Rêveries

Chapter 36.

Arthur and Evie came to my room later that evening, but I didn't want to talk about it with them. They know Charles and they love Charles, so I wouldn't tell them what he said. I just said I was upset over the argument. Apparently, Mateo had left halfway through the race, he said it didn't feel right staying when I had left. He had also made a comment about Charles being territorial and they laughed about it as they told me. I tried to laugh along but it kind of hurt. If he's like this then I won't ever be able to bring a guy around him.

Evie stayed the night with me. I told her it was fine if she wanted to stay with Pierre, but she shook her head and just said she'd rather get some estrogen, as she's been surrounded by boys for so long again.

The next morning we packed our stuff and we met up with Arthur, Max, Charles and Pierre in the lobby of the hotel. I didn't even look at Charles because my eyes were still a bit puffy from crying the day before and I didn't need him to see that. So I just avoided him as we all were taken to the airport and boarded the plane that took us back to Monaco.

In Monaco, Arthur, Charles and I went home to pack our bags. Pierre went with Evie and Max to their apartment so that she could pack her bag. Pascale had left for Alassio the day before so we just packed ourselves into a car, went to pick up Evie and Pierre, and then we had to sit through the one and a half hour drive to get to the houses.

Pascale met us in the door, helping us get all our bags inside the house. Before I even got to go up and change, Pascale made us all go outside to the backyard. It was noon and they were setting up for lunch in the backyard. The Gasly house's backyard was connected to ours, so for every meal, they set up a long table for both families and we ate together.

Nicolas and Cyril, two of Pierre's older brothers, are right outside the patio door, twirling string lights around the planks above our patio. Pierre's mother, Pascale, is placing plates around the table. There's a brunette woman following her and putting glasses next to every plate. I guess it's one of the partners of Pierre's brothers. Pierre and Evie walk up to his mum and hug her tightly, while Nicolas and Cyril get down from their ladders and come up to us.

They hug Charles and Arthur, asking how they are, then they hug me.

"Je ne t'ai pas vu depuis que tu as douze ans et que tu as poussé Pierre assez fort pour presque le faire rouler dans la pente," I haven't seen you since you were twelve and pushed Pierre hard enough to almost roll him down the slope, Nicolas says, making Cyril laugh out loud.

"Je me souviens que," I remember that, he says as we all go to greet the rest of them.

I hug Pascale, the other one, who also points out that she hasn't seen me in years. I told her I had been hoping to meet her when I was at the French Grand Prix but I think we just kept running past each other. Then they introduce me to the partners of Pierre's brothers along with their kids.

Paul's wife is pregnant, Cyril has two daughters and Philippe has a son and a daughter. I greeted them all at the same time and they all wanted to show me different things. So I tried to answer them as they talked over each other. That's until Philippe and Paul came back out and told them to get seated. I sat down next to one of Cyril's daughters. Arthur sat down next to me and Evie in front of me with Pierre next to her. We immediately started eating, everyone around the table engulfed in different conversations. We talked to Pierre's brothers, to their partners, I also talked to the children who were wondering who I was and what I was doing there.

After we finished eating I went inside to get unpacked in my room. My room in the house was secluded in the corner of the top floor. From the window above my bed I could see the ocean and the large field next to the house. I could hear people talking in the backyard when the window was open, but I couldn't see it, as the window is on the wall away from both the front of the house and the backyard.