Formula One - One-Shots Collection - Complete

14(TBP) - Max Verstappen (P4)

'This is the way that we love, like it's forever, then live the rest of our life, but not together'

That evening, CJ received a call from Max. He did not mention a thing about her pregnancy or his father, she wondered if he knew, wondered if his father had told him. He was excited about his upcoming race, excited about how his car was feeling during practice. "It's amazing," he spoke as he laid on his bed, the phone on his chest on loudspeaker as he spoke to the young woman he could not wait to see. "I think there might be a new deal on the table for me next year, Toto keeps coming to talk to me."

"That's great news," CJ told him as she paced around her bedroom debating about him needing to know. She didn't even know what she wanted, how would he? She knew Max, he always wanted to do the right thing, if she told him he would return home and they would become just another couple of teenage parents. 

"What's wrong?" He asked hearing how sad she sounded when she spoke. 

CJ looked at herself in the mirror, "I'm just not feeling myself. I think I might have caught a bug or something." The lie slipped from her mouth so easily, she hated herself for it. 

"Babe, you need to get some rest," Max was understanding. "I'll call you tomorrow if you're up for it, okay?"

Tears filled her eyes, "Okay."

"I love you, C," he didn't like to hear her like this. He only wanted her to be happy. 

Sitting at her desk, she spoke, "I love you too."

XOXOX

When the morning came, Victoria tried to call CJ but there was no answer. She headed to her friend's home, hoping to get some answers and support her friend but when she arrived, CJ was no where to be found. 

"She left early this morning," CJ's mother told Victoria as they stood in the doorway. 

Victoria was confused, "Where has she gone?"

"She left before I woke up."

Victoria thanked the woman before she headed home, the atmosphere at home was sad. Sophie was home alone, Jos had returned to be with Max at the track. All Victoria wanted to do was ask questions about the whole situation, she wanted to talk to her brother and here what he had to say but she guessed that he might not even know anything yet. 

"Does Max know?" She finally asked her mother over lunch. 

Sophie looked up with wide eyes, "Please Victoria. I think it's best if we stay out of it."

She was surprised by her mother's answer, "It's his baby. He deserves to know. I can't just do nothing."

"You have to, it's not your baby, it's not your business, Vic."

Victoria was disappointed, she had a duty to her brother to let him know, she also felt she had a duty to CJ who was currently missing. "CJ's disappeared," she told her mother hoping for some support. 

Sophie looked at her daughter, "She's probably gone shopping or something. Don't worry about her, if she's not back this evening then we can offer to help her mother look for her."

Her mother's words did not bring her comfort, she tried to call CJ again but now the phone did not even ring. It was just going straight to voicemail, hanging up the phone, Victoria sighed. She had a bad feeling about this, CJ didn't just go AWOL, she never had before, something was not right.