Chapter 19 – Happy Birthday, Baby!

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Hoshi's smile was plastered on her face as she stood in line and graciously accepted warm birthday wishes from a senator. "Thank you, Senator. I'm happy to be back," Hoshi said, her voice demure and dull.

"Hoshi, are you ill?" her mother asked quickly, standing next to her daughter. The line of dignitaries stopped, waiting for the princess's reply.

Jon shifted uneasily next to her.

Doing her best imitation of a laugh, Hoshi announced, "I'm fine, mother. Really."

It had been like this for the past three months, everybody on eggshells around her. If she felt like she had been under a microscope before her abduction, she was even more so now.

After arriving home she had spent two weeks confined to her room, being poked and prodded and given the royal stamp of approval. Doctor Phlox had run numerous tests that her mother had insisted upon. During those weeks the queen had barely left her bedside.

According to the doctor, Hoshi had been in amazingly good health other than the concussion, the gash on her foot and some bruised ribs.

Malcolm had made no attempt to visit her. His absence had answered the question that had lingered in the back of her mind. The bastard hadn't even had the nerve to say goodbye.

After a week she had finally gotten up the nerve to ask about him. Her mother had been snoring softly, asleep in the chair next to her bed. Jon had been standing at the foot of her bed, visiting her.

Getting out of bed, Hoshi hooked her arm through Jon's and pulled him into her sitting room. "How is Elizabeth?"

"She's well," he replied sullenly.

"So when's the wedding?"

Patting her hand, Jon sighed. "Postponed indefinitely, I'm afraid."

Eyeing her surrogate father, Hoshi sighed in sympathy. "I'm sure she'll change her mind."

He chuckled. "Not likely. I believe her words were 'I need more than you are willing to give me. Get lost.'"

"I'll make it a royal decree. She'll have to marry you and come live in the palace."

Jon looked at her in disbelief, then he threw his head back and laughed. "Aren't we a pair! Me wanting Elizabeth and you wanting Mal…"

She closed her eyes, feeling the dull hole in her stomach expand.

"I'm sorry, Hoshi," Jon stammered.

"How is he?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion.

"He's head of security for the Macmillans."

"I didn't ask what he was doing. I asked how he was."

"How would I know?" Jon said. "His resignation was…brief and…final. He's not exactly the warm and fuzzy kind."

Although she wanted to cry, she smiled. "Trust me. I know. He hid the ration packs after we landed and I had to learn how to fend for myself."

"He did what?" Jon asked incredulously.

"I was horrible to him," Hoshi replied, defending her former lover. "Although I don't think I'll eat another fish as long as I live."

"If I ever see him again, I'll –"

"Do nothing," Hoshi stated softly. "You'll do nothing to him if you see him again."

Their conversation had ended there. Her mother had woken up and had started fussing over her.

And here her mother was still fussing over her. Hoshi laughed, clasping the hand of the next guest. "And how are you doing, Madame Clarmount?"

"I-I'm well, Your Highness," the woman stammered.

The people in the room seemed to start moving again and the line of guests and dignitaries began to walk past her. The anxious mood in the air eased and everybody breathed a sigh of relief when Hoshi greeted the next person in line.

She was on automatic pilot, greeting people and making idle chitchat with them. It seemed as though the line would never end.

"Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Macmillian and their daughter, Stephanie," the doorman announced.

Hoshi breathed a sigh of relief. They were just starting with the untitled civilians so the line must be near its end. Screwing her smile firmly in place, she straightened her shoulders and prepared to meet the beginning of the end of the line.

A short balding man and his petite brunette wife bowed in front of her and her mother. Next to them stood their daughter, a timid eight-year-old with dark ringlets and a shy smile. "Your Majesties," the little girl murmured.

Hoshi barely heard Stephanie's greeting and stooped to take the little girl's hand.

Somebody moved to stand behind the child and Hoshi looked up. Her heart skidded to a halt as she stared into Malcolm's eyes. What was he doing here?

"Ah, Commander Reed. I'm so glad you could make it," Queen Nora stated, offering her hand to Stephanie's new bodyguard.

He smirked, clasping the queen's hand and bowing. "Stephanie has spoken of nothing else for the last week, Your Majesty."

Hoshi glanced from her former lover to her mother and frowned. A secretive smile graced her mother's lips and Hoshi's scowl grew deeper. What was he doing here? And what was her mother up to?

"Your Highness," Malcolm said, acknowledging Hoshi.

"Commander," she replied, hating his knowing smirk and wishing he would just go away. Here she was trying to convince the entire planet she was fine and she couldn't even convince herself. She had spent the past few months dreaming of him…wanting him. And with each day that passed Hoshi could feel the walls she'd had in place before her abduction going back up.

She didn't need or want anybody. Her path in life was set. She would follow it, carry out her duties, and ignore the empty feeling that felt suspiciously like indigestion.

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TBC