Clarisse sat still for a moment then felt Joe's hand on her back as he lent forward she turned to him, then she looked at Amelia
"are you ok?" he asked as she looked back at him with a nod "are you sure?"
"yeah, I kind of guessed he was going to do that" she nodded slumping back in her chair
After a few minutes Julia returned and told her to go and see him in the sitting room, She took a deep breath, stood up and headed to the sitting room. She stood in the door way for a moment then stepped forward making her presence known to him, he looked up straight away.
They just looked at each other for a few seconds before he finally spoke.
"I'm sorry for what I did to you" he said
"It's ok Dad" Clarisse answered as she slowly walked over and sat on the couch
he nodded a little "how are you?" he asked
"I am very well thank you, yourself?" she answered looking at him as she tucked her ankle behind the other
"good" he nodded "you no I am truly sorry, don't you?"
"of course, Mom explained so its ok" she said looking at him "I wish it hadn't happened sometimes" she continued as he looked at her "but then if it didn't happen I wouldn't of had my two handsome boys"
he nodded with a smile "that's true, thank you by the way for calling one of them after me" he beamed
"you are welcome" Clarisse smiled "actually I bought some photos with me for you and Mom to keep, of the boys growing up"
"thank you" he smiled at her then looked down with a sigh "sorry that we wasn't there for you when he died"
"it's ok, Mom has already explained, I did see you there though" she whispered as he looked up at her "but with that and everything else going on I just couldn't bring myself to make peace that day, even though I wanted to so much, I just wouldn't of been able to take it"
"I understand" he answered and lowered his head again "is it true" he asked looking at her as she looked at him "that he didn't treat you right?"
"he didn't love me as a husband should, No" she answered "we didn't really have a relationship for most of our marriage" she said "he actually cheated on me for 5 years" she said feeling emotional as he looked at her
"oh Clarisse" he said moving closer to her "I will kill him"
"no, its fine" she said looking at him "I knew I should of left him then but stayed, I guess for the boys" she shrugged "I don't really know" he handed her a tissue "for 5 years I stayed hoping things might change, then I found out a few things the day we buried our son" she looked at him with tears in her eyes "and knew then I had to leave him" she looked down as a couple tears fell
"are you getting divorced?" he said rubbing her back
"we can't at the moment" she said looking at him "silly as it sounds" she whispered looking down "wish I could, I want to move on and officially be with Joe"
"Joe?" he asked "is that the man in the kitchen?" he realized who he was "yes, your first love, of course"
"yes" Clarisse nodded "the man you made me give up" she said looking into his eyes
"I know and I will be forever sorry" he watched as she started crying "oh Clarisse" he wrapped his arms around her as she cried "that's it, you let it out"
After Clarisse had a good cry and chat with her father, she went upstairs to freshen up while her Father went back into the kitchen to talk with Joe and see the photos and even have a cuddle with Amelia. After she rinsed her face off she came out the bathroom and slowly walked over to her old bedroom door, pushing it open to find it hasn't changed. She was surprised as she walked in, old memories flooding back.
After a little while Joe went to find her and stood watching at the door for a moment
"here you are" he smiled walking in as she looked over
"hey" she smiled and moved on the bed patting the space next to her
"so this is your room?" he asked walking over and sat beside her
"it sure is" she smiled as he took her hand then she looked around "it hasn't changed at all"
"wow" he replied looking around as Clarisse looked at him and sat watching "I always wondered what your bedroom looked like back then" giving her hand a squeeze
"well now you no" she chuckled crossing her legs
"yes I do" he smirked looking at her "are you feeling better now? your father said you had a good cry" he asked worried
"I do" she nodded "and I did, I feel so much better now though" she moved closer as he put his arm around her shoulders "thank you"
"your welcome" he smiled and kissed the side of her head "oh by the way, your father" he said looking at her as she looked up "asked me what my intentions are with you"
"oh my he didn't?" she chuckled
"he did" he smirked
"and what did you say?" she said putting her hand on his chest
"well I said, one day I would love to marry your daughter" he nodded "I intend to treat her right and love her with all my heart" he said looking at her "he even asked me if I intended to have children with you"
"what?" she asked sitting up
"he did and then your mom smiled and whispered something to him, your mom can be freaky sometimes" they both chuckled then shared a kiss "so what do you say?"
"to what?" she asked looking towards the window as she rested her head on his shoulder "oh I just remembered something, do you remember the night you came to get me?" she said standing up and rushed over to the window "that was to be Our night" she said turning to him with a bright smile "our night" she smirked as he walked over
"of course I do, it was the best night of my life" he said taking her hands in his, locking his fingers with hers as she stood close to him "one I will never forget"
"never forget" she whispered thoughtful as their lips met, sharing a kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist taking her hands with his
he smiled against her lips "you are the best thing to happen to me Clari" he whispered as they looked into each others eyes
"I love you" she whispered and kissed him, unlocking her hands from his and moved them snaking them around his neck as he locked his around her waist "oh" she said breaking the kiss and rushed over to the closet disappearing inside "yes" she said coming back out carrying a teddy
"wow" he smiled as she rushed over "I gave you that on our very first date" putting his hand on hers as she looked at him
"yes you did" she smiled lovingly at him as he put his arm around her shoulders "and I am going to take it and put it on my night stand" she giggled putting it up to her nose as he smiled at her
"you are so cute Clarisse" he whispered and kissed her cheek "I love you"
"I love you too" she smiled and kissed him "come on, lets go back downstairs" she said taking his hand and led him downstairs into the kitchen "we are back" she smiled at them
"ahh here you are, I was just about to send a search party" Julia chuckled
"sorry, I had to go and see my room when Joe came up" she smiled sitting down "if you don't mind I would love to take this teddy with me?" she asked
"of course, you can take anything you want to" her father replied as Joe sat down next to Clarisse
"great thank you" she smiled and reached over putting it on the back of the pram
They stayed for another hour then had to leave, once the pram and Amelia was in the car they said their goodbyes.
"you no, I have already asked Harriet who has said yes" she said looking at her Mom and Dad "and I would love you to say yes too, but would you please be my guests for Christmas?" she asked "because the Palace is like half an hour away, you can travel up on Christmas eve, meet everyone" she smiled "see the place I have called home for years"
Julia looking at Philippe then looked back at her "we would love to" she said stepping closer and hugged her "call us later ok?" she said stepping back
"of course" she smiled and hugged her Dad "love you dad" she whispered in his ear before stepping back
"love you too" he smiled as Joe opened the door for her "now you" they looked at him "you look after her, you hear?"
"don't worry Sir, I shall take very good care of your daughter" Joe said as Philippe extended his hand to him "it was nice to finally meet you too" he said taking his hand and started shaking and was taken aback when he stepped closer and grabbed him
"one thing you need to know about me" Philippe started as both Julia and Clarisse stood looking in horror "I don't do hand shakes, I do hugs" he laughed stepping back and looked at Clarisse as she sighed with relief and laughed a little
"I will remember that" Joe laughed too as Clarisse got in the car
"keep in touch, honey" Philippe called out as she shut the door
"I will do" she smiled as Joe got in the other side and they started to drive of "well" Clarisse smiled waving goodbye then looked at Joe "I think you have my Fathers blessing" she smiled and looked out the front window as the car came to a stop "what have we stopped for?" she asked looking at Joe
"Finally" he laughed leaning in putting his hand on the back of her head and kissed her passionately for a moment then stopped looking into her eyes their faces still close
she smiled "finally" she whispered and kissed him back
After a few seconds he sat back and started to drive off back to the Palace. For the rest of the day Clarisse was on cloud nine, she didn't see Rupert, she heard that he had to go away for a meeting for a few days, she didn't mind though, in fact the way she felt after seeing her parents again she couldn't care less about "that King" as her Mother said.