𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬

𝟐𝟗 | 𝚨 𝐒𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝

The morning sun was gentle, casting a warm, golden glow over Monaco. The streets were quieter than usual, as if the city itself was on a bit of a break. With Charles away for the weekend, Arthur and I were left to enjoy the kind of freedom that doesn't come around often.

"Alright, where are we off to?" Arthur asked, a grin on his face.

I shrugged, trying to hide my excitement. "Anywhere that's not the racetrack, honestly."

We decided to start with a slow walk down by the beach. I felt a childlike thrill at the thought of spending the whole day with Arthur, free from obligations and schedules. It reminded me of when we were kids and every day was a new adventure, even if we barely left our own backyard.

As we walked along the shoreline, Arthur gave me a playful nudge. "Remember when you and Charles tried to bury me in the sand that one summer?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the memory. "Tried to? We succeeded! You were practically begging us to let you out by the end."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I think I'm still finding sand in my ears from that day."

We wandered down the beach, occasionally stopping to skip rocks or dip our toes in the water. Eventually, we found ourselves at a little seaside café. It was one of those hidden gems with just a few tables scattered outside, and it seemed like the perfect spot to pause for a coffee and a snack.

As we settled in, Arthur leaned back in his chair, looking more relaxed than I'd seen him in a long time. "You know," he began, staring out at the waves, "sometimes I miss when things were simpler. Before the races, before all the expectations. When it was just us, running around causing trouble."

"Me too," I admitted. "We didn't care about anything except who was the fastest or who could climb the highest."

He laughed, his gaze softening. "That time I climbed the tree outside our old house and couldn't get down—remember that?"

I nodded, smiling. "Charles and I spent ages trying to coach you down. You were so scared of falling."

"Until Mom came out and saved the day," he chuckled. "I was convinced I'd die up there."

"Oh, please," I teased. "You were, what, seven? A whole future ahead of you, stranded in a tree."

Arthur chuckled, shaking his head. "We were always doing something ridiculous back then. Speaking of ridiculous, do you remember that time Charles thought he could teach us all how to make a 'world-class' campfire?"

"Hard to forget," I replied, stifling a laugh. "He nearly set the garden shed on fire. We had to douse the whole thing with the garden hose while Mom and Dad came running out, completely horrified."

Arthur grinned, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Yeah, Charles thought he was some kind of wilderness expert after watching one too many survival shows. I think that was the last time they let him anywhere near matches for a while."

The café owner came by with our coffees and a plate of pastries, and we sat in comfortable silence for a while, just sipping our drinks and watching the waves roll in. There was a calmness to the day that made me realize just how much I'd missed moments like this—quiet, uninterrupted time with my brother, laughing over silly memories and letting ourselves just be.

After the café, we decided to explore a few more corners of Monaco we hadn't visited in a while. We ambled down cobblestone streets, stopping to look at small boutiques and art galleries. Arthur had always had an eye for art, so we spent longer than I expected in one particular gallery, studying the paintings. He pointed out details I hadn't even noticed, his voice full of enthusiasm.