Author's Note: a bit of time between chapters, but they are still coming! Just need to find some time to write them!
A HUGE thank you to all my reviewers and readers, especially: Kristi-Julie, Clarisse Renaldi, Captain Weirdo, Tabby-fanny, LadyLuxembourg, addlogcon and everyone who reviews! You all rock!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
The next day when Clarisse woke up, she turned over to greet her husband, but discovered his side of the bed was empty… where had he gone, she wondered before she realised that the double doors leading out onto the balcony were wide open, and the curtains were moving slightly.
She padded to the doorway and stood on the threshold for a moment, blinking quickly in the morning sunlight, before she saw that there was table set for two…. How on earth had he managed to arrange this while she was asleep?
"What the…." She began before she felt him behind her, and she almost jumped out of her skin when he ran his hands down the side of her arms.
"Surprise," he murmured into her ear before his lips down to her neck, causing to her shiver in ecstasy.
"What's going on?" she managed to ask rather dazedly, still curious about what was going on, but also feeling his affect on her… just one touch, and she literally went to pieces…. It was definitely something she had never felt with Rupert, but with Joseph…
"Since you got breakfast yesterday, I thought I would up the ante, and set up breakfast out here!"
"And champagne?" she sounded slightly surprised when she spotted the bottle on the table.
"We forgot to open it last night, but it's only a little…"
"I don't mind it at all… I've never done it before, but I was just thinking that both boys did it on more than one occasion," she said ruefully as she sat down on the chair he held out for her, and he laughed as he sat down opposite her.
"I think I can give you a number of occasions when I saw or heard them do that… I can still remember the time there had been a big party the night before the Independence Day parade…"
"Oh yes," Clarisse frowned pensively, thinking hard. "Yes, I do remember that occasion… as I recall, they were still both as drunk as anything, and they only had had enough time to change… I didn't know that they were tipsy- they seemed normal when they got into the carriage- but Rupert told me afterwards…"
"I'm sure that Rupert did it too," Joe said a little defensively as he passed the plate of bacon to her, and she smiled appreciatively at him. She had always suspected that Joseph had thought that Rupert had been too hard on the boys.
"But those boys…" Clarisse chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief as she spooned scrambled egg onto her plate. "But, to change the subject, I can see that you really have upped the ante on breakfast preparation… what on earth am I going to do tomorrow?"
She was only joking, but he looked slightly worried.
"Hey, this isn't a competition!"
"I know that," she replied happily. "But why don't we prepare all our meals together?"
"That sounds like a plan," Joe said happily, genuinely pleased that she was really getting into the spirit of it, but… he had underestimated her longing to be normal…
"So, what are the plans for the rest of the day?" he asked when they had finished breakfast, and she sat back in her chair with a contented sigh.
"Anything we want… you know, it's been a year since I stepped down, but I'm still enjoying this… I was a little nervous about what I would do when I retired, but now I know I needn't have worried…"
"I'm glad that you enjoy free time, and don't have to worry about you were going to do," Joe said as he rested a hand on top of hers. "You've worked so hard during your reign, so it's time to have fun!"
"Free time does have it's advantages," she teased as she lifted his hand to her cheek. "I can't think of anything at the moment, but…"
"Cheeky…" Joe muttered but grinned over at her. "But there was something else…"
He bent over and lifted up the brightly wrapped package Mia had given Clarisse the day before.
"I don't know how we forgot to unwrap this," he joked as he passed it over to her.
"Hmm," she replied vaguely, only half listening as she felt the package- it felt firm yet soft, so …
"Shall I open it?"
"That's why I gave it to you."
Unlike her husband yesterday, Clarisse unwrapped the package more gingerly… as she pulled away the paper, it seemed to be a big blanket…
She gasped when she unfolded it, and Joe walked around to see… it was a quilt signed by everyone, bordered in blue and white patches, and in the middle was a large photo of them at their first wedding, super imposed onto the material with 'Joseph and Clarisse' embroidered above it.
"Oh… this is beautiful…" Clarisse murmured tearfully as Joseph rested his hands on her shoulders, and perused the signatures around the picture.
"Wow…" he finally said, speechless for once. It was an extraordinary quilt, and it was obviously a token of their affection and respect for Clarisse and Joe.
"I know we're probably expected to use this, but I think this should be framed," Clarisse said as she laid it on the table (after Joseph hastily cleared plates away), and examined it closely, Joe looking over her shoulder.
"Yes, I think we should do that," he said, staring at the picture- he couldn't even remember photographs being taken, but obviously there had been….
"It's just so… so…" she stuttered slightly as he wove his arm around her waist, and she straightened up.
"I guess we're more admired than we thought!" he said lightly as she began folding it up again.
"I can't believe they did it," she said as she sat back down, the quilt resting in her lap. "I guess they thought we deserved it."
There was a slight pause before Clarisse was suddenly reminded of something she had seen in the previous day's paper.
"By the way, I happened to read in yesterday's paper that there is an action film night tonight at the cinema in Pyrus, and I know that some of your favourites are showing…"
"Like what?" he asked interestedly before she disappeared inside to retrieve the paper. When she reappeared, she handed it to him, and he perused the ad casually.
"I'm warning you, I'm not watching 'The Godfather'" she joked, and he pretended to look upset, but he didn't mind- he had seen it years ago, and it was a film that he definitely did NOT want his wife to see.
"Oh, damn….hmm, I'll have to choose something else…"
There were quite a few films there, such as 'Speed', 'Pearl Harbour', 'Armageddon'… but he was also careful to ensure that it would be something Clarisse would watch.
"YOU would watch one of these films?" he looked over the paper at her, and she pretended to look offended.
"I'm not that strait laced darling!"
"Of course not, sweetheart…. Hmmm," he continued to peruse the paper for a moment. "Maybe 'Gone in 60 Second's…"
"Well, if you wanted to watch one of them, I wouldn't mind seeing it as well… and I'll even drive," she offered, and Joseph looked over the paper, even more surprised.
"You drive? When was the last time you drove?"
"I can't remember exactly, but despite that my license was expired in America, I CAN drive, and I would like you to drive you into Pyrus… I just don't think I could watch them all, though…"
"Neither could I," he said, touched at her offer. "Okay, maybe 'Gone in 60 Seconds'…"
"What's it about?"
Joseph quickly filled her in on the plotline, and she looked interested- it wasn't the type of film she would normally watch, but for Joseph she would watch anything…"
"I'm game if you are," she said calmly with a smile, sounding more like her granddaughter than ever, and Joe laughed. "What are you laughing about?" she looked puzzled.
"I was laughing because you sounded so much like Mia when you said 'I'm game'… I never thought I would ever hear you use slang… even when Phillipe came home from America, you didn't pick up anything from him…"
Clarisse looked pensive for a moment.
"I never really thought I used that much slang, but I suppose… it's understandable… why? Don't you like me using slang?" she teased as she stood up and began gathering plates before Joe pulled her down onto his lap.
"Yes, I like you using slang- but I also love you the way you are…" before he nuzzled her neck playfully. "Anyway, the film begins at seven tonight- but are you really sure you want to drive all that way?"
"Do I look incompetent to you?" she asked as they carried the piles of plated downstairs.
"No, it's just that I've been driving with both your sons, and neither of them were fantastic… erratic at best… and you… well, you have a history of accidents!"
They both knew he was referring to the 'mini-accident' Mia had had in San Francisco, Clarisse in the passenger seat. She gave him a mock outraged look.
"That was not me, and we both know it was an accident!" she protested hotly before she realised he was laughing at her, and she tossed a cold piece of toast at him.
000
They spent much of the day on the beach, causing Joseph to joke:
"This is exactly what I had in mind for our days at the beach house!" when he came up from the surf to where Clarisse was sitting.
She laughed as he pretended to shake himself dry all over her, before sitting down next to her on the sand.
"I thought we were supposed to be leading a normal life," Clarisse joked as she stretched back under the umbrella, and Joe looked at her.
"What… this isn't normal?"
"No… this is a holiday!"
"Right… a holiday from the palace… by the way, we are retired so…. But don't tell me you aren't enjoying this," he teased as he trailed a hand down her leg, and she giggled, ticklish.
"No, I am enjoying this… I just feel sorry for everyone else who is working!"
"We earned this time for ourselves," he said as he turned onto his side to face her, and was surprised to see her smiling at him. "What are you smiling at?"
"You… I still cannot believe that someone as handsome and as physically in shape as you are was not taken off the market long ago…"
"What you don't know," Joe began, pretending to sound wise. "Is that I'm very vain, and that most women didn't like that… you happened to be the exception…"
"I can understand if you were vain," Clarisse said as she ran a hand down his chest. "But you aren't…" before he bent down and kissed her.
"It's just as well as you're not vain either…but you ARE gorgeous, and I'll get very jealous if any man looks at you in the wrong way…"
"As you proved when you knocked out Mabrey… but you're the only one who I have eyes for anyway…" as she sat up slightly and kissed him on the tip of his nose.
"By the way, I'll make you a deal- if you drive close to Pyrus, I'll drive the rest of the way in and back… unless you want to spend the night at the palace?"
"Not particularly," she said honestly, before realising that he might feel differently. "But…"
"No, I'm perfectly happy to drive back here… but I think that we should have a nap this afternoon… it's going to be a late night!" he protested when she gave him a knowing look.
0
It was just after half past four when, after an early dinner ('although we might have to have a midnight snack when we get back!"), and a nap, when a slightly nervous Clarisse got behind the wheel of the car. Joe, sensing her nerves, leant over and pressed her hand gently.
"I trust you- you're going to do fine."
"I know… it's just that it's been a really long time, that's all."
"You'll be fine… besides, the car is an automatic, so the car does all the work… I could show you cruise control…"
"Please don't… I'll be fine…" She took a deep breath, and started the car.
After fifteen minutes on the road, Clarisse relaxed her grip on the wheel, and sat back in her seat. Joe, noting her visibly relaxing, smiled but decided to make things easier by not talking….
"Why are you so quiet?"
"I thought you would appreciate the silence to concentrate on your driving…"
"I'm fine now, so we can chat…"
"You're quite good at driving- who taught you?"
"Not my father- one of my bodyguards taught me and I got my licence before I married Rupert. He was actually quite patient with me, and I passed my test on the first time," she smiled smugly. "What about you?"
"Well… even before I got my license, yes I passed on my first go, my brother and I used to take our parents cars out at night to race…"
"It's a wonder you weren't killed or caught!" she gasped.
"We did get a few speed tickets when we first got cars and licenses, but…"
Clarisse looked sidelong at him.
"Why didn't you tell me all about this years ago?"
"I was afraid that you might get a little offended…"
"I wouldn't have got offended, and I wouldn't have fired you- you were and are the best in the business…" she giggled slightly. "I just love the thought that my husband was a wild man in his youth…"
Joseph laughed along with her.
"The only wild thing around here, my dear, is your imagination!"
They both laughed before Clarisse retaliated by putting her foot down on the accelerator, causing the car to speed up considerably. After a moment, Joseph decided to tease her a little:
"Imagine if the former Queen of Genovia was pulled up speeding!" and it did the trick- she slowed down straight away.
"I never thought of that!"
"But you are doing very well!"
They swapped over on the outskirts of Pyrus, and Joseph successfully found a car park opposite the busy cinema, and he realised that Clarisse shouldn't get out until he had got the tickets.
"You wait here, I'll be back in a minute," he said, hurriedly surveying the scene before them, and knowing it would be easier for him to collect the pre-ordered tickets Mia had reserved for them. Clarisse nodded understandingly as he disappeared, and he was back a moment later.
"Was this such a good idea?" she asked worriedly, having noted the crowds around the cinema.
"Yes it is… we'll just have to be a little discreet about sneaking in and out of the cinema…"
When they got into the cinema, after waiting for the crowds to disperse, Clarisse kept her head down when Joseph handed their tickets to the usher, the cinema was crowded but they luckily found a quiet back row with no one else there…
"It's lucky we're not seeing a silly romantic comedy," he murmured as he sat down next to her, and she smiled as she pushed up the arm rest between them to cuddle up to him.
"I just hope it isn't scary," she confided, and he patted her arm reassuringly.
"It won't be…."
00
When the cinema lights came up almost two hours later, Joe chuckled when he looked over and saw Clarisse still staring, wide eyed, at the screen. He gently touched her on the shoulder, and she jumped out of her skin.
"Are you alright?"
"Wow…" she finally said. "I just hope that you won't drive like that…. Or steal cars!"
"I won't, and I don't, not when I'm driving the most important person to me around," he explained as they waited for the cinema to empty before they left.
"It's still rather early," he observed as they stepped out of the cinema. He spied a 24 hour coffee shop nearby. "Would you like a cup of tea or coffee before we go back?"
"Why not?" she grinned-this felt like a date.
The coffee shop was almost deserted when they entered and the middle aged waitress didn't recognise them as she took their order.
"She mustn't read the paper," he joked quietly when she had walked away, and Clarisse giggled.
"I'm surprised…. You're usually so shy…. And now you're seeking publicity!" she teased, before adding shyly: "This feels like a date to me."
"And to me as well, my dear," he said as he rested a hand on top of hers and they smiled at each other.
They were still happily chatting away when…
"Joe… is that you?" came an unfamiliar voice from above them, and they both looked up to see an attractive brunette in her early fifties standing there, beaming, with a dark haired man at her side.
"Laura?" Joe asked after a split second, genuinely surprised, before he stood up and hugged her. "It's great to see you again!"
"You too," Laura said warmly, still holding his hands when they broke apart, much to Clarisse's displeasure. "What are you doing now… and what are you doing here?"
"I'm happily married and retired…. Oh," he suddenly realised as Clarisse stood up next to him, feeling oddly possessive of him. "This lovely lady is my wife Clarisse…"
"Oh ho… the woman none of us could live up to, and who finally tamed Joe," Laura joked as she turned to Clarisse with a smile, shaking her proffered hand, but Clarisse discovered that she didn't like her.
It made her feel uncomfortable when she was them hugging (yet, it was the same thing she did with James and Charlie, she told herself sternly), and this just made her feel worse….but she had to be civil for Joseph…
"It's a pleasure to meet you…" she began before Laura interrupted her.
"And this is my husband, Steven," she pointed to the man at her side, and they all shook hands.
"I saw and read about your first and second weddings Joe… how come you never invited us?" Laura asked in a playful and flirtatious tone, instantly landing herself in Clarisse's bad books. She definitely would not have had her at either of their wedding ceremonies…
"The first one was a spur of the moment," Joe said, smiling lovingly over at Clarisse. "And the second was more of a private affair."
"Well, if you ever have a third…." Laura smiled coyly at him, Clarisse never missing a beat. "Do you mind if we join you?"
"Of course not," he said hastily, sitting down next to Clarisse as Laura and her husband sat down opposite them.
"So…." Laura began the conversation, and it quickly became clear that she was only interested in Joseph…
Clarisse chatted pleasantly to Steven (about what, she didn't know), but she was miserable, and felt a little old against Laura, a feeling she had very rarely felt before… Never with Joseph, but a few times with Rupert… She was very attractive, and she assumed that she was probably an ex-girlfriend…. She knew that Joseph adored her, and made his feelings quite clear and open, but at that moment, it didn't help her in the slightest…
The rest of the night was a misery for Clarisse as she listened to them reminisce about people and places they had been to… she had never realised Joseph had felt like that when she talked to James and Charlie, but she now knew how they felt, and she hated it… It also didn't help that Laura was flirting openly with him, touching him and leaning forward towards him…. She was getting very angry about it now, but neither of them had seemed to notice her, or the time…
Finally, much later, Laura stretched happily before standing up, followed by the other three.
"Well, it was time we were leaving… it was lovely to finally meet you, Clarissa," she said, extending a hand to Clarisse who shook it reluctantly. "You are a lucky woman- Sir Joseph is the best…"she smiled, rather falsely, before she dropped Clarisse's hand abruptly and turned to hug and kiss Joseph… Clarisse, at that moment, literally saw red, but decided to stay quiet…
She had before, and she could do it again…
00
The car trip seemed to be fairly quiet for a while before Joseph decided to initiate conversation.
"What did you think of Laura?"
It cost Clarisse a lot to think of something, but she finally said:
"She's lovely… how do you know her?" but not trying to sound as though she was possessive and jealous….
"She and I dated for six months years ago…" he said casually and her heart ached even more. "Did you like her?"
"She was nice," she admitted reluctantly, hating the fact that she was having to give an opinion on an ex-girlfriend, and there was a long silence.
Clarisse looked out the window into the darkness, angry and jealous. She knew he had dated over the years (in fact, she had encouraged him to get out more), but she realised something… if she was really honest with herself, if she thought about it, she disliked the thought of him dating anyone… HE had never really told her about any of his dates, but…
"Penny for your thoughts?" he teased gently, and she only made a small grunt in reply. "The movie was great, wasn't it?"
"Fine," she mumbled, still staring out the window, and Joseph quickly realised she was upset… he has felt she had been upset at the end of the evening with Laura, but he thought he had only imagined it….
"Clarisse, what's wrong?"
"Nothing… I'm just tired," she muttered hastily, not wanting him to know the truth.
The rest of the car trip was spent in awkward silence- Clarisse was angry and upset, and Joe was wondering why her mood had changed so quickly… she had seemed so happy at the end of the movie…
It wasn't until he was unlocking the door of the house when they arrived, when he realised what she was upset about.
"Are you jealous of Laura?" he asked as he followed her into the house.
"No, I'm not," she replied quickly, back towards him as she started up the stairs, but Joe wasn't going to let her get away with this time.
"Clarisse, tell me the truth- are you jealous of Laura? You barely spoke to her all night…"
"As if I had a chance- you and she were in a world of your own, although she was doing much of the talking" she said bitterly, her back still towards him, but she had stopped on the stairs. "And that husband… it's amazing he can stay married to her…. talk, talk, talk is all she does…"
"I'm right!" Joe crowed triumphantly. "You are jealous of her!"
To his surprise, she spun on her heel on the stairs, and glared at him angrily. He simply didn't understand why she felt the way she did…
"You're damn right I'm jealous- what kind of wife and woman would I be if I tolerated someone else flirting and making eyes at my husband?!" she snapped, clearly furious at him. "How could I not be jealous when another woman was touching, kissing and hugging my husband? It made me sick to watch you two together…"
"It's just the same as what you do with Charlie and James," Joe snapped in return as he followed her up the stairs. "You hug them every time you see them!"
"Not since I realised that you were uncomfortable about it….!"
"Alright, alright… but Laura and I are friends, that's all, and we hadn't seen each other for a while! As I recall, you hugged James and Charlie last year… It's not a big deal…"
"I never used to date James or Charles, that's the difference…You and Laura, however…. People may have thought that you were a couple!" she said sarcastically, trying to hurt him as much as she was hurting…
"We weren't flirting, despite what you think!"
"I would calling her touching you, kissing you and hugging you flirting… and, what's worse, you didn't seem to mind it in the slightest!"
"I'm friends with most of my exes, and I honestly don't know…." Joe began before he realised his mistake… Clarisse was very, very different… and she was sensitive about certain things...
"Well unfortunately," she turned again, eyes blazing, at the top of the stairs. "I have only been with two men in my life, and I married BOTH of them!"
"Clarisse, will you try to make some sense?" Joseph was trying to be calm as he followed her into the bedroom. "None of that means anything to me…and, like I said before, it's not a big deal!"
She spun around again on her heel, stung at his words, and her eyes full of tears.
"It is a big deal when my first husband flirted with every woman he set eyes on… and even had affairs with… I don't think I could bear you doing the same thing….!"
Joseph now understood what she was saying, and why she was saying it, but, to his horror, he suddenly discovered himself bellowing out:
"So, are you saying that I can't be friends with any of my exes?" as she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her, not caring whether Joseph stayed or left…
Inside, she grabbed a towel and cried into it- a simple date had turned into disaster… she had only wanted to make him happy, and she had thrown a tantrum because they had run into an ex girlfriend of his…
However, she had never realised how possessive she felt about Joseph… he had helped her though some difficult times, had been there for her always, and had been her best friend…. she had been acting rather ridiculous- he had committed 100% to her years ago, and there was nothing that would change that…
Still, seeing her with that woman…
When she emerged from the bathroom half an hour later, changed into her 'magic' nightgown, she was surprised and hurt to discover that he was already in bed and asleep…
She knew that she shouldn't have overreacted, knowing that she often HAD behaved liked that around James and Charles (but no longer did, knowing her husband's feelings)… yet, knowing that he had gone to sleep made her less inclined to go to bed…
She stepped out onto the balcony, shivering slightly in the cool evening breeze, and stood at the edge, looking up at the stars… It was a beautiful night, and the sound of the ocean soothed her somewhat… Why did she have to be jealous?
Just then… she heard the door open and close behind her, and she turned to collide with him as his arms wrapped around her.
"I'm sorry, Joseph… I shouldn't have reacted like that, "she whispered softly into his shirt, but he nudged her chin up to look directly into her eyes.
"Baby, I realised as soon as we began arguing why you acted like that, and I don't blame you in the slightest… I can so understand why you erupted like you did, and…"
"I just felt left out this evening… you never told me about any of your dates…"
"I never wanted you to be jealous… And you would have been, wouldn't you?"
"I suppose so… I'm sure Laura is lovely, but…. But I was jealous…" she decided to be honest with him…. Besides, he probably would have sniffed it out in seconds.
"Oh…." Joe murmured understandingly. "So….. Despite the fact that you were always trying to get me to date, you actually didn't like the though of me dating, did you?"
"No," she said honestly, looking at him with her honest blue eyes. "I didn't…"
"Believe me, my love, I never had more than a few steady girlfriends in my entire adult life… particularly once I met you… there were lots of first and second dates, but nothing really stuck… as I've said before, you were the one… As for Laura, we're friendly, but I was a little surprised at her behaviour today…. She never really understood the influence you had over me…"
"I had influence over you?"
"Yes, and you know it… But she never understood our friendship, but she was jealous of you…"
"Was she jealous of me?" Clarisse asked, feeling sorry for Laura, yet feeling superior- there was something about her that had captured Joseph…
"Yes she was, and that's why she ignored you tonight… don't think I didn't see…"
"Was it a nasty break up?"
"No… but you don't have to worry…Did you want me to tell you ….."
"No, I don't want to know about all of that… "
"All you need to worry about is whether I'm true to you, and believe me, I always have been… You have no need to be jealous of anyone… you were ever the only one I wanted, and no one means more to me than you…"
After a moment, she shivered slightly, and his arms wrapped around her even tighter.
"Come on, let's go to bed…"
They climbed into bed, and she smiled as she turned to face him.
"All I can say is that I hope tomorrow is much less eventful!"
"I hope so too, otherwise I think we might have to go back to the palace!"