Duchess Josie Scandal: Are pregnant women allowed to go clubbing?
With the recent paparazzi photos of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Clarence showing the couple on their way to a Cuban club in the country's capital city. Duchess Josie wore a rather sexy bespoke red ruffle dress by luxury designer Roberto Cavalli and black stilettos. While the Duke's outfit, a black oxford shirt with matching pants and shoes, didn't spark controversies, his wife's did.
The question whether or not a pregnant woman is allowed to go clubbing has been dividing the nation along with the question whether or not pregnant woman should wear a sexy dress such as Josie did.
The controversy comes after The Duke and Duchess embarked on a controversial trip to St. Barth's, where they watched the Regatta alongside celebrities, millionaires and big names in the world.
When contacted, Hampton Court Palace denied any comment.
Josephine
My husband holds the front door of our home open for me and I step in. The light sensors switch on the ceiling lights. I inhale deeply as my eyes get drunk in the place we get to call home. It's sparkling thanks to our staff. I loved the Caribbean but I really missed our home. I missed the parquet floor that's made of oak, the stunning marble staircase that leads to our guest bedrooms, the massive living area which opens to our patio and the two breezeways that lead to the rest of this paradise on earth.
I can't wait to print out some of the photos we took on St. Barth's and Sapphire during our little holiday and decorate the place. Sadly, Oliver and I don't have lots of photos from the beginning of our relationship - prior the psychopath's time with me - but I want to change that. I won't repeat my mistakes of the past. I will cherish every moment with this man. I will never take his company, his love, for granted ever again.
It's already dark outside as we've arrived in the evening but this place makes my heart skip a beat.
Coming home has never felt better.
My husband lets our two leathered bags drop on to the parquet floor. We've traveled with the necessities as we knew we'd be spending our weekend on Sapphire most of the time.
"Are you hungry?" My husband asks me after he shut our front door. "I still have some pão de queijo dough in the freezer."
That does sound tempting but there's something I want more than food. I shake my head, "I'd rather take a long bath with you before snuggling up on the sofa and watch a movie."
"Like good old times?" My husband shows me a smile.
I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him softly. We haven't christened our bathtub yet although we've already been living here for two weeks. "In a matter of twelve weeks this will be a very rare occasion."
Oliver's smile stretches into a wide grin. "Somehow I cannot wait for that time."
I mirror his grin, "Me neither." I take his hands and place them on the bump as our twins start kicking again.
"Seems like we're not the only ones that are so excited."
I place my hands on his and intertwine our fingers. Feeling his golden wedding ring against mine, his hands resting on the bump and our twins kicking inside of me... there's no better feeling in the world.
Even the roughest, kinkiest BDSM sex can't top this.
This is my family.
And I love them with every heartbeat.
"I'll let in the water." My husband announces after the twins stop kicking.
"And I'll unpack our bags." I offer.
Oliver lifts our joined hands to his lips and kisses my wedding rings. "Okay but I'll carry them upstairs."
I roll my eyes at his words. "I can still carry two leathered bags upstairs. I'm pregnant. Not sick."
Before I can bend over and pick up one of the bags, my husband has already picked up both of them with ease.
"No." With that he starts walking through the left breezeway that leads to our free flowing staircase which connects to our master wing upstairs.
I sigh as I follow him. "Will this continue through the rest of my pregnancy?"
"I think the question implies the answer." My husband simply answers as we reach the glass staircase that Marco designed in a way that it seems the wooden steps are flowing in the air.
I smirk at his smart-ass answer. It sounds like me two years ago, the me before I met the love of my life. I follow him upstairs and notice how my body has changed in its physics already. I am very fit but even I know that walking up stairs will become tougher as my pregnancy progresses.
Oliver rushes through our foyer, master bedroom and into the en-suite bathroom before I can even say a word. "I'll just throw the dirty laundry in our laundry baskets."
I sigh as I enter our white marble tiled bathroom. It's a massive room with a skylight and a round window with blue stained glass and a pink peony on the inside. A huge white free standing bathtub that is craved out of the same marble stone that's been used on the floor stands in front of the round window. The transformation is seamless. The floor has these beautiful Portuguese royal blue floral tiles that frame the room and the inside is a stunning light marble with a royal blue swirl that finds its focus point right where the bathtub is standing on. It looks like the bathtub is rising out of the marble floor because it's made out of the same stone with the exact same royal blue swirl.
It's the most beautiful bathtub I have ever seen in my life!
I can't believe we haven't bathed in it yet.
The walls are tiled with hexagon shaped light grey marbles tiles. Inside the shower we have this stunning mosaic that recreates lots of feathering leaves. They fit to the Portuguese tiles and the huge light marble with the royal blue swirl. The shower is a lot like the one we have at Landmark Place.
Except it's better. Everything's better.
Because this is our forever home.
"You're purposely not leaving any work for me." I point out and watch how Oliver empties the two cognac leathered bags. I walk over to him and pick up our small bags that are filled with our toothbrushes. I always travel with my own toothbrush, although there are brand new toothbrushes on the plane, the hotel, the yacht or anywhere else I might go to. I can use whatever shampoo, shower gel or soap is available in the hotel but I always travel with my own toothbrush.
And my own slippers.
It's one of my quirks.
"You can wipe our slippers clean." Oliver suggests as he fishes out our slippers.
Yes, it has become one of his quirks as well. I pick up our two pairs of slippers. They have a shearling filling and are nubuck leathered on the outside - a light blue for me and a light grey for my husband. We were barefoot on Sapphire but did wear our slippers on the plane and I wore mine the night we spend in Ralph's hotel room.
We were in the Caribbean but I wore warm shearling filled slippers. Simply because my feet are always cold.
I clean the soles of the shoes with warm soapy water before disinfecting them and laying them to dry.
Oliver lets the water into our massive freestanding bathtub. It's big enough for the two of us and deep enough for the water to cover my knees and boobs - and hopefully futuristic massive bump - at the same time. We have two massive light grey coloured cushions at each end of the bathtub. It's from a German company called badesofas, which intends to make your bathtub feel like a sofa.
And it does exactly that.
"Lavender bath oil? Or a bubble bath?" Oliver's question rips me out of my thoughts.
"Both." I answer his question and walk over to our bubble bath collection before we can. There's a collection of ten different bath oils and bubble baths standing in the cabinet underneath the windowsill. I pick up a bath oil and bubble bath with lavender before walking back to the bathtub. I pour in a little of both into the running water and Oliver swirls his hands in the water to encourage the bubbles.
His golden wedding band shimmers in the water. For some reason it gives me the greatest warmth and fills my heart with love.
"Perhaps we can throw the pão de queijos into the oven while the water is still running."
My husband smirks as he shakes the excess water off his left hand. "I knew you wouldn't be able to say no to them."
I shrug, "They're just too good to resist."
"I'll throw them into the oven. You can get our pyjamas."
"I think none of mine fit me anymore. Well, they don't fit the three of us anymore."
"I always liked you in my T-shirts anyway."
"Even they, I fear, are going to be too small in the matter of weeks."
"I know you absolutely hate shopping but maybe you can do some online shopping while the watching movie with me?"
I growl, "I'd rather just send a text to our stylist."
My husband chuckles, "That works as well."
We walk out of the en-suite and I watch my husband leave the master wing. Once he is gone, I open the left door next to our marbles fireplace and walk down the hallway that leads to our walk-in wardrobes. I stop at the round ottoman that's standing in front of my framed wedding dress and Oliver's tuxedo. The right door has our royal outfits while the left door is our private wardrobe. I turn left, open the door and switch on the lights. There's an island in the middle of this square shaped room that has hardwood floors. The cabinets on the walls are white and there's a mirror at the end of the room, which hides our green room. The left side is full of Oliver's clothes, the right side is full of mine. I open one of the eight drawers on the left side of the island and fish out two T-shirt's, a grey and a black one. Then I get out a pair of black boxer briefs for Oliver. I close the drawers and have a look at my side of the wardrobe. Pretty soon nothing of these clothes is going to fit me. My trousers might fit be for another week and the sweaters perhaps for two or three weeks... but my dresses are too tight already.
Perhaps I should call this the pre-pregnancy wardrobe.
I decide to at least give my pyjamas another try. I open the drawer on my side of the island and get out a sky blue silk button down shirt. I get out of my cashmere sweater and into the button down shirt. I can close the first three buttons but the fourth, fifth and sixth button are hopeless. The bump is too big.
I get out of the shirt and throw it into the drawer before shutting it. I get out a pair of fresh underwear for me and stop in my movements as I catch my reflection in the mirror. I pull the wide elastic of my cashmere joggers down. The bump is definitely there. It's so prominent that my large boobs are nothing compared to it. I place my hands on it as I feel the little tumblers inside. There are two very active babies in there.
After they stopped their somersaults, I pick up our clothes from the white marbled island and walk out of our non-royal wardrobe. After I entered or en-suite bathroom, I throw the clothes on the white ottoman. I get some white fluffy Egyptian towels out of our closed cabinets and place them on the ottoman as well.
I turn the water off for the bathtub and decide to check on my husband - and his pão de queijos. I walk out of our master wing. I feel the change of flooring as my feet step from the soft carpet onto the wood of the flowing stares that lead downstairs. I still can't believe this is our forever home. It's the house of our dreams and I can't wait for two more pairs of feet to be running through these rooms.
I walk through our cosy media room and formal dining room before entering the kitchen that's filled with the smell of the cheese bread that's baking in one of our ovens.
I wanted an enormous kitchen but even in here my tall husband fills it with his aura, making it look small in comparison to him. I always loved seeing him in his element but I adore seeing him make pão de queijos.
I want this to be a tradition in this household as well. Cooking with our twins, baking cookies and eating breakfast at our breakfast nook at the end of our massive and stunning kitchen island... these are moments I can't wait to experience.
But for now, all I want is my husband's pão de queijos.
"Looking good in there." My mouth is already watering.
"They need two more minutes." My husband's green eyes run down my half naked body. "Everything okay?"
I nod, "I tried on one of my pyjamas tops. It didn't fit."
Oliver takes off his grey cashmere cardigan and hands it to me. He is wearing a black T-shirt underneath. "Put this on. I don't want you to get sick."
"Oliver, there's underfloor heating throughout the whole house! I'm toasty warm!"
My husband continues to hold out his hand with the cardigan in.
I sigh, "Fine." I give in and get into the cardigan that is still warm from his body heat. The big black buttons of the cardigan stop right at my bra. My boobs have grown enormously in the last weeks.
Oliver opens the oven and gets out the cheese bread. The smell is just heavenly! He places the sizzling baking tray on our island, right next to me.
I don't think I can wait for them to cool down to start eating.
"You need to wait five minutes for them to cool down a little." Oliver's reading my mind like he always has. "And I think I know how we can spend the next five minutes very wisely."
"And how's that?"
Oliver picks up his iPhone from the marbled countertops. After a few seconds, Latin music suddenly starts filling our kitchen through the built in speakers. It brings back the best memories as it transports me back to Brazil. With a grin on his lips, my husband holds out his hand, "May I have this dance, Mrs. Bolton?"
I smirk at his question and place my hand in his. "Always."
We start dancing a quick salsa in our kitchen, allowing our bodies to feel the music like we did in Cuba and Brazil. The congas, bongos, bass, piano, tres, a horn section, and the smaller hand-held percussion instruments like the claves, guíro, or maracas along with trumpets and trombones play a harmony of music that can only be found in Latin America. It's for this music that I fell in love with the countries. The quick steps, the twists and turns, and the incredible fast music raise my heartbeat while at the same time making it full of love for the culture that my husband is from. I fell head over heels in love with a Brazilian. I fell in love with his ease and comfort, with his fire and passion... I fell in love with his pine green eyes and blonde hair... I fell in love with his ability to lead me.
And I fell in love with my desire to be lead by him.
My parents dance salsas in their kitchen and now I dance it with my husband in mine. I can't wait for the day our kids will join us.
We dance together for a song and another and another one... until my racing heart and burning lungs make me want to stop. "Promise me to make this a tradition."
My husband brushes a damp curl away from my face. "We'll be dancing even when we're old and wrinkly." He quotes me with a smirk on his lips.
I kiss his lips in response. This man is too wonderful to be true. "I want my cheese bread now." I demand.
His lips stretch into a smile, "Of course." He lets go of my hips and I walk over to the baking tray that has definitely cooled down in the last minutes.
I grab a cheese bread and tear it in half. This cheesy texture is exactly what I'm craving. I pop one half into my mouth and chew it. No one makes pão de queijos like my husband.
"Is it good?"
"Perfect." I answer with a full mouth. "This should become a tradition as well."
My husband nods, "Along with pancake Saturdays and all-day breakfast Sundays."
I smirk at his words as I remember our very first tradition. We started having breakfast meals the whole day on our third Sunday together. It was during a time when I thought we were nothing but an agreement, a contract that would last twelve weeks.
And now I can't imagine my life without him or our two unborn babies inside of me.
"And lots of churrascos in summer." Churrasco is the Brazilian version of a barbecue. Unlike us Britains, the Brazilians like to skewer their steaks on a big skewer called Churrasco. In a way it's similar to the Russian version - which is called Shashlik - as they like to skewer lots of meat that's cut into cubes.
"You really like that, don't you?"
"That along with finding you made that summer the best summer of my life."
My husband's green eyes fill with this look of love that he has given me since day one. It's a look I ignored, I blended it out and confused it with sexual desire.
It's the same look my father has given my mother for 36 years.
"I love you, too." He whispers before placing his large hands on my even larger bump. "All three of you."
I place my hands on his and take in the moment.
This is why I was born. For our two babies. For him.
And for pão de queijos.
Oliver
"This is the most perfect way to end a weekend." My wife decides with a smile on her lips. The bubbles of the bubble bath cover our bodies. The smell of lavender is as calming as the soft piano tunes that are filling our en-suite bathroom.
It's the polar opposite of the samba we danced in the kitchen just a few minutes ago.
"Do you want to make it a tradition as well?" I ask her with a smirk on my lips. Our backs are resting against massive cushions that Nate gifted us as a housewarming gift. We gave him a strange look as he placed them into our bathtub but he just waved it off and said we'd thank him later.
And we definitely will.
"Only if you add a foot massage."
I pick up her right foot and start pressing on her pressure points. Her feet have started to retain water, so I imagine it must be quite hard being on your feet all day. She lets out a moan that usually only escapes her lips when we're making love. "I should have started with that sooner if it makes you moan like that."
She laughs, "Don't get the wrong thoughts. Just because I'm really enjoying this foot massage doesn't mean I won't enjoy sex anymore."
Hell will freeze before Josephine stops enjoying sex. I smirk at her words before switching to her other foot.
Josephine's sky blue eyes run over my face until they stop at my right shoulder. At the remnants of her dental impression.
"I'm okay." I reassure her.
"I know. Trust me, I do."
"Then what's bothering you?" I ask her as I let go of her foot.
"Come over here." She gestures with her hands.
"Josephine,"
"I'll tell you but it's your turn to get a massage." She explains to me. "And now get your sexy ass over here." She demands in a bossy voice.
I never was able to say no to her when she's like that and I won't start now. I glide through the water until my back is against her bump, against our twins. I can feel their feet kicking against the walls of her tummy. The kicks vibrate down my back and make my muscle twitch.
Feeling them move is the best thing ever.
The sensation gets even better when I start feeling my wife's hands on my shoulders. Her fingers start kneading my stiff muscles with ease.
"Can you feel them?" She asks me almost in a whisper tone.
"Yes and it feels bloody amazing." I answer and let out a moan when she starts massaging my neck. "Gosh, this is so good!"
My wife kisses my right shoulder, a kiss for each tooth-print that's still visible on my skin. She runs her fingers down my arms before embracing me tightly. Then she rests her chin on my left shoulder. "I knew you were going to love your dark side, babe."
Her breath is hot against my ear. I place my hands on hers and feel her wedding rings. Being married to her, having children on the way... this is a dream I had ever since we met two years ago.
"Everything alright?" She asks me as I still haven't responded to her words.
I tilt my head to the side so I can see her breathtaking sky blue eyes. I always thought she was stunning when she put on makeup to go to work, but she's absolutely magnificent without any makeup on. I love seeing all her flawless skin, her birthmarks and the way her eyes glow. My wife is stunning, from the inside out.
My wife... this woman is mine as much as I am hers.
And these two babies that she's carrying are the cherry on top.
Sometimes reality is even better than any dream.
"My love,"
I snap out of my thoughts at my nickname. "Sorry, I was daydreaming I guess."
"Daydreaming? Your hot, pregnant wife is talking to you - and you dream of something else?"
I chuckle at her question. "I was mentally pinching myself for this moment right now."
Her eyes soften at my words, "I know how that feels."
"You do?"
"Yes, of course. I have to pinch myself every day as well. Having you back in my life, holding on to you again... Being with you in a bathtub again is all I ever wanted. I didn't realise how much I loved you when I pushed you away and I really wish... I really wish I had seen that earlier because then this whole Rothschild debacle wouldn't have happened."
"You shouldn't live in the past. What happened, happened. You can't go back and change it. We are together now, happily married and pregnant with our first two children. We found each other again, despite all that has happened. You and I are meant to be and Rothschild... that psychopath will be taken care of day by day, step by step. Okay?"
She nods and licks her full lips at my words. "Perhaps we should skip watching that movie and just go to bed." My wife suggests after some minutes.
It's her way of saying she's dog tired. "Okay. Whatever you want."
"Whatever I want? There's two people in this bathtub."
"Actually, there's four." I counter back.
"Yes, but they-"
"Matter the most." I interrupt her. "And for now you are their mouthpiece. So when you're tired it means they make you tired. You're full of hormones and my job is to make sure you're okay."
Tomorrow, we will be The Duke and Duchess again but right now... right now there's just the four of us in this bathtub.
Josephine opens her mouth to protest but to my surprise she closes it again.
I squeeze her left hand softly, "I love you, Tesoro."
"I love you too." She promises me with royal blue eyes.
Her words vibrate through my body like an earthquake. She has always had me under her spell. "I hope our kids don't inherit your stubbornness." I think out loud.
She shows me the most gorgeous smirk, "I hope they don't inherit your sense of minimalism."
"I'm living in a five thousand square feet home that the press dubbed Château Clarence. I don't think that's considered minimalism by any standard."
My wife licks her full lips again, "Well maybe they shouldn't inherit your sharp tongue then."
"Sharp tongue?!" I echo and rest my forehead against hers. "Their mother is the one with the sharp tongue."
She stares into my eyes. The hairs in my neck rise as her warm breath clashed against my face. Her scent fills my nostrils, it's the perfect mixture of orchids and the rough ocean on a sunny day. She's the beauty in the storm. She's perfection in an imperfect world.
"You love my sharp tongue." She whispers and I can feel her lips brush against mine.
I do. It's why I married her.
I turn around in the bathtub and cup her face. With my thumbs I fondle her cheeks, following her high cheekbones. "Your sharp tongue." I decide.
She places her hands on my lower arms and wraps her fingers around my wrist. "And your refusal of taking help."
She hit the bullseye with that. I was never good at taking or asking for help.
"Even if they'll have our worst traits, we'll be fine." She whispers against my lips. "We'll be fine either way. We're ready for them."
We are.
Josephine
The humming voice of my husband gently wakes me up the next morning. When I open my eyes, I need a moment to adjust to the bright morning light that's filling out bedroom. Oliver has opened the curtains and opened the blinds of our skylight.
Reaching out to my left, my hand finds the clock. I stare at it for a moment as my brain slowly processes the time.
It's just seven in the morning! How the hell is my husband so awake after last night?! I am exhausted after hours of sex, but he is up already?!
I roll over in our massive Hästens bed before getting out. We don't have to be at our office for another two hours. My naked feet get greeted by the warmth of our underfloor heating. I grab my light grey cashmere morning gown from the bench at the end of the bed before getting into it. The cashmere feels soft against my bare skin. I stare out of our transom windows and take in the peace that surrounds me. It's a beautiful frosty morning and I can see all the way to Bushy Park that borders upon Hampton Court Park, which is also known as Home Park. Our home is located in Home Park right at The Long Water and Thames on one side and Bushy Park at the other side. There's a slight fog surrounding the trees and grass, creating a mysterious light until the sun has boxed through. The mix of woodland and grassland areas in Bushy Park makes it ideal for many other small mammals. Rabbits, voles, mice and shrews are common, and hedgehogs are still to be found in good numbers although they have disappeared from most of the parks in inner London. I can see rabbits hopping around, pheasants walking through the grass and deers grazing. Red and Fallow Deer still roam freely throughout the Home park, just as they did when Henry VIII used to hunt here. There are currently about 320 deer and their grazing is essential to maintain the high wildlife value of the park's grasslands. Unlike cutting, grazing creates more variation in structure and plant diversity and does not damage the anthills, which add further diversity and character to the grassland. The dry, acidic, nutrient-poor soils support fine grasses and characteristic wild flowers, including: sheep's sorrel, harebell, tormentil, heath bedstraw and others.
Most people would call that a misery morning but to me it's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
I can't believe I get to wake up to this breathtaking view every morning.
"Good Morning."
I turn around at my husband's soft voice and feel my mouth go dry while my heart skips a beat. Oliver stands across me with a white towel wrapped around his hips. His abs are still glittering from the shower he has taken. His chin is freshly shaved. His blonde hair is dark as it's still damp.
And his eyes have that breathtaking forest green.
My eyes stop at his golden wedding band. Sometimes, I can't believe I'm married to this man.
His hands are holding the toys we used last night and that he cleaned. No whips and floggers yet but I was perfectly fine with the braided silk ropes, an eye mask and clamps.
Guiding my husband through this BDSM jungle gives me the greatest joy. We're in this together.
"Drop the towel." I breathe out after a moment of catching myself.
"What?"
I open my morning gown and let it fall to the floor. "Drop your towel."
It takes him less than a second before he's all over me.
I stare at my side of the walk-in wardrobe, the royal one. Everything in here was bought for a growing bump but even my stylist didn't think of the rapid growth that my unborn children were going to have. It's bespoke maternity clothes in mostly icy blue, which is my designated royal colour. Designer clothes made out of natural materials everywhere the eye can see. The press is going to call me Duchess of Luxury.
I run my fingers through my hair and let out a sigh. I'm already carrying two cauliflowers in my uterus and they're growing rather quickly. What the hell am I supposed to wear in the next weeks?
Suddenly, I break out in tears. They start streaming down my face uncontrollably.
"Tesoro, breakfast is-" My husband stops in the middle of his sentence. "Hey, what's wrong?"
I turn around and watch him walk over to me through my blurry vision. He is of course already fully dressed. "I've got nothing to wear!"
Oliver wraps his arms around me. "That's not true. You can wear..." he thinks for a moment as his green eyes scan my clothes. Then after a while his green eyes widen. "A cashmere dress. That's stretchy enough for the bump and by the evening you'll have a new wardrobe, okay? Does that sound like a plan?"
I sniff and nod before letting go of him. "I'm sorry for the outburst."
"Never apologise for your feelings again. Cry when you want. Scream when you want. Your body's growing two humans, you've got every excuse to have outbursts whenever the bloody you want."
I smile at his words. He always knows how to cheer me up. "I bloody love you, Oliver Bolton."
He runs his fingers through my hair, "I love you, too, Tesoro." He runs his large hands down my spine and plants them on my butt. "And now get dressed because I made breakfast and you know how much I hate eating cold meals." He smacks me on my butt playfully before turning on his heel. "I'll be waiting for you downstairs. It's safer for everyone."
I chuckle at his words. Him and I have always had a hard time when we got dressed in the same room. The second naked skin was visible, we were all over each other.
And that hasn't change just because I'm pregnant. If anything, our lust for one another grew.
I pick up the black velvet hanger that holds my grey cashmere dress and place it on the island behind me. Then I get out of my bathrobe before I slip into the dress. The soft cashmere feels good against my skin. It's stretchy around the bump. I take a look in the mirror. The fabric is hugging my body perfectly. The V-neckline is not too deep for my cleavage to be shown. The half moon pendant of my necklace sits perfectly on my chest. I touch the half moon and feel the sparkling stones. It was the most perfect wedding gift from my Daddy. My chestnut curls are so long and glossy that they already grow past my boobs and my makeup is rather neutral.
I decide to squeeze my feet into a pair of black heels to elevate the outfit a little. Then I open my jewellery drawers and pick up diamond earrings, the bracelet that my husband gifted me in Africa and a Cartier diamond covered watch.
When I look back at my reflection in the mirror I can see Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Clarence.
I used to dress differently for my job at my family's company as well and whenever I saw my reflection I saw the costume and the mask that I wore. I didn't recognise myself.
Seeing Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Clarence however is different. I see the hard work I am doing, the privilege I have to be working my dream job, the charitable work I will do but most of all I see myself.
I am no longer wearing a mask or costume.
I am Josephine and HRH The Duchess of Clarence.
And I feel perfectly happy being both.
Stripe the Clarences off their titles!
Daily Sun's readers voted in our exclusive poll on whether the Duke and Duchess of Clarence, who have joined the Royal Family on January first and since then made themselves rare on public engagements but very publicly on private engagements by holidaying in East Africa for nine weeks and more recently spending a weekend in the Caribbean, should lose their titles. A huge 90 percent of respondents (53,000 people) replied yes, while just nine percent said no and two percent responded they did not know.
Commenting on the poll, one reader wrote: "Josie and Oli are no real royals. Josie's Just after the title and dragged her husband into it. Not even two 'royal' babies will change that. I, for my part, hope they won't do that Lindo thing and instead opt for releasing a few photos of the newborn babies. There is therefore every reason why they should be stripped of their Clarence royal title."
Another said: "They were given the title of Duke and Duchess too quickly, they should be made to 'wait' and earned their stripes. King C should have made them president and vice-president of the QCT first and honour their work by gifting them titles later. It would have given the nation time to get to know them and their values. They're strangers, apart from those five minutes in their documentary, we've never heard them speak."
Michael 235 wrote: "They built a replica of Hampton Court Palace and call it Château Clarence! They said no taxpayers money was used but I seriously doubt it. The multimillion pounds mansion doesn't really make them appear so generous and altruistic. I'd rather see them open their gates for people who live on the street than hear about another holiday."
Another bombshell dropped by one reader: "Josie and Oli just announced her pregnancy. However, one can't help but wonder if they just waited for their reputation to get to its worst to announce the pregnancy. Ever since the announcement I've been wondering if really Oliver is the father and not Prince Louis? Josie and Louis have been getting along very well despite what the tabloids wrote about them. It would be the scandal of the year if the Clarence Twins turn out to be Wales' twins, making them actual royals. However, it's just my intuition that has never failed me in my 73 years."
I put the iPad down full of rage. This is not how I expected my Monday to turn out after coming home from St. Barth's. "They really think Louis is the father of my babies?!" I breathe out in shock. That's the most ridiculous story I've ever read!
"I think it's safe to say an interview with the BBC is now unavoidable. You need to be heard. You need to answer at least the basic questions. The nation needs to get to know you. You have to do this otherwise the monarchy is going to suffer from irreparable damage." Zahar urges me.
"Perhaps you should consider doing a tour through Great Britain anyway. Interact with the folks. Show them your generosity. Show them you understand them and that you care. Show them who you are."
Lydia and Sarah nod in agreement.
I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose, "Okay. Call someone from the BBC and have a team come here."
Zahar nods, "We'll have them here in a few hours."
"You want to do it today?"
"We need to react rather quickly." Lydia agrees with her before looking at Sarah, "How fast can you get hair and makeup here?"
"As quickly as you need me to. I've got someone on speed dial." Sarah looks at me, "I suggest you go with an innocent off-white for the interview. And you should wear the pearl drop earrings that you wore for the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster. It would not only highlight the support you have from the royal family, but also your sense of recycling as you have worn them before."
Lydia nods in agreement, "Good idea, we don't want to go from Duke and Duchess of Holiday to Duke and Duchess of Excess."
It's about image and damage control. It's about changing the narrative. It's my bloody new life as a senior working member of the royal family. I look over my shoulder and stare at my husband, who is talking to the men of our team. They're sitting around another oval wooden table. I almost regret flying to the Caribbean and all the fun we had because of its outcome. I never wanted to do an interview with the BBC. I never wanted us to be in the focus of the spotlight so much, but maybe it's been unavoidable. No matter what we would have done, it would have come down to this. To this sit down interview, answering questions as if we were in a job interview.
Zahar shakes her head, "No, not white for the interview. Maybe a sunny yellow?"
The fact that we're discussing colours is ridiculous!
"Yellow is the Duchess of Windsor's colour." Sarah reminds her.
"I'll wear icy blue." I decide although I would love to wear sunny yellow, a royal blue, a raspberry pink or a rich emerald. But I can't.
Because I have chosen icy blue as my colour.
"Okay. It's better to be safe than sorry." Lydia says, earning nods from Sarah and Zahar.
I sigh before looking back at the women sitting across me, "Okay. Let's do this interview in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace. Maybe the rose garden or Privy Garden or even the meadows. Ask for a transcript of the questions first, so Oliver and I can prepare ourselves."
The women all nod as I rise from the table. It's a tit or tat kind of relationship with the media, we give them something and they don't throw us out to the wolves in return. We haven't given them much in the past and the result is an official poll to ask whether or not we should be striped off our titles.
However, what they didn't consider is that it's a decision by the parliament not by the king. He can only forbid us from using the title, but he can't take it away. And the parliament is rather pleased with our work so far, so it's unlikely to happen. But I understand that the public wants some sort of reaction from us. It's just like they said, we're strangers to them. So maybe an introduction via an interview won't be that bad.
Oliver
I slip into my light grey jacket before turning around to check on my wife. She's sitting in a chair at the conference table. A team of hair and makeup stylists are around her, making sure she looks perfect for our first public interview together. But she's focused on the two sheets that are laying in front of her. It's a script of the questions that will be asked by BBC interviewer Jennifer Mayers. She and her team are getting everything ready for the world changing interview in the rose garden of Hampton Court Palace. We decided to hold the interview outside in nature.
It's where we both feel most comfortable.
"Your Royal Highness,"
I wince at the sound of my prefix and look at the team that's been dedicated to my appearance in the last hour. Stewart's grey eyes dance down my body before an approving nod follows. "I think you're ready to go."
"Thank you so much." I say to Stewart before walking over to my wife. She looks stunning in her icy blue dress. I think I heard the stylist say it's from Givenchy or some other French designer. It has a boat cut neckline and a classic cut. But the bump with our unborn twins in it is what catches my attention the most. The bump has grown so much in the last two weeks. It's so big that it's undeniable. I feel so much pride and love when I look at my two unborn children. Josephine and I made these two with our love.
I place my hand on her left shoulder as I reach her, "Ready?"
My wife tilts her head back to look me in the eyes. She's asked for a light makeup so her birthmarks can be seen. The smile on her lips reaches the corners of her eyes so easily. "Yes." She places her left hand on mine and squeezes it softly.
"You went over the questions once more?"
She nods, "You know me too well."
I know her inside out and yet there are moments when she surprises me.
My wife gifts her styling team a generous smile, "Thank you for your incredible work." With that she rises from the wooden chair and I notice the bump in her profile. It's not as visible from the front as the belly is more wide than long. According to my Mama it means she's carrying two girls - that and the severe morning sickness is the clue she said. Josephine chose to not believe her and countered with the fact that my Mama has three boys and had the same severe morning sickness.
Boys or girls or one of each - I already love them as they are.
My wife grabs my hand and we walk outside into the rose garden. It's a beautiful sunny day and the smell of the different roses is just incredible! It reminds me of the first time when I noticed Josephine's smell. She smelled like orchids to me, like the National flower of Brazil. But now I realise she's smelled like this all along. She smelled like British roses but with an exotic touch - her Brazilian heart.
I can see how the BBC camera team is getting everything ready in front of the rose bushes. There's a wooden bench for us to sit on. It has white cushions on it.
"Everything okay?" My wife asks me.
I didn't realise I stoped walking and stared at the BBC crew. I nod, "Yes."
"Are you sure?"
I nod and run my free fingers through her gorgeous chestnut curls. "Yes. I'm ready for whatever life might throw at us."
A small smile flashes over her flawless face, "Northern Lights."
It takes everything within me to not kiss her right now. I control the need to wrap my arms around her waist, pull her close to me until I can feel the bump against my belly and kiss her until we're both breathless. I inhale deeply, "Northern Lights."
Josephine
"Your Royal Highnesses, huge congratulations on the pregnancy. How are you feeling?" Jennifer Mayers, the chosen BBC interviewer asks us. These are standard questions, but I guess they're necessary for the public to get to know us. They don't know us and our values, but they will after the interview.
"Thank you very much. I am feeling well considering the circumstances. We are absolutely delighted by the news and taking this journey day by day."
"Have you already set up their nursery?"
Oliver chuckles, "No, not yet. There's still time for that. We'll probably do some wall art like we did in the kindergarten that Josephine's family's firm built a few years ago."
Jennifer Mayers smiles at his words before looking at me, "You're an artist?"
I shake my head, "No, not at all. I enjoy drawing and decided to decorate the walls of the kindergarten a little. I painted art, that is suitable for children."
"What did you paint?"
I run my fingers through my hair, "A jungle with animals that can be found there like monkeys, bengals, different parrots... I painted fruit and veggies in the kitchen."
"You painted the Northern Lights for the room of dreams." Oliver reminds me. "The colourful swirl in the sky turned out perfect. It was an exact recreation of the Northern Lights we saw in Lappland."
The memory makes me smile, "Yes, that was the hardest to paint."
"Sounds very magical." Jennifer comments. I'm sure some parent is going to photograph the wall art and post that on Instagram. The kindergarten will be known for the art by me, not for their work. "So, how did the two of you meet?"
"We met in a café in Battersea and although there was this instant spark, we didn't acknowledge it until much later." I explain as neutral as possible. We decided to keep Oliver's past a secret. From rags to royal - that's a headline we want to avoid under all costs.
"Fate kept pushing us together: we met at a church, then in Greenwich, at a charity gala in the Ritz and finally it turned out that we were working in the same soup kitchen in Parsons Green."
"And after one evening there we ended up playing Latin music in the soup kitchen we worked at after cleaning up. Everyone let loose, was dancing to the music... and we ended up dancing a salsa." I say and look at Oliver as I remember this very special first dance. "It was then when I thought I had to see where this could lead."
"And clearly it lead to you joining the royal family and working as president and vice-president of the QCT." Mayers says, "Did you expect that?"
We both shake our heads. "No, clearly not. It was... it was a big surprise to be offered this incredible role and the privileges that come with it." I tell her.
"As I understand, His Majesty offered you the roles?"
"Yes, during his official birthday party at Royal Albert Hall. He asked for a private meeting and offered us the roles and the new working model." Oliver says to her.
"We asked for some time to think it through, to talk to our families and think of the consequences." I add. "And after some time, we met again and discussed the details."
"Did you had to undergo the famous royal training?"
"Yes, of course. But we got to build our own household and our own website. We have a team that we trust and get to live in the beautiful quarters of Hampton Court Palace."
"And what does it mean to be the president and vice-president of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust?"
"It's just an incredible honour just being considered and now that we've seen and met the people in Tanzania and Mauritius, it was... pretty outstanding. We got to meet so many different people of all backgrounds and build these facilities which will have such a tremendous effect on the people's lives there. Charitable work is our lives' focus and our devotion to charity is at the very core the principals we live by. We're so happy to be doing good and enforce change." Oliver answers the question.
"Just last weekend we were in the Caribbean to support the team I used to sail with and watch the regatta. And while the press was spinning this story into a holiday, it wasn't a holiday. We sailed over to the Bahamas and St. Lucia to talk to the people there. We've had several meetings with different charities located in the Caribbean that are part of the Commonwealth. We split into two to meet as many charities as possible that were dear to our hearts and to hear how we can support it. Financial support is one side but the humanitarian side is what truly fulfills us."
"Are you planning to do work in the Caribbean next?"
I lick my lips at the question as I decide to not allow her to have a glimpse into our cards, "We don't want to just help nation for nation, but rather tackle problem by problem across the entire commonwealth. We see the issues as commonwealth issues and not just issues that geographically can be found for example only in the Caribbean or Africa. Most issues are not only locally but globally."
"Our plans will be announced in due course." Oliver gives an answer that's more directly.
"Will future trips include visits to your home country, Your Royal Highness?" Jennifer asks my husband.
"There are official trips planned as of right now." He answers, understanding the hint.
"Can you tell us a bit about your childhood? What was it like to grow up in sunny Brazil?"
That wasn't a question on the script. I look at my husband.
"I was born and raised in Rio. I grew up surfing in the Atlantic Ocean, eating açai bowls all year long and bicycling along the countless beaches. Brazilians spend their lives outside at the beach. We don't have cold winters. I haven't seen snow until Josephine and I witnessed the Northern Lights in Sweden."
"Did it take you a lot to adjust to the British weather?"
"Not at all. I was amazed when I came to London and saw the leaves changing colours in autumn. It was just beautiful. I was in awe of witnessing the seasons changing in a way I have never seen in Rio. In Rio there are two seasons: summer and winter season. Streets can be easily flooded in our winter season, which has nothing to do with ice and snow. Winter in Brazil means very heavy rain, sometimes for days. It's very different to England."
I have the urge to grab his hand and squeeze it but I restrain myself. This is no place for the display of our affection.
"Was it hard to combine both of your cultures?" Jennifer looks at me.
I shake my head. "No, not at all. Our families get along very well. We share the same values and speak the same language. Our marriage didn't just join two different cultures, it joined two worlds. The different cultural influences lead to diverse conversations, laughter and lots of dancing. The learning effect of listening to a different view and considering it, is very helpful when it comes to bringing the diplomats of the Commonwealth to one table."
"Our work benefits from our private life." Oliver agrees with me. The smile on his face is genuine.
"How was meeting His Majesty?" The question is directed to my husband.
"It was slightly intimidating at first. He is such an incredible leader and an amazing father, grandfather and great-grandfather." My husband gives a diplomatic answer. "We get along really well."
Oliver
As soon as the BBC crew is gone, I watch how my wife slips out of her stilettos. She wiggles her toes before grabbing the shoes by the heel. "I'll walk barefoot home."
I can't hide the grin on my lips. That's the non-royal side of her that I fell in love with. I hold out my hand and she takes it. I will never take holding her hand for granted. "We wanted to pay your brother and Char a visit." I remind her. Nate's home is finally finished and they moved in over the weekend. We haven't had a chance to see their new home yet.
She bites on her lower lip, "I'll clean my feet in their mud room."
I nod, "Okay."
We walk out of our office at Hampton Court Palace and on to the perfectly trimmed grass that surround our little part of the palace. Luckily we're surrounded with roses and wildflower fields. As it's spring the flowers are in full bloom it's a stunning way to walk home every day. Nothing like the palms in Rio, but everything I ever wanted.
"I don't know how I used to walk in stilettos every day." My wife mumbles.
"Well, you weren't pregnant then." I point out. It's sunny but there's a cool wind in the air so I'm grateful for my wife's pink cashmere coat that she's in.
"True. This reminds me of my childhood. We used to run barefoot in our backyard all the time."
I smile as this creates a picture in my mind. I can't wait to chase our two kids through our backyard, which is the Home as well as Bushy Park. Large enough to play hide and seek... and never be found.
I gulp at my thought and decide to push it away.
"I bet you spent your childhood building sandcastles at the beach." My wife chases the thought away completely.
"I did."
"Did your Dad teach you how to swim in the ocean?"
I nod as the memories of my childhood start flooding my mind. I miss my Papa every day, but especially now that I'm about to become a father myself. He was my anchor in life and I felt lost until I met Josephine.
I was a alive but I wasn't living. And she brought new reasons to live... my eyes stop at the bump.
And now she gifted me the best gifts ever.
She squeezes my hand softly. "You'll teach our kids how to swim in the ocean as well. It may not be the South Atlantic Ocean in Brazil, but it will definitely be the ocean. I don't want our kids to grow up in pools full of chlorine. I want them to grow up in all forms of nature. I want them to see the forests, jungles and feel the sand between their toes. I want them to jump in puddles as much as I want them to bath in the sun. They will grow up in this picturesque place as much as they will grow up on our yacht, island and the Amazon jungle. They'll know their roots, your background and mine."
"Is that your way of telling me they'll be spending their holidays in foreign countries?" I read between her lines.
"Definitely. We're the president and vice-president of the Commonwealth Trust and I won't abandon our duty just because our family has grown."
"Does that mean we're going to travel a lot before they start school?"
She nods, "I want them to see the world. I want them to see how hands help. I want them to see how our actions make the world a better place."
She has altruism in her DNA. "I like that. I've always wanted to travel the world but life had other plans for me... until I met you."
Josephine kisses me softly. "And now the four of us will see the world together. They will learn how to walk on Sapphire just like me. They will learn how to swim in the South Atlantic Ocean if we're on French Cay or in the South Pacific if we're on Motu Tane. You will teach them how to surf and I will teach them how to ice skate and ride a bike."
"I can't wait for these days. I can't wait for our life ahead. I can't wait for our future but I also love our right now as well."
"I love our right now as well." She whispers with the most adorable smirk on her lips. "And what I love the most about it is being barefoot."
I chuckle at her words.
"I hope this interview will clear the rumours a little." She says with a sigh.
"Don't worry so much."
"This one comment just stuck in my mind. Perhaps we should open the gates for the homeless people. We could arrange a part of Bushy Park and build tents for them to sleep in. If not now than the Eastern or Christmas season would be good."
"That's a great idea but we have to run it through the senior courtiers and the King before making any plans."
She nods, "I know. I just miss working at the soup kitchen."
Yeah, that's become impossible with our new titles and jobs. "I miss it as well." I admit as we reach the former stables of Hampton Court Palace. Except they are stables right now as well. I can smell the typical smells that can be found in a horse stable. I can hear the horses and see the twelve different horses resting in their stables.
Are we at the wrong address?!
"This is definitely not Nate and Char's new home." My wife breathes out, just as surprised as me.
"But this is where it's supposed to be, right?"
Josephine nods, "Yes. They told us they had torn the stables down and built their house. But what they did was built completely new stables. Do you see the colour and the iron sticks at the door? The complete statics are new. Everything's completely new in fact."
I pull my iPhone out of the pocket of my jeans and decide to call my brother-in-law.
He picks up after the sixth ring. "Hey, Oli!"
"We're here at where your new home should be. That you wanted to show us today. But all-"
Josephine rips the iPhone out of my hand. "All we're seeing here are the stables with horses in them. Where the bloody hell is your home?! You better get your ass down here and explain yourself, Nathanial." She hisses before hanging up.
Yep, Josephine's pissed at her brother's white lie.
"Why are you smirking?" My wife asks me.
I didn't realise I was smirking. "No reason. Let's just hope he is going to be here soon."
"He'll be here soon enough. Whenever I pull the Mum-card on him, he is usually here within five minutes."
"You'll be a great Mum." I think out loud. She did sound like Gabriella but also like herself. Perhaps that's because they're both mothers.
Her sky blue eyes fill with love. "And you'll be a great Dad."
The horses in the stables are calling my wife and to her it's like a siren's call.
She's gone before I can blink.
I have a feeling our twins are going to be just as obsessed with horses as their Mummy.
Thirty minutes later, I am shocked by what I see. It's an absolute breathtaking composition of six cabins that climb up the trees, looking like one with the nature of Bushy Park. There is a wooden bridge that leads to the first house. The rest of the houses are connected with terraces and staircases. The last house looks like it is sitting on top and between the two lower tree houses. All houses, except the last one, have solar decks. Whatever I imagined Nate's home to look like, it definitely wasn't this! I thought it would look similar to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor as this was their previous home.
But never in the world would I have thought of a tree house!
"That's definitely not the horse stables." My wife points out the obvious.
You'd really think I'd be living in a former horse stable?" Char asks her.
"Right, not you."
"You tricked His Majesty again?" I ask Charlotte.
She shrugs with a grin on her lips, "I think it's safe to say it's becoming my specialty."
Nate embraces his wife with one arm, "Better that than another exile in Leeds."
My wife laughs, "This is way better than Leeds!"
"It's great, isn't it?" Nate asks us with a grin on his lips.
"It's very much like you." His sister agrees with him. "Better than Adelaide Cottage in Windsor."
I remember the yellow Victorian house. It's the polar opposite of this.
"Over time the trees will include our home even more." Charlotte explains.
"It's the perfect way to camouflage and keep your privacy." I think out loud. Privacy has always been on top of our priority list. "It's also a total opposite of Rory's home and ours."
This time Nate laughs, "Yes! I wanted something similar to Hogwarts but then Char chimed in with her idea of a tree house."
"You mean tree houses. I count six." Josephine corrects her brother.
Char points at the different houses, that are made of breathtaking acorn. The houses have big windows but not big enough to make it look like it's too open. "We divided them into different areas. Our master house is on top for the view obviously. The kitchen and living areas come first. There's also a guesthouse and a house just for the kids' bedrooms."
"And we'll use your pool in the summer." Nate says to me.
"You're welcome any time."
"How big is the living space?"
"We've got 150 square meters in each house but the house on the top is slightly smaller."
"How did you hide the pipes for the bathrooms?" Josephine asks them.
"They're hidden and painted behind the trees." Nate answers.
I stare at that massive tree house composition in front of us. They don't have one home, they have six houses on six different height levels! It's crazy but also totally cool.
I always wanted a tree house in Brazil. But you can't build one on top of a palm - and the Brazilian jungle is too dangerous to consider it a home for humans.
However this right here comes as close to my childhood dream as possible.
"Let's get inside!" Char urges us inside.
Josephine
"Did I promise too much?" My brother whispers into my right ear as I stare out of the window front of the highest house in their tree home constellation.
The view is just spectacular! The highest house that's called the masters sits above most tree crowns, except the trees that surround the houses to give extra privacy and security. But the view is perfectly clear. It shows the tree crowns in front of us, the river Thames and the building across the Thames that runs through London like a snake. Chestnut House is situated between Nate's home and Rory's home. That way we form the perfect triangle shape. Nate's home is the furthest away from Hampton Court Palace as he is situated a lot further into the land, whereas my home is quite near to the waters of both the Long Walk and the Thames.
Charlotte always wanted us all to live close by, but I never thought we'd end up in the Home Park of Hampton Court Palace.
How life goes.
Or rather Charlotte's plans.
I shake my head, "No, not at all. It's a stunning view!"
"The windows are all mirrored on the outside, so whenever a drone does fly above us it will never see inside."
I read between his lines, "You heard of the article."
"Château Clarence was a really catchy headline." My brother smirks in a way Daddy likes to smirk at Mummy. "I'm surprised they didn't write about our home."
I sit down on the king sized bed that has light blue bedding. "I assume they didn't fly long enough to see it. You can't find something you aren't looking for."
"Very wise."
I shrug, "Comes with the flush of hormones. It's paired with a sprinkle of nausea and fatigue."
My brother bursts into laughter that surprisingly sounds nothing like our Daddy's. It's one of the little things he doesn't share with him. My only big brother sits down on the other side of the bed and lays down. "St. Barth's was good for you."
I mirror his gesture and am reminded of our time at Oxford together. We used to lay on his or mine bed like this all the time. We used to stare at the ceiling and talk about men, women and everything else that was on our hearts. I stare at the chandelier that's hanging above the bed. It's full of sparkling crystals. "Oliver met Andrew." I breathe out.
"Ah, the husband met the affair. I assume that was lots of fun."
I turn my head to the left to look at my brother. "Oliver's not the jealous type." His faith in us was always unshakable. He loved me earlier than I loved him. He loved me more because I wasn't ready to love him back.
I don't deserve this man but I will cherish my time with him until my last breath.
"Right and I'm blue skinned." Nate rolls his navy eyes at my words.
"He is not!" I insist.
"How did he react?"
"He was fine. They talked on the flight home."
"He didn't threaten him or hit him?"
"He's not the jealous type. And violent type."
"Unicorns and rainbow didn't end any war in history either."
"Andrew and Oliver don't have a war going on."
"True that's the psychopath's war with us."
I sigh.
"Sorry."
"Let's go back to Char and Oliver." I try to change the subject and get up from the bed. I really don't want to talk about the psychopath.
My brother nods and we leave the masters house that consists of a massive walk-in wardrobe, an en-suite bathroom and the bedroom itself. I close the door of the acorn cabin as I enter the terrace which is connected to a staircase that leads to the other levels. "How are you guys going to do that in the winter? The acorn is going to be slippery and icy." The smell of the surrounding acorns fill my nostrils. Having this smell every time you open your windows is surely something I could get used to as well. I love the contrast of the oiled and sealed acorn and the green trees around us. Nate and Char's home blends in perfectly with the nature but it stands out enough to be recognised.
It's the perfect balance.
"It has underfloor heating."
"Smart."
"I know." My brother winks at me.
"How about when it rains?
"We have enough umbrellas in every house."
"Have you decided what to put on the terraces?" I ask him as we walk down the staircase. I count six terraces of different sizes. They could create different sanctuaries for every need. "You could put a hot tub on one of them." I suggest.
"That's a great idea. We haven't thought about it yet."
Each house has about 150 square meters of living space, plus the terraces in between. It's a home that can only fit to my brother's personality. "I really like your forever home, Nate. It's as unique as you."
"Is this the hormones talking again?" My brother mocks me.
I roll my eyes at his question. "I take back my husband's offer of sharing a pool with you guys. You may use the Hampton Pool." I joke. Hampton Pool is at the end of Bushy Park. It used to be a summer getaway when Hampton Court Palace was still open for tourists, but now it's for us Royals to use.
My brother embraces me with one arm, "I love you, Jo."
"I know. And your wife loves me so much that she gifted me a royal title and a home on the grounds of a palace."
"I have the best wife in the world, I know!" Nate grins at me.
I smirk, "You surely do."
"But your husband is cut out of the same cloth."
I don't know why but his comment brings tears to my eyes. "You really think that?"
My brother embraces me as tightly as possible, "This is the most emotional I've ever seen you but for the heck of making you cry even worse, yes I do. He's like the Brazilian Bolton. He fits into the family like the psychopath never could."
Suddenly, our twins start kicking in my belly.
"Oh, I felt that!" My brother says before letting go of me and placing his hands on the bump. "They'll be excellent polo players one day!"
That's the most British thing he could have said. I chuckle. "Well, they have an uncle that's going to make sure they will." I've never been much of a polo player. I love horses but I prefer to ride along the white cliffs in Dover or at the beach.
My brother nods, "I'll take that job very seriously."
"I hope you will, otherwise my husband will kick your butt."
"I thought he wasn't the violent type." Nate raises his left eyebrow at me.
I roll my eyes as we reach the lowest house. That's where we left Oliver with Char along my nieces. It's the house with a family room, kitchen and a guest bathroom.
My brother holds the door open for me. "Pregnant women go first here in my home."
I chuckle at his words before walking inside. It's a wide an open space with just one door that leads to the guest bathroom. To my surprise my nieces aren't running circles in the living area of this house, they're fast asleep on the massive teal coloured sofa. With Char and Oliver right next to them. The TV is showing Beauty and the Beast. It's one of my brother's favourite Disney movie. Actually, he loves all Disney movies.
They're definitely Nate's kids.
"How about we eat something and let them sleep?" My brother asks me in a quite voice. I think he's quite grateful for their naps.
I nod before following him into the open kitchen. It's significantly smaller than my kitchen but it's just as beautiful with its light grey marble worktops and teal coloured cabinets and glass doors of the hanging cabinets. There's a large island with four pink barstools which, together with the wooden dining table, functions as a natural room divider.
This whole cabin is full of natural materials with pops of colours here and there.
This is the most Char and Nate's home it could be.
"How are you?" My brother asks me.
I shrug, "I'm okay. I am not doing great but I'm also not doing bad. My hips are starting to hurt from the weight a little, the nausea is still coming and going in sudden waves, I have heartburn every now and then, I officially can't put sneakers on anymore without Oliver's help... and I honestly have no idea how women ever decided to have more than one child. Why do we do this if we end up with two or three instead of one in the uterus? The human body is designed to carry one child not two or three!"
"We do this because we're so in love with someone that the two of you can't contain it all, so you make another person out of that love. And sometimes you make two or three..."
I wipe the tears away from my face as my brother's words hit me so hard. "Or eight." I whisper. Mummy and Daddy made eight of us - well, technically seven and adopted the eight but that doesn't count.
My brother nods and for a moment it feels like I'm standing across Daddy and not him. "Or eight." He echoes my words, "But honestly, I'm not going to go to eight with Charlotte. Three or four, but definitely not more. Eight is insane."
"Not for Mum and Dad. It felt just right to them. And it felt just as normal to us. We didn't grew up in a mad house. We grew up in a home full of love."
"Look at you, going from not wanting a single child and now aiming for eight."
"Woah, just because I am currently carrying two, it doesn't mean I'll end up with eight."
"We'll see."
We will indeed.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.
How do you think the interview is going to be received by the public?
Please review.
In gratitude,
Nicole
