Mia had told her mother, Tina, Shamika, Lilly, and her father about Michael's proposal and their engagement. But she still had to tell Grandmere. And that would not be easy.
She picked up the phone and dialed the number for Grandmere's room at the Plaza, her hands shaking.
"Hello?" said Clarisse Renaldo.
"Uh, hi, Grandmere," said Mia nervously. "I, uh, have something to tell you."
"Oh. Hello, Amelia. What is it?"
"Well...er...Michael and I are getting married."
There was a shriek and a loud thud on the other end of the line.
"Uh oh." Mia held the phone and waited for Grandmere to wake up again.
Ten minutes later, Grandmere's scratchy voice came on again, shouting (which was something she was very good at). "AMELIA MIGNONETTE GRIMALDI RENALDO, YOU MAY NOT MARRY THAT BOY!"
"But why, Grandmere?" Mia asked, tears filling her eyes. "Why?"
"He is not royalty!" shrieked Grandmere. "I will not have the future heir to the throne of Genovia marry a commoner!"
Mia tried to convince Grandmere, but nothing worked. She hung up in tears. Then the phone rang again. She picked up, sobbing.
"Hi Mia." said Michael.
Mia began sobbing harder at the sound of Michael's voice. "Oh Michael," she choked out, "Grandmere forbids me to marry you!"
Silence. Then, "Mia, don't worry about it. You're a princess, I'm just a regular guy. Duty to your country must come first. I understand."
"B-but Michael..." Mia said. "I don't want to marry anyone but you!"
"I know." said Michael soothingly. "We'll think of something."
"I could...abdicate." croaked Mia, hiccuping a laugh.
Michael laughed. "Don't you dare." he said. "It'll be okay."
They said goodbye and Mia cried for ten minutes. Then the phone rang again.
She picked up and croaked "Hello?"
"Hello Amelia. This is your grandmother."
Mia refused to talk, but she was too afraid of her grandmere to hang up.
"I need you to reserve next Saturday for a horseback ride with the prime minister of France."
"O-okay Grandmere." Mia said shakily.
"Are you all right, Amelia?"
"Y-yes. Just fine, Grandmere." Then Mia got an idea. "Could I bring a friend on Saturday?"
"Not Lilly, I hope. I have no wish for the prime minister to be subjected to a speech about women's rights..."
"Not her, Grandmere." said Mia quickly. "Someone -- else."
"Well, all right." said Grandmere suspiciously. "Goodbye Amelia."
Mia called Michael right away and asked if her could go for a ride Saturday. He said he could. Mia hung up happier than she'd felt all day.
See? Very dramatic. Well, you know the drill. Go click the little lavender-grayish button down there in the bottom of the screen, to the left, and leave a nice review. Same ol'-same ol': you review, I'll post the next chapter. (Which also happens to be the last chapter)