Crash

A Mother's Love

Saturday. Another day of excitement. Another pole for Charles Leclerc. 

"You're amazing," Penelope told him, her arms wrapped around his neck as he embraced her, cheeks still red from wearing his race gear in the French heat. "I'm so proud of you, Charlie."

"I love you," he told her, eyes shining. "Thank you for trusting me, about the car and everything else. Thank you for believing I could do this."

With a smile, she touched his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin under her fingers. "Always." Then, still holding his hand, she turned to the crowd around them, searching for a familiar face. When she found them, she waved, pulling Charles along with her, though there was little need. He would've followed her anywhere. "Your family! You have to say hello."

Before Charles could reply, Pascale pushed her way forward, wearing her signature paddock 'disguise' (a black cap and a pair of sunglasses that she liked to think made her look inconspicuous) and tugged Charles into a hug that was so fierce it almost knocked him off his feet. 

"Mon beau garçon! Bien fait! Bien joué, Charles!"

For a second, it was as though he didn't know what to say. Then, like a little boy, he hugged her back, his eyes squeezed shut as he buried himself in her embrace. "Maman! Tu es là!"

"C'est bon, chérie. Je te tiens. Bon garçon."

Charles hugged her tighter, like he didn't ever want to let go. Sometimes, no matter how grown up you may be, everyone needs their mother. "Tu ne m'as pas dit que tu venais."

Pascale kissed his forehead, clasping his face in her hands. "Je voulais que ce soit une bonne surprise. Penelope m'a aidé, ainsi qu'Arthur. Lorenzo est ici, aussi ! Nous sommes tous très fiers de toi."

"Merci, maman."

"J'aimerais que papa soit là. J'aimerais qu'il puisse te voir."

There was a moment where Penelope thought he might cry. She didn't understand much of what they were saying, but she could pick out one word in particular - Papa. She knew how much he missed his father. Sometimes, it hurt more in the good times than it did in the bad. But, Charles wouldn't be Charles if he didn't know how to hide his emotions. He just blinked, eyes sad but still in control. "Moi aussi."

The average person would have been fooled. Pascale was not your average person, however. "Charles," she said, frowning as she squeezed his face again. "Tu vas bien, chéri ?"

"Bien sûr, maman. Il fait chaud, je suis fatiguée, il s'est passé beaucoup de choses. Ecoute, je dois y aller. Nellie va te ramener au paddock, d'accord?"

Pascale nodded, hugging him one last time before he turned back to Penelope. All he wanted was to escape. He couldn't cry here. "I have to go to the media pen," he explained, running his hands up and down her arms while Penelope just nodded. "I'll meet you guys after?"

"Sure," she said, a little oblivious to what was going on. "Love you."

"Love you," he sighed, running off before anything more could be said. Penelope didn't have time to watch him go. There were press everywhere, fans screaming her name, people everywhere. The best thing to do was to get out of here now while she still could. 

"Come on," she told Pascale, her mother in law taking her arm. "We could grab a coffee while we wait for Charles."

"Sounds wonderful, darling," she cooed, Lorenzo and Arthur having darted away to watch Charles receive his award in person. "So many cameras around today. I don't know how you put up with this all the time."

"I'm so sorry. I know it's really overwhelming, but after Charles won last weekend and the new season of my show airing-"

"Oh, you finished filming?"