Chapter 2

Motioning for their driver to sit tight and stay put, Joseph walked around to her door, opening it and offering her a hand. He was afraid that she would be more than disgusted at the mud surrounding her feet, yet Clarisse surprised him. She stepped out, not taking more than a second glance to the ground beneath her.

A mass of children were the first to greet her. Their smiles warmed her heart, and most did not know what to say. Several were already saying too much. Clarisse simply greeted them, paying special attention to each one. She recognized the few who came from the tire fortress, and several more who had ran beside her car for quite a distance. They all looked rather dirty, but nevertheless more than happy to greet her. She looked to Joseph, somehow needing his reassurance before she reached out and touched the smallest boy. His cheeks covered in black, but his eyes the brightest of blue and white.

"Your Majesty." Clarisse turned slightly to her left, seeing a rather small man, dressed in dirty overalls, kneeling. He had removed his hat, placing it dutifully over his heart as he bowed his head.

"Oh please, sir, rise," Clarisse motioned to him. "You must be Howard?"

"Yes, I am. What do we owe the honor of your visit today? It's a right nice surprise. I apologise for looking like this." He looked over the grease and mud stains of the denim, along with the few holes that were wore through the knee.

"Nothing to be sorry for. Actually I'm here to see your wife, Millie. I missed her today when she did not come to the palace."

"OH well, Millie will be surprised. She's sick, Your Majesty. I know she always goes to see you, and today it was all we could do to keep her inside. Please, follow me." The little man began to stroll along the dirt walkway to the cottage.

Feeling the slight pressure on her lower back, Clarisse followed, bidding the children goodbye. She noticed some flowers that had been planted along the path, and smiled to herself, knowing it had been Millie who planted them. It wasn't a bad place to live, and she had seen worse, for nothing could compare to the slums of the city. Actually the small cabin appealed to her. She could imagine the cabin in the midst of a winter storm, smoke boiling from the chimney. It would make for a cozy and warm abode.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is wrong with Millie?" Clarisse asked as Howard reached the side door. The little man froze as if she had asked of something impossible.

"The doctor says it's her heart. It's not as strong as it use to be." He hung his head, obviously distressed at the situation. "I guess working here on the farm and taking care of me and the young'ins, and working at the diner in town all her life, well it was just too much. She can't do it anymore. Her body's just tired. They's nothing they can do fer her."

"I'm so sorry." The news hit Clarisse hard, almost as if it had been another member of her own family dying. She looked to Joseph, quietly asking for him to do something, somehow make it alright, when in fact she knew there was nothing he could do. All he could do was stand beside her and give her that little push she needed to walk through the door.

She was right, it was cozy. It was also small and non-fashionable, but nevertheless clean. Clarisse wondered how many shared the home, looking at the small table with only two chairs, then at the loft above only accessible by an old wooden ladder. She could imagine children scurrying up and down it.

"Millie, somebody's here to see you. You'll be surprised too." Howard had walked around to the front of a large sofa. Bending over it, he spoke rather loudly. Clarisse watched as he lifted the woman up a bit, and helped her to sit. Howard motioned for the Queen to come around, and Joseph escorted her to the old woman.

The look upon her face was bright, and Howard knew that this visitor had brought something to Millie he could not give her. "If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty, I'll leave you two be. I have work to finish outside."

"Yes, of course, thank you Howard," Clarisse answered and watched him leave. She stepped over to Millie, taking the hand the old woman offered her. Clarisse could do nothing but smile, knowing Millie was at a loss for words.

"I missed you today. I can't ever remember you missing a meet and greet in all my years as Queen. I hope you don't mind, but I just had to come see you."

Smiling and nodding, Millie began to release the tears that had come at seeing her beloved Queen in her own home. They all had told her, the whole neighborhood, that Queen Renaldi would never set foot in her neck of the woods, and she had always stood up for her. Today she was proven right. Here she was, not only in her neighborhood, but in her own home. It had taken a minute for Millie to calm, wiping her eyes with the edge of the apron she wore, though really did not need today.

"I'm sorry. I can't believe you're here. Oh my lucky stars, you're here." Clarisse sat next to her after Millie patted down the cushion for her. "Your Majesty, you came to see me?"

"Yes, I did." Clarisse smiled to her once more. "When I realized that you did not come today Millie, I knew I had to break tradition and come to you. It wasn't right that I not see you today." Millie took her hand, patting it with the other.

"I wanted to come, Oh I wanted to. Howard wouldn't let me out again. They tell me my heart is tired and weak. I can feel it too. I can't do fer my fam'ly like I use to. I shouldn't trouble you with it. I'm just so happy ta see ya. You and your bright eyes. Most beautiful I ever seen."

"Oh Millie, is there anything I can do for you? Really now, anything at all? I would love to help in any way I can." Clarisse wanted to make her better, she wanted to see Millie up and trudging through the throne room doors once more, but she knew it would not happen again. Her face was pale and sunken in, and her eyes a dull gray. Clarisse had saw death before, looming over her own husband, and now again, over Millie.

Joseph stood at the side, listening to the two women. He was proud of Clarisse, proud of her for coming here, actually visiting her people. Proud of her courage and insight as well. Joseph was also worried, worried that another death would soon be on her shoulders to bear. It would make her weak, and all he could do would be to help hold her up. He would.

"I've done and lived a long life, Your Majesty. It's not been a easy one, but Howard here has loved me fer almost all it. We done and had eight chilln'. They done and grown and gone, most of 'em. Only one boy still here, helps Howard what he can after he comes in from work. Our youngest daughter stops in and helps me out too. She just lives down the road a piece. We got nine grandchilln' already. I'm proud of 'em. Ain't none of us got a lot of money or had much school'n, but we're good people, all of us. We have good an bad times just like everyone else. My life is about o'er now, I know that. I want you ta know that I think ya did a wonderful job as bein' our Queen. Ya helped us when tha rains came hard, when we needed help real bad. You made things easier for us by lettin' us borrow instead of just take. Ya never took our homes away or our livestock cause we couldn't pay a month or two."

"Millie, why have you never asked anything of me when clearly you could have asked for so much?"

"Why we ne'ver needed to ask, you always had a plan going when something came up. You done and answered a'fore I could ask, Your Majesty."

Clarisse watched as Millie fell back against the sofa, clearly exhausted at sitting up for a few minutes. Clarisse reached for her quilt, and placed it across her knees for her. She had everything in the world, and suddenly she found herself jealous of Howard and Millie's family. There was a love under this roof that Clarisse had never known. Millie was at its center.

"Thank ye for coming." Millie squeezed the hand of her Queen. It was one of the proudest moments in her life. "I'll remember it, and so will my chilln' and the neighbors. You're a good Queen."

"Oh Millie, it's people like you that make me a good Queen." Clarisse stood up, helping Millie to lie down. "Now you rest. I'll be back soon to see you again." Clarisse squeezed her hand in return.

"You're comin' back? You promise?" Millie could hardly breathe, her body completely wore out.

"Millie, I promise. I'll come back to see you. Now you rest."

Clarisse watched as Millie closed her eyes to rest. She looked over to Joseph, who was already by her side, taking her arm. She stood for a moment, somehow afraid she wouldn't see Millie again. Joseph gave her a moment, but soon led her out, knowing the thought of death would get to her. Now was not the time.

"Joseph, I'd like to walk for awhile." Clarisse stopped, holding him back as the door shut behind him. Joseph knew the road was muddy and rocky, but somehow he also knew Clarisse didn't care, and she needed to walk here today. It would probably be her only chance.

He nodded to her. Clarisse tightened her hand on his arm and began to stroll down the walk. Joseph called to their driver, leaving instructions to meet them down the highway a bit. As she watched the red limo drive away, Clarisse felt something she had never felt before. She felt like a real person, a real woman. She was a part of these people. One of them.

"Joseph, I'd like to stop and talk to a few of these people..."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Yes, I know. It feels good, doesn't it?" Joseph asked.

"Yes, it does. I wish I would have felt it sooner."

"You're here now, Clarisse. That is what matters. Make it count." Joseph strolled along with her, down the rocky drive towards the highway.