Foggy Mirrors | Max Verstappen

Chapter 07 - THE PRESENT

Laying in bed, her hands propped up on Checo's chest only for her head to rest on her hands, Isa couldn't stop herself from smiling. She felt so safe with his arms wrapped around her body, protected and taken care of. They were wrapped in the soft blankets of his bed. It was such a beautiful moment, the sun slowly rising outside while they both thought to stay awake for just a moment longer to spend together as Isa's ringing phone broke the calm and comfortable silence of the room. It was Checo who moved his arm to lift the phone from the nightstand only to see that it was Leanne, who called, causing him to rest the phone down again before signing.

"It's your sister." He muttered, which caused Isa to tiredly nod against his chest.

"Properly wants to know where I am." Isa muttered back, causing Checo to let out a displeased sound.

"She could have a guess. Shouldn't be that hard for her to figure out." The Mexican answered. "Was she always like that?" He wondered which caused Isa to open one eye to look at her lover.

"Like what?" She asked causing Checo to think for a moment before answering. He didn't want to offend Isa and that question after what he had just said sounds very much like a trap, no matter what he says now, she might get angry.

"Patronising." He said which caused Isa to snort, before she sat up.

"Well yes." Isa told him good naturally a small giggle escaping her lips, not offended by his words. Isa was for sure the easier Van der Verden sister to handle. "But it would be unfair to say she is just that."

"What do you mean?" Checo wanted to know while he moved his arm to rest his head on it.

"I know that she shieled me from a lot of shit while we were growing up. That she told me these exciting stories or sung to me all night so I wouldn't notice what was really going on and she did a great job, I never knew. As a kid it was all just a game to me, it took me way longer to figure out what was really going on than I'm proud of." Isa spoke with this look in her eyes, a similar look Checo had noticed before in Leanne's eyes. He thought it to be nostalgy, but hearing this, it most likely wasn't.

"She made sure I was safe like no one else, you know." Isa added as she pulled her legs up to her chest to hug them loosely.

"I'm sorry to hear that she had to do that." The Mexican said, which caused Isa's expression to change again, back to her cheerful and giggling self.

"It's in the past." Isa told him. "I'm a bit sad that you never knew her like that. Not that I miss that time, but ... she just changed a lot, Monaco changed her a lot." Isa told him, the distance in her glance which was always there when she was speaking about her past was back and Checo never wanted to see that glance in her eyes ever again. He wanted Isa happy, he wanted her to shine.

"Max mentioned something like that before, didn't think it was so bad." The Mexican said, causing Isa to nod. She remembered Max back then only too well. Leanne and him were spending a lot of time together the year before they got into F1.

"It kinda is. Leanne always knew that she was beautiful, but she never used it like she does now. It's funny, you know. She protected me my whole life and I'm thankful for that, I'm really am, but I'm also used to being in her shadow. She was the one people knew, seeing me they were often disappointed."

"I could never be. You're the sister I like much better." Checo said before he sat up to kiss her softly, which caused Isa to let out a sound of delight before allowing the Mexican to pull her back into the bed.

<><><>

There is a body length mirror in the corner of Cassy's bedroom. A piece from her mother's furnishing attempt as she freshly moved in to make the apartment homely for her only daughter. Cassy had change much since then, her mother had no idea what she was doing after all. She never had, but the mirror was still right where Cassy had put it. In the corner of her bedroom.