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Here's the next chapter for you…


"Okay, grandpa, I'm going to start with you..." Mia smiled as she glanced up at her grandparents before looking down to read what she had written. "I remember the first time I saw you, you were hiding behind the bushes in the Genovian consulate gardens as I ran away from grandma after she had told me I was a Princess. However, it wasn't until the next day that we met properly, and I remember thinking you were quite scary. Suddenly this man dressed all in black was my chauffeur and I had my own limousine. I was quite nervous getting in the car with you that first time, but you soon put me at ease. Except for when I called you Joey. You chuckled and went all serious on me. Which was actually quite freaky."

"It's true," Joseph nodded as everyone laughed and Clarisse lifted her head to momentarily look up at him before looking back at her granddaughter.

"After that, I learned very quickly you had my back. You always knew what to say to cheer me up and stuck up for me with grandma," she smiled and averted her gaze to her grandmother before looking back down at her notes. "You mostly greeted me with a smile, except that one time when grandma and I were brought home in a police car after we crashed my car into a trolly. That was the first time I had ever seen you so mad, you literally hit the roof and were angry for days. Kept telling us we could have been seriously hurt. It wasn't until much later, of course, when I got to know you a bit more, that I realised you really cared about not just me, but grandma too. You weren't just her bodyguard or my chauffeur, you were a really good friend too. Before then I thought it was just because it was your job and were angry because we had gone out without a bodyguard. You took me under your wing right from the start, you became a good friend to me and were a confidant. You were always ready with your advice and wisdom. You were there if I had any problems, or someone to just vent to and I'll be forever grateful to you for that. Now you're part of our family and I get to call you something better than Joseph, Joe or even Joey," she laughed as her grandmother stepped back from him, watched as he pulled a straight face at her comment, "I get to call you grandpa," she smiled as she stepped closer and hugged him. "Welcome to the family, grandpa,"

"Thank you, Princess," Joseph smiled and kissed her cheek as they stepped apart.

"You're welcome," she smiled and looked at her grandmother. "Now you."

"I'm nervous," Clarisse said and everyone laughed as Joseph moved back to stand beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Please don't be, grandma," Mia smiled and took a deep breath before looking back down at her notes. "I remember our very first meeting as if it was yesterday. You told me who my father was and that I was a Princess, something most girls would love to be. But not me. I wanted to be invisible, I was good at that. The next two weeks were a challenge as you prepared me for Genovia's annual Independence Day ball. You gave me books, a lot of them, I had to study languages, history, art and political science. You taught me to walk, talk, sit, stand, eat and dress like a Princess. We spent a lot of time together over those weeks, some days were harder than others. And some days were fun, the day we went to the pier in particular. That was my favourite day out of those two weeks as I got to spend time with you as my grandma, and not the Queen. After the beach incident, I know I had disappointed you, so much so I even considered abdicating but I am glad I didn't. Because I got to move here and spend more time with you, my grandma, and got to know you better. There have been times since then when I've made you mad, but I also know there were days when I made you proud too. And I hope that's what I will continue to do, make you proud as I prepare to take over from you as Queen next week. Deep down I know I will as I was taught by the best," she said and folded up the piece of paper before looking back up at her grandma. "I don't need to read from my notes for this bit. Next week my life will change again when I become Queen, but yesterday yours changed too. You became Mrs Elizondo, after marrying your one true love. You have been best friends for so long, and lovers too as we found out this evening, but nothing beats being married and I honestly couldn't be happier for you both. There's no one more deserving than you both and I wish you a lifetime of happiness together. And it's true what grandpa said earlier on, you'll never be bored. Neither of you," she smiled. "I love you both so so much and I'm so proud that I get to call you my grandparents. Especially you grandpa, because you may be the tough man dressed all in black to many, but to us, you're nothing but a big softy," she laughed.

"Thank you, darling, that was beautiful," Clarisse said as she stepped closer and embraced her granddaughter in a long hug. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome grandma," Mia said as she locked her arms around her grandmother. "P.s. it's about time," she whispered.

"Yes," Clarisse nodded as she pulled back to look into her granddaughters eyes, "it is," she smiled and hugged her tightly. "I love you."

"I love you too grandma," Mia smiled, when stepping apart a moment later she turned to Joseph. "I love you too grandpa," she said and held out her arms to him as Clarisse grabbed her glass of champagne from the cake table where Charlotte had placed it earlier on and took a couple sips of it.

"A big softy, eh?" He said trying to be serious, but was unable to keep the smirk from his face when Mia, and everyone else, laughed. "Come here you," Joseph laughed and stepped closer to hug her a moment before they stepped apart. "Thank you, Mia, and to everyone else for your lovely speeches. What you all said was beautiful and we honestly can't thank you enough for everything. Everything you have done over the years and just being here. For just being you," he said and looked at Mia standing beside her grandmother with her arm around her waist. "And to you for throwing us this mini reception because we missed yesterday's celebrations, even if it did nearly get me into trouble for keeping it a secret," he teased and looked to Clarisse with a smile.

"Aww you're welcome grandpa," Mia smiled.

"I would also like to say, thank you to my beautiful wife," Joseph said as he moved over to stand in front of Clarisse and took her hand in his as Mia took a step or two away from them. "I have loved you for so long and just days ago thought I had lost you, but you have changed my life so much by asking me to accept your hand in marriage yesterday. You have made me the happiest I've ever been and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you, my love," he said and stepped even closer to her with a mischievous smile on his lips. Knowing what his following words would do to her, he whispered. "I love you, Mrs Elizondo."

"Aww that was lovely grandpa," Mia smiled as they shared a quick kiss before Joseph moved to stand behind her grandmother and put his free hand lovingly on her side as he held his champagne glass in his other hand. "Grandma, would you like to say a few words?"

"Yes, I would," Clarisse nodded, her tummy somersaulting, as Joseph tipped his head forward to kiss her shoulder, letting it linger there a moment. "Joseph has already said everything I had wanted to say to you all, but I just wanted to thank him too," she said and turned her head to look at Joseph, his head still tipped forward over her shoulder, before turning to him as he lifted his head to look at her. His hand smoothing from her side to her back as she moved. "I wouldn't have got through the last forty-plus years without you being there. Yes, I didn't like you when we first met, and it took a couple of years before warming to you. But I am glad that I did because I can't imagine not having you in my life now. I found my person, my everything, my friend, my love and now my husband." She smiled and glanced down to his lips as she whispered. "My very handsome husband."

Laughing a little as her tummy fluttered with butterflies, Clarisse tilted her head a little and for the first time didn't care that there were others in the room as she snaked her arm up around her husband's shoulder, her hand going to grasp the back of his head, as she closed her eyes and reached up to kiss him deeply on the lips.

"Wooo!" Mia exclaimed and everyone else cheered. "Go, grandma!"

Laughing, Joseph broke the kiss and lifted his head to look at them as Clarisse buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Well I didn't think that would happen, not tonight at least," Joseph said and laughed as Clarisse playfully slapped the back of his shoulder before lifting her head to look up into his eyes.

Smiling, Mia watched as Joseph whispered something in her grandmother's ear before she buried her face back in the crook of his neck. "Shall we do the cake next?" She asked and watched as her grandmother lifted her head and glanced over at the cake table before looking at her granddaughter.

"Not just yet, I need to redo my makeup first," Clarisse said and took a sip of her champagne.

"Okay," Mia smiled. "We can do that when you come back then."

"Thank you," Clarisse smiled and looked back up at her husband, whose arm was still around her waist, his hand pressed lovingly against her back. "I won't be long."

"Alright," Joseph nodded and gave her a couple of quick kisses. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, you stay here and keep them busy while I'm gone," she smiled as she studied his face, watching as he averted his gaze to the others walking away from them.

"I'm sure I can do that," he smirked mischievously and looked back at her as he smoothed his hand down to cup her bottom, giving it a squeeze as she laughed.

"I knew you were up to something, I saw the naughty look in your eyes," she laughed and briefly closed her eyes as he moved his hand back to where it was before and buried his face in the crook of her neck. "I may be getting brave, but I'm not that brave yet," she whispered.

"Don't worry," he smiled as he lifted his head and looked into her eyes, "no one saw."

"Good," she smiled and reached up to kiss him, "I love you."

"I love you too," he said and let out a contented sigh as she stepped back and began making her way across the room to the bedroom door, swaying her hips as she went. He loved it when she done that, seductively swaying her hips. He thought about following her, keep her company as she did her makeup. They were married now after all. But he knew it wouldn't be a good idea. Not with how much he wanted her right now. Had done ever since they returned to their suite.

Reaching the bedroom door, she knew she shouldn't, but couldn't help herself, she looked back over at him to find him watching her. She knew he had been, she felt his gaze on her like she had done many times in the past. And it always drove her crazy, the way he looked at her. Made her feel desired. Wanted. If only they were alone she pondered as she bit her bottom lip and finally disappeared into her bedroom.