I love you, always | Charles Leclerc ✔

17

The day where everything started to go down was when Hervé was admitted to the hospital. He had collapsed in the house as his legs couldn't hold up his body anymore. Charles, his brothers and mother were torn inside, seeing their beloved father and husband, slowly slipping away from life. His body grew thinner and thinner as he had trouble eating ; the Hervé once full of life was disappearing. A week after he was admitted, doctors demanded to see Pascale. And that's when they knew they had to say their goodbyes.

Hervé was going to die.

Charles had trouble seeing his father, he didn't want to accept his father's impending death. Julie did everything she could to make her lover go see  his father. And her efforts have paid off, Charles knew that she knew what she was talking about, the only difference being that she didn't lose her father but her brother. So when he finally got the courage to go see him, he asked Julie to stay with him. He didn't have anything to hide from her and needed her support more than ever. Of course, Julie being Julie, she accepted, she also had to say her goodbyes.

So, on the 18th of June, Charles and Julie were seated in Hervé's room, close to his bed, holding him and talking to him about everything. They knew there was no room for regret. But there was an elephant in the room, something Charles didn't know how to address. His career.

His father was one of his biggest supporter, as he also was a racer back in the days, and him and Charles hadn't had an opportunity to talk about Charles's career yet.

« Du coup Charles, tu as des nouvelles de potentielles écuries pour l'an prochain ? Vu le début de ta saison de F2, tu as déjà dû recevoir des demandes de la part d'écuries de F1 !  »
"So Charles, have you heard about the teams for next year ? With your start of your F2 season, you must already have few requests from F1 teams !'

Julie didn't know what Charles was going to say, the only thing she knew was that Charles wanted to make his father proud more than anything and the best thing he could do, from his point of view, was getting in F1.

« Bah je voulais pas te le dire comme ça Papa, mais j'ai eu une proposition de contrat oui. »
"Well, I didn't want to tell you like this Papa, but I've been offered a contract, yes."

« Charles ! Mais c'est génial ! Oh je suis si heureux pour toi ! Viens là fiston ! »

"Charles ! That's amazing ! Oh I'm so happy for you ! Come here son !"

Hervé opened up his arms to give Charles a hug, which he accepted with a wobbly smile. Julie knew that was false, Charles told her everything and not once had he talked about a contract. She felt her heart breaking for her lover, seeing him lying to his dad just to make him proud in his lasts moments.

When Hervé and Charles separated, Hervé wiped a tear that was rolling on his cheek and Charles gave him a wobbly smile, his own eyes filled with tears. Hervé then beckoned for me to come closer and grabbed my hand in his, while grabbing Charles's with his other one before squeezing them.

« Les enfants, je vais vous demander quelque chose. Je sais que ma fin est proche et que même si ce n'est pas quelque chose que vous voulez entendre, vous savez que c'est inévitable. S'il vous plaît, j'ai une seule requête pour vous, une fois que je serai parti. Soyez heureux, les plus heureux possible. Je sais que le départ plus que précoce de Jules vous a anéantis, et que le mien ne va pas aider, mais je voudrais que vous arriviez à passer outre, même si cela doit prendre du temps. Je pense que Pascale vous l'a déjà dit, mais il n'y a pas de place pour les regrets dans la vie. Rendez moi fier, je sais que vous arriverez, il suffit juste que vous soyez heureux et fassiez ce que vous aimer le plus. Oh, et restez ensemble surtout, je ne vous ai jamais vu autant heureux que ces derniers mois lorsque vous étiez ensemble. J'ai toujours cru aux âmes sœurs surtout quand j'ai rencontré Pascale, mais vous en êtes un merveilleux exemple. »
"Kids, I'm going to ask you something. I know the end is near et even if that's something you don't want to hear, you know it's inevitable. Please, I have a request, for once I'm gone. Be happy, the happiest possible. I know Jules's premature leave destroyed you both, and that mine won't help, but all I want is for you both to overcome it, even it it'll take time. I think Pascale already told you, but there's no room for regrets in life. Make me proud, I know you will, you just have to be happy and do what you love most. Oh and above all, stay together, I've never seen you happier than when you're together. I've always believed in soulmates, especially when I met Pascale, but you are one true and wonderful exemple."

I smiled and squeezed his hand while looking at Charles.

« Ne t'en fais pas, je ne compte pas le lâcher. »
"Don't worry, I'm not planning on leaving him."

« Moi non plus, c'est Julie ou rien. Je ne compte pas laisser partir l'amour de ma vie. »
"Me neither, it's Julie or nothing. I'm not planning on letting leave the love of my life."

He smiled back at her and kissed her cheek. Hervé smiled at them both before saying he was tired so Julie and Charles decided to go back home. Julie hugged him, saying her goodbyes and Charles did too, staying a little bit longer in his father's arms.