November 22nd, 2018 HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Hello citizens of America and thought you don't celebrate the holiday citizens of Genovia. Today is the day we call Thanksgiving, There are many of us that have many things to be thankful for after a rough and tiring year but we have made it through. It is my greatest hope and prayer that we all make it through to the next year. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving whether you celebrate it or not.
I choose to celebrate it by donating to several Native American and First Nation tribes around the world.
Sincerely, HRH PRINCESS Amelia Renaldo.
I recorded that message at four thirty in the morning in front of the Genovian flag and the United States flag. Once I was done I climbed out of the suite I wore and back into my pajamas and snuggled up against a still sleeping Micheal. We would be eating a Thanksgiving day lunch with his parents and then a Thanksgiving dinner at the consulate with Lana, Lily, Mom, Rocky and Alexander, Jason and even Josh Richter and his daughter Lucy and a few other people that grandmere insisted I invite (even though she would be in Genovia). I was glad that I was at least able to keep it under twenty people.
"Is it four already?" Micheal asked when I got up four hours later.
"No, actually it is eight-thirty," I replied. "You should get up if you want to eat breakfast before we meet your parents for lunch."
"I know. I just wish I didn't have to work so late last night but they want to release the game on New Year's Day," Micheal said.
"You own the company couldn't you just push the date back?"
"Not when I was contracted by another company to make the game otherwise I would," Micheal replied. "I'm just glad the contract is for only one game."
"Me too," I replied. "I miss you when you work those late nights."
"Well, that is my last late night for a long while since our wedding is so close."
"We still have a month until then."
"We do, but that time will go by fast and then the day of the wedding will go by slow," Micheal said.
He had finally sat up and thrown his legs over the side of the bed.
"Do you want to go out for breakfast or order in?"
"Stay here," I replied. "It will be nuts out the with the parade going on. I already asked the kitchen send something."
Breakfast was delivered twenty minutes later. It was a simple one but with the elaborate dinner that we would be partaking in tonight, I wasn't surprised. I even invited Lily and Lana over but they both turned me down. I guess they both went to visit with their boyfriends.
Only family and a few close friends knew about Lily and Josh. There were a few comments made in recent articles but Lily and Josh have decided to neither confirm nor deny rumors of a relationship between them but so far neither of them has gotten any calls or emails about it.
Micheal and I spent our breakfast watching the last of the parade. We cleaned up the remains of our meal and parted ways. He said he had to go and finish a project he was working on for the wedding and refused to tell me what it was. I decided to work a little more on my new novel. I had put the one I was working on months ago away because I was stalled on where I wanted to go with it and didn't want to churn out a crappy book. Just because I got lucky with my first book does not mean that I would get lucky with my next one.
"Mia, come on honey its time for you to wake up and get ready. Your guest will be here in an hour."
"Mom?" I said pushing myself up from the desk where I had fallen asleep. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to come early to get Alexander settled in before dinner."
"Okay. Thanks for waking me up," I replied.
I logged off my computer and cleared off my desk before going to get ready for dinner. I showered and picked out a dress. It wouldn't be grandmere approved but I didn't care at this point. I am so glad that she decided to stay in Genovia to oversee the wedding plans.
"You clean up nice," Mom replied when I came back out.
She already had Alexander's port-a-crib set up with him safely tucked inside sleeping away.
"Thanks. Were is Mr. G?"
"He's parking the car and I really wish you would call him Frank."
"I don't think that is going to happen, Mom. Calling any parental figure by their first name is a little weird to me," I replied. "I don't even call Michael's parents by their first names and I'm going to marry their son."
"I know but I can keep on wishing. Now were are Lily and Lana?"
"Don't know I haven't seen them all day," I replied. "But I do suspect that they are with their boyfriends and they will be home in time for dinner."
Later that night I was standing at the entrance to the consulate to welcome my guest. I told everyone that the dress code was a nice casual but they were all wearing things that I thought were a little fancy for what I planned. Once the last guest was inside one of the consulates many drawing rooms I greeted them all tougher with a toast (wine for the adults who were drinking and apple cider for children and adults who were not partaking of alcohol). After a few more drinks and a couple of minutes of small talk, dinner was announced and we sat down to eat. The conversation quickly turned to my upcoming wedding, Micheal and I gave the answers that we were willing to give but kept most of our plans to ourselves.
November 22nd, -after Thanksgiving Dinner- Lily
Dinner seemed to go by quicker than any of us wanted it to so for those of us that stayed at the consulate took up residence in one of the consulate's many drawing rooms (I think it was the same one from the cocktail hour but I couldn't be sure) to have a few more drinks. It did not take all that long for the conversation to turn toward my relationship with Josh. Specifically how we got together.
Most of them were easy to answer. Lana's question however was not, but she did not ever make her questions easy to answer. Sometimes I felt like she could be an interrogator for the CIA, FBI, DEA or some other version of those alphabet groups.
"Okay I have to ask," Lana said getting up from a near by couch to fix herself another drink. "How did you and Josh here get together Lily?"
I remained quiet because I myself wasn't sure how Josh and I clicked. Back in high school we could not have been more different. It was like we were cats and dogs that didn't get along.
"I mean didn't you hate each other."
"I never actually hated Lily. I thought she was annoying but she is four years younger than me," Josh replied. "It has been over a decade since then and we have both grown up."
"Smart answer," Micheal said.
"Thank you," Josh replied. "Listen I would love to stay but I have to get Lucy to the sitter before I head to work. I didn't want to but I switched shifts so i could have today off for this dinner."
"I will walk you out," I said before downing the last of my drink.
We left the room to find Josh and Lucy's coats. I helped put Lucy's coat on and wished her goodnight.
"You be good for your sitter," I told her as I buttoned the last button.
"Of course I will otherwise Daddy wont get me the camera that I want for Christmas."
"Oh, and what type of camera is that?" I asked.
"I want a camera just like yours so I can make funny movies."
"Well we do need more laughter in the world so I hope you do make your funny movies."
I hugged her and Josh both but I also kissed Josh (Lucy exclaimed ew!) before they left out the front door of the consulate.
I watched as they hailed a cab from the window. Lucy was talking animatedly as the cab pulled up. Josh turned to face the window after getting Lucy into the cab and waved goodbye. I waved back even though I wasn't sure if he could actually see me or not. He quickly climbed into the cab and closed the door and soon the little yellow car was out of sight.
I turned away from the window and headed for my apartment by passing the drawing room the others were sitting in. Mom, Frank, Rocky, and Alexander had all left just after dinner had been finished and I was too tired to continue any kind of conversation.
November 22nd Thanksgiving after dinner drinks- Lana
I woke up early today to watch the parade. It wasn't as entertaining as I remember it being but that could be because I am thirty years old and not twelve-year-old girl obsessing over the latest male pop or rock star. Jason had offered to take me to see the parade live but I didn't feel like being surrounded by all those people. Watching it on the television with a cup of hot coffee and wrapped up in a soft warm throw blanket featuring my college sorority letters on it sounded great to me.
"Lana," Mia said once Lily disappeared down the hallway. "That was a bit intrusive."
"I agree it was but I wanted to know. They didn't get along. Very well after that stunt, he pulled with you."
"True but they should be able to reveal things about their relationship at their own pace. You forcing them to tell you how they connected is like the press saying someone is pregnant before that person can confirm it."
"She is right darling," Jason said. "Let your sister tell you when she is ready, because if you don't let her do it her way you will drive her away."
"I know. I just know what Josh was like back then and... and I don't want Lily to get hurt like I was."
"Lana, Josh is now a thirty-something-year-old man with a six year old daughter," Micheal said. "He has been raising that little girl on his own. I would have to say that he has matured greatly since he hurt you. Give him a chance and do not say I told you so if we turn out to be wrong about him."
I stood up from my seat next to Jason and started to pace back and forth on the shiny hardwood floor. I downed the drink in my hand and set it aside.
"I think you are done for the night," Jason said stepping in front of me.
"I wasn't going for the alcohol," I replied. "I know I have hit my three drink minimum. It is water for now on."
"Lana are you upset about Lily and Josh being together?" Mia asked.
"No, I just remember how hurt I was when things went south with Josh, I don't want the same thing to happen to her."
"Lana, Lily is a grown ass woman. She is our sister and we will be there for her if he does break her heart but until then we have to support her the best we can."
"But..."
"Let me put it this way Lana, are you the same person that you were when Josh broke your heart?"
"Of course not. I'm thirty years old."
"Then who's to say Josh couldn't change," Mia replied. "I am going to bed now. I will see you in the morning for shopping."
And with that Jason and I were left alone in the drawing room. We sat in silence for quite a while. He was sipping on his last glass of whiskey and me drinking my water.
"Lana, this Josh guy he didn't attack you did he?" Jason asked with a very concerned look.
"No, he did nothing of the sort," I replied. "He was just my first love and that kind of heartbreak always sticks with you. You remember your first heartbreak right?"
"Like it happened just yesterday," He replied. "Suzy Li, we held hands and ate lunch together every day but she still asked Arthur Cardwell the sixth to the Sadie's Hawkins Dance. I had no idea until I went to ask her to the dance myself."
"And what happened to her?" I asked.
"She is the lead actress in an off-broadway play and married to Arthur's twin brother Anthony Cardwell," He paused. "I am their family lawyer as of this past Monday."
"That has to be an awkward Thanksgiving for her," I asked.
"It might be but I wasn't about to question them on that. But Suzy and Anthony look really happy when I gave them the legal advice they wanted."
"Say no more. I don't want you to breach client confidentiality more than you already have," I replied. "Are we okay?"
"Yes. We are more than okay," Jason replied. "But I believe this night is coming to a close."
"Yeah, it is becoming kind of late. Do you want to stay the night or head out."
"I'd love to stay but I don't have any spare clothes and I have that breakfast meeting with my dad in the morning."
"Too bad you and Micheal aren't the same size."
"That wouldn't work even if we were. He likes his suits to hang a little looser on him than I like mine to be."
"You do look very good in a suit," I replied. "And a tux."
"Don't most guys look good in a tux."
"Most but there are a few that look better in things other than a tux, like scrubs or a uniform."
"Oh, I guess I learned something new about you."
"Come on let's get you home."
"My car should be out front. I texted him earlier," He said. "I will see you later."
He kissed my cheek and quickly left the consulate. I let the drawing room for my apartment. I got ready for bed and tried to go to sleep but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get myself to sleep. So to tire myself out I went for a walk around the garden. I got a few looks from the guards stationed around the edge of the consulate property. I had done ten laps around the garden before I had deceived to go back into the consulate.
I looked down at my phone and saw that the screen was dark and refused to light up, I guess I killed the battery while I was walking. The colder air always seemed to zap the battery life. I ran up to my apartment and hook my phone up to the charger and climbed into bed.