Unknown number calling? I really thought this was going to be Charles' but he has still not been in contact?!
Normally if an unknown number calls me I don't bother answering, thats far too stressful - I like to know what kind of conversation I'm letting myself in for. For some reason tonight, I don't care - I'm so tired and so done with everyone, it can't get any worse surely, so I answer the phone.
"Hi this is Lilly, who is this?" I say.
Weirdly, as soon as I hear the accent and voice - I know who it is. Even though we'd never spoken, I know it's her as soon as she says hello.
"Hey Lilly, I'm sorry for calling you so late. I've just been given your number from my Dads attorney, are you free to speak at all right now? I can call back tomorrow if you aren't."
"Hi yeah I'm free to talk, is this Sara?"
I already know the answer to my own question but I wasn't sure what else to say. I wasn't sure why I'd even said I was free to talk because no part of me was in any way prepared for this, it's taken me so off guard that the list of questions id thought of asking her previously, have completely disappeared from my mind.
"Yeah this is Sara, I've called but I don't actually know what to ask next - how do you know who I am already? Dad didn't tell me he had another daughter."
Dad.
Hearing her call him dad, I couldn't even speak back for a moment. My stomach is turning with whatever feeling this is that I'm feeling right now - I'm not sure if it's anger, jealousy, sadness or betrayal. Maybe it's a mix of them all but it certainly doesn't feel good.
"Sorry I'm still here, it's just weird hearing you call him Dad - it's just been me and him my whole life that's all. yea I found out abo..."
"It's just been him and mom and me my whole life too so?" She cuts in as I was responding to her question.
Excuse me? The audacity, how rude can someone be, I thought we were having a normal conversation and part of me was just beginning to almost feel sorry for her underneath my anger and confusion, she was going through a similar thing I was in a way - but by no means was it the same. Her last comment was as if she was having a dig, and it really couldn't be a worse time to piss me off.
And Mom?! Id not even taken that in for a second, her dad AND MOM? So he had a relationship and a kid this whole time? I am beyond confused.
"Sorry how was it just you him and your mom whole life? It might have been you and your mom but it certainly wasn't him. He worked away for a total of 2 months a year until I was 16 so he was never gone for more than a week at a time." I snap.
It just didn't make sense. Pacing back and forth in Charles' room waiting for her response, I'm so angry at this point.
"He was still my Dad, just because he wasn't here every day doesn't mean he was less my dad, he couldn't be home with us much because of his job in F1 travelling to different countries each month."
Is she for real? Delusional maybe? I've just told her he was only away 2 months of the year and she's went on to tell me he was working around the world for the rest of it? No he wasn't.
Taking a breath and sitting down on the bed, my anger begins to dull a little as I realise she's been lied to her whole life too. I shouldn't be mad at her for something she's had no control over - as much as I'd really like to unleash all the anger I have right now, it's directed in the wrong place.
"Hey I'm not saying he wasn't your dad ok, I'm just so angry right now, and not with you - I'm mad at him. It's neither of our faults that we've been put in this situation so let's not shout at each other over this."
A sudden loud banging on Charles front door takes my attention away from the phone call, trying to ignore it and focus on what she's saying back but the banging continues - who on earth is here this late? and being this persistent.
"Sara I'm really sorry I'm going to have to go, I'll call you again tomorrow and I think we should arrange to meet in person so we can talk properly, is that ok?"
"Sure Lilly, sorry for snapping it was nice speaking to you, talk tomorrow." She says.
Putting down the phone I run to the front door to find out who's there sounding like they're trying to break it down. Sometimes I wish Charles door didn't have the little slithers of glass all around the outside, it makes it impossible to hide and not be seen as you're approaching the door, then he has a peep hole so you can see who's at the door but it's entirely pointless - they've already seen you by that point.
A short man standing in a white shirt and black suit trousers, with a dark SUV parked behind him greets me as I open the door.
"Hi Miss Lilly Walker?"
"Yes?"
"I'm here to collect you, please pack a bag for a few days and make sure to have your passport." He says.
Pack a bag for 2 days to where? What am I packing? And I'm supposed to get in a random car with a random man and also bring my passport, no context at all - sounds an awful lot like I'm probably being trafficked.
"Mr Leclerc has made arrangements for you to meet him in Austria." He follows up with.
It would have been better if he started with that but at least I kind of know what's happening now. As I'm walking back into the apartment to pack my things my phone rings again, but this time it's finally Charles.
"Helllooo baby, I'm so sorry for today - has the driver arrived to pick you up yet?"
"It's ok I just can't wait to see you, he's here now I'm just about to pack. What's happening? Is he taking me to the airport? Do I have flights booked Charles? I don't know what's going on."
I'm honestly a little flustered at this point, I'm exhausted and I'd just returned home from the airport a few hours ago - Id be surprised if I didn't get flagged as a drug smuggler at this rate going back there so soon.
"Just pack your bags Mon amour everything is ready for you, the driver will take you to the airport and there's a plane waiting for you. Once you land here in Austria a driver will pick you up and bring you to the hotel and I'll meet you as soon as you arrive." Charles responds.
It's so late? Why now? Anyway I'm too tired to ask any more questions, I just want to get to Austria and see him.
"Ok I'll see you soon, I love you."
"I love you to baby."
My bags are packed and loaded into the SUV and we're eventually on our way to the airport. The journey from Charles apartment to Nice seemed to go so quickly, or maybe I just fell asleep at one point - that was also highly likely.
I'm dropped off directly on the runway and met with a small black plane which my bags are being loaded onto, the driver says goodbye and that's it - I'm on my way.
No security? No nothing? On a tiny private plane making my way to Austria. Maybe I am a drug smuggler?
I've been so tired and overwhelmed for the last few hours, now up in the air staring down at the lights below as we approach Austria - this is the first time questioning how he's made these arrangements tonight. I wasn't due back in Monaco from London until tomorrow. He only found out from Lando that I was flying home a few hours ago when he'd mentioned my birthday. That's when I realise...
He hasn't made any of these plans in advance. He can't have.
He absolutely did forget my birthday.
He probably didn't call or contact me these last few hours because he was panicking trying to make these plans for me. And then lied to me about it.
How disappointing.
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YOU ARE READING
DNS
FanfictionThey were drivers, they were best friends. No one was expecting lockdown to happen in 2020, and Lilly and Charles certainly weren't expecting for their story to turn out like this.
