𝐒 𝐏 𝐑 𝐈 𝐍 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 [max verstappen x oc]

twenty-six

What a strange thing it was to walk through a suburban, lower class neighborhood with two men who could afford to feed every family for the night. Lena scratched her neck anxiously as the trio walked up to her front porch. She'd texted her mother than there would be guests tonight so she could cook accordingly, Lena just never specified who. 

"Best behavior--my parents are old-fashioned." Lena reminded them. 

Checo laughed. "Yes, best behavior, you hear that Max?"

"Shut up."

This was not going to go well. 

Lena rung the doorbell and waited for it too open, the pit of anxiety swirling in her stomach before he door flung open and her mother gasped. 

"Dios mio, Angie? Que es eso?" Her eyes were ridiculously wide and she was staring at the two RB drivers like they were God. "¿Trajiste a estos hombres a nuestra casa? ¿Por qué no me dijiste que serían ellos?"

Checo saw an opportunity. "Le pregunté a Lena si podría ser una sorpresa. Es un honor conocerla, señora Augustine".

Her mother smiled and placed a hand over her heart, using her other hand to grab Checo's arm and wave an awkward Max Verstappen inside. "Oh, eres muy amable. Entra, entra, hace frío afuera".

Checo was pulled in and Leno motioned for Max to follow. She shut the door behind them. 

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"I cannot believe my daughter has brought Formula One drivers into this house." Her father shook his head, whiskey in hand at the dining table as he eyed the RB drivers. "This visit is getting better and better."

"We could say the same." Max smiled and sipped his drink, glancing at Lena before looking back down to his feet. He'd been surprisingly well-behaved--said his 'please' and 'thank you's', complimented her mother, indulged her fathers strange questions, and signed a hat for the house. 

The five of them sat at the table, food in the oven. 

Lena frowned at her mother. "Donde esta Marcello? ¿Está dormido?"

"Si. Don't bother him, now." Her mother looked uncomfortable. "Ah....long day."

"Who is Marcello?" Checo glanced between Lena and her mom. "Your brother?"

Lena nodded. "He's asleep upstairs, we'll let him rest."

"He's the big fan, right?" Max asked. "When he's awake I would like to meet him."

Although Lena knew Max nor Checo would ever judge her, she was nervous to introduce them to her brother. It's not something you like people knowing--that your brother is sick, and it often makes their perspective of you shift into one of pity. Lena gave her parents money for hospital bills and did everything she could to support her brother, but sometimes she would think to herself and wonder why she wasn't doing more. She would think of her poor brother--bedridden and hardly ever in school, unable to be a normal kid--and suddenly felt guilty for leaving him and living her life. It was one of the only things that could ever make her cry. 

"He would love that." Her mother smiled warmly before popping out of her seat. "Food is done, I will go get it. Sit tight."

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The meal was great, and even Max--who wasn't the biggest fan of new foods--complimented the dinner so much Lena swore her mother began to blush. Lena headed to the kitchen to wash dishes while Checo chatted up her parents and Max sat idly by. Lena scrubbed plate after plate when the door creaked behind her and a new stack appeared on the tray.