorias for three days, before Max decided he should face his empty house. He promised Millie she would only have to stay at her Aunties for one day without him. But that was a promise he hadn't kept.
"I need you to look after Millie for another few days, I'm sorry to be a bother.. I just need a minute," Max had asked softly on the phone a few days ago. His sister understood, but reminded Max he couldn't ruin his relationship with his daughter. "Can you put her on?"
"Hi Daddy." Millie smiled, Max missed her voice.
"Hi princess. How are you?" He asked, Max smiled for the first time in days talking to his little girl. "When am I gonna see you next?" Millie asked, sadness in her voice. Max took a deep breath, scanning the empty living room.
"How about this Princess, I'll come pick you up tomorrow?" Max made a final promise to Millie, this one he wouldn't break. "Okay Daddy, I miss you."
"I miss you too Princess, love you lots." Max kissed the phone, and opened his computer to start getting a flight ready from Monaco to the Netherlands for the 14th of December. "Tomorrow." Victoria repeated, "I love having her here and helping you out, but you still need to look after your daughter Max. And if you're so sure that Ella will come back why are you so bothered?"
"Because it still hurts Victoria, she still left me. She still left us." Max choked on his words, he was desperate to hang up the phone. "But you know why, well... maybe not for certain. She just needs time."
"Thank you for looking after Millie for me, tell her I love her." Max hung up the phone, he took a deep breath. He didn't blame Antonella for what she did, and he really did wholeheartedly believe she would come back. But he was becoming more and more unsure as the days went on.
The first few days home were the worst, without Millie, Max had no motivation or reason to do anything. He would lie on the couch watching whatever was on the TV, he didn't care enough to change the channel. He would eat randomly, and showered way too often. The loud noise of the shower hid the quietness of his house. It didn't feel like home anymore without her.
Once Millie was back, things got brighter. They didn't leave the house much except to buy groceries, and Max made sure to cook three meals a day for himself and his daughter. He tried not to breakdown everytime Millie reminded him he wasn't as good a cook as Antonella.
"Dad! This pesto isn't as good as the one Ella makes!" Millie complained, Max laughed and reminded his daughter not to be ungrateful. "Sorry, Dad. It's still really nice." She backtracked.
Max was glad to have Millie back, he didn't know if he would still be here without her. She truly was the light in his life. Max was silly to think he needed two lights in his life. He was being selfish. He didn't need both Millie and Ella as his sunshine. And he obviously didn't deserve both of them.
"Where is Elsy?" Millie asked one morning, Max almost dropped the plate he was putting back in the cupboard. "She went home to spend Christmas with her family sweetheart, she'll be back in no time I promise."
"But she's part of our family, Dad. She told me we could make Christmas cookies!" Millie said sadly, stamping her foot, Max tried his hardest not to cry, he didn't know how on earth he could explain to his little girl that Ella might not ever return. No, he couldn't think like that. Ella would come back, he knew it, she wouldn't leave them. She just needs more time.
"You'll see her soon enough," he promised her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. He hoped he didn't just lie to his daughter. He hoped Antonella would back soon, and they could enjoy their time together as a family. But he wasn't so sure, with every day that passed he was getting less and less hopeful that Ella would ever return.
"Bed time, c'mon." Max insisted, carrying Millie to her bed where he read her a story. "You need to do the different voices!" Millie insisted, Max obliged and afterwards lay with his daughter until she fell asleep.
He quietly left the room, and locked the door before getting into his own bed. He sat in silence, taking everything in.
For Max, this was the worst bit. The silence. The absence of Ella's laughter, her singing, everything about her. He missed it all dearly. And hoped she would return soon. He didn't want life to go back to how it was before her.
Not only was he a lot less happy without Ella, he would barely get to see his own daughter once the new season started. Ella was the best thing that could've ever happened for Max and Millie, and now she was gone. Max didn't know what to do about it.
How would he be able to see his daughter everyday without Ella? How would he be able to smile everyday without Ella?
He wasn't sure how he could do it. But he knew that he didn't want to learn.
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a/n guys check out my new 'Meet My OCS' book!
it would mean a lot to me if you guys voted and commented and showed some love!
if you guys do decide to check it out you can have your say on which fanfic is posted next and tell me which you would like to see most!!
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