Challenges | Charles Leclerc ~ Book 2

1.

"Jules, peanut, Uncle Daniel will be here any minute" I say at the two year old, who is currently throwing a tantrum over the fact I won't let her leave the house without clothes on. "Please peanut, we need to get you dressed. Uncle Daniel and Uncle Oscar are going to be looking after you today while I go and see mummy"

The little girl looks at me, hair covering her bright red face "why can't I see mummy?" I let out a small sigh and kneel down to Jules level "because mummy is sick, and she doesn't want to get you sick, but peanut, as soon as she's better you can come and see her with me, okay?"

"Okay" she says pushing her hair to the side. Finally she grabs a shirt and puts it on as there's a knock at the door. "Where is my Jules?" Daniel says completely ignoring me as he walks through the doors "Hi, I'm good thanks for asking, just a little tired" I say as Daniel walks up to Jules, quickly taking her into his arms "and why are we only wearing a shirt and a nappy? Does dad not dress you?" He laughs as he puts her on the ground so she can put pants on. I sigh, defeated, and sit on the lounge as Oscar enters the house. "You okay man?" He says taking a seat next to me.

"Not really" I say looking at Daniel and Jules together. "That should be Summer and Jules, not Daniel" Daniel looks up at me and gives me a sad smile "I was only joking about the not dressing"

"Yeah I know mate, I know. You walked in post 20 minute tantrum, she wanted to go in just her nappy"

"How is Summer?" Oscar asks as he puts a hand on my thigh for reassurance "she's okay, starts treatment today" Daniel looks at me with a sad face "she saw her brother go through this, and die from this, now she's going through it herself" I say avoiding eye contact with either of them.

"I miss mummy" Jules says in a small voice. The toddler comes running up to me and indicates she wants to come up onto my lap. I happily let her. "I know baby, you'll see her soon, I promise" she nods her head and cuddles into me. I place a small kiss on the top of her head. "Be good for Uncle Daniel and Uncle Oscar" she nods her head as I move her across into Oscars arm. "You guys sure you can look after her"

Daniel smirks "I've looked after her since she was a baby, we will be fine, won't we bug" Jules nods her head eagerly as Daniel comes over and tickles her.

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"How is she?" Summer asks as soon as I walk into her hospital room "is she okay? Is Daniel and Oscar okay looking after her? Is she at the house or with them? Where is she go-"

"Summer, hey, she's okay. She's asking about you, and misses you, but she's okay. They are at the house but I know they wanted to take her out for lunch somewhere. Maybe to the park or down by the river. They'll be fine with her" I say cutting her off before she gets spiralling. Summer nods her head and lets out a sigh. "I hate this" she says as I sit down next to her hospital bed. "I know, I know, but love if you don't get the treatment"

"I'll end up like Henry" she says cutting me off. We have been speaking about her brother a lot lately given the circumstances "you've got this Sum, and I'll be right here with you through this"

"It's going to get ugly Charles, I don't want you to see me this way"

"For better and for worse right?" I say looking at Summers engagement ring. I asked the question just after Jules turned 1. We went to France for a little trip after the Italian GP, Lando and Max were in France as well at the time, just by pure luck, and we got them to look after Jules while we had dinner near the Eiffel Tower. I popped the question with it in the background and it was beautiful. Summer looked amazing.

We started to plan an Aussie Summer wedding for the Summer just gone, but then Summer started to get sick. So we postponed the wedding while she sorted out medical treatment. And now we are in a small hospital room in Melbourne, with her about to start chemotherapy for cancer. 

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"Julie! You get back here and put some pants on before dad comes home" Daniel yells out as I open the front door to the apartment "please, he meant to say please" Oscar yells from the lounge as I see Daniel chasing Jules around the lounge room area.

"You see what I had to deal with before you two showed up" I say, standing in the doorway. "Daddy!" Julie yells out, running up to me and giving my leg a big hug "save me" she pleads "what mean things has Uncle Daniel and Uncle Oscar been doing to you? Making you put on pants, how dare they" I say jokingly. "Dad, it was awful. They made me eat my vegetables"

"They didn't !" I say pretending to be shocked "it's okay, I'll make them eat their vegetables as well" I turn my attention to both of the boys sitting on the lounge, looking absolutely defeated.. by a 2 year old.

"She's never been this much of a handful" Daniel admits "that's because she hasn't seen Summer in about 2 weeks. Shes good when she's seen Summer, when she hasn't, she's a little feral." Jules is playing quietly, pantless, on the floor infront of her uncles. "Can I see Uncle Lando tomorrow?"

"I'll give him a call later and see what he's doing peanut, but time for dinner. Are you two staying?" I ask Daniel and Oscar "May as well" Oscar shrugs "nooooooo" Jules says looking at her uncles "I don't want them to stay for dinner. I want mummy to be here for dinner" she says as she gets up and runs to her room. Daniel gets up to go follow her, but I stop him. "I've got this, if you two want to order pizza, and give Lando a call, see if he can come over. Might help with peanuts tantrum throwing"

I slowly enter Jules room and see her crying on her bed "I just want my mum" my heart is breaking for her. "I know peanut, I know. How about we FaceTime her. I know she would love to see you. Maybe we can call her after dinner so she can read you a bedtime story, how does that sound?" My daughter looks up at me through her tears and just nods. "Move over bug" I say as I go to sit down next to her, she crawls into my lap and burries her head into my chest. Her sobbing slows as she wipes her nose on my shirt after a while. I hear the front door open and a familiar voice fills the house.

"Peanut" I say getting the attention of Jules "Uncle Lando is here" she gets up as fast as she possibly can and runs straight for the lounge room to see her Uncle Lando.