Italy….
After a competitive but fun game of dominos, Joe, Samuel and Josie sat laughing and drinking beer. Their mother had gone to bed, falling asleep to the sound of a house full of laughter and joking. They teased each other mercilessly as they had always done as children. Maria slept peaceful, a smile on her face.
"So, when are you going to back to Genovia" Samuel asked, as he thought about how much he was going to miss his brother?
"Maybe in a week or so. Hopefully, the leads you found me will have good results" Joe admitted as he relaxed against his chair. He felt exhausted but happy. He missed these times more than he ever let on.
"Her son is getting married soon. Does that mean he will be King" Josie asked curiously?
The question taking Joe by surprise, he glanced at his sister and thought, she's never cared before.
"The royal family and Parliament will decide when he becomes King. I'm surprised that you've been keeping up with Genovia news" Joe added as he watched his sister for her reaction.
Josie looked up at Joe and smiled, "all girls love weddings but, you're a guy so I suppose you could care less."
"I can vouch for that. We don't care" Samuel laughed.
Palace….
After dinner, Antoinette suggested going to the sitting room for an after-dinner drink. Pierre rolled his eyes without anyone but his mother noticing. Clarisse after years of practice did not give away any emotions. Rupert seemed put off but remained silent. On their way to the sitting room, Arthur went to the restroom leaving them all with a few moments of freedom.
"Must we extend this" Rupert complained as he stood beside Clarisse.
"You already know the answer to that" Clarisse whispered as her hand went to her temple and rubbed softly.
"Do you have a headache" Rupert asked concerned?
"It seems to be getting worse by the moment" Clarisse replied with a smirk.
"Ahh, so she does want it to end" Rupert joked, smiling.
Across the sitting room, Antoinette observed Rupert and Clarisse. She saw the way they easily interacted and for a moment, she thought they were flirting.
"After this, the night is over. Do not extend him anything else" Pierre snapped distracting her thoughts.
She glared at him but said nothing when she noticed Arthur walking into the room.
"What would you like to drink" Antoinette asked with a smile?
"A scotch would do nicely" Arthur replied with a satisfied smile.
Rupert noticed Arthur demeanor and wondered what exactly he was up to.
"Shall we" Clarisse asked Rupert as she looked at him?
"I suppose we must" Rupert replied as he extended his arm to her.
Clarisse placed her arm around his as they walked over towards them.
Once they finished their drinks, Arthur thanked them all for the evening. Antoinette walked Arthur out to his car wanting a few moments alone with him.
"I'm sorry this didn't go well" She said hoping he wouldn't be too disappointed.
"It went perfect" He reassured her.
She looked at him in confusion.
"Trust me" He smiled deviously as he got into his car.
Antoinette watched the car drive off, she wondered what the purpose of tonight was but since she didn't have any answers, she decided not to give it anymore thought.
Upstairs….
"Thank you for saving me tonight" Clarisse thanked Rupert as they walked down the hall.
"You're welcome" He replied with a smile.
"That man truly unnerves me" She admitted.
"He's a snake" He said not holding back his feelings towards the man who he had once considered a friend.
"He's looking for information on the engagement" She said matter of fact.
"Yes…or at least that is what he wanted us to believe" He replied.
"You think he had another motive for coming over tonight" She asked concerned?
"Possibly. One thing I know about Arthur, he is always up to something" He said as they stopped in front of her suite.
"I do hope that he doesn't cause any more damage. Pierre has enough to deal with it right now" She said as she faced him in front of the door.
The look in Rupert eyes told her what he was expecting but their relationship hadn't been on the best of the terms of late. He was good to you tonight, protective, she reminded herself.
"Try not to worry. We will figure this out" He replied, his eyes sincere.
"Would you like to come in for a drink" She asked, deciding to go against her initial thought?
"I would love to" He replied with a smile.
Clarisse smiled back, opened the door and walked in. Rupert behind her, shutting the door closed as he followed her into her sitting room.
"Scotch" She asked?
"Are you teasing me" He asked incredulously? Offering him the same drink Arthur had.
A giggle escaped and he couldn't help but smile wider.
She looked at him, her eyes dancing with mischief.
"That is the Clarisse I remember" He laughed as he sat.
She poured him a drink and handed it to him with a smile still on her face.
"Thank you" He replied with a smirk of his own.
She sat across from him, a glass of wine in her hand.
He thought about talking to her about the real reason Joseph was in Italy, but he decided tonight he would simply enjoy her company. He had missed her. And, the way she was being with him made him think that maybe, just maybe, she missed him too.
Gardens…
Pierre walked along the path his mother loved so much. He understood why she loved it out here. It was the only place other then the open fields that offered some privacy. He sat for a moment and thought about his current situation. He was losing hope that Joe would find out information on Antoinette. And, harder to cope with was the possibility of a life without Charlotte. He looked up at the sky, sadness going over his features. That was how Charlotte found him.
"Are you okay" She asked breaking all rules of propriety?
Pierre looked at her and replied, "no, not really." He admitted.
She walked over to him and sat beside him on the bench.
"I think that I have to set a date for the wedding" He said expressing what he was thinking.
"You can't marry her. She doesn't deserve you" The words rushing out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
"It doesn't matter anymore. We are running out of time. Mabrey is up to something and I think…I think it's big" He replied as he stood up beginning to pace.
"Have you spoke to your parents about it" She asked truly concerned by what that could mean?
"No…they seemed, good tonight. Did you notice" He asked as he looked at her?
"Yes, they had a mutual enemy tonight" She smiled wanting to ease him of his burden.
"That is true" He laughed.
She smiled, pleased with herself for breaking him out of his melancholy mood.
"Don't make any rash decisions yet. Give Joe some time. Who knows what he's going to uncover" She reminded him?
"Alright" He agreed. He looked away from her for a moment.
"Do you…" she stopped chastising herself for daring to even think about asking such a question?
"Do I…. what" He asked as he looked at her?
"Never mind. It's not my business" She apologized.
"You are my friend and I want you to tell me what is on your mind" He reassured her.
"Do you love her" She asked making herself ask the question?
Pierre expression changed from shock to one of sincerity as he replied, "no, I don't."
Charlotte eyes teared although she desperately didn't want to cry in front of him. What must he think of her?
Pierre sat beside her again. The silence between them not uncomfortable.
Relief flooded through her body. She realized how much she feared that he had unresolved feelings for Antoinette.
"Do you love him" He asked without looking at her? He feared her reaction. The look of pity he was sure would be on her face.
"What" She asked confused?
"Shades? Do you love him" He asked again?
Realization hit Charlotte hard. He thought I chose Shades. Her heart squeezed in that moment. She decided to be honest after all, he had been honest with her.
"Yes..."
A gasp escaped Pierre as his heart squeezed.
"But I'm in love with you" She confessed.
Pierre looked at her in shock.
"Your mother knows" She added.
"What" Pierre asked completely taken aback?
"She told me to tell you but I…I thought you loved her" She admitted as a tear slid down her cheek.
"Charlotte…" He whispered as his eyes softened.
"Shades and I are over. We decided to remain friends. He knows how I feel about you" She whispered.
"I've been so wrong…about everything" He realized as he reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing it tight.
"Me too it seems" She smiled softly as she looked at their hands.
"I'm in love with you too" He confessed.
Charlotte looked at him, her eyes filling with tears again. "What are we going to do" She asked?
"We're going to trust Joe" He replied as he sat a bit closer to her.
Unable to resist, she rested her head against his shoulder and inhaled his scent.
Memories of a love they shared in their youth flooded her senses, a smile gracing her face.
Unable to resist, he lowered his face as she rose her face, their lips meeting in a tender chaste kiss.
Unknown to them both, they were being watched.
