La Rosa Gialla

Chapter 45

August 2024

"You can't be serious? How can you do that to mom?" "Luca!" Alessandra and I shouted at my brother. "Luca, I don't know what you want from me. It's been more than 5 years..." "It doesn't matter!" Luca shouted and little Elio covered his ears with his hands so he wouldn't have to listen to his dad and grandpa arguing. "Let's go play outside, shall we?" Charles grabbed him in his arms, nodded for me to follow them, and together we went out into the garden, where the argument could no longer be heard. "Why are they arguing?" four-year-old Eli asked, looking curiously at Charles and me. "It's complicated," I began, but Charlie cut me off, "Grandpa's got a new lady, and Dad doesn't like it." "Do you think it is necessary to explain it to him?" I turned to Charles, who just shrugged. I sighed and sat down on the bench under the parasol with my face in my hands. I took a deep breath and wondered how my older brother, who had always been much more rational than I was, could react so violently to such a trivial matter. Mom died more than five years ago. Does Luca really think that dad will be alone for the rest of his life?

"I'd like to drive as fast as you one day, too," Elio declared as he and Charles raced two tiny model cars on a fictional track. "You won, didn't you," Charles sneered. He had just completed probably the only race in which a four-year-old boy could beat him. Probably because it was Elio who set the rules and it couldn't be said that they were in any way consistent. I was still sitting on the bench and watched them both with interest. I knew Charles adored children. It's always been that way. But watching him treat Eli so kindly caused feelings inside me that I hadn't known before. My ovaries seem to be screaming at me: "This is who you want as the father of your future children!" "I know! Be quiet," I yelled at them. Of course, I want all of this. Wedding, family, and all with Charlie. But even though we've known each other for so many years and he expressed his views on a future together, my head told me that it's too early for everything and that these thoughts are not completely appropriate after such a short time. Charles now has other dreams, to finally win the championship and preferably not just once. He wants to make history. But how can you combine family life with the life of a Formula 1 driver?

"We're taking Eli on a trip," I announced to Alessandra, who sat on the couch and frowned at her husband and father-in-law who were in a heated exchange. I don't know if you've ever heard two Italians arguing, but trust me, it's not pretty. Alessandra just nodded. I gave her one more sympathetic look, grabbed the keys for my Golf from the shelf and slammed the door behind me. We took the child seat from Luca's car and moved it over to mine so we could take Eli to our destination.

"Are we there yet?" Elio asked for the eighth time in the last 6 minutes. "In a moment," Charles smiled into the rearview mirror and I checked the navigation, which showed a travel time of 40 minutes. "If he gets into it, Luca will kill you," I warned Charlie, who just grinned. "If he gets into it, Luca will kill us both," he corrected me, turning left to check if he could safely join the freeway. "The acceleration is horrible," he said through gritted teeth and I just rolled my eyes. "We're not going to discuss my car again, are we? Stop insulting it all the time," I smirked and this time he rolled his eyes. "Are we there yet?" Eli decided to join the conversation. "Just a moment," I smiled at him. 38 minutes.

When we finally arrived in Rioveggio at the go-kart circuit, Eli excitedly unbuckled himself and jumped out of the car. He hopped on the spot like a bouncy ball and he was close to run straight to the track. With a big smile on his face, Charles went to the warden to tell him his demands. I don't know if it was his personal charm or because of his name, but I have yet to experience him not getting what he wanted.

"This is the brake and this is the gas pedal," Charles said as he bent down to the smallest go-kart I'd ever seen and patiently began to explain the basics. "When you step on this pedal, the kart slows down and stops. And with this pedal you accelerate. Do you know how the steering wheel works?" Elio nodded enthusiastically. "He got an electric Mercedes for Christmas," I remarked towards Charlie, who grimaced in disgust for a moment, but then nodded in understanding. "This will go a little faster than your toy car," he pointed out to my nephew. "You have to brake a little when cornering and straighten the steering wheel before you step on the gas, otherwise you will spin." Elio had completely lost interest in what Charles was explaining to him and was bouncing nervously in his seat. "Be careful or your parents will be mad at us," I warned Eli with a laugh, and he immediately went forward.

"I'm telling you my brother's gonna kill us," I grumbled as Eli whizzed past us a few times. "Did you see how he went around that corner? Mammamia!" Charles fidgeted and I just shook my head. "Is it really his first time?" he asked again in disbelief. "I think so," I smirked and wrapped my arms around his waist to lean against him. Without taking his eyes off the kart on the track, he grabbed my shoulders and pressed a kiss to my hair. "Imagine when our children will be driving around like this one day," he said as if it was nothing and my whole body trembled again. Pleasant feeling but my thoughts still uncertain. The only certain thing is that Charles really is obsessed with children.