Rumor has it ~ Charles Leclerc

Part 89

I wake up and feel empty. As empty as I have only felt before when Jules and my father died.
I get myself to get ready and drive to the grid.
There I sign just a few things and don't take any selfies because I am not in the mood for it which is understandable I think.

I am in the garage and am physically there but in my head I am far gone. It just doesn't feel right and the strategy is shit. I don't think I am the only one thinking that but I won't say anything because I don't care. I don't care if I win and I don't care if I don't. I just want to be with her.

The hours pass and the drivers parade starts. We are all on the bus like thing and give interviews. As the interviewer comes to me, the first thing he asks is if I am ok.
"No. I am not. And I am so sorry if some of you came here to see me but I am just not ok. I will drive and I will do my best, I promise you. But my girlfriend was hit by a drunk driver and is in the hospital and has a hard time remembering anything. So please let this be a message to all of you out there. Whatever you do, never drive drunk or high or anything. It's not just unsafe for you but for other people as well."
"Is she ok?"
"She is alive."

The interviewer moves on and max and lando come over to me.
"Do you think you should drive?"
"No, but I have to. For her. Whatever happens, she wouldn't want me to give up a race."
"Don't do anything stupid."
"I won't."

The parade ends and I walk back into the garage, getting ready to race.

I guess you couldn't expect much from me in this race but it wasn't too bad. Well my driving skills weren't but the strategy was shit. But I knew that. I fought for places and ended up sixth even tho we could have done so much more.
I congratulate max on winning and the others on the podium as well. Then I go to the interviews and get it through as quickly as possible

Around 5 I walk to the McLaren garage and ask for Hannah. She comes out and we go to my car, driving to the hospital.
"Do you think she is going to remember us?" I turn my head after I parked.
"I don't know, but we are going to try everything to make sure that her memory will come back eventually."
I nod at her and we enter the hospital and check in with the secretary.
"You are here to go and see Miss Rodriguez, correct?"
"Yes."
"I will need your names."
We giver her our names and then are allowed to go and see Bella.

"Hi my love."
"Hi, um- Chuck?"
"Charles."
"Oh yes Charles, sorry. Who is that?"
"Oh hi, I am Hannah. I am your best friend."
"You look nice."
"You don't know how much that means to me."
"You know Bella, I said yesterday that we are going to try to get your memory back, yes?"
"Yes. Do you have a strategy?" She said and repeats the word 'strategy', mumbling.
"We will just talk and see."

We tell her how we met each other, how our relationship started on a bet but we both got lost in it and have gotten in a relationship. I tell her about our dates and how we visited her parents, about how much I love her and how much she helps me with everything. Hannah continues to tell her how much she means to her and lando as well and how she changed her life by just playing tennis with her.
We tell her everything that happened and she starts crying during it and keeps on applying for not remembering.