Author's Note: Hi! Couldn't resist getting started on this story so quickly after my last one, but I'm ready! Hope you enjoy this one as much as the others

The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!

Joseph and Clarisse stayed at the palace a few extra days after Mia and Nicholas' wedding, just until 'things settled down again' (as was Mia's reasoning), not that they minded, but they were both very pleased to get back to their own surroundings.

Clarisse sighed happily as Joseph drove them out of Pyrus, heading north, followed closely behind by their entourage of still necessary bodyguards.

At the sound of her sigh, Joseph glanced over at her and grinned.

"Are you that excited to be returning to the beach house?" he teased, and she smiled. "I thought that it would seem rather boring after the excitement of the past fortnight!"

"I thought so too," she mused half jokingly, half thoughtfully. "But no, I am glad to be going back to the beach house… it's OUR home, and I love it there."

"What about the palace?" he asked, and she sighed.

"Honestly, Joseph, the palace has never really felt like home to me."

"Why not?"

"You know, it was always considered Rupert's turf, and I never really felt comfortable there."

"But you always seemed so relaxed and confident as you strode through the hallways."

"It was different when I was Queen of the castle," and they both smiled at the joke. "But, I always intimidated by the palace staff- especially since most of them were older than me- and all the rooms… the only places I really felt comfortable in were my suite and the gardens."

"Ah, your beloved gardens- I should have known," he joked.

"But the beach house… I know it was originally Phillipe's, but it feels like mine… ours," she corrected herself quickly and he laughed, knowing what she meant. "It's our sanctuary, and I feel very, very happy there."

"So do I, sweetheart," he leaned over and rubbed her knee for a moment, before his phone, hidden in his pocket, buzzed, indicating a message had arrived.

"Our granddaughter has decided to text message us today…" he commented, reaching into his pocket and retrieving the phone.

"She's very thoughtful," Clarisse defended as he handed it to her, and she quickly opened the lid and accessing the message, smiling to herself as she did so. Joseph had given her a lot of lessons in the use of mobile phones, and she was now very adept at using them. "Just because we remained incommunicado during our honeymoon doesn't mean that everyone else will!" she added as she read the message and laughed.

"What does it say?"

"Hey Joe and Grandma. I bet you're already on your way back to your beach house.'… What a cheeky girl!"

"Yes," he chortled to himself, before readdressing what Clarisse had just said. "It's not that being incommunicado was a good thing, but… the first time anyway, you were so distracted, and everyone was clamouring for your attention… I just wanted you to myself…" he trailed off, turning red, and she laughed as she patted his arm reassuringly.

"I know, and I loved you for the idea… in fact, I preferred isolation," she added with a smile. "I was just saying that Mia is thoughtful enough to keep in touch- she knows that I like to know where she is…"

"I like hearing for her too… Do you think she will call tonight?"

"Probably… I do know that they're due back next week sometime… I still can't believe that Mia is married."

"Neither can I… at times, I still can't believe that we're married!" he said in a cavalier tone, downplaying the nights (particularly in their first year of marriage) when he had woken up, thinking that it all had been a dream, disappointment welling up in him, before looking over and seeing Clarisse asleep beside him, and relaxed, knowing that it hadn't been a dream- it had all been true…it had happened…

"Neither can I," she admitted with a shy smile, bringing him back from his thoughts, and he looked over at her in surprise. "I guess we both need to stop worrying and relax- we're together, and have been married two years…"

"That sounds like a good idea," he agreed, and they smiled at each other lovingly, knowing that it really was true…

00000

Clarisse almost leapt out of the car when they finally pulled up in front of the house, and took a deep breath in, the smell of the ocean mixing with the scent of soil and some of her early blooming flowers- the garden was still only half finished.

"I really will have to get onto finishing the garden," she commented as she walked around to the back of the car with Joseph to retrieve their luggage and groceries. They had stopped in the small town on their way through to collect groceries ('and DVDs', Clarisse added with a grin), and this time Clarisse had come with him.

"We won't need to come back for two weeks!" he joked when they emerged from the store with a trolley loaded down with food.

"I guess we both like to eat," Clarisse had laughed. "I'm sure we'll be back in a week anyway!"

No one had stared at them as they shopped, so they were finally being accepted as part of the community.

"We'll have plenty of time to finish the garden… and yes, we're going to do it together, even if you have to help me up the stairs at night," Joe said as she looked pensively at her garden again.

"Well, there's a nice pull out couch in the living room- you can sleep there, and I'll sleep upstairs," she teased, knowing that he would hate that, and she burst out laughing when he gave her an indignant look.

"I was just joking, darling," she said when she finally stopped laughing. "I would be more than happy to help you upstairs."

"Good," Joe nodded seriously, before breaking into a grin as well. "Yes, it is good to be home," he added as he followed her up the stairs, and into their suite. Clarisse put her cases on the floor, and walked over to pull open the curtains and throw open the doors, sighing happily as she looked out at the view.

"Yes… it is nice to be home."

"Shall we unpack these now?" he waved to the suitcases and bags on the floor, and she looked at them for a moment, before shaking her head.

"Maybe later… not now, though…"

"So, what DO you want to do now?" he asked with a grin as she kicked off her heels.

"Go for a walk on the beach, what else?" she chuckled, and he laughed as she tugged eagerly on his arm, pulling him towards the door.

"Alright, alright- I'm coming!"

When they returned from the beach 20 minutes later, they walked around the house to look at Clarisse's half completed garden, Joseph listening as Clarisse made comments about positioning of plants, before he noticed a strange car coming up the driveway.

"I wonder who that could be," he said, frowning, as he watched the car make it's way up the hill. The gates were usually locked, and one of the boys had to clear whoever was visiting, so who was visiting them?"

"What is it?" Clarisse asked, standing up- she had been examining one of her plants, and had not heard the car or Joe's comment, but she too looked curious as she looked at the car. "Who is that?" she asked as the car came to a stop a few metres away from them.

"We're just about to find out," Joe said smartly, but he quickly shut up when Pierre stepped out of the car as, beside him, Clarisse stiffened, feeling a surge of anger course through her- he had been in sporadic contact for the past 8 months, and he hadn't even replied to Mia's wedding invitation… she wasn't sure she wanted to see him…

"You can do this," Joseph whispered into her ear, putting an arm around her shoulders and squeezing reassuringly,

"I hope so," she replied in a soft voice before Pierre came into earshot, and Joseph decided to break the silence.

"Hello Pierre, you look very well."

"Hello Joe, and thank you," Pierre's tense expression relaxed into a smile. "I don't have a limp, and the doctors are very pleased with how I've recovered… Hello Mother," he turned his gaze towards Clarisse, and she smiled tightly at him, again struck by how similar he was with his brother, although he now looked a little older.

"Hello Pierre," she finally said, successfully suppressing her anger as Joseph gave her shoulders another squeeze. "It's good to see you again."

"It's been a long time, I'm afraid, but here I am," he smiled sheepishly, and Clarisse chuckled, albeit reluctantly.

There was a long, awkward silence between the three of them before Clarisse, emboldened by Joseph's presence, asked:

"Would you like to go for a walk on the beach?"

"I'd love to," Pierre said in obvious relief, and Joe decided to discreetly disappear.

"In that case, if you two will excuse me, I'm going to go inside…" he smiled encouragingly at Clarisse, who was shaking her head stiffly, trying to let him know she didn't want to be alone with Pierre.

They walked in silence down to the shore, and along the way she and Joseph had jus walked, before Pierre stopped and turned to Clarisse.

"I'm sorry about not being in regular contact with you for the past few months… I've been a little busy…"

He was about to continue in the same vein when Clarisse suddenly snapped- she had had enough of the excuses.

"No, no- enough!" she said sharply, and Pierre looked surprised. "I don't want to keep hearing the same excuses for why you haven't been in touch, or why you didn't think to reply to your niece's invitation to her wedding…"

"I want to be there, but…" he protested, but Clarisse's eyes were narrowed disbelievingly.

"I see…" She paused for a moment, and then decided to continue- it was time to confront him. "Can we be quite honest with each other?"

"Of course."

"Your confession at the hospital… it really hurt and upset us… yes, us- Joseph was hurt too…"

"I wanted to try and make things right between us… I'm aware that our fight when Father was dying was my fault, and I wanted to make amends."

"I appreciate that, but it was also unnecessary and selfish… and it was a part of my life that I didn't really want to relive… that time was painful for me, probably more than you realised… Do you like Joseph?" she suddenly asked, wanting to know.

"I do… at first I couldn't understand you two, but now I can…" and it was clear that he was being honest with her.

"Good, because Joseph is part of my life, has been for a long time, and always will be."

She looked at him almost defiantly- it may have sounded harsh, but she was just as protective of Joseph as he was of her. "I'm also angry that you didn't come to Mia's wedding a couple of weeks ago- she is your niece, and I think she was looking forward to you being there."

"I'm sorry," he repeated, looking weak, and Clarisse's rage began to subside as she realised something- things were never going to change between them, and he was never going to change. He was too much like his father to really want to be close to her, and she didn't think that he really wanted to…

Looking at him as she calmed down, she realised that she felt a little sorry for him… maybe it was time to let him go, and not be so disappointed in him for what he wasn't- Phillipe. Maybe that was why she had been so angry and bitter towards him- she had been trying to replace Phillipe with him, and he couldn't be him…

"Pierre," she began in a softer tone. "I know you and I will always have issues between us, and maybe it's not possible for us to spend a great deal of time together… I think I was trying to make you more like Phillipe and our relationship, and that wasn't fair on you… I'm sorry too," her voice got quieter and quieter.

"That's alright," Pierre said with a slight smile. "But I'm not Phillipe, and we'll never have that close relationship you two had… he was your favourite…"

"Yes, but we were also very similar in a lot of ways… but I love you too, Pierre… it's just that we probably shouldn't spend so much time together…"

"You don't want me around?" he joked, looking relieved, which confirmed Clarisse's instinct that he didn't want a close relationship with her.

"I do, but we've hurt each other too badly over the years… You do understand, don't you?"

"Of course, and I've felt that way for a while, but I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"You haven't… and you will keep in touch, won't you?"

Clarisse was feeling much better, although sounded and dreadfully guilty as she realised the part she had played in this misunderstanding, after letting her anger out of her system and making a few discoveries… like that they were still mother and son, but their relationship would be very different to what she had enjoyed with Phillipe, or even Mia.

"I will," he smiled as Clarisse glanced at her watch- it was well after three and she was wondering if Joseph would have a cup of tea waiting… she could definitely use another cup of tea.

"Have you eaten anything?" she inquired as they headed back towards the house, and he smiled.

"I'm fine, thank you. I'll have to be going soon- my flight leaves tonight."

"Would you like a quick tour of the house?"

"Yes, definitely- it looks amazing from the outside, and I always suspected Phillipe had a good idea for real estate."

"He did, and it's wonderful inside… you don't mind that he left it to me, do you?" she looked slightly anxious, and he laughed, patting her arm comfortingly.

"No, I think Phillipe did the right thing… and I know he wanted you to have it…"

Joseph was unpacking groceries when they stepped into the kitchen, and he looked up when they came in. He followed them as Clarisse conducted the tour, dying to ask Clarisse what had happened, and they ended up back in the kitchen.

"Wow, Phillipe really did know his stuff… this place is fantastic- I'm actually rather jealous!"

"We're happy here," Joe replied simply. "Do you want a cup of tea, or stay for dinner? We've got plenty of food here, and it's your mother's turn to cook," he gave Clarisse a teasing look.

"Really- she cooks?" Pierre looked surprised.

"Yes I do- remember my chicken soup?"

"Oh yes, that was delicious… so, does Mother do all the cooking, or do you take it in turns?"

"We actually do it together… we do most of the chores together… so, did you want to stay?"

"I'd like to," Pierre said, looking awkward. "But I have to get back to Pyrus to catch my plane… This was a flying visit, but it was worth it," he smiled warmly at Clarisse, and Joseph sensed that something had changed between them…

000

Joseph waited until they had waved him off before, seeing the car disappear down the hill, he turned to Clarisse with an expectant look.

"Well… what happened?"

She sighed, not at all sure she was ready to talk about it until she had processed it herself, and Joe suddenly understood she needed some time alone.

"I think I had better go and start sorting out what we're going to have for dinner," he said tactfully, and she smiled distractedly as she looked her flowers. She barely heard him leave as she wandered through the garden, trying to make mental notes of what she needed to do, but her mind kept straying back to Pierre and their conversation. She undoubtedly felt better having confronted him, and their agreement would work, but she felt sad that they probably wouldn't see him too often- they were too different, and too many things had happened between them…

She loved him, but she had to let him go- she had been hurtful to him, trying to relive and recapture her relationship with Phillipe, not accepting who he was, while he never really understood her, and had hurt her, both consciously and unconsciously.

It was possible, given time and a little distance, their relationship would strengthen- she certainly hoped so- but still, now, it would hurt that they had to keep their distance…

She sighed again, brushing away the tears that had streamed down her face, and shivered- she sun was lowering over the horizon, and she hadn't realised that she had been outside that long…

When she strolled into the kitchen, Joseph was already preparing dinner, and she smiled as she sank into a counter chair, and he turned to grin at her.

"I though it was my turn to cook tonight," she joked.

"I thought I would give you a reprieve," he teased, before turning off the stove and walking over to stand in front of her. "How are you feeling now?"

"Oddly better… but… empty," she shrugged, looking away for a moment, and then looked back at him, waiting patiently for her to say something.

It was harder than she thought, recounting that conversation for Joseph, but it was also cathartic- keeping emotions bottled up inside was never a good thing.

"I never realised that I expected Pierre to become like Phillipe," she concluded. "I was angry at him as my son, but I was also angry at him because he wasn't Phillipe, which was very unfair of me!" she cried, burying her face in her arms.

"I never though you were expecting Pierre to become like Phillipe," Joseph said thoughtfully as he walked around and rubbed her back comfortingly. "If you feel like you did, it wasn't deliberate, and you can't beat yourself up about it… I'd say that it was fairly understandable that you expected him to stand up and become a better son to you, but now that you know he can't, fine… but it's not your fault!"

"Dear Joseph," she looked up at him, her eyes red. "You're so loyal- can't you ever think the worst of me?"

"No, I can't," he teased gently, leaning down and wiping away a stray tear. "But you can't blame yourself for Pierre- he is who he is, and you're you… but, you did make a sensible decision together about keeping your distance. I know you may hate that thought," he added as she opened her mouth to speak. "But it might be all he is capable of, and I know it hurts, but maybe… maybe this is going to help the two of you…"

"I hope so, Joseph," Clarisse said in an almost inaudible voice. "But… he's part of my very small family."

"Sweetheart," he said, massaging her shoulders gently. "Your family isn't small- you've got me, Mia and my crazy family, as well as some very close friends… you're very popular, young lady," and she had to laugh through her tears. He was right- despite her cool relationship with Pierre, she still had a lot of people who loved and cared about her.

"It will all work out in the end," he murmured as he leant down and kissed the top of her head. "But now…" he turned the chair around so that she was looking at him. "Why don't you go and have a shower? Dinner will be ready when you return!"

Clarisse smiled tenderly at him- as per usual, Joseph had been her sounding board, her rock, supporting her as he had always done, and had made her feel better about everything….

"Are you going, or am I going to have to drag you up there?" he asked again as he gently pulled her off the chair and pushed her in the direction of the doorway as she laughed.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" she asked, a spark of mischief in her eyes, and he nodded with a smile.

"Of course… now scoot!"

000

"I told you to have a shower- I didn't mean that you had to come downstairs in your bathrobe!" he joked when she came back downstairs 20 minutes later, clad in her bathrobe.

"Well, considering the day we've just had, I just felt like it," she said defiantly, and he laughed as he put her plate down in front of her.

"You can do whatever you want, my dear- you know that his is our home, and we do whatever we want!"

"So much better than the palace, where everyone is watching and noticing what one does," Clarisse said wisely in a rare moment of third person introspection, and Joseph placed his hand on top of hers.

"You don't need to justify anything to me, my love…"

"I know… why don't you do the same thing after dinner?" she asked cheekily, and he laughed again.

After dinner, Clarisse insisted on doing the washing up so that Joseph could go upstairs and shower.

"I didn't cook, so I should wash up," she reasoned with a smile, but little did she know he had a little surprise for her…

"Dirty Dancing!" she cried as he put the disc into the DVD player (Annie and Julie had given her that for her birthday) after he had come back downstairs in his bathrobe. "But you don't even like that movie!"

"I never said that I didn't like it… besides, you need cheering up," he said, pulling her close, and she smiled weakly at him.

"Thank you… you are always so thoughtful…"

"It's part of my charm," he pretended to preen, before she leaned over and kissed him.

"I love you, do you know that?"

"No, I didn't," he joked with a grin. "But I love you too- always have, always will, not matter what," and she smiled as she cuddled up to him.

Halfway through the movie, she turned to look at him.

"I'm jealous of you," she said simply, and he looked surprised- he hadn't been expecting that at all, and Clarisse had never said anything like that to him.

"Why are you jealous of me?" he finally asked.

"I'm jealous because you and your family are all so close… I imagine that you were close to your parents as well…"

"We were…"

"Well… I never had that kind of relationship with my parents," she said sadly. "They were focused on me marrying someone important- Rupert, namely- and that's all that mattered to them all throughout my childhood… Rupert was relatively easygoing, but his parents were cold and Pierre…" she was almost in tears, and Joe pressed the pause button on the remote control and turned her to face him.

"Baby, as I've said before, you have Mia, me and my family… rather, you're part of that, so it's your family as well… Besides, we may seem close now, but when those kids were growing up… Annie was a handful, and the other two…" he rolled his eyes in disgust. "I was often concerned at how Julie would turn out, being squashed between all of them, but she did… Believe me, our family is not perfect, but we (or most of us) are here for you and Mia…. It's time to let the past go, and live for now… with me…"

"You're right," she smiled slightly, more determined than ever to let go of the past. "The past is gone, and I'm not going to let it ruin our future!"

00000

Ten days later, almost a month after the wedding, they were woken up in the middle of the night by Joseph's mobile.

"What the…" Joseph grumbled sleepily, half awake, when the phone started ringing. "Who could be calling at this hour?" he complained as he switched on the light, grappling for the phone as, beside him, Clarisse sat up, shading her eyes against the lamplight.

"I don't know, dear," she murmured before Joseph answered the phone, almost barking out:

"Hello!"

Clarisse watched him, and smiled when he looked over and mouthed 'Mia'- she had suspected that it would be her.

"Yes, you did wake us up," he continued, and she buried her face in her pillow, laughing, although she could still hear his side of the conversation. "No, I'm not mad… so, when did you get back... Tonight, and… that was very thoughtful of you… do you want us to come in? Okay, you want to come here… Tomorrow's fine, only… not quite so early…"

Clarisse re-emerged from her pillow when she heard him hang up.

"That was a lovely call, wasn't it?" she chuckled, and he only grunted.

"As you obviously heard, Mia and Nicholas just got back, and she thought she would call and let us know… oh, and they're coming out tomorrow to see us."

"Wonderful!" Clarisse sounded delighted, and Joe didn't have the heart to be cranky.

"I think you should tell Mia about Pierre… she'll be able to cope with it, and she deserves to know."

"Alright, you're right," Clarisse agreed- he was right- Mia deserved to know, and she really didn't want to keep secrets from her granddaughter.

"I know I'm right… I'm always right," he replied smugly as he switched off the light, and they slid back into bed as Clarisse sniggered slightly.

"I do hope you're not turning into one of those cocky, self assured know it alls that are in parliament- I don't think I could stand it," and he laughed in reply.

000

Mia and Nicholas arrived at lunchtime, bringing, in Mia's words, "lunch, presents and news… but lunch first!"

It was clear that Mia and Nicholas were very happy together, as made obvious by the number of 'babe' and 'honey' and 'sweethearts' that were sprinkled in their conversations, causing Clarisse and Joe to look at each other with furtive smiles. They had bought presents back for both of them- a bottle of scotch and an extremely loud looking shirt for Joseph… who looked rather dubiously at it as Clarisse and Mia laughed.

"We saw that at a store, and just thought of you," Mia said pertly, and Joe gave her a withering look.

"Thank you so much… I'll be sure to wear it to one of your formal occasions," he said dryly, and Mia only laughed harder. They had bought Clarisse a beautiful coral necklace (which she put on immediately) and a small jewellery box- both of which almost brought Clarisse to tears.

"Thank you… they're lovely," she said quietly, hugging both of them warmly.

"How come she got more decent presents?" Joseph complained, but they all knew he was joking. "So… how was honeymoon?"

"The honeymoon was fantastic- the press couldn't get close enough to take any photos of us, so I guess we owe them one photo opportunity… unlike you two, we're generous," Mia said with a teasing smile at Joseph and Clarisse.

"Well… we thought we'd leave that to you," Joe replied quickly, and the four of them burst out laughing.

"How's Julie and the baby… we talked to them once or twice…"

"They're all fine, and we're going to England next month for the christening- Clarisse is principal godmother," Joseph said proudly, and Mia looked at Clarisse with a dropped jaw.

"Wow… that is so cool… you could be like the fairy godmother in 'Cinderella'!"

"I very much doubt that, but I'm happy to do it," Clarisse said modestly, before looking over at Joseph, who gave her the signal she needed. "Mia, would you like to go for a walk on the beach… I have some gossip I need to tell you."

"Sure," Mia looked a little surprised, but stood up quickly.

They were well away from the house when Clarisse turned to look at her, her expression vaguely troubled.

"You were wondering why Pierre didn't answer your invitation or come to the wedding…"

"Yes?" Mia said cautiously before Clarisse looked at her directly.

"There's a story I need to tell you….." and, for the third time, she began retelling the story of, first the confrontation between Pierre and herself when Rupert was dying, followed by Pierre's confession, and finally the discussion they had had ten days previously, including Joseph's wise advice. She kept looking at Mia, and she noted that Mia's jaw kept tightening as the narrative went on.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you a long time before, but I just wasn't sure whether I should tell you… I know you wanted to establish a relationship with him, and…"

"Grandma, it's alright," Mia said calmly, reaching out and taking one of Clarisse's hands in her own. "I always suspected that something had gone down between the two of you, and I'm sorry that you had to endure any pain or feelings from him… Yes, I might of wanted to have a relationship with him, but he clearly doesn't want to have anything to do with either of us, so that really doesn't matter to me…"

Mia looked at her intensely, and Clarisse marvelled at how grown up and mature her granddaughter was- very much like her father at that age.

"I don't even know him Grandma, but I know you… and you are cool, and that's not going to change- not even after this story… In fact, I admire you even more now after that…"

"Thank you sweetheart, that's very sweet of you," Clarisse said, her eyes moist as she looked at her granddaughter.

"It's the truth," Mia replied seriously.

When they returned to the house, the men were in the kitchen, examining one of the cupboards, but Joe turned when he heard them come in.

"Ah, so you decided to join us again!" he joked and Clarisse smiled reassuringly at him, sending the message that everything was fine with her and Mia.

"Yes… we figured we'd left you out in the cold long enough…."

"So, you two are the new newlyweds," Joe said jokingly as they walked them back out to the car, and Mia laughed.

"Oh, the 'newlyweds'… I had forgotten that you hated that title, Joseph," she gave him a look. "But I do have a new title for you…"

"Oh, and what's that?"

"A happily married couple… come on, don't tell me you don't like that one… and, it's the truth!"

"True… alright, that one's fine," Joe pretended to sound grudging, but Mia only laughed as she walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good… otherwise I would be forced to call you Joey and Rissie…"

"Rissie?" Clarisse's eyes widened in shock- she had never heard her name shortened like that…

"Yes, short for Clarisse…" Mia smiled cheekily at her. "I can see you don't like it, but… you never know when it might come in handy…"

"Oh, so you're going to blackmail us sometimes," Joe said, nodding understandingly, and Mia shrugged.

"Blackmail is such an ugly word… but yes, maybe…"

"She's a cheeky one, that Mia," Joe murmured as they watched them leave, and Clarisse laughed, waving once more at the retreating car, before Joseph turned to stare at her.

"So… what happened between the two of you out on the beach?"

"She was fine about it," Clarisse shrugged casually, starting to walk away, but his arm tightened around her waist, preventing her from moving. "Alright, I'll tell you…" she turned back with a smile, and recounted everything that had happened.

"So….?" She asked when she had finished, and Joseph was still looking at her thoughtfully.

"So…" he began slowly, before his wonderful smile began to creep across his face. "There's only one thing I have to say… I told you so!"

"Oh don't start that again," she groaned, before he tipped her head up to look at him.

"Aside from that, you were right to trust Mia- she's an excellent judge of character (although men's clothes might be too much), and she knows you wouldn't lie to her… so, you should feel better- do you?"

"I do," she beamed at him, and she was telling the truth- she did feel better now that the whole mess had been sorted out. "Now, I can look forward to your… our niece's son's christening…"