Chapter 2:
Hello my lovelies!
Now that we have given our trees (real or faux) time to settle and fluff up, it is time for us to select a color scheme and overall theme of your Christmas. My personal favorite for this season is peacock feathers. I plan on decorating one of my trees - yes you read that correctly - with the rich blues, teals, greens and purples seen typically on the plumage of the very regal peacock. Select this theme and I guarantee you your tree will be anything but traditional. If you aren't as adventurous as yours truly that's alright too, you can never go wrong with a candy candy theme, or a simple red and green ornament scheme or one of my personal favorites a white winter theme. Being from a beach town on the coast of sunny North Carolina I haven't had a snowy Christmas in at least a decade, fingers crossed this year will be my year. It's also important to remember the children in your lives this holiday season, my nephew buys me a new ornament for my tree every year and I display each and every one of them proudly. Growing up my mother had several trees, indoor and out - and one tree was always designated as "my" tree and it was decked out with a tree topper of my choosing and displayed all of my homemade school ornaments and keepsakes I collected throughout my childhood. For my older readers this is a great hand-me-down for when children leave your nest to feather their own. My first Christmas away from home didn't feel so lonely when I was able to look at my very own tree decorated with my precious ornaments.
Tune in next time for information on present placement, when to put gifts under the tree, what to wear when you meet your significant other's parents for the first time and an absolutely delicious hostess gift sure to make any future mother in law swoon.
Lady Penelope
P.S. Please be sure to participate in our tinsel tally. I am dying to hear where all of you fall on the matter.
Two hours later Clay heard a key in the door and knew it was Brooke, he had been alone with this thoughts since he got off the phone with his father and now he was more anxious than anything else. He had been harboring a secret and he wasn't sure how she was going to react when he told her, 'she would be well within her rights to just sever ties with me completely,' Clay told himself, 'Why hadn't I told her before now?' He wondered, but deep down he knew the answer - he didn't want to loose her and telling her the truth meant that was a real possibility. Brooke came inside and placed her purse on the side board in the hallway, "How was your meeting with Macy's?" Clay asked, trying to steady his voice.
Brooke looked at him and put her hands on her hips, "What did you do Clay Evans? I can feel it my bones, something isn't right mister so start talking."
"I didn't do anything," Clay fidgeted. "Are you hungry? I made bread pudding. I thought we could have brunch; a couple mimosas - with fresh squeezed orange juice, a broccoli quiche and bread pudding with bourbon sauce."
Brooke arched her eyebrow, "Alright now I really know that you did something that you feel the need to atone for. The last time you made me bread pudding it was when you accidentally put my sketches through the paper shredder. And did you say you made a quiche?" Clay nodded, "Are you having an affair? Tell me where the bitch lives Clayton I'm not in any mood for small talk." Brooke placed her hands on her hips and started drumming her manicured hands on her taut waistline.
"God no," Clay spit before he let out an uncomfortable chuckle, "Nothing is wrong, I just missed you and I know you love my bread pudding." Clay leaned on his hands so Brooke wouldn't see them trembling before he continued, "The quiche wasn't technically made today, I already had one in the freezer."
Brooke arched an eyebrow again and shook her head, "I do love your bread pudding, it's better than sex."
"Hey, I'm standing right here." Clay relaxed a little. Brooke was an amazing girlfriend and their playful banter was really beginning to grow on him.
"So let's say I continue this charade of yours for a little while until you have worked up the courage to tell me what's going on." Brooke crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his waist, "What's in it for me?"
"I already made you bread pudding woman." Clay pouted, "What more could you possibly want?"
"If that's the only thing on the table," Brooke paused, "I think I'll pass and head on home." She stepped back and laughed at the hurt expression on Clay's face, "No pouting, I want a piece of that waiting for me when I come back from freshening up," She put her hands on his chest, "And then you are going to tell me what is bothering you, no games today please. I missed you and I really want to get right down to showing you how much," Brooke said seductively before she kissed him and hurried down the hallway.
Clay set the table and removed the cinnamon roll bread pudding from the oven and placed it on a trivet on the counter to cool. "Do you want ice cream?" Clay yelled down the hallway.
"Please." Brooke responded. Brooke reemerged from the hall, "That smells delicious, I am positively ravenous." Brooke sat down at the table across from Clay, "So you can't come with me to Scott Christmas Kickoff? That's what all of this is about right?"
"You are partially correct," Clay said as he reached for her hand. "I have to go home, my mother is in poor health and I was wondering if you would like to accompany me."
"I would love to, I'm sorry about your mother - has she been sick long?" Brooke took a bite and moaned out in delight, "Is that what this was for? Seems a bit excessive for the obligatory meet and greet with your folks don't you think?"
"Well," Clay gulped, "There is something about my family I haven't told you baby."
Brooke took another bite, "You're like the family in that scary Rob Zombie movie right... House of a something or other? Dead people, lots of clowns."
"No," Clay choked on a piece of bread pudding, "My family is wealthy, extremely wealthy."
Brooke nodded, "I knew that already. You wear a vintage Rolex Clay, and this house is unreal. There is no way you bought it with your very first agent's commission, unless you were mortgaged to the hilt and drowning in debt. But I have seen how you are with money, there is no way that's a possibility. My family has money too, I didn't bring it up because I didn't think we were that serious yet."
Clay wasn't sure why but Brooke's last statement stung a little, 'She was right, there is no doubt in my mind that she's the one, I am completely and unequivocally in love with her' he thought, 'But we have only been dating for six months, neither of us are close to our families why would it have come up before now?' "We haven't talked much about where I am from have we?"
"No," Brooke questioned, "You told me you were from a small island off the coast of Canada, in the Northwest Passage I believe. It seems to bother you whenever I ask about it..." Brooke suddenly felt uneasy. "So I didn't press you for details."
Clay rubbed her hand in the hopes of settling her nerves. "That's right, I am from the Island of Skogonia, it's just outside the Northwest Passage." Clay took a deep breath, "This last part I need to just say without you interrupting me." Brooke nodded and Clay continued, "My family isn't just wealthy Brooke, we are royalty. I am a prince as a matter of fact, my parents are the King and Queen of Skogonia."
Brooke dropped her fork and brought her hands to her mouth, "Wait a minute... What?"
"I am a prince-" Clay started.
"No I got that part," Brooke uttered, "If your parents are the King and Queen that means you are like a prince prince. You're in a line of succession?"
"That is correct," Clay responded quickly, "I am currently third in line to the throne behind my father, the king and my older brother Sam. I have been lovingly referred to as the spare since the day I was born."
Brooke stood up and went to the kitchen and poured herself a full glass from the champagne bottle Clay had opened, "So why are you here and not in Skogonia?"
"Our kingdom only has about 10,000 residents, my parents thought it was important that we experienced the outside world away from the crown and the island. I went to private school and had tutors, so did Sam, and when it came time to pursue a collegiate degree I got accepted to Duke University and that's where I went. As you know Nathan and I were roommates freshman year, the agent job was just a happy accident." Clay motioned for Brooke to rejoin him at the table.
Brooke waved him off and took another sip of her champagne, "Does Nathan know? Where are your handlers? There are always pictures of Wills and Harry with big scary bodyguards. I'm your girlfriend Clay I think I would have noticed if you had a bodyguard lurking around all the time."
"I don't presently have a security detail. I check in regularly with Marjorie, my father's secretary. Most people have never even heard of Skogonia, so my parents were comfortable with the risk to ensure that I got to experience some normalcy while I was stateside. And to answer your question, Nathan doesn't know, you are the first person in North Carolina I have told." Clay paused, "I have the orange juice over here honey, why don't you come back to the table and I'll make you a mimosa."
"No thank you," Brooke finished off the contents of her flute, topped herself off and said from the counter, "Champagne is just fine, no need for the orange juice."
Brooke stopped talking and the silence was making Clay want to scream, "Say something please honey, I never meant to hurt you." Clay stood up and walked around the counter.
Brooke looked at Clay vacantly and nodded again. She had been angry before but knowing now that Nathan didn't know truly enraged her, 'Who does that?' She thought to herself, 'They have been best friends for almost seven years,' "I think I should go." Brooke said curtly as she finished her second glass.
"Brooke you have been drinking, I can drive you home." Clay offered.
Brooke shook her head rapidly, "No thank you. I think I'll just call for an Uber, I don't need you to drive me anywhere your majesty." Brooke headed down the hallway to retrieve her things and wipe away the few tears she had tried so desperately to contain. She walked to the front door, "Goodbye Clay."
"Brooke honey, I am sorry I lied to you." Clay furrowed his brow at the sight of Brooke sitting on his front porch angry, "I am going to give you all the space you need, but please tell me this isn't over. I love you and I need you in my life, you have to forgive me." He walked over and sat down next to her, it was like a punch to the gut when he saw her tear stained cheeks, "I am just going to pack a bag and I will be out of your hair for a few days. When I get back, we can sort this all out if you still want to be in this relationship with me."
"When are you leaving?" Brooke asked with a sniffle.
"Percy and the jet will be here tomorrow evening." Clay reached for her hand and she moved out of his grasp and slapped him away.
"Percy and the jet will be here tomorrow evening," Brooke repeated with an eye roll.
"I am so sorry Brooke, I know that I lied to you." Clay said in a disheartened voice, "I love you so much and I have wanted to tell you so many times. But it never seemed like the right moment, please believe me when I say that now I wish I could go back to our first date and tell you the truth. Even if it meant that our first date was also our last because I would have sounded like a psychopath, at least then you would have known and we wouldn't be right here, right now."
Brooke cracked a smile, "To be frank, I would have thought it was some kind of a pick up line." She relaxed slightly, "I love you too, honestly this is all just a bit of a shock. I never would have guessed the royalty thing in a million years. I just thought you weren't close with your family, which would make you like half the population and the aesthetic of this place doesn't exactly lend itself to the displaying of family pictures and other mementos. So there goes the tell-tale signs of hey Brooke you're dating a prince, I'm guessing I would have had some questions if I found a picture of you wearing a crown or something."
Clay laughed, 'she was right, I live in a generic giant glass box.' "This place is cold isn't it? Not anything like your place."
"Nope, my bungalow is cozy and lived in. Now I know why we never stay at my place, I bet your bedroom back home in Skogonia is the size of my entire house." Brooke giggled and her skin burned from the two glasses of champagne she drank to take the edge off the princely news.
Clay wrapped his arms around Brooke's waist and kissed her shoulder, "So does this mean that you want to come home with me after all?"
"I cannot believe I am saying this but yes I still want to go with you. Do you have a secret family in Skogonia I should be worried about? Because now is the time to clue me in, if I am nothing more than concubine number 11 I need to know." Brooke asked and Clay responded by nibbling on her neck, "Then I am coming with you. This entire situation is very surreal, but you can be certain of one thing Clay Evans, I love you and if loving you means loving a prince. I think I can suffer through it."
Clay pulled her into his arms and kissed her with every fiber of his being, "I love you so much. You are going to love Skogonia I promise."
"Sure I will, if it's so wonderful why are you in Tree Hill?" Brooke asked with a wrinkle of her nose.
"That's simple, you are in Tree Hill beautiful." Clay grinned before placing another kiss on Brooke's soft lips. "Now I need your help, I just came back from a road trip and I don't think I have any clean clothes that my parents will approve of. I mean I have the time to do some laundry-"
"No," Brooke interrupted with a giggle, "No you probably don't, unless your parents are alright with you wearing holey t-shirts and flip flops everywhere."
"Nope," Clay laughed, "Even the spare has to have it together. We wouldn't want the townspeople to talk about my shabby demeanor would we?"
Brooke smiled, "That would be a disgrace of epic proportions, you're already showing up with a commoner. I think a shopping trip is in your future dynamo. Time to break out some of that royal money."
Clay pouted, "Do we have to? I can just do some laundry. You know how I feel about shopping. "
"I do," Brooke stuck her tongue out at him and headed back inside, "The same way I do about comics."
Peyton's phone jingled with a text message; See you ladies tomorrow morning - Clay and I have some news. Peyton narrowed her eyes in confusion, without hesitating she dialed Haley's number.
"Hey Peyt," Haley said into the receiver. "Don't you even think about it mister. Homework, now." Haley watched as Jamie frowned and pulled open his backpack.
"Did you see the text from Brooke?" Peyton wondered while she fidgeted with her wedding rings.
"I was going to call you as soon as I laid Lydia down for her nap. What do you think it's about?" Haley looked over at her eighteen month old daughter dozing off in her pack-n-play. She smiled before adding, "Do you think it's big news or small news?"
"I don't know," Peyton heard Elizabeth crying over the baby monitor, "We will just have to wait until tomorrow because my drama queen woke early from her nap. See you in the morning."
Haley hung up the phone and placed a small crocheted blanket over Lydia's chubby thighs. She picked up the baby toys that were strewn on the floor and headed to the kitchen table to help Jamie with his homework. "So Jamie let's see what we have today," Haley opened his blue 2-pocket plastic homework folder and took out the three sheets of homework for tonight. "You want to start with your writing assignment kiddo?"
"Can't I go play with Chester for a few hours and come back to my homework?" Jamie flashed his mom a smile the Scott men were famous for.
"Nope," Haley shook her head, "Homework first, then you get to enjoy your entire weekend." Haley laughed at Jamie's pout face, 'He's 6 and in the first grade, why is this already such a struggle?' Haley asked herself before squeezing Jamie's hand, "Aunt Peyton and Uncle Jake are coming over tomorrow. Uncle Lucas and Miss Lindsey too."
"I know Scott Christmas Kickoff," Jamie grumbled. "Do we have to do this already? Christmas is so dumb."
"What's the matter, did something happen at school?" Haley asked with a frown, "If you really don't want to start decorating tomorrow I can have Grandma Deb come pick you up."
Jamie shrugged, "Chuck told me today that his mom said there is no Santa Claus."
Haley made a mental note to speak with Jamie's teacher on Monday about Chuck's outburst. "Christmas is all about magic and being with the ones you love. One of those perks is the presents, that's where the enchantment of Santa Claus comes from. We do Christmas bigger than other families because your dad and Auntie Brooke love Christmas so much, but if you would rather just celebrate Christmas one day of the year we can do that too."
Jamie shook his head, "Auntie Brooke is coming tomorrow too?" Haley nodded, "Alright I guess I can be happy about the kickoff, I need some new patches sewed on my cape."
"That's my boy, always the team player." Haley winked, "So writing homework looks like the hardest." Haley looked down at the page, "What do you do after school?" Haley turned the paper towards Jamie and handed him a pencil. "Can you read this for me?"
Jamie looked at the sheet and replied, "Yes, it says after school I…"
"After school you what?" Haley quizzed.
"...Feed Chester." Jamie answered, "and play with Lydia."
"Great, let's write that down." She waited a few minutes for Jamie to finish, "Great, the next one says; What do you like to read?"
"It says I like to read…" Jamie tapped his pencil on the oak table top, "...books; The Giving Tree, Where the Wild Things Are and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel."
Haley beamed at her first born as he carefully wrote out his answers, "How about you go upstairs and play with Chester, I need to start dinner. We'll finish up tonight before bedtime." Jamie got up from the table and gave Haley a hug, she rubbed his head, "I love you kiddo."
"I love you too mom," Jamie said before hurrying upstairs to his bunny friend Chester.
So thoughts? Clay's a prince?! How do you think the rest of the group is going to take the news?
Send me a review to let me know what you're thinking.
Thanks for reading!
Krystal
