About one year later:

"Joe, this is the second time you've attended one of my graduation ceremonies," Mia remarked as they drove toward the airport.

"And I'm very proud to have been there," Joseph replied.

"You're always there, Joe, and I appreciate it."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else. Your grandmother would have loved to attend, but she couldn't."

"For the usual reason?" Mia wondered.

"Yes," he confirmed. "The media."

"So, what do you know about this big twenty-first birthday bash coming up?" she asked.

"Oh, it'll be a big party, Princess. Your grandmother will be presiding and everyone who is anyone will be there."

"Everyone who is anyone? That doesn't sound like much fun."

"You can also invite whomever you like."

"Will you be there, Joe?"

"Where else would I be?"

"Silly question," Mia acknowledged. "Will you dance with me?"

"You have quite a list of required dance partners. You probably won't have time to dance with me."

"Dance with Grandma, then," she suggested. "She doesn't have to dance with all of the eligible bachelors.

"I never turn down a chance to dance with Her Majesty," Joseph told her.

"Have you missed Genovia when you've been with me in America?"

"I always miss Genovia," he admitted. "I'm grateful that Richard took on some of the American duties, so I could divide my time more equally."

"'The American duties,'" Mia repeated with a smirk. "Is that what you call me now?"

Joseph smirked in return. "I call you Princess."

She smiled. "Well, you won't have to split your time between me and Grandma anymore. I bet that's a relief."

"Hmmm, I'm not sure. It does mean that you and your grandmother will often be in the same room together. That might not be a security risk, but it could be a challenge in other ways. You're both very strong-willed."

"Very funny, Joe."

"I thought so."

"I'm going to tell Grandma you said that."

"And you think it will shock her?"

"How do you do that, Joe?"

"Do what, Princess?"

"You get away with sassing Grandma and even telling her what to do sometimes. She's the Queen! No one tells her what to do!"

"Only if there's a security issue."

Mia rolled her eyes. "We both know that isn't true."

"All right, then. I make suggestions that she occasionally takes."

"That's more like it."

"And I can get away with it because I'm older than she is."

"I happen to know that's not true. She's got more than a year on you, Joe."

"Who told you that?"

"No one did. I was snooping in your personnel file."

"What?!"

"I was very discreet, I promise. I just wanted to know if you had ever been a spy. My neighbor in San Francisco swore that you were."

"What makes you think my personnel file would tell you if I had been a spy?"

"All of your time is accounted for in other jobs."

"Whatever you say."

Mia rolled her eyes. "I was going to wish you happy birthday every December for the last four years, but I knew I'd give myself away if I did. I can't believe you didn't even tell Grandma your birthday."

"I had no reason to tell her, or anyone else."

"That's what you think."

Joseph wondered if he should be worried by Mia's mischievous expression. "What's led you to blow your cover after four years?" he wanted to know.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'll be Queen soon." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Though I have a feeling I will never hold quite the influence over you than my grandmother does."

He raised an eyebrow in question.

"You don't have to say anything, Joe. It's your own business. But if it makes any difference to you, I heartily approve."

"Thank you for saying so, but, with all due respect, there's someone else whose approval matters more to me. Unfortunately that is also the person whose approval I'm least certain of."

Mia sobered and replied quietly. "Well, as I said, it's your personal business. I'm sorry to have intruded."

"Not to worry. Although I would appreciate it if you kept this conversation to yourself."

"Of course."

He chuckled, trying to make light of a heavy subject. "Imagine what Shades would say if he knew!"

"He won't. Not from me."

"I know, Princess. I know." They shared a sympathetic look. "And here we are at the airport." Joseph exited the car first, so he could help Mia out.

"I hope I can sleep on the flight home," she mused. "I don't feel the least bit tired."

They soon boarded Genovia One and were on their way. Mia was curious to see how Joseph and her grandmother got on. It had been several months since she had last seen them together. However, she vowed not to interfere. Something about the way Joseph talked made her think that the relationship might be rather fragile. She could potentially do more harm than good, which was the last thing she wanted to do.

#####

"Beautiful." Joseph kissed Clarisse's hand. "But you're late, Your Majesty."

"A Queen is never late," she argued. "Everyone else is simply early."

"Of course." He smiled and beckoned her towards the double doors that were about to open for her. Joseph stepped back to allow the Queen her grand entrance and entered a little behind her. He looked forward to his dance with Clarisse. They had both been so busy recently that they hadn't had much time together. Out on the floor they were under some scrutiny - she was the Queen, after all - but he treasured every moment she was in his arms. They could smile and laugh and talk for four or five minutes, forgetting for that brief idyll the obstacles between them.

Joseph watched her greet her guests and lift a glass to her granddaughter. Once the music started, he slowly circled the perimeter of the room. Nothing was out of order, and he approached Clarisse, waiting for the song to end so he could claim her hand for the next dance.

"I'm so glad to see you, Joseph," she said, once they were waltzing together.

"Is anything wrong, Your Majesty?"

"Not really. But we've hardly talked since you've been back."

"I'm glad to be home. How is Mia doing?"

"Well, I think," she replied. "Only time will tell."

"I'm sure she'll be fine."

"So am I, Joseph, but it may take time for her to get accustomed to it all. I want her to feel comfortable, to feel ready."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"How are you? I've asked after your granddaughter, now I'm asking about you."

"To be honest, Joseph, I'm not sure how ready I am for Mia to assume the throne."

Joseph chuckled. "I always knew you were a power hungry woman."

She laughed a little, but Joseph could also see the anxiety she tried to hide. She could fool many people, but he was not one of them. He wished they were alone. Here he could not listen to her talk for more than five minutes at a time. He could not reassure her when she confided her fears in him, as she often did. He could not even call her "my dear," which was almost worse than the rest. He could not call her anything, except "Your Majesty," but that seemed woefully inadequate at moments like these when she really needed a friend. He settled for a slight squeeze of her hand. It would have to be enough for now, but he was already mentally rearranging his schedule for the next day to accommodate hers. Clarisse squeezed back and they danced the rest of the song in silence.

Joseph didn't dance with anyone else for the rest of the evening, instead patrolling the ballroom and corridors, trying not to watch Clarisse's every move. She danced nearly every dance, stopping only a few times to speak to one guest or another. As he had predicted, Mia was too busy dancing with all of the eligible bachelors to have time to dance with him, although he caught a few pleading glances from her when she was with the most unpleasant of her partners. There was little he could do, so he just smiled sympathetically and continued moving through the crowd. What he did not notice was that Clarisse was watching him. She didn't stare, and most of the time she was paying attention to her dance partner, but there were moments when she caught sight of him over someone's shoulder and watched him until he was out of sight. She thought he was particularly handsome in a tuxedo and he had worn his tonight. She had never told him how much she liked it and she didn't know if she ever would. It was Mia's birthday and Clarisse was happy, but she felt herself growing more and more gloomy as the night went on. She couldn't entirely explain it to herself, so she didn't try to understand it. The best thing to do in such a situation was to get a good night's rest and think about it in the morning. So, after lying awake for several hours, that's exactly what she did.

To be continued…

Thanks for reading. Please leave a review if you can spare a few moments.