Enchanted

☆ eighteen ☆

may 21st, 2019

"What if your mom doesn't like me? Most people don't like me, and given what they've been calling me in the papers recently. . . ."

Alina and Charles were on their way to get Charles' hair cut, and to meet his mother, who always cut his hair at his home race. The blonde was incredibly nervous, given what's been said about her online. People had been calling Alina a 'slut', a 'home-wrecker' and sending her death threats, just because of her friendship with Lando, Joshua Bassett and Cameron, even of her relationship with Charles. Charles knew there was nothing but friendship between them, and Alina made sure he knew.

"She doesn't listen to what people say about other people, she makes her own opinions and she's going to love you mon amour," Charles said, "because I know I do." 

"Yeah but. . . ."

"Lisie," Charles said chuckling as he cupped Alina's face, "I love you, but shut up." Alina giggled as Charles quickly kissed her before they walked into the hair salon where Charles' mom, Pascale, worked. 

"Charles!" Pascale said happily as she hurried to her son and hugged him tightly. "It's so good to see you again my dear."

"Hi Mama," Charles said, grinning as he hugged his mother tightly. "I have someone I'd like you to meet."

"Oh is it your girlfriend?" Pascale asked happily. 

"Yeah," Charles said, "how did you know?"

"Well, I saw you kiss her outside, and I got a voicemail from you a few months ago," Pascale said, "here, listen to this." She got out her phone and pressed on the voicemail.

"Mama, you have to meet her," came the drunk voice of Charles as Alina looked at her boyfriend who looked utterly confused, "Lina, sh-she's perfect Mama, everything about her. Even the stuff that annoys me, I love, just love it. I love everything about her Mama, she's the most beautiful, talented woman ever. She's short as hell, but she's my everything. Mama, I want you to meet her soon, the next Monaco race, I'll bring her with me. Mama, everything about her is beautiful. Her smile, her eyes, oh god her eyes, t-they're are my favourite thing about her. She's asleep so I need to be quiet but even sleeping on the bed in her dress and heels, she just takes my breath away. I can't live without her Mama. Anyway, I need to go and make sure she's safe. Love you."

"I do not remember a word of that," Charles said as Alina looked at him.

"Drunk words are sober thoughts," Pascale said before she turned to Alina. "And you must be the famous Lina I've heard so much about."

"Yeah, hi," Alina said smiling, "it's nice to finally meet you."

"It's so nice to meet the girl who's got my son so smitten," Pascale said smiling as she hugged the blonde. The blonde felt taken back, but hugged her just as tight. "How has he been treating you?"

"Like an angel," Alina said as Pascale beamed at her son. 

"I expect nothing less," she said as Alina smiled.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Half an hour later found Alina and Pascale chatting as if they've known each other for years and Charles sitting in the hairdresser chair, looking utterly embarrassed.

"He said on television he has a photo of you in his car?" Pascale asked as the blonde nodded.

"Yeah," she said smiling. They both turned to the Monégasque who was sat there looking embarrassed. "Don't look like that," Alina giggled, "I think it's cute. I have one of you when I go on tour." 

 She kissed him on the cheek and Pascale noticed the way her son's eyes lit up when the blonde did. The older woman smiled when she saw the look Alina and Charles had on their faces when they looked at each other. 

"When did you guys get together?" she asked, styling her sons hair. 

"New Years Day," Alina said, "we wanted to wait a few months before announcing it in case it didn't work for any reason."

"That's wise," Pascale said as Alina smiled lightly. "There is something I want to ask you, Alina."

"Sure, anything," the blonde said smiling.

"How do you cope with Charles being in F1? Like, how do you feel about it?" 

Charles looked at his girlfriend as she had pursed lips, thinking. 

"I'm proud of him for it," Alina said after a few minutes of thinking. 

"You are?" Charles asked, his green eyes glittering. 

"Of course I am," Alina said, "it's not an easy sport and it takes people with real determination and dedication and Charles has all that and it's obvious."

"How do you deal with it?" Pascale asked.

"I won't lie, I struggle with it badly, like my anxiety gets really bad," the blonde said, "when he had his crash in Belgium last year I was that worried, my anxiety got the best of me and I left my studio rehearsal and flew out from America to Belgium to see if he was okay, and we weren't even dating."

Charles smiled fondly at that memory as he looked at Alina, but his head was forced back down by his mother. 

"But it's not my job to tell him that what he's doing is dangerous or stupid or anything, he knows the risks, every driver does," Alina went on, "but it's my job to trust him, and support him and his decisions. I'm never going to be the girlfriend who threatens our relationship because I don't want him to do a race, or I tell him I told you so if he gets in a crash, you know? He means everything to me, and I know how much racing for Ferrari and Formula 1 means to him, and I'd never want to get in the way of that, because I'm having a bad day or I'm annoyed or something." 

She saw the look both Charles and his mother was giving her and her face dropped.

"Did, did I say something wrong?" she asked worried.

"You said everything perfectly," Pascale said as Alina smiled.

"Do you mind if I quickly nip to the bathroom?" the blonde asked.

"Not at all," Pascale said smiling, "up the stairs and to the left." 

"Thanks," Alina said before she walked up the stairs.

"Well Mama?" Charles asked, getting nervous.

"I love her," Pascale said beaming as Charles visibly relaxed, "she is perfect for you, and she seems genuine about her love for you and your career. I'm glad you got your act together and fell in love with her. She is going to be a daughter-in-law I'm proud of."

"Mama, not yet," Charles laughed, "at least give it a few years."

"Well, you've got the rest of your lives," Pascale said as Charles smiled. 

"I'm not letting her go," he said, "she's perfect Mama." 

Just then, Alina walked down the stairs and sat back next to Charles.

"So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?" Pascale asked.

"Um, I'm not really sure," Alina said before she turned to Charles. "Got any plans?"

"I was hoping to take you out on a date," he said as Alina smiled. 

"I'd love that," she said smiling.