La Rosa Gialla

Chapter 58

December 2024

I ran to my dad and jumped into his arms. He hugged me lovingly and I buried my face in his shoulder. I smelled lasagna from him, as I almost always did when I returned home after a long time. I caught my dad beckoning Charlie to come closer to us and then grab his arm and pull him into a hug. I giggled, enjoying the sensation that a slice of cheese in a sandwich probably feels.

"I can't believe we have a Formula 1 champion at home for lunch," my dad said in disbelief as I put a pan of fresh lasagna on the table. "I've been here for lunch many times before," Charles smirked, but you could see how flattered he was by the remark. "But you were just our Charlie back then," Dad disagreed. "He's still just our Charlie, Dad," I smiled at him and started eating.

Later in the afternoon, all 3 of us went to see mom. Charles stopped in front of my favorite flower shop along the way without me having to tell him, and while I was waiting for the roses to be tied, I watched the two of them in the car passionately discussing something out of the corner of my eye. When I got back to the car, Charles was leaning back and Dad was hugging him with tears in his eyes. "Is something wrong?" I asked them a little scared and furrowed my brows. "Nothing at all," Dad sobbed, which didn't add to my peace of mind. Dad stroked my cheek and wiped away his tears. He was looking at me so tenderly that I began to suspect Charles that he had just told him what had happened in Abu Dhabi just before the race. But since neither of them seemed willing to share the content of their conversation, I let it slide for now.

"Today I am perhaps a hundred times more sorry that she is not here with us," sighed dad, when we placed the bouquet in the vase. "Because we have an F1 champion at home?" I smirked and intertwined my fingers with Charles's. "That too," Dad smiled and stroked me again. "La mia bambina," he added, looking at me again.

"What did you say to dad in the car?" I asked Charles in the safety of my room when we got back from the cemetery. Charles gave me a startled look and then shook his head. "Did you hear something?" he hesitated.

"You didn't tell him about..."

"No!" he shouted. "We agreed that this is our thing and that we don't want to concern anyone else, right?"

"Right," I agreed and breathed a sigh of relief. "So what did you tell him?" I didn't give up. Charles winced slyly and then shrugged. "I just needed his advice on one thing. Just wait and you'll see."

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. "You have conspired against me with my own father again."

"Mamma mia, Adri! Do you always have to be so stubborn?" Charles laughed and I nodded with a smile.

"It's one of the many things you love about me," I cooed and he shook his head.

"I love everything about you," he smiled and leaned in for a kiss.

The next evening, Charles took me out for a romantic dinner at the Cavallino restaurant. It was a famous restaurant in Maranello, where almost everything had Ferrari motifs. The dishes, the walls, the towels in the bathroom and on the wall hung the entire front wing of the Formula One car with the number 16. "Where else could you take me," I laughed as we were seated at a table for two. Charles was always a welcomed guest here, so even when the restaurant was packed with people, there was always a table for him. As Charlie assured me that everything on the menu was delicious, I left the choice to the waiter while sipping my red wine. "When will your mom and brothers actually arrive?" I asked to keep the conversation going, although neither of us minded a nice silence from time to time. "On Monday. We still have the whole weekend to ourselves," Charles informed me, placing his palm on the back of my hand. I couldn't help but notice how strangely hot and sweaty his hand was as if some illness was trying to get him, which was strange because he was hardly ever sick. "Are you okay? You are sweating a lot," I asked and he immediately blushed. "Sorry," he muttered, wiping his hand on his pants. "We can go home if you feel bad," I suggested.

"No!" he shouted so loudly that a few people from the adjacent tables turned to us. "I'm fine," he said more quietly, smiling at me to reassure me.

After dessert, despite the waiter's protests, we paid our bill and headed for the car. Charles started up and drove off, but it only took me a few meters to realize that he was going the wrong way. "Charlie? Gorzano is over there," I waved my hand behind us, and he nodded. "I know," he nodded but still continued. "I want to take you somewhere."

Charles parked the car below the hill on which Montegibbio Castle stood, an old stone structure with views of the surrounding area and a beautifully lit courtyard. "Isn't it already closed?" I asked doubtfully and followed him up the rather steep hill. He shook his head and slowed down a bit to take my hand. We walked through the entrance gate, and I immediately noticed that soft romantic music was playing from somewhere, even though there was no one there. "Wait a minute," Charles instructed me and ran away for a moment. I stood as if scalded and could think of only one thing for which he could drag me up the hill late at night. Even though I knew it was coming and wanted it, my knees almost gave out. Charlie emerged from around the corner with a bouquet of yellow roses and Joris in tow with a camera hanging around his neck. He waved at me and stood a short distance away from us.

Charlie handed me the bouquet and cleared his throat dramatically as if he was about to recite a poem. I noticed how his hands were shaking and mine weren't much better. "Adri," he began, taking my free hand in his. "I have known for a long time that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life. You make my life more beautiful just by being next to me. I've never loved anyone like you..." "Charlie," I whispered. "Shh," he chuckled and held out his other hand to use his thumb to wipe away the tear that had just rolled down my cheek. Then he cleared his throat again and knelt down. He fished in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small white box, which he opened briskly. "I would like to spend my whole life with you. Will you marry me, please?"

"SÌ!" I shouted and he laughed. He couldn't expect any other answer and we both knew it very well. He took a ring out of the box and put it on my ring finger. I didn't even wait until he got back on his feet and jumped into his arms laughing.