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Chapter 3
Eleanor was waiting in the car, she had just gotten word that Ophelia is landing within moments. She made the decision that Liam is not to know where she was going or to know Ophelia has returned to London. She also asked Mr. Hill to keep her new bodyguard behind she felt she needed to have a private moment with Phe. If not nothing she owes her friend that.
Ophelia looked out the window as the plane was landing she saw a car waiting at the end of the runway, she had a feeling a member of the Royal family was waiting for her, but no idea who. Finally an announcement was made, "Thank you for flying British Airways! Enjoy your stay in London!"
Ophelia was dreading this dreading the moment she had to get off the plane. This is the moment it becomes real. She wanted it all to be a dream. Bloom and McGowen escorted her off the plane and to the waiting car. In that moment her life was changed for the worst her father killed the King and everyone must hate her for what he did. McGowen opened the door for her as she slid in she heard a familiar voice speak out!
"Phe welcome home," Eleanor continued, "I am terribly sorry you had to return under these circumstances." Ophelia attempted to speak, but Eleanor continued, " Phe please know Liam and I do not hate you or wish to place any blame you for something your father has done," Ophelia relaxed slightly as Eleanor continued, "there's no way any of us could have known, but I wanted to be the one to talk to tell you, what happened. I know you are aware about your father being the one who stabbed my father and planned Robert's death, but there's so much more. I am so sorry to have to tell you this."
Eleanor began to choke up as she looked into Ophelia's eyes, "A video was played at The Kings Cup showing your father stabbing my dad, the crowd realized your father was on the field standing next to Liam and they began to rush in, your father grabbed Liam and got him into the car safely, but the crowd," Eleanor paused starting to cry, "they grabbed your father and began to attack him. I am so very sorry Phe, your father was beaten so badly he is on life support and doesn't have much time left. I've instructed the driver to take us straight to him so you can say goodbye."
Ophelia was just sobbing at this point, as she fell into Eleanor's lap, all The Princess could do was console her friend. As they reached the hospital, Ophelia picked herself up attempting to dry her tears with her fingers then Eleanor handed her a tissue, Ophelia sniffled and began to speak, "Len, Princess, I am so very sorry for what he did, but he's my dad. If anyone understands losing their father in an uncontrollable act it's you and Liam, but you need to know how terrible I feel that it was my father who killed yours. And I know I have no right to ask, but I can't be alone. I can't go in there alone. Princess, would you come with me? I'm sor.."
Eleanor grabbed her hand and replied, "I had every intention of being there for my friend and there's no reason to be formal Phe."
They suddenly came to a stop. They must have arrived at the hospital. Before leaving the Palace Eleanor made sure that she was dressed down and had a hat with her to make herself less recognizable in case she needed to go in. She and Phe prepared to get out of the car.
Bloom and McGowen figured out where they were keeping Ted before they even arrived they lead Ophelia and the Princess through the hospital. Once they got there Eleanor stepped back and sat down in the private waiting room they had set up for her.
Ophelia slowly opened the door to her father's room she was allowed one solitary moment with him as she approached the bed the doctor came in, "Miss Pryce, I am sure you are aware your father was horribly beaten by a mob, yes?" She shook her head trying to hold her emotions in check. "Well, then you know he is essentially brain dead the machines have been keeping him alive for the better part of a day now. In normal circumstances I would ask you about donating the organs, but we found your father's body was riddled with cancer. He didn't have long to live either way. We need you to decide when you would like to turn off his life support."
Ophelia began to weep. How long did he know he had cancer? She choked out a few words, "How long ago was he diagnosed with cancer? What type of cancer?"
"Ma'am from the looks of it he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer he had a brain tumor, he known for quite some time now."
"Thank you, and one more question when I decide to let him go how long will it take for him to be fully gone?"
"That could take as long as he holds on most a few hours, others a few days, but Miss please remember he will not wake up from this." As the doctor left the room, Bloom stepped in, "Miss Ophelia, let me know if you need anything I will be just outside the doors."
"Thank you, Agent Bloom was it?"
"Yes Miss."
"Please just call me Ophelia! Could you give me about fifteen minutes alone with my father and then ask Princess Eleanor if she would come in?"
"No problem Miss er Ophelia." And left her alone in the room.
Ophelia ran over to her father's side and grabbed his hand. She couldn't help, but wonder is that why he planned Roberts murder and to attack King Simon. He knew he was going to die. None of this makes any sense. Why? I wonder if this is why he made sure I stayed in New York and didn't come back.
Ophelia didn't hear the door creep open. Standing there was Eleanor. She waited a moment and then spoke, "Phe you asked for me?"
"Yes, Len I wanted to say thank you for coming and being the one to tell me what happened. I don't think I could have handled it if it came from Liam. It means a lot to me to know you don't hold me responsible and took the time out of your busy schedule to handle all of this with me. I do want to apologize again I had no idea he planned any of it, I will not offer any excuses on my fathers behalf, but right now I have to have the doctor come in here and pull his plug. Only God knows how long it will be, but if you wish to stay with me you are welcome to do so or if you need to go I understand that too. I just wanted you to know what's going on."
Ophelia's eyes welled with tears she went back to sitting and holding her father's hand for the first time she's said it out loud he's going to die tonight. In this moment Ophelia realized she is nothing, but an orphan her father was the last of her family left.
"Phe, I'm not going anywhere. When our dad was dying I knew what you did for Liam it meant a lot to him and me. Plus the help with Jasper. Shall I ask them to get the doctor?" All Ophelia could do was nod yes. Eleanor opened the door and leaned out and said something to the Agents outside the door.
The door opened again and the doctor came in looking down at Pryce's chart, "Miss you asked for me?" and as he looked up to face her, "Oh, your Highness, I am so sorry I didn't know you would be in the room."
Eleanor and Ophelia both giggled at the fact of how nervous the doctor was. Eleanor herself thought back to the first time she met Jasper that was his reaction on his very first time, she started to half smile then realized where she was once Ophelia began to speak, "Doctor..." Ophelia hesitated and continued, "I think I'm ready to let him go."
The doctor responded, "Very well Miss. A nurse will be in very shortly to explain to you what's going to happen next. I am very sorry for your loss."
Ophelia spoke again, "Thank you Doctor," then she turned to Eleanor as the doctor was leaving, "Princess, Shall we have them fetch you an extra chair?" Eleanor nodded, as Ophelia was about to say something else her phone began to ring, across the screen scrolled Nick's name. For a split second she wondered had he heard what happened.
She quickly answered the phone swallowing hard, "Hello." Nick, was going a mile a minute she could barely figure out what he was saying. "Nick, you need to slow down." She motioned to Eleanor that she was going to step into the bathroom for a moment to take the call.
Eleanor could hear her faintly through the door explaining to Nick she was fine and then she heard Ophelia begin to cry as she was telling Nick what happened to her father. Eleanor didn't want to get caught awkwardly listening to their conversation so she poked her head out the door and motioned over to McGowen, "I need you to get me a chair" McGowen went and grabbed one for her and brought it into the room for her. Before McGowen left the room Eleanor asked, "McGowen is that right?" He nodded as the Princess continued, "I need a favor from you. I need you to get me some tea and Ophelia an ice dirty soy chai thingy can you go get that for me? Off you go!"
After about fifteen minutes Ophelia emerged from the bathroom, just in time for the nurse to walk in and McGowen came in with their coffee and tea. Eleanor exclaimed, "Phe, I hope you still like that ice dirty thing I figured you would need some caffeine its going to be a long day ahead."
"Thanks you Princess, I actually started to drink tea, but the fact that you remembered my coffee order means a lot." Ophelia turned to the nurse, "Can… I ask that you explain what is happening with my dad?"
The Nurse gladly replied, "First, I am so sorry for your loss, usually we do this with just the immediate family in the room, but because of the circumstances if your Royal Highness and you wish that she be here with you I think we can make an exception," Ophelia nodded as did the Princess, "well than let me continue, what I am doing now is making your father comfortable, the machines that are helping him breathe will be shut off and I will remove the tube from his throat, once I do that it can be anywhere from five minutes to several hours or even days before he is officially pronounced dead, it's all up to him. If he is ready to go. Again I am so so very sorry."
Ophelia was sitting next to Eleanor and began to cry, Eleanor without any thought took her hand and comforted her as they watched the nurse prepare to let Pryce go. Just like she said she started to begin the process and Ophelia stopped her. Through the tears she asked, "Could I have one more moment alone with him before you officially take him off and Princess if you do not mind?"
Both women walked towards the door leaving Ophelia on her own again with her father, she began to speak tears streaming down her cheeks, "Dad, I don't know what you were thinking or why you did what you did, but know this no matter what you've done I still love you. I don't know that your reasons were just, but I forgive you. I cannot carry the weight of your sins. I love you and I'll be okay. Its ok to go be with Mum that's where you wanted to be. I'll be okay! I have Nick." Ophelia wiped her eyes and stepped closer to her father and kissed him on the head and gave him one last hug. She slowly walked her way to the door and motioned for the nurse and the Princess to come back in.
The Nurse quickly restarted the process as Eleanor hugged Ophelia and watched her prep Ted Pryce for his last moments of life. It was certainly a bitter sweet moment for Eleanor the man who murdered her brother and her father was about to die, but her dear friend is about to lose her father.
Len and Phe finally sat down the nurse was just about finished. She began to speak, "I'm almost finished. Once I take this tube out he is officially breathing on his own until he decides to let his body go." She finished up and left the girls on their own.
Just as Eleanor was about to slip into deep thought Ophelia spoke, "Can we please talk about something anything? I need to not think about what's going on? That I am waiting for my dad to die. Tell me what has been going on with you? I have seen all of these tabloid pictures of you over the last few months and what about Jasper?"
"Oh all such a long stories, are you sure you even want to know?"
"Yes, Please! I need you to distract me. I know how good you are at that Lenny! Wait a minute there's something different about you. Please tell me you aren't preggers with a little Jasper."
"God no Phe what do you think I'm stupid, a baby would not survive on my previous diet. I actually quit drugs three days ago. What a bloody week for me to do that right?!" They giggled leave it to Eleanor to break the tension.
"Jasper is gone, he left two days ago I have no idea where he is and it's all my fault I told him to leave, because it was too hard for me to see him every day, long story short that girl I was seen kissing in the tabloids her real name is Samantha Cook, her and Jasper came here to rob my family. Jasper himself couldn't officially go through with the plan he spoiled it and told me, but that bitch ran off with my diamond earrings. Jasper brought them back to me, but I didn't want them anymore. But I realized when I asked him to leave how much he truly loved me and my feelings for him were deep rooted. Then the chaos happened at the Kings Cup and he got me into a car safely and disappeared before I could tell him I was wrong I needed him to stay. So tell me about this boyfriend who wasn't your boyfriend."
Ophelia looked at her in shock and dismay, "I'm sorry things have been so rough. But what was it Jasper did to make you ever for give him for the things he did? I mean why would he even come back after trying to rob you?"
Eleanor quickly replied, "It doesn't matter he came back for me and wants to spend his life making it up to me and of course I screwed it up telling it was too painful having him around, because I didn't think he loved me for me I thought it was to hurt me more. Okay, seriously stop avoiding how's that boyfriend of yours, it's that musician right?" She can't let Ophelia know the real reason she forgave him for being the one to uncover Ophelia's father killed hers or the fact that the video was broadcasted over the stadium screens. Ophelia can never know any of it.
"Nick is good. He's very sweet and when he was moving to New York six months ago we decided to move in together. I haven't told anyone, but Nick asked me to marry him. He was so sweet about it and we are having a baby. Len love is just so amazing when you find the one. I was just so happy with the way my life was turning out," and then she began to sob, "Nick and I were going to come tell my dad together next week."
"Phe, you couldn't have known, but a congrats is definitely in order I say. I guess Liam wasn't the one? Were you planning to tell him?"
"Len, you know I'm not suited for Royal life. Your brother is a fantastic guy, I cared about him very deeply, but he wasn't the guy! When you know you know. I planned on telling him after I told my father, but now how can I face your brother. I know you said you don't hold me responsible, but my family has already ruined your lives enough. I don't want to crush him."
The Nurse walked back in, "Sorry to disturb you, I just needed to check his vitals." As she checked his vitals she realized his breathing has gotten much shallower, his pulse much weaker, she knew it wouldn't be long now. "Miss he doesn't have much longer. I can't say how much longer, but it will be very soon."
Ophelia stood up and squeezed his hand and leaned down and whispered something into his ear, but before the nurse could exit Pryce had flat lined. He was dead!
Just as Ophelia was about to collapse, a tall dark hair young awkwardly handsome man came rushing in, Eleanor realized it was Nick. He got there just in time to comfort his Ophelia. He caught her as she fell to the ground. I could see how much he loved her and she him in that moment.