Josephine
This is Sheltersuit:
This is a product designed for the homeless. Water- and windproof jacket that can be transformed into an immediate shelter. Made by people that have been formerly homeless, and sensitive communities. Equipped with a large hood, integrated scarf and large pockets. Designed with an easily attachable sleeping bag. Made entirely from upcycled materials.
What makes Sheltersuit unique?
The Sheltersuit is unlike any other jacket for many reasons.
We didn't just develop another jacket, but have designed a product that fulfils the needs of people experiencing homelessness. With a focus on durability, capabilities to endure extreme weather conditions, and space to store belongings comfortably.
All Sheltersuit products are produced in a factory that trains and employs formerly homeless and sensitive communities, to ensure their development and growth.
Every garment is made from upcycled and deadstock materials with sustainability in mind. Our ultimate mission is to end homelessness, but we also understand this will not happen overnight. So we want to offer our solution to protect those in need right now.
Sheltersuit sounds like the perfect project to be under the Oxford Royal umbrella. It would be a very good fit, especially with Rory's plan to support SleepOut by sleeping at the centre court of Wimbledon on December the first.
I wince as the sound of clinking dishes fill my ears. I look up from the screen of my MacBook. It's day three after my stem cell donation and Oliver's still in full nurse mode. He's switching between his Mum, who is doing very well, and me. Caio and Johna are in school this morning and Maria is having her first English lesson with Sergej today. He's going to be here any minute.
Oliver made a typical Brazilian breakfast for us. My Mum visited us yesterday evening and brought some homemade curry. We enjoyed it together with Maria, Caio and Johna. It was a nice family dinner. My mother has overcome the first shock that Oliver was. She has come to accept him and his family fully. I haven't seen my father since that one time in the hospital. He has his views and I have mine.
I won't meet him in the middle.
Oliver meets my gaze, "Are you in pain?"
"No. I've been doing some research for Oxford Royal." I explain.
My husband narrows his sea foam coloured eyes at me. "Ana said no work for a week at least."
"It's not work. It's research." I counter.
He sighs before leaving the dishes alone in the sink, "Josephine,"
"What is she suppose to do all day? Lay on the couch and watch the news all day?! Cut her some slack!" Maria defends me. She's sitting on the couch while trying to decode BBC news. There are Portuguese subtitles available but she wanted to hear the news without them to see how much she understands.
"Thank you!"
"You guys have conspired against me?"
"Not conspired. I can understand her. I've been watching the news with Portuguese subtitles for the last week." Maria tells her son.
"Are you excited about your first lesson with Sergej?" I ask her.
The Brazilian woman nods, "Yes. I hope he's as nice as you told me."
"Don't worry." I ensure her just as the doors of the lift open.
I can hear his heavy footsteps in the hallway. "Jo?"
"Living room!" I cry back with a smile on my lips. I've always loved Sergej. He has become like a third grandpa to me.
"Nice painting! Is it new?" Sergej asks me as I can hear him approaching me. A moment later he appears in his glory. He looks a lot like his son. Sergej has silver eyes with brown straight hair that has a few silver strands. He's 75 but he doesn't look a day older than 60. He's in great shape and takes good care of his health. He goes to his checkups regularly and watches what he eats. He treats his body like a temple and you can definitely see that.
"Yes. Ana's wedding gift." I tell him before embracing him. The pain in my lower back is getting weaker and weaker every day. I should be fine in a week.
"So I heard. I can't wait to meet him and his mother." Sergej whispers into my ears. "I'm happy for you and I heard what you did."
"Mum told you?"
"No, your father made the call." He says as I let go of him.
"Dad called you?"
"He's coming around, I think." Sergej winks at me before giving his attention to the other two people in the open living room. "Hi, I'm Sergej. Nice to meet you." He introduces himself in fluent Portuguese to Maria.
I watch how they shake hands but my mind's still stuck on his words to me. Is my father really coming around? If so, is this coming from him or is my mother behind it? Has he started to accept Oliver? Even if it's just a little bit?
I snap out of it as my husband shakes Sergej's hand.
"You picked a fine man. I never liked Edward anyway." Sergej tells me.
Seriously, why is everyone coming with this now?! "Good. I suggest you two get to work in my study."
"Oh, no we're not. We're doing things my way. Grab your jacket, Maria. We're going to go out."
"Out?" Maria asks his surprised.
"Yes. We're learning by doing. Come on,-"
"But I don't understand a word out there! I can't even read the signs correctly let alone understand what they mean!" Maria protests. "And I still look at the wrong side when I try to cross a street!"
"Don't be scared. We're doing this. I promise you, by the end of the day you can order yourself a beer at the pub with some chips."
"We're going to a pub?! What's a pub?" She asks him confused.
"You'll find out." He grabs her hand and pulls her after him. "Don't expect us to be back by six."
"But someone has to pick up the boys from school!"
"I'll do that."
"Yes, I could use the movement anyway. Some fresh air would be good." I agree with Oliver.
"No, you're staying at home. Ana said-"
I growl, "Ana doesn't know everything!" I start arguing. "She's human too, you know. And movement, any movement, is good for the body and soul. I've been here for three days and everything is just too much! I need fresh air! A walk along the Thames would be perfect."
"Josephine,"
"We're going to do that together." I insist and place my hands on my hips.
Oliver looks behind me, "Where are Sergej and Maria?"
I turn around and see that we're alone. "I guess they left." I look back at my husband. "We're picking them up at five thirty. First Johna and then Caio."
"No."
"Or I'll do Johna and you'll do Caio." I suggest.
"No. You will stay home. This is not a battle you're going to win. " My husband insists.
I growl in frustration again. "Fine. Can we at least go for a walk right now? Ten minutes."
"Okay. We can talk about the research you did earlier."
"Great, I'm going to get changed then!" I say overly excited and turn on my heel.
But his hand on my mine stops me. He intertwines his fingers with mine before kissing me softly, "I'm doing this to protect you. Both of you."
"I know but you can't keep me caged here in my castle. I need fresh air every once in a while. I never enjoyed going for walks through the park or along the Thames because I saw that as a waste of time but you..." I inhale deeply, "You showed me what love is. You showed me how wonderful a simple stroll through the park could be. Especially with some fish'n'chips."
My husband sighs, "I guess three days of complete bedrest is all you can give me."
I chuckle, "Yes, that's definitely my limit."
"Okay. Do you need help getting into pants?"
I shake my head, "The pain is at a minimum. Plus, I can always wear a dress."
London is just stunning in autumn. The leaves have turned golden and the sun is shining brightly as we stroll along the Thames. The river that flows through my hometown is sparkling and full of boats that are nearly bursting with tourists.
It's slightly chilly but I'm not cold in my olive parker, black turtleneck cashmere dress and black boots. I don't know how Oliver's not cold, though. He's only in a T-shirt and jeans with sneakers. No jacket. No scarf.
"So, what were you looking at earlier?" Oliver asks me. We're in a part of London that's full of tourists and bicyclists. There are lots of people taking photos of the beautiful dark green street lamps. I'm walking hand-in-hand with my husband, not caring if any of these tourists recognise me or take a photo of us to post it on the internet. I'm no longer hiding him and it feels bloody good!
"I was researching about new organisations that could profit from Oxford Royal. I found an organisation called Sheltersuit."
"What do they do?"
"The employers of the organisation collect sleeping bags after big outdoor events like festivals. Lots of them get left behind, so they pick them up, clean them and make new sleep wear from them. They basically make a long coat from the sleeping bags that can be made into a jacket via a zipper in the middle. There's a built in scarf and hoody as well. They're water and wind proof. Once they're finished, they gift their products to homeless people. It was started in Norway but has expanded all over the world."
"That's a wonderful idea."
I nod, "I think so as well. It's why I thought this would be a great addition to Oxford Royal. Having the support of a British Royal would enable the company to help even more. I'm going to talk to Rory and George about it when the come by tonight."
"You should. It's a great cause."
"It would also fit because Rory's planning to spend a night out in the cold in December to raise awareness of the homeless."
"Really?"
"Yes. She wants to do it with George if they find a babysitter for the night."
"What about Rosa?"
"No, Rory doesn't like to leave the girls to her for a whole night. She has only ever watched them for a few hours."
"Well, we're probably watching the girls when Rory and George are in Malta so another night shouldn't be a big problem. Besides, it's the perfect training for our little one."
I'm still pregnant - despite what I did. But I still have no symptoms. Maybe because my body's busy replacing my donated stem cells. Or maybe it's too early to feel anything because my body hasn't decided to keep this invader or kill it. It's a very vulnerable and frankly unknown time so I try to not think about it as much. But there haven't been any cramps or bleeding so the chances are high that peppercorn will make it another day... and another one... and eventually we'll have what Oliver calls our little one. "I didn't make her any promises but the chances are high that we get to watch them for that night."
Oliver stops walking, "What's wrong?"
He can read me like no other.
"Tesoro,"
Shit, I can't hide anything now. "I may be pregnant right now but that could change any second. I could start having cramps or start bleeding at any moment. My body could choose to kill peppercorn like it chose to kill the other embryo." I explain with a shrug, "I'm just saying you shouldn't make any future plans when the future is so uncertain."
My husband licks his lips before fondling my cheek with the thumb of his free hand. "Okay."
"Okay?"
He nods, "But know that deep inside, I'm celebrating and I know you are as well."
"And it's perfectly fine for you to have your own opinion and to celebrate. But please do that within you and certainly don't let your mother and brothers know just yet."
Oliver lets go of my hand and cups my face. "Northern Lights."
A smile washes over my face that's always been there for him. Only for him. I didn't know what it was or why I only smiled with him that way but I know now. I wrap my fingers around his wrists and almost get lost in his sea foam coloured eyes. It's the perfect shade of green, my favourite shade of green. "Northern Lights." I whisper against his lips just a second before the urge to kiss him overcomes me. My heart fills with warmth and love until it nearly explodes.
He returns my kiss and for a moment the world stands absolutely still.
Like it always has when our lips have touched.
"That was our first public kiss." Oliver whispers against my lips.
"No, we have kissed publicly before." I disagree with him before thinking for a moment. "We kissed in Rio!"
"Inside the save walls of your suite."
I frown, "We didn't kiss on the Cristo Redentor?"
"No."
Oh, I didn't realise that. "Another reason to come back, I guess."
"You want to go back there? You just came home!"
"Well, I don't know about you but I want our bubble - if this bubble will get born - to know it's roots. The bubble is going to be biracial with its father being Hispanic and its mother white. I don't want it to be brought up in a white culture only. I won't deny it it's roots, it's history. Your father was Cuban and your mother's Brazilian - that country alone is a melting pot of ethnicities. There's more to that bubble than just my side of life. There's yours as well. You are part of it although it's currently growing within me."
I notice how his eyes soften and a thin film of tears covers his eyes. "You are incredible." He whispers to me in a broken voice.
I open my mouth to respond, to tell him off when another thought suddenly crosses my mind. "Finland! We kissed in Finland!"
He chuckles, "No. We kissed there in the snow. With no one around. In the dark when the Northern Lights lit up the sky. Doesn't really count."
"Oh..." I think for another moment but I really can't think of a moment when we kissed in public. "I guess you're right then. That was our first public kiss."
I can't believe it took us one and a half year to kiss in public - or shall I say me.
"But just as I said before, I wouldn't change our history one bit." Oliver ensures me.
What have I done to deserve this man's love? I've treated him like trash and he still loved me. I've hurt him and he still loved me. I betrayed him and he still loved me.
The thoughts make my throat tight and my eyes well up with tears.
"Hey, what's wrong? Why are you so upset?"
Maybe I am already suffering from the hormonal change. Or maybe I'm an idiot and just now realising it. "I don't deserve your love."
"And I never thought I'd deserve this life but here we are. Together. Forever entwined."
"And I wouldn't want it any other way."
Oliver
I cut the mozzarella into stripes before adding them to the cheese board. My Mama has come back from her day trip with Sergej and announced with a big smile that she had indeed ordered a beer at the pub with chips. She was smiling like she's never been or at least not for a very long time. Sergej will come back tomorrow. They've arranged daily lessons now. I like Sergej. He seems like a very funny old man. I think he's the right person to teach my mother English.
My wife picks up a black olive from the bowl, "This looks really good. I think they won't even miss Annabel's."
The Oxfords and Windsors are about to come any moment now. Josephine and I have helped Caio and Johna with homework. We translated the tasks for Johna and I helped Caio with chemistry. But other than that they finished their homework all by themselves. My brothers are very bright minds, it's just the language that's difficult for them at times. But this will get better over time.
My Mama picked them up from our place before going home to the flat that's six levels below us. I thought I'd find it hard to be living apart from my Mama and brothers but I don't. Because I'm so busy making sure my wife is okay.
I remember Nate's promise to make her sing in public. "You don't have a karaoke machine, do you?"
My wife laughs, "God no! I don't like to sing in front of the public. That's Nate's thing and somehow he always convinces me to join him."
"The power of a big brother." I wink at her.
My wife laughs again, "Yeah, probably."
I missed her laugh. She hasn't laughed in the last four days and when she did chuckle I could see the pain in her eyes. But there's no pain right now. She's healing very well.
My wife picks up the cheeseboard and puts it on the walnut dining table. There are different crackers and breads as well as dips and chutneys on the table. I've also put some ham, sliced veggies and fruit on the cheese plate just in case someone fancies that. We also have caviar in the fridge. The wine is still chilling in the wine fridge. The same goes for freshly pressed juices and water. We made a cold buffet for tonight as we've chosen to have a movie night with the Oxfords and Windsors. "We aren't going to watch Harry Potter tonight, are we?"
"No, definitely not." She says to my relief. "But we're probably going to watch Jumanji. It's a classic and since you haven't seen it, we might have to do a movie marathon night with all three movies."
"I don't think we have enough food for that."
"Don't worry. We'll just call the kitchen downstairs if we all get a hunger attack. They'll whip something for us up."
Right, sometimes I forget that we're living in a hotel-like building. There's everything you could possibly need just a phone call away. "What is George like?"
My wife chuckles. "Don't worry so much. You've got Rory, Char, Ana, Nate and my Mum on your side. The rest of the family is a piece of cake."
"But he's the future King!" I start arguing.
"Believe me, George's no King when he's around family. You will meet the Royal side of them when they're out on public engagements. You will also see that side next weekend when we're at the King's birthday party."
"But it's only October the 30th. His birthday isn't until the 14th of November!"
"Yeah, I know but the King always celebrates twice. Once for the whole outer circle of royals and friends he has to invite and then another time on the weekend after the 14th of November which would be on the 19th. That's when we drive to Highgrove House. His official birthday party is held at Buckingham Palace."
"Not Clarence House?"
"No, that's too small. The party's held in the state dining room. We're all in evening attire and the royals wear tiaras. It's quite fancy."
I remember when we visited Buckingham and she told me all the secrets about the palace. I can't imagine it being full of royals. "How many people will be there?"
My wife shrugs, "Four hundred maybe. Definitely not more than six hundred."
"You're kidding!"
"No, there will be an orchestra playing, a fire show... lots of entertaining will be happening."
"And a massive cake, I assume."
"Yes, that as well. It's usually cut by a sword."
Suddenly the doors of the lift open and I can hear people walking out. The Oxfords and the Windsors have arrived. They're chatting about something as they get out of their shoes and coats. In just a moment, I'll meet the future King of the United Kingdom!
Charlotte and Rory come into my view first. The Duchesses look casual in their jeans and grey and white cashmere cardigan combination. Rory's chestnut curls are wild and let free, a total contrast to the tamed hairstyles she tends to wear in public. Charlotte's dark blonde hair is wrapped into a messy bun. Both women aren't wearing makeup. They look like any other women in the country, but they still have that inapproachable royal aura. It's what will always distinguish them from us.
Charlotte rushes over to me and embraces me tightly. "I couldn't make it sooner. I hope your Mum's alright."
"She's splendid." I answer honestly. My Mum's been better than ever. "Actually, she had her first lesson with Sergej today. They were out and about the whole day!
Charlotte's navy eyes widen, "Really? Oh, I love Sergej! I can't wait to see him at grandpa's birthday party!"
Somehow, it doesn't surprise me that Sergej will be invited as well.
"Careful, she might have a new best friend." Nate teases my wife.
"Shut up!" Char hisses at Nate before moving to embrace Josephine. "Wait, I can touch you, right?"
Josephine nods, "I'm all healed. As good as new."
"Thank god!" Char says before embracing her tightly. "You had us all very worried."
Yet not enough to visit her. No one has visited us except for Ana and Josephine's parents at the hospital. Gabriella stopped by once and voiced her apologies about her husband's behaviour around me. She also brought a homemade curry and we had a very nice evening but not a single sibling visited us. I was sure the word had traveled fast through the Bolton Family but none of her siblings showed up. Maybe it's better this way.
"I'm fine." Josephine ensures them.
"Of course you are. Just because we didn't pay you a visit doesn't mean we don't know how you are." Nate says before embracing her.
"You've had me watched?"
"No, we called Dad after Ana called us." Rory tells her.
"I'm George." The future King introduces himself to me.
"Oliver." I say and shake his hand. It's surreal.
George looks at Josephine and embrace my wife tightly. "It feels good to save a life, doesn't it?"
My wife grins, "Almost the best feeling in the world."
"Almost?" Rory asks her.
"Almost." Josephine nods before looking at me for a second. I have a feeling the best was finding out about our baby. I'm glad she has finally accepted it.
"Anyways, any chance we can borrow that smart brain of yours?" Char asks my wife.
"What do you want to know?"
"Instagram. Apparently, you're the social media Queen." Nate rolls his navy eyes. He looks so much like Troy but acts nothing like him.
I chuckle before looking at Rory and George, "Wine?"
"Yes please! Anything to get away from Char's Instagram obsession." Rory grins before walking into the kitchen with George and me. The wine fridge is stocked up with wine from the Bolton's vineyards and I'm looking forward to open a few bottles. They'll go perfect with the cheese plate that I've made with Josephine's help.
Too bad she can't have most of it.
Josephine
"We want to revamp our account. Make it more... more organised, more appealing and more approachable."
"Approachable?" I ask them with raised eyebrows.
"Yes. You know, like you did with Rory and George's Commonwealth Tour. Those candid snaps made headlines. I want that for us as well. But without the tour because we obviously aren't allowed to have one."
"Charlotte, you guys are royals. You represent your country online and offline. You can't start posting photos in pyjamas or from your own home. Everything you want to post is going to be potentially used by terrorists. Rory and George's images are always scanned by someone from the King's household and head of security before anything gets posted."
"We don't have that." Nate says with a frown.
"Then you should start considering the message you're sending out. Motivational quotes aren't as strong as a photo of you guys engaging with the public, actually being a motivation. What are your roles in the Royal Foundation?"
"Mum and Dad gave us some small patronages to take care of. We have visited them whenever we didn't have a public engagement but you know, the King's a bitch, so we're pretty busy!" My best friend starts waving with her hands.
She's trying to cover something up. She always does that with her hands when she's trying to distract someone from the truth. "Okay, what is really going on?" I ask and look from Charlotte to Nate to Charlotte again.
Both stay silent.
"Guys, this is not about Instagram followers." I tell them. "This isn't about social media at all. You wanted to talk to me in private so talk to me."
Nate looks at his wife, "We can tell her."
"We could be, possibly, at baby number three here." Charlotte mumbles.
"What?!" I ask her shocked.
"I haven't made a test yet but I'm late. Very late."
"How late?"
"A week. Almost two. 12 days. It could be stress or it could be a pregnancy. I don't know and I haven't had the guts to make a test yet."
So she waited until she came to me?! "How could this happen?! Your girls aren't even a year old! Couldn't you bloody use some condoms?!"
"Well, for one, no we couldn't and for two we didn't know I could get knocked up so quickly!"
I run my fingers through my hair, "Charlotte, that's pregnancy 1-0-1! With every period there's a cycle that ends and another one starts. Once you get your first period after the pregnancy you're bloody fertile again!"
"I know that now!" She hisses back at me.
"Well, what do you want me to do about it now? Get you a test?" I ask them, knowing they couldn't go to Boots without getting photographed.
"Actually, that's exactly what we want you to do. It would be very helpful if you could get one of those digital ones. You know with the stripes it can get messy and confusing-" my brother shuts up when I give him a look. "Or not."
"I can't buy you a test! I'm getting followed by paparazzi as well! We have to send someone from the royal security."
"No!" They say out of one mouth.
"Then Ralph." I suggest.
"Good, that is a good idea." Char says with a nod.
"Does he know what these look like?" Nate asks me. "Just so he gets the right one."
I shake my head in disbelief. The thought of my best friend and me pregnant at the same time - it makes me feel oddly happy. But it wouldn't make the King happy. It would piss him off even more so he would punish them even further. Maybe his next decision could be to throw them out and cut their titles like he did with Meghan and Harry.
You don't say no to the King. Everyone knows it.
Except for his granddaughter and grandson-in-law. They dared to raise their voices and look how that turned out.
I grab my iPhone and send Ralph a text. Thank God he doesn't question it. "Done."
"Did you make sure he gets a digital one?" Nate asks me.
I roll my eyes, "Yes. Just so you guys know for sure! And I told him to get a XXL package of condoms for you guys in case you aren't expecting." I look at my best friend again. "Do you have any symptoms? Tender breasts? Nausea? Fever? Cravings?"
"No, nothing."
"Well, then perhaps it really is just stress. I wouldn't worry about it." I tell her although I haven't had any of these yet as well.
But I'm just in the third week.
"Ralph should be here in half an hour. Until then, I suggest we all enjoy ourselves." I tell them before turning on my heel.
But Nate grabs my wrist, "Thank you."
"That's what little sisters are for." I mock him while sticking out my tongue. I don't even want to think of the possible outcome of this. While the nation would be celebrating, the King would probably consider taking their titles as well. I mean, he has done it to his own son, he sure as hell can do it to his granddaughter.
"And you're okay?" Char asks me when Nate lets me go.
I nod, "All good. The procedure wasn't pleasant but I've been healing. It will take a month or so for my body to reproduce the taken stem cells."
"I've donated some blood last week." Nate tells me.
"And so did I. Rory and George as well."
"Really?"
"Yeah. To give back. To help."
"I thought royals weren't allowed."
"We are but we usually keep the blood saved away from the public."
That makes sense.
"But not this time."
"So, which movie are we going to watch?" George asks us, walking over to us.
"Keep our secret." Nate tells me.
I nod, "Of course."
"I thought about Harry-"
We all growl, "No Harry Potter!"
Oliver chuckles.
"It was worth the try." Nate mumbles.
"How about a Jumanji marathon?" I ask them. "Oliver's never seen the movies."
"No way! You've never seen the Jumanji movies?" Rory asks him shocked. Just like her husband, she's holding a glass of wine and a plate filled with different cheeses, grapes and crackers.
"There's cheese and wine?!" Nate asks surprised.
"Of course there's cheese and wine. I know you, Nate." I tell him but he has already rushed into the kitchen.
"Hey, bring me some fruit!" Charlotte cries back.
"I also have crisps and the German chocolate you like so much."
"You bought me Lindt chocolate?" Char asks with wide eyes.
I nod, "Yes. We could even do face masks like old times." I suggest.
"Yes! Are you in?" Char asks my little sister.
"Hello?! I'm talking to Oliver here." She hisses back at her. "And yes, I am."
Oliver opens his mouth to answer but Nate interrupts him.
"Does that mean we have to do face masks as well?"
"I could use one. People have been catching us looking tired after sleepless nights. The press tells us we should get nannies for the girls." George says with a shrug. "Do you have the one that gets warm?"
"May Lindstrom?"
"Yes, that one! It's brilliant!"
"You guys are unbelievable!" Rory cries out. "Go wash your faces, so I can have a conversation with my brother-in-law." She winks at me.
"You like saying that, don't you?"
Rory nods. "I thought I'd get to say lover or boyfriend first but since you're running a sprint rather than a marathon, I'm going with brother-in-law."
Well, soon she can add father of her niece or nephew.
"No. We didn't own a TV back in Brazil for a very long time and once we got one we only used it very mindfully." Oliver finally answers Rory's question.
"Then it's settled. We're watching Jumanji. All three of them." Rory decides.
"You're lucky, that's Jo's favourite movie-trilogy!" Char tells him.
"Which one do you like the most?" Oliver asks me.
"The classic. The first one. From 1995, so the special effects aren't as good as in the other two but still remarkable for that time. I love Robin Williams. He was a great man."
"Why do you like them so much?"
I shrug, "The movies are based on a child book. I have a original one in my study. And the movie... It's a movie about overcoming your fears. And you know that I quite enjoy playing games." I say with a smirk. "And now come on. We have to wash our faces before putting on a face mask."
Oliver
I didn't expect this night to turn out like this. I didn't expect the six of us sitting on the couch, watching a movie, wearing face masks. We're eating different cheeses from the cheese board with ham, figs, grapes and chutneys. Rory and Nate are eating black Caviar as well but that's not to my taste. Charlotte sticks to mainly fruits, chutneys, jams and ham. Oh and of course the chocolate that Josephine bought for her. My wife is eating hummus with cucumber and carrots.
But we're all having face masks on.
It's a picture I never ever dreamed of.
The credits of the first movie fill the TV. We've just seen a movie that's over 50 years old but oddly it's still good. I found it very entertaining. I can see why my wife likes the movie so much. That Robin Williams is quiet funny.
"Okay, it's time to wash off the face masks." Rory announces.
This was the first time I've had a face mask on. The face mask was warm before the paste started to harden and now it's so stiff that talking is hard. It's definitely time to wash that off.
"Okay, Nate, Char and me use the bathroom upstairs. You guys use the one in our master bedroom." Josephine decides.
I find it odd but I hide my confusion. She's going to tell me what's going on if I need to know. It shouldn't bother me. I trust her.
Charlotte and Nate get up from the couch before walking upstairs.
"Don't start with the second one before we're back okay?" Josephine says to George.
"Pinkie Royal promise." He says with a nod.
My wife giggles before walking upstairs.
Rory, her husband and me all walk down the hallway, into the bedroom I share with my wife and into our bathroom. I love this white marbled bathroom. The shower is is huge and so is the free standing bathtub in front of the window front which shows London at night. There's There's w hire round ottoman in the middle of the room, right between the bathtub and the double shower which has all kids of body jets and rain shower heads. The loo is in a separate room and across the shower are double sinks with white wooden drawers underneath and a huge mirror above it.
"We're going to need a good moisturiser after that mask." Rory says before turning on the water in the sink. Luckily we have a double sink.
"You go first." I tell George, who takes my offer with a nod.
It's weird to be in the same room as the future monarch and his wife but they're so normal! And by normal I mean, by my standards of normal. Not arrogant. Not luxury loving. But normal. Very, very kind and down-to-earth.
I hand Rory a towel before using the free sink to wash off the face mask.
"My skin already feels better! Much fresher!" George smiles at his wife. "I don't know why we stopped with face masks."
"We have three kids that keep up us all night, that's why." Rory starts opening her sister's drawers.
I find it so utterly normal that they refuse to have a nanny full-time. It is very unusual for royals. I mean there were times when royals produced babies and let the rest get done by a nanny until the kids were old enough to start working. But not so Rory and George.
"I think that's good." Rory has pulled out a small flat jar that has a blue solid mixture inside.
"That's blue cocoon! I love your sister!" George gets a tiny spatula out of one of the drawers before putting a bit into his wife's hand and his.
"That's a moisturiser?" I ask confused. "Shouldn't it be a cream?"
"That stuff is amazing. I ran out of my jar last week. I need to get a new one. It turns into balm once it touches your hands. And it gives you the best skin you ever had."
"She's not kidding. People have been commenting on how she glows at public engagements, claiming she's pregnant again. When it really was this stuff." George tells me before giving me a pea size amount of it. It really does melt in my hand.
"And you're not working on another one yet?" I ask them as I rub it into my skin. It smells really good! Herbal and floral - now I know why my wife always smells like that in the evening when we go to bed. She uses this stuff!
Rory chuckles, "No. Our girls are just one and a half. We're waiting to two before trying again."
"Because you're afraid it happens earlier quite quickly?"
"I mean, I've gotten pregnant with triplets. Char with twins. There's a big chance you and Jo will get more than one when you start trying. She's got the genes."
That makes me wonder for a moment if Josephine's pregnant with just one baby. Given the fact that it's as small as a peppercorn right now, her gynaecologist could have easily not looked hard enough and oversaw one baby. Or two.
It's just like Rory said: The possibility of triplets is here. "So, you're afraid to get three instead of one again?"
George shrugs, "Maybe not three but two are a possibility. A big one. And now just imagine five against two. At every family meeting."
"Better than eight against two." I counter. I can't even imagine how family meetings in the Bolton household looked like.
Rory chuckles, "Oh no. With Mummy and Daddy it was more like 16 against us right. They always had the last saying."
"Oh, I'm sure you guys had your ways to get it your way."
My wife's sister smirks, "True but they weren't always effective."
I look back at George. "But you guys can always pull out the King card then."
"No King and Queen when we're with our kids and family. Mummy and Daddy, yes. But King and Queen, no." Rory explains to me.
"But once you step out of this penthouse, you're back at King and Queen in waiting."
"That's our job." Rory shrugs, "But Mummy and Daddy is our fate."
"Where are the girls tonight anyway?"
"Well our girls are with my Mum and Dad. And Char's girls are with grandma Carol and grandpa Michael."
"No nanny?"
"Not if we can avoid it." George says and his wife nods. "Rory told me you're from Brazil."
"Yes from Rio. Got born and raised there."
"Maybe we can make a family holiday there again and you could show us the real Rio. The only time we were there was at Jo's birthday but that was a two day trip."
They literally would do anything for the family. "That must've been a nasty jet leg."
"It was worth it. Jo was so focused on work that she forgot our birthday." Rory says with a chuckle. "At the time I thought she was suffering from heartache but I had no idea she was looking for you behind the scenes."
I smile, "Kind of ironic considering we were just a stone's throw away from each other." Rocinha is literally right next to Ipanema but it's so big and contorted that you can easily get lost there.
"Really?"
"Yeah, but it wasn't our time yet."
"Seems like your time has now come." Rory says with a grin on her lips. "And I'm really glad. I've never seen her happier."
"True, she wasn't like that when we went on the Commonwealth tour with her and Ed." George thinks out loud. "She was much more reserved and professional whereas with you... well, it's obvious she can't keep her eyes or hands off of you."
It wasn't so obvious to me when we first met.
"True and that only strengthens my view of the two of you. She rubbed her relationship with Edward under our noses from the start. Whenever she was at a family event or volunteered to babysit our girls for us, Ed was with her. And while he was by her side, she never seemed as happy and loving as she's with you. She kept him close to her while at the same time keeping him at arm's length. It was bizarre to watch. Especially the moment they got engaged." Suddenly, Rory leans forward, "When he asked her the question, she completely froze! She almost looked like a statue! It was the moment I was convinced she would say no and when she said yes I knew this wouldn't end at the altar." She leans back against and waves with her hands. "And then poof, you appear! Completely out of the blue. Married to my twin-sister. It was such a shock but when Jo started explaining and unravelling your story I understood. Unlike with Ed, she kept you very much hidden at the beginning of your relationship. And if you ask me why than my explaining would be because she knew you guys were the real deal and she viewed his relationship as quite fragile. And because she felt vulnerable. My sister has never been in love before she met you but when it hit her, I assume it scared her to death. But instead of leaning towards me or Ana or Della - or anyone else in the family - she made sure you remained her little secret. Because she was afraid exposing herself like that. She had her heart on the line and that freaked her out. That's why she broke up with you, turned to Ed and made him fall in love with her. And when he asked her to marry him, she probably thought 'at least he won't break my heart'. But we all know how that turned out." Rory rolls her eyes. "And people think Charlotte's the Drama Queen in our family."
I stare at her with an open mouth. How the hell can she read her sister and me so damn well?!
George chuckles before embracing his wife, "I think you just hit the nail on the head, my love."
Rory shrugs with a grin on her lips, "I know my sister."
She surely does.
"But I somehow still find it amazing that she asked you to marry her and not the other way. The Jo I know wouldn't have had the guts for it. Not if she loved you."
George looks at me surprised, "Jo proposed to you?! Wow, talk about modern!"
"It wasn't like that. It wasn't this great gesture where she fell down on her knee. It was a honest conversation and she proposed the option."
"She still bloody loved you if she did that so easily. She hesitated when Ed asked her but with you she jumps with her eyes closed. She won't let you go now."
"Good because I won't let go of her either."
Josephine
The shrill sound of my alarm fills the en-suite bathroom on the first floor. Time's up.
It's time to find out if the nation is getting another royal baby announcement. We went into the first guest rooms upstairs and decided to use the en-suite bathroom there. It's smaller than the en-suite bathroom of the master but it's styled the same. The same white marble, the same bathtub and shower, only for a single person, a sink and a toilet. Everything you need. Plus a pretty breathtaking view through floor to ceiling windows of my hometown at night.
"Who wants to look first?" I ask my brother and best friend. They look as scared as mice.
"You!" They both say out of one mouth.
I sigh before turning the pregnancy test over. Not pregnant. "Negative."
"Oh, thank God!" Charlotte breathes out. "I'm drinking all the wine tonight."
"Me, too."
"I think you guys need to start using contraceptives again." I tell them. "Condoms, the pill, a spiral, hormonal shots, a hormonal plaster - anything. Just don't get into this situation again."
"Geez, you sound like Mum." Nate says to me.
This sentence holds more truth than he knows. "I'm serious."
"Yeah, we know. I'm going to see my gynaecologist tomorrow."
"And no sex tonight!"
"Oh, I can't guarantee that with all the wine we're going to be drinking tonight." Nate says, "We might even open a bottle of champagne." Nate and Char giggle before starting to dance and jump up and down.
I roll my eyes before walking out of the bathroom. Sometimes they're still teenagers.
I walk down the walnut wooden floored hallway and down the glass staircase before reaching George, my sister and my husband in the living room. They are all sitting on the couch again, deeply engaged in a conversation. I decide to watch them for a moment. Oliver seems to get along with them and I'm very glad. It lifts a huge stone off of my chest.
"Where are the other two?" Rory asks me as she spots me.
"They'll be down in a minute." I hope. I sit down next to my husband and grab his hand. Feeling this electricity between us again, reminds me what made me fall in love with him. The attraction was always there and it will never be gone. I'll crave him even when I'm old and wrinkly.
Suddenly the doors of the lift open and a group of six security agents walks in. I know exactly what that means because it happened so many times before.
"Your Royal Highnesses,"
"There goes our movie night." Rory mumbles before rising from the couch with George. "What's going on, Andy?"
"His Majesty has asked me to get the two of you ready for a trip to Australia." One of the security officers says.
"Australia?" George asks confused.
"There're bush fires. You're going to go there to voice your condolences and show the support of the British Empire."
"Of course. Yes. How long will be gone?"
"Anywhere between two to three weeks. It's up for you to decide but you would have to come back for His Majesty's birthday party next Friday. The trip would be free of any public engagements. You'd be working mostly in the background in your jobs as doctors and pilots. You're flying with one photographer and one videographer. The footage will be released in the evenings after the daywork has finished."
"Who's going to watch the girls?" Rory asks them.
"Your nanny will fly with you as well."
My sister runs her fingers through her hair, "How much time do we have before take-off?"
"An hour. Your luggage is already on the plane. The girls are currently getting picked up."
George laughs, "Good luck with that. Gabi and Troy won't give them away to some security officers."
"I'll call my parents and you manage the rest." Rory tells George before turning around and looking for her phone.
I guess not all royal tours are getting planned to the detail.
"Why's the King not sending the Prince and Princess of Wales?" I ask them.
"We can't answer that, Mrs. Bolton."
Of course they can't.
Suddenly, Nate and Charlotte walk down the staircase. "What's going on here?"
"Royal trip to Australia." George answers his sister's question.
"And by Royal you mean you and Rory." Char says back.
"Yes."
"Of course. Why would the King send Nate and me away when he can bully us by sending us to a different city every single day!"
"Charlotte, this is not about you or Nate."
"Of course it is! It always is! You're his favourite. You've always been!" She hisses at her brother.
"There's a bushfire about to take over almost half of Australia. The country needs our support. It needs to know that the Brits are standing behind them and offering their help."
"Of course they do! Just like India needed you in July. And Mauritius in June! It is always you that get send to foreign countries!"
"Charlotte, this is how things work. You've been banned from a royal tour for a year."
"That year is over and we still haven't gone on a royal tour!" She hisses back at him.
"Don't be mad at me. I'm just taking orders here. You're pissed at the King so take it up with grandpa."
"Grandpa doesn't hear me and you know it!"
"That's not my problem, Char. I've got people to take care of. Our plane leaves in an hour."
"Fuck you! You're my brother, you should have my back!"
"And I do. Just not right now. I told you I wouldn't get involved with your issues with the King. Work it out with him yourself."
"You arrogant asshole-"
"Enough!" George silences his little sister with a look I've never seen. "I am the future King. You will have to bow to me and if you don't have the balls to stand up for yourself than perhaps it's good you're the spare." He hisses at her.
Ouch, that was even a lot for royals.
"George-"
"No. Suck it up or take it up with Grandpa. Let him know he can't do anything he wants with you. Remind him that you're not just part of the firm but part of the family. Appeal to his soft side. Play the man and stop playing this bloody game!"
Rory walks back, "We're meeting my parents and the girls at the airport." She frowns as she sees Charlotte's face. "Did I interrupt something?"
"No. His future Majesty was just letting me know how things are going to be like once he's sitting on that bloody throne!" Char hisses at George before performing a very deep curtsy.
I can't help but chuckle.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I'll explain it on the way to the airport. We have to go." George looks at Oliver and me. "We'll watch the movies another time, I promise."
I nod, "Of course."
"No! We're going to watch them without you!" Char yells at him.
"Whatever, Char." George looks at his wife. "Ready to go?"
Rory nods, "Yes." She whispers before taking his hand. Then she looks at us. "I enjoyed it while it lasted."
And then they're gone.
Along with their six headed security wall.
It all happened so quickly that I haven't had a chance to wrap my head around it. Bushfires in Australia.
I heard of the fire and donated money, some would say a fortune, but seeing the King ordering the Oxfords to go there has to mean it's gotten worse. Drastically worse.
I walk over to the TV and switch on an Australian news channel. The images are absolutely devastating. Heartbreaking. Terrifying.
It's like hell on earth.
My throat tightens at the words that accompany these imagines and tears start building in my eyes. I can't watch this without breaking down.
"We have to do something." Nate breathes out as he sits down next to me.
I can feel Oliver sitting down next to me as well. He grabs my hand and squeezes it softly. "Yes, we do." I agree with him in a whisper.
"Hey, are you crying?" Char asks me with concern.
I shake my head, "No, I'm good. I'm just deeply touched."
"I need wine to digest this!" Char says before walking into the kitchen, "And I think you need a glass as well, Jo."
"No!" I cry back without thinking. "I mean, I'm not drinking anymore. I've been sober since the day I touched Brazilian soil. I won't start now."
"Not even a small glass?" Char asks me back.
"No. I'm sober."
"You weren't an alcoholic, Jo." Nate tells me.
But I acted like one. I was hurt, angry, confused - and I turned to alcohol to drown it all. I will never repeat the mistakes I made after I broke up with Oliver. Never ever again. "Either way, I'm no longer drinking."
"Not even champagne to celebrate?"
"Celebrate what?" Oliver asks us confused.
"That I'm not pregnant." Char tells him.
"So, that's why you broke us into two groups." Oliver says to me.
I nod, "I hope it wasn't too obvious."
My husband shrugs, "I don't think Rory and George got the hint to be honest."
I look back at the television. Over half a billion animals have died in these fires. Six million hectares have been burning. Thousands of homes have been burned to the ground, resulting in evacuations. The amount of Australia burnt is equivalent to the entire country of the Netherlands. It's much more than a catastrophe or crisis. It's more than a natural disaster. It's literally Hell on Earth. Over 400 fires all over the country.
This is only the beginning. This flaming apocalypse doesn't show any sign of stopping any time soon.
I rise from the couch, "I think we should use all social media platforms to raise awareness and donations. Royal and non-royal. Oxford Royal, The Bolton Foundation, The Royal Foundation, King Charles' Trust - everything and everywhere. Instagram, Twitter and the Royal websites. Let's call the private secretary of the King and work something out. Time all official statements so they go up at the same time as an united front." I think out loud.
"I'll call uncle Ryan." Nate suggests.
"You're such a coward! That fucking leaves me with Adam!" Charlotte hisses at him. Adam's the King private secretary.
"And I'll call Rory and George." I say with a nod.
"What about me?"
"You start researching for charities and organisations in Australia that could benefit from it the most. We should keep it to five links, otherwise people will get confused and overwhelmed." I explain.
"Do you want to start a fundraiser or something?" Nate asks me.
I lick my lips, "If anyone should start a fundraiser than it's Oxford Royal. I'll call the organisations under the Oxford Royal umbrella and look for options to use their influence and products to help Australia. We can organise a shipment and use our jet." I think out loud. My brain starts going into work-mode. Social-mode. Help-mode.
"Is she always like this when she's passionate about something?" Oliver asks my brother.
Nate chuckles, "Oh, you've seen nothing yet. When we were eight, she started a whole movement to save the dragonflies. It caused a whole snowball effect. In the end the parliament put out a law that put dragonflies on the same level as bees."
"Hey, Eli did the same this summer with a may bug. Dad told me he saved one from Zeus!"
Nate waves with his hand, "You're still the worst out of all of us! No one - not even Della - is as stubborn as you! You even top Daddy!"
I roll my eyes at his words. "Whatever. Everyone, we should get to work."
Oliver
I roll over in the bed and reach out to my right but it's empty. My wife's not there. With a sigh, I get up from the bed. I run my fingers through my hair and stare out at the night sky of London. I look to my bedside table and see on the clock that it's a little after three.
We worked until midnight with Charlotte and Nate as well as Rory and George on the phone. I don't know how but Josephine moved heaven and earth to not only come up with a fundraiser online as well as offline but also made all the organisations, that are working with Oxford Royal, donate their products. Along with the Bolton Foundation as well as The Royal Foundation, this will do lots of good.
I get up from the bed and decide to start looking for my wife. I asked her to come to bed twice before falling asleep myself. She's probably still in her study, working on overload.
I walk down the long hallway, passing Ana's oil painting of us at the Cristo Redentor statue in Rio before entering the living area. I spot my wife sitting on the beige couch crosslegged with the MacBook Air resting on her legs. Notes are laying all around her. An untouched glass of water is on the glass coffee table. The fire in the fireplaces has gone out. The main lights have been switched off so there's only a light source coming from above her head in the from of three little circles.
She looks beautiful but also a little crazy.
I lean against the wall and watch her for a moment in silence. Nate was right. Josephine's a workaholic, more with social work than ever before. "Tesoro,"
She didn't even wince at my voice. Because she felt me watching her. "The morning just started in Australia-"
I sigh before walking over to her. "It's a quarter past three. Come to bed with me."
"We've raised over half a billion pounds! The Instagram posts have gained over one hundred million likes already! The royal statements and the links are going viral! The-"
I knee down in front of her. She looks tired. Her sky blue eyes are all red. "Tesoro, please."
"Half of the world is already awake, ready to see our message, Oliver. We can help all the families that lost their homes in the fire. We can help the firefighters. We can make the people smile for the first time in weeks!" Her voice is full of enthusiasm but her body is tired. She needs sleep.
"Tesoro," I run my fingers through her chestnut curls. "Please come to bed with me."
"But-"
I can ask her as many times as I want but she won't listen. "Do it for our baby." I hate to pull out that card but it's my ace and the truth.
She opens her mouth to respond but then closes it again. "I apologise. I didn't think of the bubble for a moment. I was so caught up in my work, in all these ideas, that I forgot everything and everyone around me."
I smile at her before shutting the MacBook Air on her lap. "Let's go to bed. You can always finish the rest after you've had some sleep. Quality sleep."
"Rory and George are set to land in a few hours. They agreed to-"
"No more work for now, okay?" I ask her as I put the notebook on the paper chaos that's all over the coffee table. I've never seen her getting drowned in work like this. I thought she was a workaholic when we met but that's nothing compared to what I'm seeing right now.
It's one of her flaws. She puts everything and everyone before herself. If she's not careful it's going to affect her health. Mental and physical health.
But she's got me. I'll remind her for the rest of my life.
She nods, "Okay."
I rise to my full height and hold out my hand.
She places her left hand in mine and I wrap my hand around that sapphire wedding band before helping her up. "I am quite tired."
"I can see that in your eyes. They're bloodshot."
She yawns as we walk out of the living room. "You know, there were nights that I worked through with ease."
I switch off the lights in the living room. "That was before you were pregnant."
"And before you. I don't think I ever worked a night through when you were with me."
"Because I always fucked you to sleep."
She smirks, "That won't be necessary tonight."
We walk past Ana's oil painting but this time I'll make sure she won't head into the other direction again. We step into our bedroom a moment later. The bed on her side is still made.
"I'm going to brush my teeth." My wife says before yawning again.
"I'll get you something to sleep in."
"Just get me one of your shirts." I can hear her yell from the bathroom. A second later the electric toothbrush goes on.
I've never used an electronic toothbrush before I met her and my teeth have never been cleaner. I walk into our dressing room and pull out a grey T-shirt from one of the many hangers on my side of the dressing room. She used to sleep in fancy silk and lacy lingerie but now she prefers one of my cotton T-shirts.
I switch off the lights in the dressing room and close the door. With the shirt in my hand, I walk into the bathroom. My wife rinses her mouth with water before spitting it out into the sink. She tries her hands and mouth with a towel before turning around to look at me.
"Grey okay?"
She nods before stripping out of her top, bra, jeans and socks. She throws the items into the laundry basket before grabbing the T-shirt out of my hand. The fabric lays beautifully over her full tits and firm butt. It reaches a little over her knees.
She has never looked more beautiful. I can't believe this woman is my wife. The mother of my child. The woman I get to spend the rest of my life with.
I am the luckiest man in the world.
"Stop giving me that look. You wanted me to go to sleep."
"What look?"
She circles my face with her right forefinger, "You know what face. The face that makes me want to fuck you all night but you're not getting any of it tonight." She says before walking past me.
"That's not what I was thinking of."
She fakes a laughter, "Yeah, right. I know you, Oliver. I've seen that look a zillion times on your face and it made me fuck you every single time. But not tonight."
She confused love for sex. She did it in the past because she didn't allow herself to feel what she felt for me. But maybe it's going to take more than two weeks for her to be able to distinguish between the two. I follow her back into the bedroom and climb into the bed. "I thought of how lucky I was to have you in my life. To be able to grow this bubble with you."
She argues with me as she lays down, "You're not growing anything. It is all my body that's doing the hard labour."
"I didn't think of sex." I promise her as I look into her eyes.
"This is the beginning of the end! I knew it! I'm just in my third week but even that already shows the first signs! Next thing we know a whole week has passed without any sex!"
"Josephine,"
"Oh, no! Rory warned me about this! She said there would be no sex with kids but I didn't expect it to start so soon! I didn't-" she stops talking the moment I lay her hand on my erection.
"Nothing between us has changed. Nothing between us will ever change." I promise her. "Besides, people must have sex after having their first child. That's how siblings are made. You know that. You have seven siblings yourself!"
"I know." She mumbles. "But every couple is different."
"Yes and that's also why you shouldn't listen to your sister too much. What may be true for her relationship with her husband, doesn't mean it applies to us."
She moves her hand up my body until fondling my right cheek. "Northern Lights."
"Northern Lights."
Royals unite to save Australia!
The British Royals have come together to help the victims of the Australian bush fires. His Majesty, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Oxford, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have all published statements last night at the same time with links to help the Commonwealth country. The Royals have used their Royal Foundations, including the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales and Oxford Royal, as well as the Commonwealth Trust to raise awareness and make a fundraiser. The current donated amount is at 780 million pounds, coming from all over the world. The money will go directly to the people who have lost their homes, to the firemen department, saving and rebuilding the wildlife as well as rebuilding the flora and fauna of Australia. ZoosVictoria has established the Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund. 100% of funds will go towards supporting the wildlife affected by the bushfires.
The British government has also announced that troops of firemen have been send to help the Australian firemen with the fires.
It is rumoured that senior royals are on their way to Australia right now but Clarence House has refused to comment.
Josephine
I wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I open my eyes and stare at my husband. He looks magical in the sunlight. The blonde tips of his beach blonde hair reflect the sunshine so much that it makes him look like a saint. Like an angel. And his almond shaped eyes are glowing in a sea foam colour. His olive coloured skin is flawless.
For a moment I can't believe that's my husband. My man. The father of our unborn child.
"Good morning. I made you a cappuccino." He greets me with a smile on his lips.
"You made me a cappuccino?" I ask as he fondles my left cheek.
"I think one cup a day should be alright." He winks at me.
I grin and look at the bedside table. A perfectly made cappuccino with a cacao heart on the foam. "I'll remind you of that cup every single day for the rest of this pregnancy."
"I can't wait for our first appointment together at your doctor."
I run my fingers through his golden hair, "I love you, Oliver." The words used to scare me but not anymore. I wasn't scared to tell Ed that I loved him because he didn't mean as much as Oliver to me. I projected my feelings for my husband on a man that didn't deserve it.
But loving Oliver is scary because it makes me vulnerable but it's also wonderful. It's the best that's ever happened to me.
"I love you, too."
"What time is it?"
"It's half past ten."
"I slept for six hours?"
He nods, "Your body really needed the rest."
"Have you checked the news yet? Have Rory and George arrived?"
"Rory just called from the plane. I picked up and talked to her. They're still up in the air as the wind is not in their favour. But they are absolutely amazed by your work. They're very, very happy to touch Australian ground with such a happy message."
"How much have we raised while I slept?"
"We're at 1.5 billion pounds right now."
"That's wonderful!" I rise from the bed. Maybe a bit too quickly because suddenly my stomach flips and the urge to vomit overcomes me.
Or maybe it's that peppercorn giving me its first sign of life.
Either way, I ran into the en-suite bathroom and empty out my stomach into the toilet bowl. What a great way to start the day. I'm so not looking forward to doing this for another 39 weeks or so.
After nothing more comes out and the urge is gone, I wash my face and brush my teeth.
What a wake up call.
I meet my husband's worried look in the mirror before I spit out the toothpaste and rinse my mouth again. My mouth might be clean but I'm not really feeling better. Actually, I feel pretty hot - not in a sexual way. For the first time in my life.
Oliver rushes over to me as I dry my face with a white towel. He touches my forehead. "You're boiling."
My body's fighting the invader. The bubble. This is not good. "My body's fighting the bubble. It's fighting the change."
Oliver licks his lips, "You're staying at home today. Maybe going out yesterday was a bad idea after all. I hope you didn't catch anything."
"I'm pregnant, not sick."
"Yeah but I don't want you to be both. So, you're on bedrest for today."
"Yes, Dr. Bolton." I say without thinking but the smirk on my lips dies when I realise what I've said. I reminded him of his dream.
My husband just licks his lips again, "No caffeine. We're sticking to lots of veggies. Broths. Fruits. Nutrients."
I sigh, "That's how it's going to be for the rest of this pregnancy, isn't it? You dictating what I eat and do?!"
"Josephine, don't fight me on this. Not today. On any other day when you're not suffering from morning sickness or a fever, yes but please not today. Let me take care of you. Trust me."
"You're turning tables on me! I trust you! You know I do!"
"Good, then you might as well get back to bed."
I growl in frustration before storming out of the bathroom and into the walk-in wardrobe. I strip off the grey T-shirt that I wore to bed last night and stop at my reflection in the mirror. I can see the scars on my back quite clearly but they don't brother me at all. I used to be obsessed with the perfect healthy body image. But now... now I couldn't care less about the round acts on both sides of my hips. There are six but all six are beautiful. Because they saved a life. They saved my mother-in-law's life.
Scars make you beautiful. They don't make you ugly.
And they make me feel proud.
I get grey cashmere joggers and a matching T-shirt out of the drawers in the walnut island with a white marble countertop before changing into it. If I'm going to spend the day at home I might as well be comfortable and warm.
I turn around and notice Oliver standing in the doorway. "Thank you." He whispers to me as I reach him.
I wrap my arms around his neck and lift myself on my toes so we're on eye-level, "It's just like you said. I'm picking my battles with you now as well." I explain before kissing him quickly.
"Just see it as our pyjamas weekend that you always promised me." He says with a smirk on his lip, "I love you."
I did promise him that - more than once. "I love you, too."
Oliver
Staying at home in loungewear is even better than I imagined. I fully enjoyed cooking with my wife, watching the other two Jumanji movies and having a Skype call with Rory and George. Josephine's fund raiser is now close to the 2 billion mark and I'm confident we're going to reach it by the time Monday hits us. Today she has called her royal friends, who are Princesses in the Swedish, Monégasque, Spanish, Dutch and Norwegian Royal Families. They agreed to voice their condolences in a joint statement which is set to be published at the same time. Her connections amaze me. All it took was one phone call to change the world, to make headlines and do good. Rory and George are still working incognito down-under. They've spent the evening working at the Red Cross Australia before ending their day at a wildlife shelter near Sydney. They already showed us the photos and the video footage that was taken. It amazes me what my wife has done in so little time. She's incredible.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asks me as she looks up from her notebook. She wrote down new ideas and ways to help Australia.
I didn't even realise I was staring at her. "I was just recapitulating the day. What you've achieved in less than 24 hours amazes me. I can't even begin to imagine what you will do with the Bolton Foundation once you're in charge."
My wife shows me a small smile, "Well, I won't be in charge of the Bolton Foundation for a while."
"Why's that?"
"I can't leave Oxford Royal in the next few years. The King has started to ease everyone into the transition phase. Rory told me, he gives them five years or so until he abdicates. Which would make Rory and George the new Prince and Princess of Wales. They're already attending meeting for the Duchy of Cornwall alongside Catherine and William. Nevertheless, it's daunting."
I nod, "I can imagine. What about the Commonwealth Trust?"
"You know about it?"
"I sold souvenirs of my sister-in-law, her new family and your family for a year and a half. I caught some information."
Josephine chuckles, "Right, sorry I forgot about that for a second. From what it seems like Rory and George are going to be the new president and vice-president."
"Not Charlotte and Nate?"
She shakes her head, "As you've experienced first hand yesterday, the King's still bloody pissed at what they did to them."
"I don't get it. The girls are born. They're nearly a year old. People love them together! What damage can they bring? Why is he still so stiff and doesn't give them a bloody tour?"
My wife shrugs, "I don't know but this better be solved soon. Because I don't think Nate and Char can keep their mouths shut for long. Nate probably but definitely not Charlotte. She's a taurus, she's patient but once she explodes - you better be on a different continent."
"What astrological sign is Nate?"
"A cancer."
I nod, "He leads with the heart."
"Yes. He doesn't like fights and he shows his love with gestures." I think out loud. "Your sister and you are Leos, which means you're creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous but also that you're arrogant, stubborn, self-centered and inflexible."
She smirks, "You seem to have a big knowledge of astrology."
I shrug, "My Dad found it fascinating so he taught me a thing or two." We used to watch the stars at the beach in Rio. That's when he gave me advices on life, women, marriage, babies... sometimes I think he felt it in his heart that he would be gone soon and he was using the little time he had left on earth to teach me everything he knows.
"What about Della? She was born on 6th of April and Ana on the 30th of March."
"They're both aries. They're courageous, determined, confident, enthusiastic, optimistic, honest, passionate but also impatient."
"Elias was born on the same day as my Dad. Third of February."
"I didn't know that. That's quite interesting. They're an aquarius. Progressive, original, independent, humanitarian but also temperamental and uncompromising."
She chuckles, "Impatient and temperamental - that's definitely my Daddy. Cal and Gideon were born on the 15th of October."
"Libras. They're cooperative, diplomatic, gracious, fair-minded, social and indecisive."
"That leaves my Mum. She was born on the third of March."
"Pisces. Compassionate, artistic, intuitive, gentle, wise, musical and she doesn't like to be alone."
"So that's the reason she decided to have eight children! It all makes sense now!"
I smile, "It does give you some insight, doesn't it?"
"What about you?"
"I'm a taurus like Charlotte and Rory's girls."
She moves closer to me, "And what are your strength and weaknesses?"
"We're reliable, patient, practical, devoted, responsible, stable but also stubborn, possessive and uncompromising."
She nods, "You were quite uncompromising when I first wanted to loan you money."
"Yes. And I am also very possessive over you. It's why we're both wearing wedding bands."
"To be fair, I've become quite possessive over you as well." She says before sitting down on my lap. She rests her forehead against mine and I enjoy the moment while it lasts. "And now we're having our peppercorn."
"Peppercorn?"
"That's the size of the bubble right now." She explains.
I smile, "Peppercorn is better than embryo."
She returns my smile, "Peppercorn it is. For now."
"When's your next ultrasound?"
"In five weeks."
She'll be in her eighth week. Our peppercorn will be much bigger by then. "I can't wait to see it."
"There won't be much to be seen. It's still going to be a bubble, just a bigger bubble."
"But it our's. It's our bubble. We created it."
"Yeah, well we'll see. Perhaps it's going to be gone by then."
She's scared. She always starts to think negative when she's scared. I cup her face and fondle her cheeks with my thumbs. "Your fever went down so I'm going to say it won't."
"It's the victory for the day but not the victory of the war."
"This pregnancy is not a war."
"It is for my body."
I sigh, "The woman's body is made to give birth to children."
"But that doesn't mean every women's body will give birth. I've had a miscarriage before and this could be the second."
"Have faith."
"I'm just being realistic here."
"No, you're scared and that's okay." I tell her. "And I'm scared as well. Becoming a parent is scary because it's untouched territory. It's new territory. But we'll be fine."
She stares at me for a moment before inhaling deeply, "We will, won't we?"
I nod, "There's nothing we can't do together."
Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a good start into this new decade!
What do you think George meant by saying stop playing the game and start playing the King? What's Charlotte going to do next?
Also which astrology sign are you? I thought I'd give you a bit more insight into the Bolton Family and heir very different characters that way.
The charity Sheltersuit does exist so if you want to find more about their amazing work, please visit their website.
As always, please be so kind to leave a review!
In gratitude,
Nicole