Author's Note: This story is based on the NBC television series The Facts of Life, which as far as I know, is the property of Embassy Television, Columbia Pictures Television, and Sony Pictures Television No infringement is intended. I also want to point out that this story was inspired by the movies The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, both of which are based on the novel The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot.
Chapter 1: Jo's True Identity
It was the evening of November 1, 1982, a cold Monday night, when Jo Polniaczek's entire world was turned upside down and inside out. For seventeen and a half years, the young girl had been confident that she knew who she really was. She was a Bronx barbarian, born and bred, and she was proud of it. She was a motorcycle rider. A fine mechanic. A hopeless tomboy. A brilliant student at the Eastland School for Girls. A fighter. She'd endured things no kid her age ever should have had to face. She'd watched a friend commit suicide in her grammar school. Her father abandoned her at an early age and then pulled a stupid stunt and landed himself in the penitentiary. With her mother working all hours, she'd had no one but her friends in a street gang to talk to. When Jo started getting wrapped up in gang life, her mother quickly pulled the plug on that and after applying for a scholarship, Rose Polniaczek enrolled her daughter into an all-girls boarding school in the sweet little town of Peekskill. But even though Jo did amazingly well with the new family she found at Eastland, she still stuck out like a sore thumb there because she was not at all a typical "preppie." While her three roommates, Blair Warner, Natalie Green, and Tootie Ramsey all had a kind of innocence about them, Jo was far beyond their naïveté. Given everything she had endured throughout her young life, she was tougher and wiser than the others, and when their guardian at Eastland, school nutritionist Mrs. Edna Garrett, wasn't around, Jo was really the one all the girls looked to for leadership – even the wealthy, spoiled Blair (although Blair would never actually admit it.) Jo was strong. Jo was proud. Jo was independent, and most importantly, she was a survivor, and she knew that. But when her parents suddenly came up to Eastland that unforgettable evening with a man she'd never seen before, and they asked to talk with her and Mrs. Garrett alone in the lounge, everything about Jo's life and identity was shaken to its core.
It was about seven o'clock when Charlie and Rose Polniaczek and an unnamed man walked into the Eastland cafeteria. Mrs. Garrett and the girls had just finished cleaning up after supper a few minutes ago, and as requested, Blair took Natalie and Tootie out to the theater to see a movie so that Jo could visit with her parents alone. Rose had called the school earlier that day and spoken to Mrs. Garrett about it, so Mrs. G. had made sure that the coast was clear by the time Jo's parents arrived so they could have some privacy for their visit.
A couple of moments after they came inside, Jo and Mrs. Garrett came out of the kitchen, and as soon as Jo saw her parents, she smiled and gave them both a hug. Meanwhile, the man who'd arrived with Jo's parents simply couldn't take his eyes off Jo, although she didn't see that he was keenly watching her.
"Hi, Ma. Pop. How ya doin'?"
"We're okay, Jo," Rose said nervously. "How have you been?"
"Great," Jo answered matter-of-factly.
"Good to see you, Mrs. Garrett," Charlie said to Edna.
"And it's wonderful to see you again too, Mr. and Mrs. Polniaczek," Edna said while shaking hands with them. And then she looked up at the tall, handsome man with dark hair, green eyes, and a beard, and she asked, "And you are?"
"Oh, uh, this is…an old friend of the family," Charlie responded, sounding every bit as nervous as his ex-wife. "His name is…"
"Call me John," he said in a friendly tone, and Mrs. Garrett smiled and shook his head.
"Alright, John. Welcome to Eastland," she told him. It was then that Edna began to notice the expensive suit and watch he was wearing, and she realized then that something odd was going on. Charlie and Rose Polniaczek had always lived paycheck to paycheck, so to say the least, it was pretty unusual that they'd have a friend of the family who was so obviously well-to-do. On top of that, she just couldn't get over the nagging feeling that she'd seen him somewhere before.
"Thank you. You have a beautiful school here. I've heard a lot of great things about it from Charlie and Rose and I've always wanted to see it," he said kindly.
"Well, perhaps while Jo is visiting with her parents, I can give you the grand tour," Mrs. Garrett suggested.
"Actually, the three of us need to speak with Jo," Charlie interjected.
"However, we'd really appreciate it if you'd stay too, Mrs. Garrett," Rose added. "We have something terribly important that we all need to discuss with Jo, but I think you should hear it, too. You've been a very big part of Jo's life these past two years and in some ways, you've been just as much a parent to Jo as we have. I think it's only fair for you to be here now."
"Of course," Mrs. Garrett agreed. "Let's all go into the lounge and sit down, shall we?"
"Lead the way, Mrs. G.," said Jo, and then they all followed her into the lounge. Jo sat down on the big loveseat with her parents, and Mrs. Garrett sat down in the living chair to Jo's right, and John sat down in the other chair across the coffee table from her.
It was in that moment that it clicked in Mrs. Garrett's mind, and before Mr. and Mrs. Polniaczek could begin talking to their daughter, Mrs. Garrett suddenly cried out, "Now I know who you are! Oh, no, wait. It couldn't be. Oh, but I could swear you look exactly like him!"
He gave Edna an understanding smile and asked her, "Who do I look like?"
"I know how silly this is going to sound, but I was going to say you look like the Prince of Momi," Edna sheepishly replied.
Much to her surprise, however, John announced, "You're quite correct."
"Mrs. Garrett, Jo, you are officially speaking to His Serene Highness John Augustus I, Sovereign Prince of Momi," Rose informed them.
"Oh, wow," Mrs. Garrett gasped. "Your Highness, I must say, it's quite an honor."
"The honor is all mine. Believe me."
"Isn't Momi that tiny island that's located about halfway between Hawaii and California?" Jo inquired.
"Indeed it is," said Prince John.
"Ma…Pop…how do you two know the Prince of Momi?" asked Jo.
"Forgive me, ladies," Prince John interjected before Charlie and Rose could answer their daughter's question. "I realize this must seem strange and awkward. My presence here is a very long story, and I must ask for your patience. If you'll bear with me, things will eventually make some sense after I've explained the entire situation."
"Alright by me," said Jo. She then looked over at Prince John and said, "Lucy, start 'splainin'."
Prince John, Mrs. Garrett, and Mr. and Mrs. Polniaczek all chuckled a bit at Jo's rather blunt sense of humor, and then Prince John said, "I certainly shall. Jo, there was a man back in the late 1700s whose original name was Frederick Konopka. He was a very wealthy count in Poland, a prominent member of Polish high society, but he had a lot of bad habits. According to some historical sources, he was an alcoholic and a gambler, and it was a well-known fact that he was a womanizer and that he fathered at least two illegitimate sons. Because of his ongoing bad behavior, he was eventually kicked out of the royal court in Poland and lost his standing in Polish high society. However, he was still incredibly wealthy, and he had traveled throughout most of the world. Once as a boy, he spent some time on a tiny island in the Pacific where only about two hundred people lived, and he fell in love with it. After his banishment from high society in his home country, he used some of his great wealth and financed an army of his own, and he came back to the island, conquered it, and took over. Since he was no longer a Polish count, he decided he would have his own country and declare himself a king, and that's just what he did. He worked with the tiny population there and gave many of them prominent places in the new government he and his personal army established. The people understandably didn't like him very much for just barging in and taking over, but he did eventually win their political support, and he established and ruled the small nation of Momi in 1790 and assumed the title of King Frederick Augustus I, and the Royal House of Konopka was officially established. Most of the natives of the island had migrated there from the Hawaiian islands, and they were the ones who had given the island its name long before Frederick Konopka arrived. They called it Momi, which is Hawaiian for pearl. And when he was setting up his new government, he divided the island into eight territories, each consisting of two or three tiny villages, and he put a few of the natives in charge of a territory or village and allowed the Momians to name each one. Today, all of Momi's eight territories and modern-day cities have Hawaiian names. When Frederick took over, he wrote constantly to the wealthy friends he still had back in Poland about Momi's incredible beauty, and it wasn't long before people in Poland and much of Europe took notice and started moving there. In later years, wealthy Americans also came to live on the island. Today, Momi is a real melting pot, just like America. Its population is comprised of a mix of Pacific Islanders and people of European and African descent, although the majority of the population is now of Polish descent.
"When Frederick Konopka took over in the late 1700s, the new country of America wasn't particularly interested in the tiny new nation of Momi. However, the individual governments of each of the Hawaiian islands wanted very much for Momi to join them. When several of the Hawaiian islands unified in 1795 and became the Kingdom of Hawaii, their government was more interested in Momi than ever. In 1810, after all of the Hawaiian islands became unified, the Hawaiian kingdom tried unsuccessfully over the next year to convince Frederick Konopka and the Momian government to become part of Hawaii. Finally, in November of 1811, they came to an agreement. Frederick Konopka and the tiny young nation of Momi agreed to become a principality of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and the former King Frederick Augustus I gave up his title. The Hawaiian king then granted him the title of Prince Albert I, although he also came to be known as Prince Albert the Bold, and he continued to rule Momi until his death in 1830.
"Prince Albert was succeeded by his oldest legitimate son, Prince Henry I, who reigned for fifty-two years. In 1882, his only son, Prince Louis I, took over, and he reigned until 1919, when he died at the age of eighty-six. It was during his reign that the Kingdom of Hawaii was annexed by the United States, and I'm sure you all know that when that happened in 1898, the Momian government, headed by Prince Louis I, reached a formal agreement with America. The United States officially recognized our sovereignty as a nation and declared that we would always remain a principality, even though Hawaii had become a republic. In addition, from that point on, America officially assumed responsibility for Momi's defense. To this day, Momi is protected by the U.S. military. It's quite similar to the agreement between the Principality of Monaco and France.
"Prince Louis was a fine ruler, and in addition to negotiating this important agreement with the United States, he made another important change. During the last years of his life, our country faced a royal succession crisis as Prince Louis and his wife, Princess Maria, had four daughters but no sons. Until that point in time, only sons could inherit the throne. However, months before his death, Prince Louis changed the law, making it possible for a princess to rule. In 1919, his oldest daughter, Princess Alexandra I, became the first woman to rule our nation, and she did an exemplary job. She established our unicameral Parliament, and for the first time, there was truly a system of checks and balances in our government. The sovereign did still wield a lot of power – and does to this day – but it is thanks to her efforts that there is some form of democracy in our government."
"All of this is very interesting, but what does it have to do with me and my folks?" asked Jo.
"I'm getting to that," Prince John responded. "Princess Alexandra I was also the very first ruler of Momi to abdicate the throne," he continued. "In 1940, she abdicated in favor of her son, Prince Frederick Augustus I, at age eighty-two. She lived to be ninety-seven. As all of you may have guessed by now, Princess Alexandra I was my great-grandmother. Prince Frederick Augustus I, my grandfather, was fifty-five when he took the throne, and he reigned until he died of a sudden heart attack ten years later in 1950. Then his only child, his daughter Anne, ascended the throne at age thirty-five. She chose to honor her grandmother, and for her regnal name, she chose to call herself Princess Alexandra II, and she ruled until her untimely death in a car crash in 1971. It was then that I, the older of her two sons, ascended the throne according to our law and customs. I've been on the throne ever since.
"I was ten years-old when my mother became the ruler of our country. I'd always known I was royalty, but I don't think I really began to understand the burden of expectations that were being placed on my mother's shoulders, and on my shoulders, until that happened. For much of my youth, I tried hard to run from my duties. I was scared. I did foolish things. And when I was eighteen, I did the unthinkable. I got a girl pregnant, and had a baby with her out of wedlock. A son named Stephen. I wanted very much to marry her, but my parents simply wouldn't allow it. She was a common girl, after all, and they would never have stood for the Prince of Momi marrying an untitled, middle-class commoner. However, the girl, whose name is Alice Kowalski, comes from a very power-hungry family, and when my mother officially refused to grant me permission to marry Alice and to grant my son a title, they went ballistic. They actually tried to send a bomb to our palace once; they made constant threats to my family and me, although to this day, I am convinced that Alice had nothing to do with it. But, I digress. When I was twenty-one and had graduated from college, I did what was expected of me, and I married a young lady of nobility, the Lady Rose Alden. Four years later, my wife gave birth to twins, a boy, Henry, and a girl, Anne. However, the birth was terribly difficult, and things ended in tragedy. The babies had to be delivered via C-section, and as a result of the surgery, Rose developed blood clots that traveled to her lungs, and a day after the children were born, she died."
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Edna said softly.
"Thank you. I'm sorry as well, but it was a long time ago."
"How old are your kids now?" asked Jo.
"When Henry and Anne were a month old, Alice's four older brothers, along with many other hoodlums, managed to break into the palace and get past the guards. They broke into the nursery, and before they were finally stopped by the rest of our security staff, one of them grabbed Henry and smothered him to death."
"That's terrible," Edna gasped.
"It certainly is. And had the rest of the guards not gotten to them when they did that night, they would have murdered my daughter as well. It was then that I made the most difficult and painful decision of my life. I knew from that moment on that no matter how much security we had in our palace, my daughter would never be safe as long as she was anywhere on the island of Momi. I knew Alice had other family members who were just as vicious as her brothers, and that they and my other political enemies, who were equally cruel, would not stop until both of my babies were gone. If Alice's family succeeded in getting both of my children out of the way, they would never stop fighting until they got Stephen on the throne so that they could rule Momi through him. Other political opponents of mine, whom I will not discuss this evening, would undoubtedly have done the same in the hopes of getting my daughter out of the way so that they could assume the throne themselves in the future. So, I did the only thing I could do, for my child and my country. I sent her away to be raised by a family in America. I released an official statement to the Momian and American press, saying that both Prince Henry and Princess Anne had been killed by the intruders. I did that, of course, so that no one would know where Anne really was. Afterwards, my personal assistant did some thorough research and got in touch with a young married couple in New York who were unable to have children of their own, and were trying very hard to adopt a child."
"Thank you," Charlie chimed in. "Thank you, Prince John. Rose and I will take it from here."
In that moment, Rose Polniaczek took her daughter's hand in hers, looked into her eyes, and told her, "Jo, you know that your father and I love you more than anything in this world."
"I know," Jo said with a sense of dread as she began to get some idea of what was coming next.
Charlie then put a loving hand on Jo's upper back, and she turned her head towards her father and locked eyes with him. "That's right, sweetheart," Charlie agreed. "Your mom and I…we'd do anything for you. I know I've failed you before. I know I've made some horrible mistakes in the past, but Jo, I have never stopped loving you. You always have been and you always will be my little girl, Joanna Marie. Always. No matter what."
"I know that, Pop."
"Jo," said Rose, and then Jo turned her head towards her mother once again. "Jo, honey, no matter what, you will always be our daughter. You will always be related to your father and me by the one thing in life that matters most: love. However…you are not related to us by blood. As hard as this is to say…Jo, Charlie and I…we're not your biological parents."
"What?" Jo gasped in disbelief.
"I never told you about this, Jo, but a couple of years before your father and I got married, I learned that I had uterine cancer, and I had to have a hysterectomy. Ever since then, obviously, it's been impossible for me to ever have a baby the natural way."
"And when Rosie and I were first married, there was nothing in life we wanted more than to have a child in our lives. We spoke to countless people. We spoke to one adoption agency after another, but we just couldn't get approval. We didn't make enough money, and there was no way we could afford to hire some fancy, uptown lawyer to make it happen for us."
"A woman that we spoke to at one agency, Rita Harlow, felt sorry for us," Rose added. "That's why when her agency was contacted by Prince John's people, she spoke to them about us."
"It was never my original plan to allow my daughter to be raised in a poorer neighborhood in the Bronx," Prince John chimed in as Jo let out a frustrated sigh. She could not believe what she was hearing! "I had decided right from the very beginning that I didn't want my child to be raised by, to put it bluntly, a couple of rich, obnoxious snobs. The last thing I wanted was for my daughter to grow up to be an immature, petty, spoiled little brat without any true character. So I decided that I would have her placed with a middle-class family, in a good neighborhood where she would be safe. However, when my people contacted the agency where Ms. Harlow worked, she put tremendous effort into convincing them – and me – to allow Charlie and Rose to raise my baby. Again, it was an unbelievably difficult decision, but as I thought about it, I realized that even though putting my daughter in the Bronx with Charlie and Rose would cause her to have a much more difficult life, it would in fact be the best thing for her. Jo, all throughout my life, I was constantly given the best of everything. I never had to do without. I never had to struggle. I was never denied anything until my mother refused to allow me to marry Alice. And because I'd always had it so easy, for a long time, I was nothing but an obnoxious two-year-old living in the body of a young adult. Had I ascended the throne at that stage in my life, there's no telling the damage I would have done to my country. I wanted to give my daughter a good life; I wanted her to be safe and happy, but I also wanted her to have the inner-strength, wisdom, and courage to rule when the time came. I wanted her to grow up to be a mature person, with integrity and empathy for others, particularly the less fortunate. Not the spoiled two-year-old that I used to be."
Jo then locked her young green eyes with the older, kind green eyes of Prince John and inquired, "So you're sayin' that…biologically, at least…you are my father?"
Prince John held her gaze with his eyes and told her truthfully, "That's exactly what Charlie, Rose, and I are saying. I came to New York when you were two and a half months old. I sat down with Charlie and Rose and had a very long talk with them, and we came to an agreement. We agreed that I would allow the Polniaczeks to love you and raise you as their own until it got closer to your eighteenth birthday, at which time, we would sit down with you and tell you the truth about who you really are. And I also agreed that I would personally assume responsibility for your safety. I know you're not aware of this, Jo, but you've been surrounded by undercover bodyguards your whole life, keeping you safe as you were growing up in the Bronx. In turn, Charlie and Rose agreed that they would never challenge me in court for legal custody of you, and they agreed that if ever a truly important decision needed to be made regarding your welfare, I would always have the last word. You should know, Jo, that it was never Rose's decision to send you to Eastland. It was mine. Your adoptive parents and the school always made it look like you were a scholarship student, but you never were. I have always paid for everything. When Rose contacted me over two years ago and informed me that you were having problems and getting into trouble in your home neighborhood, I decided that it would be in your best interests for you to grow up in a more stable environment, which Mrs. Garrett has clearly provided for you."
"So you're sayin' I'm not a scholarship student? You're sayin' I'm not Bronx barbarian Joanna Marie Polniaczek? You're sayin' I'm not the person I thought I was for over seventeen years?"
"I know it's hard to hear, my dear, but that is correct," Prince John told her. "You were raised as Joanna Marie Polniaczek from the Bronx, but in reality, that's not who you are. You're not a Bronx barbarian. You're a princess. To be more precise, you are properly addressed as Her Serene Highness Anne Alexandra Rose, Princess of Momi."
"So you're all tellin' me that, basically, I've been lied to my whole life by the people I trusted the most," Jo said in disgust as she rose to her feet. "You're tellin' me that my whole life and my whole identity is nothing but one giant lie!" Then turning to her parents, she yelled, "I can't believe the two of you would betray me like this!"
"Now, now, Jo, just take a deep breath and calm down," said Mrs. Garrett after she and all the other adults had risen as well.
"How calm would you be, Mrs. Garrett, if you just found out that your parents have done nothing but lie to you your entire life?!" Jo asked furiously, and then she turned to Prince John. "And as for you, Your Royal Highness," she said with blatant sarcasm, "I've got news for you. Whether you like it or not, I am Joanna Marie Polniaczek from the Bronx, and that's the way it's gonna stay! I'm not gonna let you just waltz up in here and change up my entire life and try to turn me into some kind of silly little princess, so you can just forget it! I'm outta here!"
And with that, she shot out the back door like a bullet from a gun and tore out of the Eastland campus on her motorcycle.
It was half past eleven before Jo finally returned to Eastland, and while Mr. and Mrs. Polniaczek had already left to check into a nearby hotel, Prince John was still waiting up for her along with Mrs. Garrett.
As soon as Jo walked into the cafeteria and saw the two of them sitting together at table, she angrily spat out, "What are you still doin' here?"
"Jo!" Mrs. Garrett scolded, and then they both stood.
"Jo, I understand that you're angry, and I don't blame you," Prince John patiently responded. "If the tables were turned, I would be angry, too. You've been lied to for seventeen years. I understand why you would feel hurt, angry, and betrayed. You have every right to feel that way. But as both a father and a ruler, I had to do what I believed was best, and if I had it to do over again, I would make the same decisions."
"You're not my father!" Jo yelled. "I barely even know you!"
"But I know you. Your adoptive parents wrote me about you constantly as you were growing up. I know that even when you were little, you were always first in your class. I know your teachers loved you. In her letters, your mother told me all about Vidal Sassoon night. She told me how, when you were little, you tried to pretend not to be afraid of the dark, but you always kept a flashlight hidden in your room that you'd turn on at night. She told me all about Eddie and how you practically eloped with him last year. She told me how much you love your motorcycle and how much you love being a mechanic. She told me that, once again, you're at the top of your class here at Eastland. She told me what a brilliant, strong young woman you are and how very proud she is of you, and I feel the same way. I know I was never there in person, but I was always there in my mind, Jo. And in my heart. I was always thinking about you, every single second."
After letting out a frustrated sigh, Jo looked at him and asked, "Why are you here now? Why did you suddenly decide to spring all this on me now? Why tonight?"
"Because I want to bring you back to Momi with me as soon as possible. Today is the first of November, and precisely six months from now, on the first of May, you will turn eighteen. I want you to take the next six months to get to know the Momian people. Your people. I want you to see for yourself what Momi is like. I want you to begin familiarizing yourself with our culture and our government. I want you to get a feel for what your life as a Momian princess will be like, should you decide that you want to rule in my place someday. According to Momian tradition, the heir who is next in line for the throne must make an official announcement to the public in a ceremony on his eighteenth birthday declaring his intentions to either rule in the future, or to renounce his title and live out the rest of his life as a commoner. Until now, the ceremony has been a mere formality. No royal heir in Momian history has ever renounced his or her title before. However, I'm not going to attempt to shove your royal title down your throat. I do recognize that it is your life and your decision, and I will respect the decision you make in May, whatever it is."
"You don't need to wait until May. I'll give you your decision right here and now: no! I told you before, I'm Jo Polniaczek from the Bronx, not some stupid princess, and that's not ever gonna change."
"Jo, when I said that I wanted to take you back to Momi with me for the next six months, I didn't mean that as a suggestion. I know you don't see me as your father right now, but whether you like it or not, I am your father, and I'm not asking you to pack your things at the end of the week and be prepared to go to Momi with me this Saturday. I'm telling you that that's the way it's going to be. Six months from now, you can make your decision, but not tonight. Right now, you're far too angry and emotional to think clearly. "
"My folks will never allow you to just kidnap me out of the country like this!"
"Actually, I've already spoken with the Polniaczeks about it, and they agree with my decision. I hate to be the bad guy, but I have to do what I think is best. It's time that you started getting to know your people and your culture. You say that your whole life has been a lie, and in some ways, you're right. Now, it's time you started living in the truth. It's time for you to see what your life can be like if you choose to embrace your true identity."
"But what about Eastland and my friends…and Mrs. G.?"
"Charlie, Rose, and I will speak with your headmaster and all your teachers tomorrow. I'll have them send you your assignments, and you can complete your schoolwork in Momi and send it back here to be graded. And if you don't like that option, I'll see to it that you're assigned a private tutor for your studies. As for your friends and Mrs. Garrett, you can call and write to them at any time."
Mrs. Garrett then put her arm around Jo's shoulders and said with an encouraging smile, "Of course you can. We'll call and write every single day. You'll hear from us so much, you won't even notice that we're in two different places. You'll see."
"I know you don't like this, Jo. I know how angry you are, and I'm sorry. But I've made my decision, and it's final. I'll see you Saturday morning."
Prince John then turned around and left, and all the while he was walking out of the cafeteria, Jo was shooting daggers at the man with her eyes.
Once he was gone, Jo cried out, "Who does that creep think he is?! Just because he's royal, he doesn't have any right to just come in here and turn my whole life upside down! And I'm not goin' away for the next six months, just because he says so!"
"Jo, I know that this is very hard for you. I know that what Prince John and your parents have told you tonight has come as a terrible shock. Frankly, I'm almost as shocked inside as you are. But even though this whole thing is hard for you, you have to understand that it's been just as hard for Prince John. First he lost his wife, then his son. And after all of that, he lost his daughter, too, for over seventeen years."
"Stop tryin' to make me feel sorry for him, Mrs. G."
"I'm not trying to make you feel sorry for him; I'm just stating facts. He's been through a lot, just as you have in your young life. He had to make some hard, painful decisions to ensure your safety."
"Ensure my safety?! He let me grow up in a gang-infested hellhole in the Bronx!"
"He and I talked a long time this evening while you were gone, and from what all I understand, you were surrounded by a team of the finest bodyguards on the planet; you just never knew."
"Where were those bodyguards when his infant son was being smothered?"
"According to Prince John, their entire security staff was replaced after that terrible event. And when he was preparing to send you to the States, he handpicked the guards who would be protecting you in the Bronx. All your life, you have been watched over by the very best. I know you've had a very painful, difficult life growing up the way you did, but would you have really wanted to grow up like Blair has? Would you really have been happy, growing up with a silver spoon in your mouth and having everything you ever wanted just handed to you without having to work for it?"
After letting out a defeated sigh, Jo admitted, "No, I wouldn't have been happy growing up like that. Growing up all rich and spoiled and turning into a petty, spoiled brat like Blair is the last thing I would ever want."
"I know."
Several long, silent moments passed, and then Jo finally looked at Mrs. Garrett and asked, "What am I supposed to do? I don't want to leave Eastland and be away from my life and my friends here for six months. This school year is the last year I'll ever get to spend with Natalie and Tootie and all my other friends here before Blair and I graduate next June."
"I know it's not easy, Jo. I know that Prince John is asking you to make a sacrifice."
"That man's not asking me, Mrs. Garrett. He's ordering me, like I'm one of his subjects."
"Like it or not, Jo, that man is your father, and he does love you. He's had to make sacrifices, too, you know. It wasn't easy for him to send you away after he'd already lost his wife and his son, but because he believed it was in your best interests, he did. I realize that this probably feels very similar to what your adoptive father put you through when he walked out on you several years ago, and I'm sure you're feeling hurt and betrayed. But Jo, the choice Prince John made is in fact the exact opposite of what Mr. Polniaczek did. With all due respect to your adoptive father, we both know that he did what he did out of selfishness. He chose to run away from his responsibilities because he lacked the courage to face up to them. Prince John, on the other hand, wanted very much to be with you, but he had the courage to put your best interests above his own personal desires, and he's spent the past seventeen years without his wife, his son, or his daughter. He did that because he wanted to keep you safe. I'd say that after all he's been through, he deserves to be able to spend some time with you and get to know you. And I also believe that you deserve to spend some quality time with your natural father. I agree with what Prince John said. I think you owe it to yourself to see what your life can be like if you decide to embrace your Momian identity. I know you don't want to become a Momian princess right now. I know you just want to get back to living the life you've gotten used to for seventeen years. I get it. But still, I think it's only fair for you to allow yourself to see what that kind of life can be like before you reject it altogether. Look at all sides, Jo, before you make your decision. Don't make a rash decision out of anger. Take your time, learn all you can, and think it through extremely carefully."
Again, Jo sighed. Finally, she said, "As usual, I know you're right, Mrs. G. I just…I just can't believe all this is happening to me. Practically ever other girl on the planet dreams of becomin' a princess, but I never dreamed of that. I just dreamed of owning a Harley Davidson." Mrs. Garrett laughed at that. "I never wanted to become a princess," Jo continued. "I never dreamed of prancin' around in some silly ball gown all the time or wearin' a dumb tiara on my head. And I certainly never dreamed of ruling an entire country. I don't mind leading the school debating team for Nat once in a while, or being the captain of the field hockey team, but I do not want to be the ruler of a nation. That's too much. That's way too much."
"You know, one thing I've learned in life is that it's often the people who spend their lives seeking out positions of power that make the worst leaders because they don't really care about serving others or helping people who are in trouble. They're simply on a power trip, and they constantly crave more and more power to build up their ego inside. You're not like that. You may be tough, Jo, but you're also terribly sensitive to the struggles of others."
"What are you tryin' to say? That I should say yes to this whole princess thing?"
"No, I'm not saying that at all. That decision has to come from you, not me. What I am saying is that if you should decide to officially accept your royal title six months from now, I think you'll be a much better princess than you're giving yourself credit for. But no decisions have to be made right now. Like I said, take your time. This may very well be the most important decision you'll ever make."
After several quiet seconds passed, Jo said, "It'll be so hard leavin' on Saturday, Mrs. G. I'll miss you and the girls so much. Even Blair."
Mrs. Garrett laughed. "We'll miss you too, honey," she told her. "But even though we won't be there physically, we'll always be with you…in here," she said while pointing to her chest.
In an emotional moment, Mrs. Garrett pulled Jo into her arms then and hugged her tight while a couple of tears escaped from Jo's eyes.
