Crash

Abuela

Penelope had never been as exhausted as she felt right now. 

Every part of her body ached. It wasn't regular pain, either, it was as though she had literally worn herself out and was now in need of repairs. The worst bit was, she felt so stupid for letting this happen in the first place. She was an athlete, and a good one too. She knew better. She should have told Charles the truth, gotten help with her nightmares like she'd done when she was a child. It would have saved her a lot of pain and a lot of money wasted on hospital bills.

The only thing that made her feel better was Charles. There wasn't a moment that he'd left her side, his eyes on her at all times like he was scared he was going to lose her again. He'd sat with her while she'd slept, calmed her down when she'd broken down in tears, held her hand as she'd caught her breath. It broke her, to see the way he was looking at her. When she'd woken the first time, he'd kept a brave face until he could get out of the room where he thought he couldn't hear her. But as soon as he got into the corridor, he'd began to cry, partly from relief and partly from sheer terror. She knew how he felt - it was the same feeling she got every time he got in his F1 car. That worry that one day, the person you love the most in the world might slip away, right in front of your eyes.

 In the end, she'd sent him off on a mission just so that she could get some space. For once, she'd been open with Charles about the fact that she felt like complete shit, and as a result, he was doting on her more than usual. As much as she was enjoying being looked after, all she wanted now was to go back home to Monaco. The problem was that she couldn't do that unless she got clearance from the doctors, and she didn't have enough energy to ask herself, but Charles was so reluctant to leave her side that she almost couldn't convince him to go either. In the end, after a lot of arguing and a lot of convincing, he'd stomped off to find help. 

After twenty minutes of his absence, she'd started to worry. When he finally reappeared, his expression made her worry more. 

"Hey," she said, apprehensive. "What did they say? Can we go home?"

Charles ran a hand through his hair, nodding, though he didn't seem to be very happy. He looked about as tired as she felt, and for the first time she realised he was still wearing his race suit. He'd been so focused on her that he hadn't even taken the time to change. "They said you can go. I'll call Susie, get her to book the jet."

"What's the matter?" she asked him, her brow furrowed. He was wearing the same nervous expression he had every time they got on a plane, like something was really troubling him. She didn't like the sound of that very much at all. 

"Penelope, I...I need to tell you something."

"Okay."

"But I don't want you to panic."

"What would I panic about exactly, Charles? What's going on?"

As soon as their eyes met, she knew it was bad. "Your abuela is here."

"No."

"Penelope, just-"

"No. I don't want her here, Charles, I don't care what she has to say."

"I understand. Whatever you want, we'll do, but just hear me out. She's your emergency contact, Nelly. She's here because she's worried." 

Penelope's eyes were stormy with anger, enhanced by her already poor mood. "It's been weeks. She had the chance to make things better, and she chose not to. I don't need her. I've been doing fine on my own, I am handling this on my own. They didn't want me. I don't need them now."

Unfortunately, fate seemed to have other plans. Both Penelope and Charles looked up as the door to the room opened, Mirabel stepping inside. Charles stood, putting himself between the two of them like he thought Penelope might swing for her. Instead, Penelope sat in a shocked silence, staring at her grandmother as though she was looking at a ghost.