Chapter 29- Home Again
When they reach Swellview, it's the afternoon, but to Henry, Charlotte, and Ray, it still feels like it should be nighttime. It'll take some time to get readjusted to their usual time zone, but ideally, the naps they took on the plane should help.
Charlotte is relived that, when they get off of the jet, there are no crowds of people, thinking they are seeing Princess Kelilah. Instead, two women and a pair of kids- they looks like twins, about six or seven- standing there. There's someone else there, too- not someone they've known for long, but a familiar face nonetheless.
"Hey, loves!" Natalie takes off her sunglasses and waves them over. "Good to see you again."
"Ray, this is the woman Jude sent us to when I first agreed to the mission," says Charlotte, since Ray wasn't there that evening. They exchange greetings, and Natalie leads them to a minivan that is covered- there's almost no blank area- in paint and stickers.
"Go ahead and dump your stuff in the back, I'm taking you home. Oh, and Charlotte," she says, lowering her voice a little, "if you want, we can get you that "birthmark" removed. Since your mission's over, and all that."
Actually, Charlotte had almost forgotten about the fake birthmark; she hadn't needed it after all.
Logically, there's really no reason to keep it, aside from not having to go through getting it removed. But…
"I'll think I'll keep it," says Charlotte. Now that she knew she and Kelilah were related, that she's a member of the royal family of Ebella (a pill she's still struggling to swallow), the tattoo had a whole different meaning. In a few years, she won't even have to hide it anymore- but for now, she'll keep it hidden, and keep it there.
/\/\/\
Natalie gets to the Man Cave first, and insists on dropping Henry and Charlotte off at their houses so they don't have to drag their stuff around, even though they don't have much.
Ray even agrees to let them rest at home, and entertains himself by ordering Jasper around the store. This, in turn, prevents Jasper from texting Henry and Charlotte questions about what happened… although it really only worked because Ray promised they'd tell him all about it tomorrow.
At any rate, they both arrive to their empty houses. Unpack their things. Eventually, night falls. The naps they took on the plane helped them get through the afternoon, and also keep them awake for a little bit. Not that this time is wasted- Henry and Charlotte talk on a video call for a few hours. Eventually, though, they do both fall asleep.
/\/\/\
When Charlotte wakes up, she's half-surprised to be in her own bed. Part of her was still in Ebella, expecting to wake up on the hard-as-rock mattress, and be served breakfast by Maggie or another maid. But she knows that's over.
Charlotte drags herself downstairs and starts making herself breakfast. As she eats, she thinks about something Kelilah had said, only two nights ago: "Oh, I see. You're one of those people. You know. One of those people who think being a princess is all ball gowns and parties and being pampered. And being served breakfast in bed. I'll have to get re-used to this, she thinks. Though if Kelilah prefers being a runaway to being served breakfast in bed, I can get my own cereal.
That's when she remembers: the article comes out today.
Charlotte abandons her food and runs upstairs to grab her computer. Right when she gets back down, there's a knock at the door.
A knock at my front door, not at Kelilah's bedroom door, Charlotte thinks as she walks toward it and looks out the peephole.
"Hey," she says, opening the door.
"Hello, Your Highness," teases Henry, walking in. Charlotte rolls her eyes at him and starts walking back towards the kitchen. "Please don't call me that. Especially not in front of other people."
"Just had to do it once," says Henry, following her.
"You know, normally it's me who's up early and at your house," says Charlotte, setting her laptop down on the table.
"Well, normally, we didn't just get back from a trip to a foreign country," says Henry, making Charlotte laugh. He gestures to her computer. "What's that for?"
"The article comes out today." Charlotte opens up the laptop and, within a minute, finds the site where Ebella has published the news about the missing princess.
It begins by saying that Kelilah had gone missing during the party, and that she was aided by Jude, her tutor. The Queen herself told the writers that she had found out from two people from the palace who wished to remain anonymous about Angel and Jude. Apparently, they went and started looking as soon as they noticed Kelilah was gone, and found Angel with Kelilah while getting an accidental confession from Jude. Overall, it was mostly true.
Charlotte wants to keep reading more articles, just to make sure there was zero mention of her and Henry, but they need to get to work. Minutes later, they're about to slide into the tubes when Henry says, "Wait- before we go in?"
Charlotte immediately knows what he's talking about and leans in for a quick kiss. Then, they go down the tubes- separately, a painful but necessary choice- to find Jasper, bursting with questions. "What happened? Did you find her? Is what the Ebella news saying true?"
The three friends sit down on the couch, and Henry and Charlotte answer his questions as honestly as possible without mentioning their new relationship. Interestingly, they seem to know exactly what to say- there's no overlapping or contradicting. Eventually, Ray shows up and sends Jasper upstairs, leaving Henry and Charlotte to fall back into their normal routine.
And speaking of normal: a few hours later, they get an emergency call. Today, the call is from a man saying he and his family are stuck on top of the piece of land by the Swellview sign.
Ray and Henry blow their bubbles, and start towards the tubes. Right before he gets under the tube hole, something flashes through Kid Danger's head: I don't ever know if I'm going to see you again, Henry! I know I don't show it, but I'm always relieved beyond belief whenever you get back from something- even if you're hurt, or covered in dirt, or trapped in a dream, I'm just glad you made it back!
"Ray, go start the Man-Copter. I'll be there in a second." Captain Man, looks at him, shrugs, and goes up the tube. Kid Danger jumps back down off the platform and jogs back toward Charlotte, taking his mask off as he goes.
"Henry, what are you-" Before she can complete the sentence, though, Henry gently grabs her shoulders and says, "I'm going to be okay."
"What?"
"I thought about what you said back in Ebella, about worrying about me," his right hand leaves her shoulder and takes her hand, "so I'm promising you now that I'll be okay. I'll come back."
Charlotte stares at him for a second, then kisses him. "Promise?"
"Promise." Henry puts his mask back on. "I promise." Letting go of her hand, he runs back to the tubes and goes up, climbing into the Mac-Copter with Captain Man.
"What was that all about?"
"What? Oh, nothing," says Kid Danger. "Let's go- the guy said no one was in danger of falling, but we can't waste time, just in case."
"Right." The Man-Copter lifts off the ground, taking Captain Man and Kid Danger with it. Meanwhile, Charlotte stays in the Man Cave, still standing there, telling herself that he best friend will be okay.
Bonzenz: I hadn't actually thought of this; after a lot of thinking, yes, if both Adela and Charlotte agreed, Adela could pass the right to rule to Charlotte, since Charlotte is technically blood related to Kelilah, who is blood related to Adela. Of course, Charlotte would have a lot to explain to her mother... ;)
Happy Reading!