Royal winter tour 2050: Raising awareness on animal protection and climate change

On behalf of His Majesty The King, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Oxford will go on a Royal tour in winter of 2050. Their Royal Highnesses will first go to the Neumayer-Station III, Antarctica where they will assist scientists who study penguins.

After two weeks, Their Royal Highnesses with travel to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital in Johannesburg, Africa and Plumari Game Reserve, where they will help the staff taking care of the wild animals.

Ten days later, Their Royal Highnesses will travel to Madagascar, where they will help veterinary surgeons who save turtles and corals.

The Duke and Duchess of Oxford will then travel to Costa Rica where they will visit a rescue centre for parrots and hummingbirds as well as the Corcovado national park.

Following this, Their Royal Highnesses will visit the rainforests of Panama, where hey will help scientists who collect microorganisms from the fur of sloths in order to make new, effective, antibiotics.

In late February The Duke and Duchess will attend the Santiago Climate Change Conference in Santiago de Chile, Chile, where the Duchess of Oxford will hold a speech. Their Royal Highnesses will attend meetings with all 193 member states of the United Nations.

Their Royal Highnesses Princess Alexandria, Princess Eleanor and Princess Grace of Oxford will join their parents for the trips to Africa and South America.

Finally, the Duke and Duchess will make another trip to South America where they will travel along the Amazonia River to raise awareness of the destruction of the jungle.

Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to this tour and can't wait to show their daughters these amazing countries.

Josephine

I flip through the hangers full of clothes. Today's Christmas Eve as well as Eliana and Evangelina's first birthday. Just like every year, we're going to start the day with a church service at St. Matthias Church in Richmond that starts at 8am and runs for 40 minutes. It's not too far away from my childhood home and the people there really respect our privacy.

Not once in 35 years has there ever been a photo of our family attending the church service online. Even now when we're going there with the royals, the people chat with us like we're one of them.

And this year my husband and his family will join us.

"Can't decide what to wear?"

I wince at my husband's voice.

Oliver wraps his arms around me from behind. "I didn't mean to scare you, Tesoro." He whispers before kissing my left cheek.

"I was just lost in my thoughts." I answer and rub his forearms. "And yes, I can't decide what to wear."

"Well, if you need a little help to decide, us Brazilians really dress up for the service on Christmas Day and on Christmas Eve."

"Are you upset that you guys aren't going to a church service tonight?"

Oliver shakes his head, "No. We'll go to a catholic service tomorrow."

"I'll join you and your family."

"You're not catholic."

"It doesn't matter what my religion is. This will be the last time we're going to be able to do that. Next year, we'll be doing the Morning Walk in Norfolk. Things will change." I explain as I continue flipping through my hangers.

"What's it going to be like?"

"The Morning Walk? Just watch what's going to happen tomorrow morning on the telly."

My husband's green eyes widen, "It's going to be live on the news?"

I nod, "Yeah. It's a short walk. Ten to fifteen minutes. The path is lined with people that have been waiting for you for hours in the cold. It's sort of crazy and all you get to do is smile, wave and wish them a Merry Christmas."

"No photos?"

"No. Royals don't take photos. Never. Ever. Take. A. Selfie." I warn him and stop at my collection of Emilia Wickstead dresses. I own twelve dresses and coat dresses by the New Zealand born designer. She's a stable in my wardrobe. Especially for church services, Ascot and garden parties.

"I like that." Oliver points at a powder blue dress. The wool dress features a midi-length A-line skirt, waistband detailing, a slim-fitting bodice and bracelet-length sleeves. It's going to camouflage my wide hips and voluminous boobs.

"That's a good choice. I'll wear that." I get the hanger out and look at it closer. The last time I wore this dress was last year. To a church service with Rothschild. It was this huge spectacle as we went to Westminster Abbey together with his parents. I hated the press photographer and the mindless smalltalk with people as rich as me. After the church service we went to my parents where we had a Christmas lunch. Christmas Eve was spent in Bath with the Rothschilds. It was the worst Christmas I ever had. The Rothschilds were all dressed up with diamonds and tiaras. It wasn't anything like a Bolton Christmas Eve with loungewear and apple red pyjamas the next morning.

It's time to write new history with the dress.

Suddenly Oliver's iPhone vibrates on the island in the dressing room. He picks it up. "It's a text from Hilary."

"What does she want?"

"She's sending us a draft of our statement that we're going to release after His Majesty's announcement." Oliver mumbles before giving me his iPhone.

I stare at the display and very carefully read the chosen words:

Statement released by The Duke and Duchess of Clarence

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Clarence asked for the following statement to be released:

We are delighted to be joining The Royal Family in our roles as president and vice-president of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust. We feel incredibly honoured and grateful to help unfold the potential of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust, in support of His Majesty The King. We hope to fill in the shoes that were left by the last president and vice-president of the Commonwealth Trust and support grassroots organisations all over the Commonwealth.

We can't wait to engage with diverse organisations all over the Commonwealth, that is a global family of 54 countries, shine a light on different charities and organisations that fight climate change and offer solutions within the Commonwealth, help where help is needed and witness the beauty of kindness, the spirit of charity and support first hand. The Commonwealth is an unpresidential global family of 54 countries, bound together by shared history and tradition, working to promote a future of peace, democracy and human rights for all.

During future trips across the Commonwealth, we can't wait to meet with young leaders to hear their insights and propel their vision for lasting change. We plan to visit all 54 Commonwealth nations very regularly in order to support locally. As stated on our website, the taxpayers' money won't fund these travels.

We are fully dedicated to our new roles, deeply committed to His Majesty The King as well as other members of the Royal Family and can't wait to see how the future unfolds.

For more please visit ClarenceRoyal. uk.

Josephine Oliver

I read the statement three times before giving Oliver his iPhone back.

"What do you think?" Oliver asks me.

"What do you think?" I ask him back instead.

"It's good."

"You wouldn't change anything?"

"I don't know. We pay Hilary for writing this stuff for us, so I trust her."

I raise an eyebrow at him.

"You obviously think otherwise, so share your opinion." He waves with his hands.

"It's good for a draft but nowhere near to be released in this form. People are going to rip it apart. They will count how many times we mentioned the Commonwealth, His Majesty, grateful and our new titles. It's not as smooth as I want it to be. The wording 'help unfold the potential of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust' is misleading. It sounds like it didn't have any potential before we came on board. It sounds like it was doing nothing, being useless before us. That's a major insult and I'm sure the press will see it that way as well. The reference about Harry and Meghan should be removed. It sounds like we think we're better than them at this. It's going to cause too much controversy. The part about the Commonwealth being a global family of 54 nations that are bound together by history is a bit too distant. It's a filling element that sounds educational rather than explanatory. It's unnecessary in a statement like this. A statement like ours should be short, on the point and absolutely crystal clear. No filling passages. No word salad. The part about the taxpayer not funding our future royal trips needs to be said but maybe in a different way." I sigh, "I'm going to have another look at it when we're on the plane to Bora Bora." I decide. Releasing a statement is unavoidable but it has to be the right statement. It has to have the right wording, it needs to be distant with a personal touch. It needs to express gratitude without making it look like we're kissing His Majesty's ass.

It's tricky. A walk on eggshells.

That's our new life.

"You're reading so much into so little words?" My husband asks me with a frown.

"I'm not over interpreting the statement. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I've seen the press do this too many times to Rory and Nate's statements and I guarantee you, it's going to be worse with us."

"I do trust you." My husband ensures me. "With my life."

"That's all you just heard, isn't it?! The other parts I said were important as well!" I hiss at him.

"Hey, calm down. Just because I have no idea what's really going to the like, doesn't mean I'm taking everything very lighthearted. I trust you and your instincts. I trust your experiences. I trust you more than I trust me."

I frown at his last sentence, "You're afraid we're going to mess up?"

"No, I'm afraid we'll experience a burn out because we love doing what we'll be doing so much."

I lick my lips at his words. He voiced the inevitable. "Our kids will stop us before we do."

"And what if not?"

I place the iPhone on the island in our walk-in wardrobe before placing my hands on my husband's shoulders, "Our children are our number one priority. Nothing and no one will get in between them and us. Our jobs fulfil our hearts' desires but our children, they give our lives a whole new meaning. A deeper meaning that neither of us can fully grasp or understand."

"You already love them as much as me, don't you?"

I don't know why but my throat tightens at his question. A second later, the tears start burning in my eyes. I bite on my lower lip and shrug.

I love the two humans we've created although I've never met them.

But I hope I will.

I really do.

Oliver

I knock on the wooden door of the flat that Josephine gifted me for my 27th birthday. I can't believe that a year and a half later my Mama is living in his flat with my brothers - and I'm living twelve floors above in the penthouse with Josephine, who is carrying our twins.

The door swings open and I stare at Johna, who is wearing navy slacks, a white crisp Oxford shirt and there's an open tie around his neck.

Mama's making sure Johna and Caio will look good today. Especially when it's the first time the two families with meet.

"Wow, you look so smart!" Josephine greet Johna with a big hug.

My little brother really loves her. "I don't know how to tie this thing." He admits.

I smile at him. I've worn ties only a handful of times in my life as well. The first time it was for my father's funeral, an event Johna didn't get to experience since he was still in Mama's belly at that time.

"I'll help you with that." Josephine offers before following my little brother inside. I watch her disappear in the hallway.

I close the door, "Mama?"

"Living room!" She cries back.

I walk down the hallway and turn left at the end before entering the open living area that has an open kitchen. The view through the window front over the Thames in front of the building is stunning. The curved balcony is filled with snow. My eyes stop at my Mama who is wearing a magenta colour dress with short sleeves. Her dark brown curls are styled in half-up, half-down, just like Josephine. My eyes stop at her left hand.

She's no longer wearing her wedding band. She took it off. There's still quite a significant mark on her left ring finger.

But she took it off.

"Wow!"

"Too much?" My Mama asks me.

I shake my head, "No, you look beautiful, Mama."

"Thank you. I want to look good for today. It's the first time we're meeting the whole Bolton Family."

"And the Wales and the Matthew/Middleton family." I tell her.

"What? We'll meet the royals again?"

I nod, "But they're family. We're going to be with our family not with royals."

"And in a few days you will be one of them."

"I'll always be Oliver. The title comes with my job. It doesn't come in my blood."

My Mama tilts her head to the left, "Are you sure you want to do this? All the criticism? All the hatred and judgement?"

I nod, "I want this. I feel... it feels like the right decision."

A wide smile stretches the full pink lips of my Mama. "I remember how you always wanted to be a doctor growing up and now look at you... future vice-president of the Commonwealth."

"Dreams change. I wanted to do good and I will do good. I will help people in a way I never could have as a doctor."

"You don't regret giving up your scholarship?"

I shrug, "I've come to accept God's way of leading me. He brought me to Josephine. He brought me to this day. I'm at peace with my decisions."

Suddenly, my Mama's brown eyes fill with tears, "If only your Papa was able to see you now... he'd be very proud of the man you've become."

I embrace her tightly, "I miss him as well." I whisper into her ear as I rub circles on her back.

"I love you so much, Oli."

"I love you, too." I whisper back before letting go of her. "And now dry your tears and refresh your makeup, because we have to be in a soup kitchen in about fifteen minutes."

My Mama frowns, "Soup kitchen?"

"It's a Bolton tradition to spend the morning of Christmas Eve in a soup kitchen. Ralph is going to drop you guys off at the soup kitchen in Richmond. Josephine and me will drive to her childhood home and help load up the cars with Gabriella's Christmas biscuits."

"Is this woman some sort of superhero?"

I chuckle, "Sometimes, I think the same. But then I realise it's a Bolton-thing. They love helping others. In lots of different ways."

My Mama nods, "It's why you fell in love with Josephine."

True, her generosity is one of the first characteristics that I noticed about her.

That and her arrogance, which she used as a protection shield for her heart.

"Will the whole family be there?"

"No. Just the older Bolton members. I think the kids will stay at the house in Richmond."

"Then maybe Johna and Caio should stay there as well. They could bond with their brother-in-laws over games."

"That's a good idea, actually." I say with a nod, "How are they doing?"

"It's quite hard for them to make any friends."

"Really?"

"They haven't talked about anyone since they started school over three months ago."

I gulp, I knew adjusting to a whole new country wouldn't be easy but I didn't think it'd be so hard. "I think we should give them until the end of the school year and then review the situation."

"Maybe they're better off at the Bolton Academy anyway. I don't know want them to be away from me but if they're unhappy..."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We can always talk to them when the school year is over."

My Mama nods, "Okay. I think this is a good plan."

Josephine

I tug on Johna's navy tie one last time and rise to my full height, "Done."

"Done?" Johna asks me. "Is this supposed to be so tight?"

"Yes." Caio informs him. He looks very good although he is twinning with his little brother today. But I guess navy slacks and a white Oxford shirt is a classic that never goes out of style. Especially with a navy tie.

"How do you guys like your schools?"

"It's so different than Rio. All the pupils do here is stare at their mobiles in the breaks! They don't even talk to each other properly. All they do is type on their iPhones or however that thing is called. They play games on those things. I thought playing games requires a ball. We used to play with a ball on our breaks! We told each other jokes and shared our meals with one another but here..."

"All they do is stare at the screen of their iPhones." I finish Johna's sentence.

"Yes and that sucks."

I nod, "I can imagine. What about you?" I ask Caio.

Caio shrugs, "It's the same in my school."

"Have you made any friends?"

Johna shakes his head.

"How can we when the people don't talk to each other?" Caio asks me with a shrug.

They're unhappy. "And how are you guys doing with homework?"

"That's not the issue."

They have a social issue not an intellectual one. "I'm sure it's going to be better after your Christmas holiday. The kids are going to want to talk about what they did on their holiday and you will have one of the best stories to tell." I try to cheer them up.

"Oliver told us to not say too much." Caio mumbles, "He said that the kids might want to get on the bandwagon and try to exploit us if they find out whom we are related to."

I lick my lips, they'll be in the same situation I have been my whole life.

"How do we know who wants to be our friend because of Oliver and you?" Johna asks me.

I look at him, "You'll develop an instinct. You are going to trust the wrong persons but you will learn to be careful. You'll start to learn how read people. You'll learn whom to trust."

"No one's talking to us at school anyway so we won't be making those mistakes." Caio says with a sad voice.

I'd rather be in the tabloids than them having no friends. "Give it time. Sometimes it takes a while to find new friends. But today you're going to meet lots of new people. My brothers and nieces are really nice. They're excited to meet you."

"You don't have any nephews, do you?"

"Just Valentine. But he's not old enough to talk to you in a language you can understand."

"Is it true that today's the birthday of your brother's daughters?"

"Yes. Of Evangelina and Eliana."

"And they're real princesses?" Johna asks me.

I nod, "But when they're around family, they're just Eva and Eliana."

"So we'll be celebrating the birth of Jesus and Eva and Eliana?" Caio asks me. "Does that mean they're saints now?"

I shrug, "They're just Eva and Eliana. No titles. No crowns. No saints."

"I think it's pretty cool to share the same birthday as Jesus!" Johna grins at me.

"Are you going to join us tomorrow for the church service?"

"Yes. We'll drive from the church straight to the tarmac, hop on the plane and be on Bora Bora just 19 hours later."

"We'll fly the whole day?" Caio asks me with big eyes.

"Yeah but we'll use our bigger plane so we won't have to land in between." I explain to my two brother-in-laws. "And when we arrive on the private airport on Bora Bora we'll use a water taxi that's going to bring us to our hotel."

"A water taxi?" Johna asks me with a grin on his lips. "We'll be on a boat again?"

I smile as I remember how much he enjoyed being on Sapphire when we were on French Cay a few weeks ago. I have a feeling he'll be best friends with my brothers Cal and Gideon. They're just as boat-obsessed.

They'll be fine.

Oliver

I know Josephine warned me about Christmas Eve with her family, but really I had no idea! No idea!

"Oliver, we can start cooking the onions now!" Adaline's voice reaches my ears. She's standing at the huge stove that's full of pots and pans. Every Bolton family member has it's own task in the kitchen at the soup kitchen. I am responsible for cutting the onions, Della for cooking at the stove. Gabriella and Josephine marinated the chickens and Rory helped them fill the chickens with a filling she made earlier with her big brother Nate. Ana, Sasha, Troy, Wlad and the Bolton boys are out in the front, chatting with the homeless. Ana and Sasha even decided to gift haircuts to them in a separate room. Another room is full of donated clothes. Every Bolton member donated three outfits or more. The rooms look like boutiques. They are usually used as break rooms but today the rooms are used for haircuts and new outfits. Rory and Char decided to gift women their makeup and skincare products. Kids are getting toys as their Christmas gifts. Everything is low key, the royals and Boltons aren't glammed up. They rather let their hearts speak.

I wish initiatives like these would exist all over the world.

I finish cutting the last onion before putting the perfect square shaped onions into the bowl. In times like today I am glad I worked at Luigi's and learned how to cook properly. I pick up the bowl and walk through the busy kitchen that's made of stainless steel countertops. The Bolton's family tradition to spend Christmas Eve at a soup kitchen and serve those who don't have anything is wonderful. They're gifting their time to those who need it most. For over 35 years the Boltons have been coming here. A decade ago Sasha joined the family and two years later Wladimir joined the tradition with Sergej. Then came George as he and Rory got married. Then came Charlotte. And now it's my family and me. With the size that this family has now we could easily open our own soup kitchen.

The smallest and youngest family members are staying with either grandma and grandpa, Wills and Catherine, or Nonas, Vicky and Diana. Josephine was four when she first stepped into a homeless shelter. Her three younger brothers were six and seven when they first visited this place. It's amazing how down the earth these people are despite their shocking wealth that stored safely on their bank accounts, on the stock market and in properties.

I place the bowl next to Adaline. The six double ovens in the kitchen are full of chickens that are roasting in there along with a few potatoes and other veggies. The Boltons love to cook Christmas Dinners for the people here but most homeless people never meet them, especially the royals. Because they tend to stay in the kitchen when the rest of the Bolton family members serve the dishes. This would be a hotspot for paparazzi and journalists but the homeless keep the secret.

I feel so honoured to be a part of this tradition now.

I wash my hands in the sink with soap before I help my wife cutting the bread. She's officially 13 weeks along with our twins, but that's nowhere to be seen. Her boobs have grown in size but that's all the changes that have happened to her body. Her hips are a little wider but she hides that underneath the dress that she's wearing.

"We're going to start serving in twenty minutes!" Gabriella announces with a wide smile on her lips. She's clearly flourishing here, just like the rest of the family. It's so nice to see the whole family caring so much about others. "Could you wrap up the biscuits?" She asks Josephine and me. Before we went to the soup kitchen, we helped her load up the car with Christmas biscuits, gingerbread, chocolate Father Christmases and all other sweets that she either hand-made or hand-bought. But I think next l year Gabriella might even try to maker her own chocolate Father Christmas. I have never seen so many biscuits at one place! It was like her kitchen exploded with the Christmas spirit.

We nod before getting to work in another room. From floor to ceiling it's full of jars that are bursting with biscuits. The smell is so wonderful! I can't believe the Boltons do this every year. How they find the strength to cook for their own family afterwards is beyond my comprehension. But as far as I'm informed every Bolton family member brings something to the table. Kelsi and Ryan usually bring four different salads. Catherine and William bring five homemade Christmas Puddings. Nate and Char bring two roasted chickens, just like Rory and George. Miley and Luc bring the side dishes, just like Della and Wlad. Josephine and me brought some typical Brazilian pastries that we made with my Mama and brothers. Everyone contributes, so the labour gets distributed evenly. That way there's enough time and energy to do this.

To give back.

Josephine hands me a red Christmas bag with Father Christmas on it, "One of each."

When I'm done, the bag will be bursting with Christmas sweets. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"Of course. You're my husband. This is now your tradition as well." My wife smirks at me. "Just like hanging up your Christmas ornament."

I smile, "I can't wait for that moment."

"Me, too. But for now, we have to pack 500 Christmas bags." She says before handing me a chocolate Father Christmas.

"Josephine?"

"Yes?"

"Are you sure you feel good enough to fly tomorrow noon?" I ask her.

My wife sighs as she shoves biscuit after biscuit into the Christmas bag. "Yes. I told you. I will fly to Bora Bora. Just like I will commute from Mauritius to Tanzania twice a week. I am fine."

"I'm just worried about you. All three of you."

"I know. But we're fine. In fact we're so good that I haven't thrown up the whole day in case you haven't noticed."

"I have but I was trying to downplay my excitement over it."

My wife chuckles, "I think it's safe to say my morning sickness is slowly saying goodbye."

"Phew, it lasted long enough. I thought you were going to have to fight that for the whole pregnancy!"

Josephine shows me a grin that's solemnly reserved for me. "Sometimes, not even Northern Lights do my love for you justice."

The huge bushy Christmas tree is lit, sparkling with twinkling lights and the many different bobbles that we've put on. Usually, people decorate their tree with a bobble set that they bought at Tesco or Marks and Spencer in red, white or cream coloured, at least that's what my wife explained to me.

We never had a Christmas tree. The hotel my Mum worked at had a Christmas tree but it didn't look like this beauty in front of me. It was a palm tree with tinsel but not a huge Nordmann fir tree like the one across me. It's so big that it goes all the way up to the ceiling. It must be a good ten meters in height. On the tip sits a sparkly angel.

My Mama, Johna, Caio and me brought the special ornaments that my wife asked me to. The tree has an ornament for every family member. Each family member has their own ornament with their birthday engraved on it. Gabriella has a pink peony, Ana has a white English rose, Della has a pale pink ballet shoe, Troy's ornament is a skyscraper, Nate's a blue snowflake made out of glass, my wife's a red heart with diamonds, Rory's a blue/green/purple hummingbird as that's her favourite animal, Elias' a navy plane and Cal and Gideon have two sailing boats. Troy's brother Lucas went for a red Ferrari and his wife, Miley, for a pearl. Their son Liam has a bar of gold. Troy's sister Shailene has went for a white swan because she lives and works in Swansea. Gabriella's step brother Ryan chose a bottle of champagne and his wife Kelsi a piano.

Catherine's a camera and it's an airforce plane for William. Louis' is a red dragon. Charlotte went for a sapphire jewelled sewed bauble in blue that actually looks really cool. George went for a diamanté holly glass bauble with real rubies. Carol Middleton decided for a Loganberry Christmas bauble and her husband James went for a beaded fabric peacock bauble. Pippa, Catherine's sister, went for an emerald feather flower bauble while her husband James chose an open lease bauble that's sparkling. Their son Arthur went for a green crackle bauble.

Caroline and Isabella, Della and Wlad's daughters, each have a unicorn as a Christmas bauble. Their father, Wlad, chose a protection shield. Sergej chose a rainbow fish. Sasha, Ana's husband, chose a gun. Their son Valentin has a brown bear. Char and Nate's twin daughters have each a bluebell because they love these flowers so much. Rory and George's triplet girls have raspberries because they can't get enough of the fruit. Victoria Bolton, my wife's grandma, has chosen a sparkling diamond, whereas Diana, my wife's other grandma, has gone for a green mint leaf. Franklin, who was married to both women, has a panther. Gabriella's father, Amelio, has an orange because there are lots of orange trees where he lives in Spain.

Sasha and Ana's parents are unknown so they don't have an individual ornament.

That leaves my Mama, Caio, Johna and me. My Mama went for a sun. Caio chose a palm tree and Johna a colourful parrot. I chose a leopard as it's Brazil's national animal. Gabriella even asked my Mama to bring one for my Papa, so we hung up a white orchid for him. Orchids were his favourite flowers.

42 colourful and individual Christmas baubles hang on the tree that's otherwise glittering in red and beige fairy lights and Christmas ornaments. I have a feeling one day it's going to be full of family Christmas baubles. Every year a few red and beige Christmas ornaments stay in the boxes because their place is taken over by individual ornaments.

This is such a wonderful tradition.

And we're now officially part of it.

The Christmas tree looks absolutely stunning. Better than any Christmas Tree I've ever seen. The wrapped and colourful gifts are already underneath the tree, but they're not for us. The gifts will be donated tomorrow to several children shelters. Today's not only Christmas Eve but also Evangelina and Eliana's first birthday. They really have picked the perfect day to get born a year ago.

"Everything okay?" My wife asks me as she places her hand on my shoulder.

I nod before looking at her. "Next year, there's going to be two more ornaments on that tree." I can't help but grin.

My wife blushes, "I suppose so."

"What ornaments will they get?"

My wife shrugs, "Maybe whales?"

I remember the whales that followed us while we were sailing between the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands. "Tortoises or dolphins are an option as well."

This causes her to smile, "Those are options as well."

"I like these options."

"Me, too. Maybe I should change my ornament into a tortoise."

"Can you change your ornament just like that?"

"Yeah, sure." Josephine looks over her shoulder to her father. He's chatting with Carol and Pippa. "Can we change our ornaments, Dad?" She asks in a loud voice.

"What? We can change our ornaments? I am so choosing my coat of arms!" Nate says with an open mouth. He's playing chess with Elias and by the look of it, I think he's loosing.

Troy's deep blue eyes stare at Nate. "You, no. She, yes."

"What? That's so unfair! Why not?"

"Because a red heart is no longer like me." My wife sticks her tongue out to her older brother.

"Well that snowflake is no longer like me either!" Nate argues back.

Troy sighs, "Fine. Does anyone else want to change their ornaments?"

"Nah, we're all good. Jo asks for special treatment as always." Char teases me while rolling her eyes. She's watching her daughters that are playing with their three cousins on the carpet. Rory is also having an eye on them.

"I do not ask for a special treatment!" My wife argues back. "All I'm saying is that perhaps a new ornament would be appropriate."

"But then it loses its meaning. You choose once and then you stick with it!"

"But I didn't choose. Mum and Dad chose when we were babies!"

"She's got a point." Catherine backs her up. She and William are drawing pictures with Carry and Bella, Wlad and Della's daughters. It's surprisingly calm for such a full house. "I think all kids should be allowed to change their ornaments once."

"That's fair." Nate agrees with a nod.

"You can change them next year. A year should be enough for you to settle on a new ornament." Troy says to Nate and Josephine.

"Yeah, sure." Nate says while waving with his left hand.

"We want to start with the birthday party!" I can hear Gabriella yelling from the kitchen. Her soft melodic voice echoes down the hallway and into the wide living room.

Troy, Catherine, Carol, Nate, Char, my brothers, my Mama and the rest of the Middletons/Boltons/Wales Family all walk into the dining room. It's been transformed into a pink cloud with balloons and a banner saying Happy Birthday Evangelina and Eliana. In the middle of the huge square shaped table stands a birthday cake made by Gabriella herself. It's a very pretty cake in the shape of a rabbit . It's white but there are lots of pastel coloured confetti glued to the cake. The word ONE is written in the middle in a curly font. The rabbit is holding two pink balloons and on top of the cake sits a candle.

"Oh, wow! The cake looks stunning!" Catherine says with wide eyes. She's got an eye for aesthetics.

"Thank you." Gabriella's smile looks almost shy. I don't know how she's baking so many cakes all by herself.

Evangelina and Eliana are each getting hold by their parents. They look so cute in their matching pink dresses.

"We took a photo of the cake and we'll post that on Instagram later on. Along with a photo of all of us and just the four of us in front of the banner." Char explains. "Oh and you will wear those ridiculously cute party hats."

Gabriella lights the candle. "Everyone, one, two three!"

We all start singing happy birthday to Evangelina and Eliana, Their Royal Highnesses The Princesses of Windsor.

Josephine leans over to me and I can feel her hot breath against my right ear. "I want to tell them the news. Tomorrow morning."

"What?" I can't believe my ears!

Nate and Char blow out the candle in the name of their children.

"The whole thing. The move. The pregnancy. The twins."

The twins and the pregnancy are one thing but I don't correct her because just hearing her say that is huge! "Okay." I whisper back.

"Okay." She nods before looking back at what's happening in front of us: The birthday party of my nieces-in-law.

A very Royal Christmas: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor share birthday photos of their two little Princesses' first birthday!

It's a very Royal Christmas! Princess Eliana and Princess Evangelina of Windsor turn one today! The Princesses of Windsor had a very lovely first birthday with a cake made by grandma Gabriella! The Duke and Duchess of Windsor shared a few snaps of the birthday twins. The five photos include the Windsor family standing in front of a Happy Birthday Banner with birthday hats on and confetti flying as well as a photo of the stunning white rabbit cake made by their grandma Gabriella, who could seriously open a pâtisserie with her skills. Another snap showed the Windsor Family with the proud grandparents, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales and Sir and Dame Troy and Gabriella Bolton. The fourth showed the proud parents helping their girls blowing out the candle on the birthday cake. And the last photo showed the British and Russian Royals, the Bolton and Middleton Family standing in front of the sparkling Christmas Tree. The photo also included the newest addition to the family: Josie's husband, his Mum and his two brothers. It's the first time such a family photo was taken. Royal commentators pointed out the significance of it, as it literally shows the future of the British and Russian Royal Family. But it also shows the power the Bolton Family has and that in fact, grandma Gabi could very much be the one holding all the strings in her perfectly manicured hands. The photos, apart from the last one, were taken by narcissist Josie Bolton, who was credited as with every photo she takes of the Royals.

The Princesses of Windsor's first birthday - and narcissistic aunt Josie steals the limelight once again!

Their Royal Highnesses Princess Evangelina and Princess Eliana of Windsor are today celebrating their first birthday. The Princesses were born on Christmas Eve last year, but just like last year, their narcissist aunt Josie can't help but steal the limelight again! Josie was credited as their photographer of some adorable photos. Instead of saying it was grandma Catherine or grandpa Troy, Josie was insisting to be the one taking the photos of her royal nieces - and being credited as such, too. She also took the opportunity to introduce the world to her new husband, his Mum and his brothers as they were featured on the last photo of the large family standing in front of the glittering Christmas Tree. The text underneath the photo named each person standing in the photo starting with the Bolton side of the family - Sir Troy, Wladimir, Dame Adaline, Her Royal Highness Princess Anastasia of Romanov and His Royal Highness Prince Sasha of Romanov who held their son His Royal Highness Prince Valentine of Romanov, Josie, Oliver (her new husband), his Mum Maria, his two brothers Masters Johnathan and Caio and Dame Gabriella, in front of them were Masters Elias, Gideon and Calloway - then followed by the British Royals - Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Oxford with their triplet girls sitting in front of them on the hardwood floor, and The Duke and Duchess of Windsor holding their twin girls - before ending with the Middleton Family - Michael And Carol Middleton, James Middleton with his wife and Pippa Middleton with her husband and son.

But fear not, the main stars on the photo were Josie, her husband and his family, not the birthday girls. Revealing the identity of her new husband (and his family) is a cruel and narcissistic move not even we saw coming. She completely ruined her nieces' birthday and Duchess Charlotte is said to be furious with her.

For narcissists it has always to be about them. They can't go a day without it.

Even if it's the first birthday of their nieces.

Turns out Christmas Eve is a big feast of full plates and non-stop eating. The Christmas songs played on the piano by Troy, Josephine's uncle Ryan or Gabriella were my highlights so far. I had no idea Troy was so good at the piano. I thought Josephine inherited her talent from Gabriella but now I think it's from her father.

We're all sitting on the huge grey U shaped sofa in the living room. The Middleton great-grandparents have left a few hours ago. I can imagine it being a bit much with all the loud children, crying babies and loud chatter.

But I love it. I absolutely love the huge family. There's always something going on, something to do and to explore. We went out for a long walk through Richmond Park with Zeus. Johna and Caio love all of their cousins-in-law and siblings-in-law. They get along really well with Carry and Bella, but also Elias, Gideon and Calloway. To my surprise there were no paparazzi following us through Richmond Park. The few families that were out and about, clearly noticed the Royals and the rest of the family, but they simply greeted us and wished us a Merry Christmas. A few wanted to take some photos with Ana and Sasha as well as Rory, George, Nate and Char. I think by now the photos have made it online.

"Okay, it's time for our annual Christmas concert in the true Bolton style!" Ryan announces with a big smile on his lips. I've never met a happier man. "And we're starting with the Bolton sisters plus Lotte."

The 'Bolton sisters' and Lotte, as Ryan calls Charlotte, went into one of the many guest bedrooms on the main floor to change their outfits and get ready to open the Christmas concert. I was a little nervous when Nate and Char first told me about it but now I'm excited.

We all start clapping as my wife, her sisters and Lotte come into our view. They're all dressed in typical 90s outfits. They even changed their hairstyles and outfits. They look so cool! And hilarious.

But mostly cool.

William bursts into laughter as soon as he sees them. "Lotte, you look absolutely fabulous!"

Catherine grins from ear to ear as her daughter performs a curtsy. "Very 90s indeed."

Della went for an iconic Union Jack mini dress paired with bright red boots. She's clearly imitating Ginger Spice.

Rory went for a cheetah printed leggings and big hair. She's imitating Scary Spice.

Then there's Ana, who is wearing a pink slip dress and white boots as Baby Spice, and her signature accessory were two high ponytails on either side of her head.

Charlotte chose Sporty Spice. She's in Adidas workout pants, sneakers, a neon green top and a scrunchie.

My wife clearly went for the Posh Spice look by wearing a little black dress, sunglasses, heels, and an ever-present pout.

Even their makeup match the iconic decade. They look so cool!

"Wow! You look great!" Gabriella compliments them.

"Rory did the makeup. Jo the hair and I was responsible for the outfits." Charlotte explains. "I think we've nailed it."

They definitely did!

Catherine giggles, "Definitely."

Troy picks up the camera. It's a big and heavy camera, one similar to Josephine's camera. They clearly share a love for photography. "First comes the photo." He says before taking a photo of the posing girl group in front of the open fireplace and the Christmas Tree. This is such a great tradition! Then they turn around and pick up the microphones that are laying on the closed piano.

I have to see all the other photos. I bet they look adorable!

"Okay, everybody ready?" Ryan asks and they all nod. "One, two, three!"

The music of Wannabe starts filling my ears. The 'Boltons girls plus Lotte' start dancing and singing. They each have beautiful voices with a wonderful range. The Bolton sisters have such soothing voices but with a pop song like this they sound edgier.

A smile stretches my lips as I see my wife in a light I've never seen before. She's letting go and surrendering herself into the role of Posh Spice. It's so heartwarming to see her that way.

It's a side that's reserved for her family.

Josephine

Through the floor to ceiling window front in the living room, I watch how Oliver, Nate, Della, Eli, Caio, Bella, Carry, Calloway, Johna, Sasha and Wladimir are fighting a snowball fight in two teams in the backyard as I play with my half moon pendant that I got from my Daddy on the day Oliver and me got married on French Cay. Zeus is running from team to team, trying to catch the flying snowballs.

Next year, we're going to have two more people in that team. I can't wait!

"I'm surprised you're not out there with them."

I wince at my father's voice and look to my side. I didn't want to risk getting sick because of the two babies in my uterus. "I'm not in the mood."

"That smile on your lips while you are watching them definitely says otherwise." My father narrows his sky blue eyes at me. "What's keeping you inside?"

I lick my lips, "Nothing." I lie.

"Josephine,"

"I wanted to stay inside and watch the girls." I lie into his face again.

My Daddy looks over his shoulder, "These five that are getting entertained by their grandparents and parents?"

I follow his gaze and gulp as I see how Rory, Char, George, Maria, Catherine, William, grandma Vicky, grandma Di and Mum get the five girls to laugh by making funny faces. Yeah, that wasn't a good lie. "Daddy,"

"Do you see that Christmas tree?" My Dad interrupts me. "Oliver's part of the family now. Just like his Mum and brothers. These ornaments belong on that tree. Edward's ornament never belonged on that tree. Last year, you spent Christmas Eve with the Rothschild Family after having an early dinner here with us. You were torn between pleasing what was going to be your new family and your wish to spend Christmas Eve with your family. I never ever felt more hurt than on this evening. When I saw your mother's face when she told me you wouldn't spend the night here and won't be walking around in your apple red pjs the next morning, it broke my heart."

My lips start trembling. I didn't know I hurt them so much by spending the night in Bath with Rothschild and his family. I was just trying to be fair and divide my time evenly. I thought spending most of the day with my family was too much to ask of Rothschild anyway... "I'm sorry." I whisper in a broken voice.

"No, I didn't mean to make you cry, Sweetie." He wraps his arms around me. "What I meant was that Edward never wanted to be part of our family. But Oliver does. He fits perfectly into our family. You know, when we had you guys over for dinner and you introduced him to us I was very hesitant. But when I talked to him in private I quickly saw what you see in him. He complemented your soul and your heart, whereas Edward complemented your bank account. Edward talked about how much change could be done if our households joined, but Oliver thanked me for raising such a wonderful, intelligent and kind young woman."

"I didn't know that." I whisper before letting go of my Daddy.

"I know but I still wanted you to know. The differences between Rothschild and Oliver seem immense on the outside but they're also on the inside. And you chose rightly. Rothschild's a bloody psychopath that can't see you happy with Oliver."

I lick my lips, "I don't know how to stop him."

"Oliver called Wlad the other day and asked him to kill Edward."

I didn't know that either. "He didn't tell me that."

"We can't kill him, Sweetie."

I nod, "I know. I just wish... I wish there was a way to stop him."

"He will stop once the King's statement is released." My Daddy promises me.

"You don't know that."

"I do. Everything Hannah always wanted was for Edward to marry into this family and therefore gain royal-like status. She wanted to use you as a social ladder."

"What?!"

"We didn't know until the morning of the wedding. When your Mum and I walked into the cathedral and noticed the flowers, the music, the many celebrity and royal guests, it hit us."

"Good thing I didn't get out of that limousine then."

My father smirks, "Yeah, I guess that was your intuition doing the right thing."

"The decision seems to catch up with me now."

My father's features harden as he reads between the lines, "Josephine, listen to me. This rape was not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong that could ever justice Edward's decision. The recent interview with which he's going to cover this rape up because it acts as his alibi since they filmed it in Bath the night the rape happened in Greenwich, was also not your fault. Edward's a very clever man and sadly he's got the whole world laying at his feet. The world's his playground, you are his favourite toy and the people are his audience. He's a psychopath that his mother tried to use to climb up to a royal status. I'd feel sorry for him if I weren't so bloody furious with him. But my hands are tied. The only person that could help you is The King himself-"

"No, I won't drag him into the mess." I interrupt my Dad, "I'm glad he hasn't changed his mind so I won't give him anything that will ensure he will change his mind."

"Okay. Then all you have to do is wait a week and all the storms will be over."

"If only you were right."

"I promise you, these storms are only trying to wash you clean. Edward's going to blow off as much steam as possible but you will rise like a phoenix."

He really thinks that? I gulp as I try very hard to fight the tears.

We turn around as suddenly laughter from outside fills our ears. Nate has hit my husband with an icy cold snowball and now Nate's running away from Oliver, who starts chasing my older brother. They're running around the heated pool and hot tub.

I can't wait for him chasing our twins next.

"I love this man to the moon and back." I let my heart speak. Northern Lights don't even do my feelings justice.

My Daddy embraces me with one arm, "I have a feeling this feeling is mutual."

Oliver

I put my down coat on the hanger before hanging it back in the built in wardrobe that's underneath the left staircase. All the kids have already slipped out of their boots that are full of snow but they have placed them neatly beside one another. They also hung their coats into the wardrobe.

"Well, that was fun." Sasha's voice fills my ears.

I close the door of the wardrobe and turn around. The only true Romanov heir is standing next to my other brother-in-law, Wladimir. They both have the distinctive Russian features with broad shoulders, sharp facial features and that cold, very Russian stare that shows you they're not one to mess around with.

But outside, in the backyard, they threw snowballs at me like two five year olds. I was in the Duke's Team as they decided to call George, Nate and me. We were playing against Sasha, Wlad and Della. Carry, Bella and Johna were the kids' addition to Team Russian - a name Della fully supported as she feels Russian at heart. It reminded me of my own wife, who feels very Brazilian in her heart. Caio, Eli, Calloway and Gideon were in the team Duke.

We played for so long that I can't remember who won. I think it was Team Russian but Nate heavily denies that.

"Yes it was." I agree with them.

"Did it ever snow in Brazil?" Sasha asks me.

Wlad shakes his head before I can answer. "No. Not even up in the mountains."

"No but I did see snow before. When I was in Finland with Josephine to see the Northern Lights."

Wladimir's silver eyes start glowing, "Oh, they're stunning, aren't they? Della and me saw some a few years ago. In Iceland."

"They're very much something to see before you die." I agree with a nod. "But it's even better if a brilliant photographer as Josephine. She really captured the beauty of them."

"She's quite a talent." Sasha agrees.

"Actually, I wanted to address the Rothschild situation again. I know it's Christmas Eve-"

"No, lets talk about him. I need... We need a plan going forward. It can't go on like this. Josephine's..." I sigh in annoyance over the situation. "She's struggling and I don't like that one bit. She's strong but even she can't do this for the rest of her life."

"Men?"

We all wince at Troy's deep voice that echoes through the foyer. I turn my head to the side and see him standing in front of the marbled steps that lead into the massive living room. The window front in the living room seems endless, it's at least 15 meters high. "We need to talk. In my study." Troy demands.

I have a feeling it's the same thing we wanted to talk about as well.

We all nod before following him down the left hallway. The left side of ground floor holds the gym, library, six guest bedrooms and Troy's study. Enough space for the huge family to sleep over.

Troy leaves the door open for us as he walks into his study. The last time I was in here, I was accused of being a gold digger. This time, I am one of them. How things changed within a few weeks.

To my surprise George and Nate are already in the study, waiting for us.

"Hey, you're joining the party, huh?" Nate asks me with a grin on his face. He looks just like his Dad but he is nothing like him.

I shrug, "Looks like it."

"Did you call us in to talk about Rothschild?" Sasha asks as he closes the wooden door.

"Yes. Take a seat." He gestures towards the antique blue velvet sofa that's across the open fireplace. There are a few framed photos standing on the mantelpiece and as much as I would love to see the photos again and ask more questions about them, questions that Josephine couldn't answer me the last time she gave me a house tour, I restrain myself and sit down in between Sasha and Wladimir. With three men, the couch seems too small out of the sudden.

Troy leans against the mantelpiece, "I want to take him down." Troy tells us.

I look at Wlad, "But you told me we couldn't kill him!"

"I don't want to kill him. We can't risk a worldwide financial crisis."

"Then how do you want to take him down?" I ask Troy back.

"I want to start by taking him out of the Royals." He starts explaining and Sasha nods.

"But Josephine and I can't ask the King to do that." I tell him.

"That's where I come in." George says with a nod. "I can't promise it's going to be done by the Commonwealth Reception, though."

"Garden parties and Ascot are enough for now. If we move too obvious and fast than the Rothschilds are going to get back at us." Troy tells George. "And a vendetta is not something I'm looking forward to fight but it's something we have to prepare for nevertheless."

"Garden parties and Ascot are no problem. Consider it done."

"Just like that?" I ask him with wide eyes.

The Duke of Oxford, the future King, my brother-in-law, looks at me. "I'm the future of the monarchy. It's not going to be long until I will sit on that throne. Dad trusts my judgment because I am just like him and so does The King. When we get together and discuss things, we always act as a united front. Because we are a united front. We think alike. So when I say Rothschild's out of the Royals than he is."

"And what about the world's economy? Won't that stir up a crisis?"

"That's where I come in." Sasha tells me. "I'll talk to the Arabs and Sheiks. To avoid an oil crises. I'll also do the talks with the Chinese and Japanese as well. Consider it done."

"How the hell is this so easy out of the sudden?" I ask all of them.

"We're not talking about killing him. We're just talking about throwing him out of the Royals. He's still got the super rich to wine and dine with, he'll be fine." Wladimir explains.

"That's not enough." It's Nate who is saying it.

"It's a start. The Rothschilds are the most influential family in the world, son. They're giving countries credits whenever they're in financial need. They're crucial for the world as it is right now."

"And who's going to replace them?" I ask Troy.

"The Arabs. They're already sitting on hot stones. They're ready to take over."

"Or the Chinese." Nate says with a shrug.

"Us Russians are very eager as well."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Will this create some kind of war over who is the richest and most powerful in the world?"

"Yes. Which is why I only want to take them out of the royals. I want to give them boundaries. I want to teach them where they belong. I want to show them they're never going to get close to Jo ever again!"

I look at George, "And you guys don't have any deals with them?"

"Not that I know of."

"Will there be a next step in the plan?" Wlad asks Troy.

"Not for another twenty or thirty years. They need time to adjust to the change. We can't take them down without knowing who's going to step into their shoes." Troy answers with carefully chosen words. "I'm going to file everything and make copies on various hard disks and other ways. It's something your kids will have to go through when it's time." Suddenly his navy eyes move from one Bolton Family member to the next. "All of your kids. This will be their heritage."

The message is clear: Killing Rothschild is a generational task.

Josephine

I watch how Maria's in a deep conversation with Rory and George as they're looking at our Christmas tree and pointing to different baubles. They're giggling and very chatty. The sight makes me feel all warm and cosy. I didn't realise how worried I was about their first Christmas with us until now. My Daddy's right, Oliver and his family integrated into the Bolton family seamlessly. It was a struggle with my ex and his family and while meetings were always polite and friendly, it wasn't anything like this. The longer I am with the love of my life, the more I see what a mistake I made. Rothschild was used a stopgap by me. He was the easier, the more logical decision. But he wasn't the love of my life. Spending the noon on Christmas Eve here with Rothschild was different. Rory didn't hug him like she hugs Maria, George didn't laugh out loud with him like he does with her. Johna and Caio get along with my brothers and nieces as well. My family held back with Rothschild but they don't hold back with Oliver. They don't hold back at all. They've treated him as one of us from the very first day - well, minus my Daddy but I understand his hesitance now.

It's nice to see them to acceptive but it's also worrying for me to know they disliked Rothschild so much and didn't say a word. The only family member that did say something was Charlotte. And I shut her off the first second she voiced her concern. She was just looking out for me - and I was trying to do anything to get over Oliver, even if that meant accepting Rothschild's proposal.

And now everything has fallen into place.

"Everything okay?"

I wince at my sister's voice. I look to my left and stare at my oldest sibling. "Yeah, I'm just... just reviewing the last couple of months I guess."

"Wlad told me about your hospital visit the other night. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." Della grabs my left hand and squeezes it softly.

My throat tightens at her words and I gulp to try to ease the burning sensation. "I didn't... I wasn't sure..." I bite on my lower lip as it starts trembling. "They're a miracle." I say after a moment with a shrug.

My sister smiles and I can see a sparkle in her navy eyes that she got from our Daddy. "That's what I used to say about my twins as well."

I smile as I remember the unicorns that are hanging on the Christmas Tree. "Is that why there are two unicorns hanging on the Christmas tree?"

My sister smirks, "Unicorns and miracles are pretty much the same thing if you ask me."

I giggle, that's so typically Della. "Speaking of miracles, any update on the Alzheimer's cure front?"

My sister nods with a wide grin on her lips, "We're going to make an announcement about it on January the first."

"It's done? You found a cure?!" I ask her with shock in my voice.

"It's not a cure per se. It's a way to stop it in it's earliest tracks. For those who suffer form this disease, whether that's a mild condition or a severe one, those I sadly am not able to help yet."

"But you will keep looking."

"I will keep looking and hopefully one day, I can eradicate the disease like I wanted to eradicate Parkinson's."

"But first you're going to gift Wlad with more miracles."

My sister frowns, "Who told you about my deal with Wlad?"

"Wlad told Oliver on their night at Whites and Oliver told me after I pressed hard enough." I explain with a shrug. "Don't blame it on Wlad. Or on Oliver. It was me that... it's not their fault."

"I'm not mad. I'm just surprised Wlad told Oliver something so intimate. He's not one to chatter so easily."

"He trusts my husband."

"Even better, he is seeing him as one of the family." Della smiles at me. "And Wlad's almost as hesitant as Daddy when it comes to opening up to new additions to the family."

"I know but he's been one of the little that knew from the start."

"Him, Ralph and I."

"You knew from the start as well?"

"I did but I decided to let you do your own thing and make your own mistakes. I had to make my own mistakes before finding my luck with Wlad."

"Did you always want kids?"

"Well, yeah. When I just started dating Wlad, we had a false alarm. I think I was about seventeen and I was so scared. I wasn't ready."

She never told me that. "But it was false alarm."

"I will never forget how heartbroken Wlad was. I've never seen that look in his eyes again but that doesn't mean I could ever forget it. He always wanted kids but I wasn't ready at that time."

"You were a teenager. Of course you weren't."

"It had nothing to do with my age. I just wanted to heal Parkinson's first. And then when I did and Wlad and me got back together... getting pregnant was the cherry on top."

"Did you guys plan it?"

"We allowed God to decide when it would happen."

I smirk at her words. She doesn't use the word God lightly. "I was shocked when I found out but when I almost lost them a few nights ago... I didn't think you could love someone so much without even meeting them."

"Your bodies are connected. Of course there's an emotional bond. You are their mother. They are part of you and Oliver."

"I'm still surprised at myself."

"You'll be a good Mum."

I hope she's right.

Oliver

Wladimir holds the door of the cinema that's in the basement of Josephine's childhood home. There's nothing missing in this house. It's absolutely stunning!

I let Caio and Johna walk past me and enter the Bolton's own version of a cinema. They've never been to a cinema so getting popcorn from an old fashioned popcorn machine and seeing a movie on a screen in oversize is the cherry on top.

"Wow! This is so cool!" Johna says with wide eyes as he stops in the doorway and lets his eyes wander through the massive room.

"Move! There are more people who want to get inside!" Bella hisses at him. Della's twin girls have the most stunning eyes I've ever seen. They're a navy colour but there's a silver ring around the iris. It's so unique and makes their eyes sparkle.

"Bella!" Carry hisses at her sister. "Take all your time, Johna. Bella just doesn't want to loose her spot." She says in fluent Brazilian Portuguese.

The fact that almost all Bolton members speak Brazilian Portuguese fluently is another sign of God that our families were meant to come together. Josephine and I are meant to have our own children, our own family.

My little brother turns around. "You guys all have a designated spot?"

"Yes and I'm sitting-"

"Choose whatever seat you want." Wladimir interrupts his daughter before sharing some words in Russian that cause Bella to roll her beautiful eyes.

Johna walks into the cinema. Bella and Carry follow him before running over to their seats. I wait for my wife, who was making our beverages upstairs with her parents and my Mama. Nate, Char, Rory and George are bringing their babies to bed. Ana's son Valentine is already fast asleep. Next year Josephine and I will do the same. I can't wait!

"What are we watching tonight?" I ask Wlad.

My brother-in-law shrugs, "The kids choose the first movie and by the end of it they've already fallen asleep so us adults choose the next. Sometimes Troy, Della, Char, George, Sasha, Nate and me go in the games' room next door to play poker. Do you play?"

"No. I didn't had time to learn it. I was busy fighting through life."

"You know, just because we live a very luxurious life right now doesn't mean it's always been this way. I worked my way up to the wealth. And Sasha was an orphan just like Ana-"

"I didn't mean it that way." I interrupt him. "It's just... I never played cards or board games. We didn't even have a telly at home. We barely had something to wear and there were days we didn't have anything to eat so forgive me for not knowing how to play poker."

"Poker?! Does anyone want to play?!" I hear Nate's voice.

I watch him, his wife, Rory and George walk down the hallway. They've dressed down in loungewear like all of us. The fancy clothes are off, the cosy clothes are on. I've never seen Royals in such casual clothing but it feels normal.

"No, we're sticking to movies tonight." Wlad says to Nate.

"Fine by me." Nate says with a shrug before walking past me. Wladimir follows him inside and I take over to hold the door open.

"Everything okay?" Rory asks me as she stops across me.

I nod, "I'm just waiting for Josephine to come."

George and Charlotte walk between us to enter the cinema. "Why don't you call her Jo like the rest of us?" Rory asks me.

"She doesn't like that."

"She never said anything to me."

"I think this only applies to me." I say with a shrug.

"She prefers Josephine from you?"

"That or my nickname for her."

Josephine's sister smirks, "George's got that special nickname for me as well." With that she walks into the cinema. I watch how she sits between Charlotte and her husband.

"I hope you're ready for a sugar rush!" My wife's voice fills my ears.

I turn around and see how she walks down the hallway, carrying empty mugs. Six in each hand. How she balances this is a mystery to me. Troy is behind her with thermos bottles in his hands. Gabriella's carrying a bottle of some yellow coloured liquor. My Mama's carrying a few jars of honey and biscuits.

"What's this?" I ask them, totally confused.

"The Bolton Christmas tradition. Cheesy Christmas movies in the cinema with tea, hot chocolate, warm milk or eggnog." Troy answers my question.

"With Christmas biscuits and ginger bread." My Mama says. "Although I don't know what ginger bread is."

Gabriella smiles at her. "You'll like it."

"Sergej said the same. I trust him. He's usually right about these things. I never thought I'd like fish'n'chips but with the right amount of vinegar it's quite good." With that my Mama walks into the cinema.

I grab some mugs out of my wife's hands, "What's the liquor for?"

"That's eggnog. You'll like it." Gabriella ensures me.

"And later on, we're going to have a good scotch. That's my Christmas tradition." Troy tells me.

"I already told Wlad I'm not very keen on playing poker." I tell my father-in-law.

"Me neither. I enjoy Black Jack."

"Oh, I'm going to join you guys. I always win at Black Jack." Gabriella smirks before entering the cinema.

"Because I let you." Troy says as he follows her.

"You don't and you know it! I'm better than you!" His wife argues back.

I look at Josephine who shrugs in response.

I guess I'll be leaning how to play Black Jack tonight.

Josephine

I snuggle deeper into my husband's chest as Home Alone starts flickering on the screen of our cinema. It's a Christmas classic, a movie we watch once during the Christmas time in our family. But it's the first time I'm watching it with my husband.

And with Portuguese subtitles.

Oliver and his family of course haven't seen the movie yet, they haven't even been to a cinema in their lives. It's just one of the many boxes I want to tick off. There are so many things they can do now, so many possibilities and options to explore.

Oliver embraces me with one arm before pulling the cashmere blanket over my left shoulder. "If you don't want to watch this movie we can always do something else." He whispers while looking down at me.

"I've seen this movie more times than I can count. All I want to do is lay on your chest and let your heartbeat lull me to sleep while you enjoy Kevin's genius plans on the screen. I don't want you to miss out on this Bolton tradition."

"You're tired?"

I wrap my left arm over his torso and inhale his scent, "No, I just can't quite believe we're here. I wanted this so, so badly..."

My husband's pine green eyes transition into a sea foam colour, "Josephine-"

"Sh!" We can hear the complains from the rows in front of us.

"Sorry!" I apologise for us.

"You're okay?"

I nod. I've been battling with morning sickness the whole day but right now it's ignorable, which is the best condition it gets. "Tell me your favourite scene afterwards."

"I will." He promises me before looking back at the screen in front of us.

I close my eyes, blend out Kevin's Mum's hysterical cry when she realises she forgot him at home and allow my husband's heartbeat lull me to sleep.

This is the best Christmas ever.

Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!

I apologise for the long delay, but life's been too busy.

I decided to cut Christmas and New Year's Eve into two chapters because otherwise it would have been a 30 pages long chapter. ;) But the next chapter is going to be released really soon.

Please review and stay safe wherever you are in the world.

In gratitude,

Nicole