Chapter 32
Queen Courtney
Courtney was finally glad that the case of Tobias was solved and that Derek and Genevieve took time to listen instead of locking him up; since the rest of the girls had already gone to sleep, she thought it was finally time to tell them what Levi threatened to do.
"What is it, Courtney? I know you still haven't told us something yet; it was when the rest of the girls interrupted." Said Genevieve; she knew she was right; her father looked confused and started to worry.
"It... When Levi was keeping me, hostage, he said he knew the truth about how my mother died." She said as her father and Genevieve, Edaline, and Fallon were shocked and surprised; no one knew that story except their father and the older ones.
The twins nor the triplets knew precisely how our mother died; all their father told them was that she had died shortly after the triplets were born from a terrible cold she had gotten.
"What did he say?" said papa.
She remembered not to describe it with full details, first because her father was in critical condition, and second since Genevieve is pregnant, she can't have too much bad news because it would be bad for her and the baby.
"He said that if I've ever said a word to what he was planning, he will make sure Lacey would know the truth." Said Courtney.
"What?!" said both her father and Genevieve.
"I won't let that happen; I'll put every guard on duty to make sure nothing happens; I promise you we'll do everything to keep them safe." Said Derek as Courtney saw a bit of relief in Genevieve and her father.
"Thank you, Derek," said Randolph.
"But Derek, Levi said he would tell her the truth of how our mother died, that Lacey would know that our mother really died after she gave birth to her." Said Courtney.
Both their father and Genevieve were afraid; they never wanted Lacey to know about that because if she did, she would never forget herself as the girl who killed her mother whenever she was born.
"What else did he say?" asked her father.
"That's all he said, papa." Said Courtney worried.
"I think that's enough for one night." Said Fallon.
"Come on, papa, Fallon, and I will help you take you to your bedroom." Said Edaline as their father nodded and said goodnight to all, and they retreated; she thought she should too.
"Goodnight, Genevieve, and Derek." Said Courtney.
"Goodnight, Courtney," they both said, and she retreated to one of the rooms she had shared once with Delia.
Princess Lacey
'I must hurry back to my bed before Janessa and Kathleen find out I'm gone,' she thought.
As little Lacey was walking, she passed the room where her father and older sisters were discussing. She was going to keep going until she heard her father speak.
"What did he say?" said Randolph.
As she quickly put her ear on the door and started listening carefully to what they said.
"He said that if I've ever said a word to what he was planning, he will make Lacey suffer." She heard what Courtney said and gasped as her father and Genevieve did.
Until she heard Derek speak, "I won't let that happen; I'll put every guard on duty to make sure nothing happens; I promise you we'll do everything to keep them safe."
She knew she could count on him, that he would always protect and care for them as her father had done for them; she was about to leave until she heard Courtney say.
"But Derek, Levi said he would tell her the truth of how our mother died, that Lacey would know that our mother really died after she gave birth to her." Said Courtney.
That did it after little Lacey heard this; she went to running to her room crying and thinking, did I kill my own mother? It's my fault that my mother is dead then? When she reached her room, she went inside, hoping Janessa and Kathleen were asleep; as she entered, the room was dark; the only light on was her lamp on top of her drawer.
She got on top of her bed, she tried to go to sleep but she couldn't, all she could think about was what Courtney said, "But Derek he said he would tell her the truth of how our mother died, that Lacey would know that our mother really died after she gave birth to her."
Lacey hugged her knees with her head down; she was devastated and sad after what she had heard; she wished she had someone to hug her tight and kiss her. But all she was stuck with was suffering; as she noticed tears forming and coming down her cheek, she looked into the black night sky filled with stars.
Queen Genevieve
As Genevieve and Derek headed to their room, she stopped by her sisters' rooms to check on them one by one. She checked the twins; they were fast asleep; since the triplet's room was next, she didn't think she would need to check because it was passed their bedtime, and they usually always sleep on time.
But as she passed through the door, she and Derek heard a small cry coming from inside the room; they entered the room to see little Lacey crying in her bed. They got close to her and sat on her bed; that's when she finally looked up to see Genevieve and Derek.
"Hey, Lacey, what's wrong?" asked Genevieve with concern and slightly lifted her head up.
"I... I know everything Genevieve," said Lacey looking like she would cry again.
"I didn't mean to hear; I'm sorry it just happened," said Lacey as tears came out of her eyes.
Genevieve saw that Derek wiped away Lacey's tears and started hugging her; she did the same, then touched Lacey's cheek, then Lacey turned around her head to face her sister.
"What's wrong, Lacey?" asked Derek.
"I was walking in the hallway coming back to my room when I passed the room where you guys were having a meeting. Genevieve, am I the reason mother is dead?" asked Lacey with tears in her eyes.
"No, of course not, Lacey," said Genevieve.
"But I heard that mother died a couple of minutes after whenever I was born, and..."
"Yes, Lacey's mother did die a couple of minutes after you were born, but it wasn't your fault," she said, gently rubbing Lacey's cheek.
"Mother died because her heart couldn't take anymore; I mean, look at us were twelve princesses, there was a certain time, and amount mother could take about having us. But after she had me, they told her it wasn't certain that she would live if she had more of us, so when she was pregnant with the twins and survived, she decided to have her final child, which was you three, whenever she had you three, we didn't see her afterward since she had passed on. But you know what she told me," said Genevieve.
"What?" said Lacey.
"she told me a child is a blessing; she didn't care if she didn't make it; all she cared about was that you three would be born healthy; she never regrets having any of us. Don't ever think that, even though mother isn't here, you still have papa, me, Derek, and the rest of our sisters, mother loves you with all her heart, and I know that if she were here, she would always sacrifice herself for us because that's what mothers do." Said Genevieve as Lacey started to smile.
"Remember what I told you a couple of years ago, Lacey, that mother always told us big or small, there is a difference only you can make. Never think that it's your fault mother died, it's not your fault, nor it will ever be." Said Genevieve.
She looked up at Derek, who was smiling and proud of her. A second later, Lacey hugged both Genevieve and Derek,
"Thank you, Genevieve, Derek, I know that. you'll be great parents." Said Lacey.
Genevieve helped Lacey get into her covers when they parted from the hug, then kissed her goodnight, as did Derek. They quietly exited the room and headed to theirs; when they entered their room Genevieve went to change; she put on her thin strap nightgown.
Since tomorrow she would be five months pregnant, she would have to visit the doctor for him to see how she was doing; even though she felt fine, she needed to get checked every now and then. Something surprised her as she was changing; her belly looked even more extensive than usual; she wondered why?
Maybe it was her dress because whenever she put on her nightgown, she felt more relaxed; whenever she had her dress, it started to feel tighter with each day her belly grew. As she exited the fitting room she had in her room, she wondered.
"That's weird?" asked Genevieve.
"What is Genevieve? Hey, didn't you have your belly smaller?" said Derek kindly, trying not to upset her.
"That's the thing, I… I think it's the dress I was wearing; usually, when I put it on, It feels tight, then when I change into my nightgown, it feels relief. You know, like… it doesn't feel tight anymore, I think I'm going to talk to a seamstress about making me bigger dresses, so they can fit me better." Said Genevieve.
"I think that would be the best thing to do, Genevieve." Said Derek as he hugged her, then carried her bridal style to their bed.
"Derek, I can walk you now?" she said, smiling at him.
"I know you can, but you look tired, so I decided to save you the trouble," he said, Smiling back at her.
As Genevieve sat up and put her head back towards the bed frame, she took out a book she had on the nightstand and started to read it for a bit while Derek went to take a quick bath.
After a while, when Derek was done and came back to the room, he lay down next to Genevieve; as she saw him, she put her book away on the nightstand. She was about to say something when he cut her off by kissing her gently on the lips.
Then she felt the baby move inside her; as she parted ways from Derek, he put a hand on her belly. He suddenly smiled while feeling their baby move.
"The baby has been quiet all day until now." Said Genevieve.
"I love you, Genevieve."
"I love you too, Derek." As they both snuggled into bed together.