The Bull Prince | Max Verstappen

SEQUEL - Chapter 45

So, hello. I know I said it would take a while before I would update again, but here we are. I want to warn you, this is a rather emotional chapter, and you might need some handkerchiefs. As always, please enjoy it, and let me know what you think. I have a feeling that there might be a few opinions about what I did here. Let me know, I'm here for complaints and comments as usual. I wish you happy reading. Cheers! 

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"She can't see them under no circumstances." Max decided looking down at the newspapers resting on the breakfast table, with an annoyed expression while holding Henry to his chest, who was watching his father before reaching out with his hand and touching Max's chin, before making a delighted sound causing Max to redirect his attention to his son.

"I thought so too, but we can't leave her in the dark forever." Adrian said, glancing down at the front page of the newspaper laying on the top. It had been him, who had advised Max to take her out for a date. They were just in town, eating at a cute little Italian restaurant, Henry with them but as always, someone saw them and snapped a picture. It wasn't even a bad picture perse. Max was carrying Henry in his maxicosy with one hand while holding Joanna's with the other, both of them looked positive, which was a miracle since Joanna seemed to wear a constant frown since the boy was born but since the picture showed no other flaw, they concerned themselves with Joanna's weight.

"Only until she's feeling better." Max answered swiftly. He did not like this either, but he won't show Joanna any of the articles about people calling her a bad mother because she's losing weight faster than someone things it's appropriated. Yes, he knew that Henry was only a week old, and that Joanna couldn't look as lean as she does, but there was no changing that now either.

"I will have breakfast brought upstairs in an instant." Adrian told Max, but the younger one shock his head.

"I convinced her to leave bed and come downstairs for breakfast. Please just let the newspapers disappear. I don't want her to see them now that her mood finally seems to lift again a bit." Max said, causing Adrian to nod, before he made sure the younger Austrian would never see these newspapers.

"What about some time spend with other adults?" Max asked, sitting on the short side of the table during breakfast and with Joanna by his side, rather than opposite on the other short side of the table. Henry in her arms, lifted slightly into the air while she was making funny faces for the boy, who let out delighted sounds and high-pitched screams of amusement.

"What about it?" Joanna asked, her eyes on Henry while she furrowed her brows. All happy and enjoying their son's company. "What about it?" She repeated but this time in the voice Max used with Henry as well when he tried to make the boy squirm in delight. Her eyes on their son. Her breakfast untouched.

The Dutchman watched for a moment, the knife with which he had put butter on the toast resting in his hand while he watched Joanna scrunch her nose and Henry reached out to grab one of his mother's golden hair strains. She looked healthy and happy. Playing with their son with no worry in the world and in that moment, she was, Max knew that. Her delight over having Henry was not just a show so the world wouldn't see how bad she truly was. Joanna had her highs and her lows in extreme force. She loved motherhood and everything which was part of it, and she hated it at the same time, the responsibility crushing her.

She had days like today. Happy and smiling since the earliest hours, since the sunrise, playing with Henry, laughing and smiling. These days make Max want to ignore her bad days, they make him want to deny that she wasn't well not truly. On days like today he wanted to ignore it the bad ones, it would be so much easier to just close the eyes, to just see her when she's smiling and happy. When she was well.