None of these characters belong to me; they belong to Meg Cabot and Disney. This my pretties is the real reason why Amelia never new her real past until Rupert was really and truly dead and it also explains Helens resentment for Clarisse.
Please R&R. thanks you're all great.
Clarisse sat in the small café with Helen, stirring her tea unconsciously. Amelia gurgled and laughed from inside the stroller, kicking her chubby legs and emitting little squeals every now and then.
Helen watched Clarisse from across the table. She noted how uncomfortable she looked, how she constantly shifted in her chair.
"So, do you not usually take Joe everywhere?" Helen questioned, trying to start a light conversation in an attempt to avoid the heavy talk she knew was going to come.
Clarisse smiled at the mention of his name, brightening a little.
"Hmmm, yes but he wanted to spend some time Philippe", she smiled, sitting back in her chair, "he's very good, very attentive". She inwardly laughed at her unintended double entendre, blushing a little at herself.
"Yeah, I gather Philippe and Joe were pretty close from the way Philippe talks about him all the time", Helen said, reminded of how her husband near worshiped the man.
"Yes we were pretty much like a family when the boys where younger, Joseph was-", she stopped, chocking on her revealing words.
"Philippe said Joe was pretty much like a father", Helen finished kindly, sipping another cup of coffee. Clarisse nodded lightly, her self control waning again. She really truly liked this woman but hated what she knew she had to do.
"I'm sorry about this", Clarisse almost whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat. Helen found it hard to understand at first, but then realised exactly what Clarisse was talking about.
"Well I'm not going to say I'm happy - but I know why he's leaving me….and Amelia", Helen said, biting into the Danish pastry.
"You must detest me", Clarisse sighed, propping her head on her hand.
"Well can you blame me, my husband who loves me immensely is leaving me because he's a mommy's boy", Helen said. It wasn't nasty or cutting but it felt like it to Clarisse.
"If you knew….." Clarisse trailed off. Helen looked at her intently.
"I do know", Helen said shortly, "if he goes back with any woman, particularly a commoner like me. His father will go nuts and you'll bear the brunt of it. Don't worry; my husband explained it to me thoroughly last night after you went to the consulate". Clarisse frowned at her, hiding her pain for what she was doing to her granddaughter, her daughter in law and especially her son, her baby.
"I would rather he stayed here with you, but he won't, for he knows what his father's like. He knows what will happen to the monarchy, what will happen to me", Clarisse almost whispered, staring down at the glass table.
"I don't understand women who stay with men who abuse them", Helen said curtly, hurting Clarisse more.
"You wouldn't", Clarisse laughed dryly, "I never thought I would, but when you're queen of the country it's a little different from the normal abusive marriage".
"Philippe loves you and his country more than he loves me and Amelia", Helen said distantly, staring into her cup.
"No he doesn't", Clarisse said adamantly, "he wouldn't have married you if that had been the case. He's in love but it's not enough. If he were to return with you and Amelia-", she faltered, tears slowly piercing her eyes as she thought of how Rupert would react if he ever found out. Helen nodded, smiling sadly.
She didn't want to hate Clarisse; in fact she rather liked her. Philippe had begged her to understand about his predicament but as hard as she tried, she couldn't help but be angry at his mother.
"You've never been in love, have you?" Helen questioned before she could stop herself. Clarisse's head shot up, and her eyes widened as she tried to process a question which she could never quite face. She swallowed a little.
"I-", she faltered, deciding the café was far to busy to continue a conversation like this, "lets walk along the pier". Helen nodded, downing the last of her coffee and stood up. Clarisse followed slipping on her sun shades and straightening imaginary creases out of her linen suit.
"I have, you know", Clarisse said as they stepped out into the mid-day sun. Helen turned to her, a shocked expression playing on her face.
"But you got married when you were 15, or so Philippe says", she said, frowning bemusedly.
"Hmmm, yes I was but it doesn't mean you can't fall in love with someone else", Clarisse smiled, pushing Amelia's stroller along the waxy boards.
"Are you still in love?" Helen questioned, becoming more intrigued. Clarisse was a little unsure of what to say, after all Helen was trust worthy but what would she do to get Philippe back- tell the press? Clarisse shook the thought, deciding telling Helen would perhaps make her seem less inhumane.
"Yes, very much", Clarisse smiled, visions of Joseph popping into her head. His smile, the way his lips felt, the way he growled when he spoke.
"If you don't mind me asking, who is it?" Helen questioned, sitting down on a bench. Clarisse joined her, crossing her legs as she sat.
"Joe", she said simply, causing Helen to choke on oxygen.
"What?" Helen exclaimed, laughing a little at her reaction.
"Joe", Clarisse repeated, laughing herself.
"Wow! Well I'm not really that shocked actually, philippe said you two were 'friends'", Helen said.
"Philippe knows that we've got more than just a professional relationship, but I think both of them understand. Joseph saved me from my husband many times, he brought my boys up to be men, and I suppose it just grew out of pain but it was worth it". Helen nodded quietly, looking up towards the sky.
"I think I understand", Helen mused, gently rocking Amelia's stroller back and forth, " but it's hard to know you're husband would leave you just so his father wont go berserk- doesn't make him seem like much of a man". Clarisse nodded, the feeling of being completely helpless slowly rising to the surface.
"and, my little girl, his little girl is never going to know her father or her other family properly. It hurts to know that", Helen said gravely, " I would have came back to Genovia with him you know". Clarisse nodded, knowing that this girl would have done anything for her son.
"but he won't let me. He says it will be the last straw with his father. He isn't possibly that bad, is he?".
"yes, he's that bad and there is no use denying it. Rupert will kill him, he'll kill me if he finds out Philippe has married, let alone had a child", Clarisse sighed, wringing her hands together. Helen let a tear trickle down her cheek, she was losing her husband to a monster she'd never even met but yet the fear in Clarisse's voice alone told her that he was right, there was no other way.
"we should go now", Clarisse said after a little while of silence, " I want to make the best of the two days we have left here". Helen smiled sadly, and stood up followed by Clarisse. They walked along the boards silently, knowing that whatever they tried to do, everyone would suffer.
Did ya like? Hope you did.
Please R&R.
Yours,
M