A/N: Hey everyone, I just wanna say thank you to you all for reading the latest chapter and massive thank you's to bee-327 and Chelsietx for taking the time to leave such lovely reviews for me. I really appreciate them, as always! And I'm super glad of the continued support.
Here's the next chapter for you now, enjoy…
Standing out on the palace drive, Pierre slipped his hands into his pants pockets and tipped his head back to look up towards the sky. It was a summer morning, though you wouldn't think so. The sky was grey and dark, a storm was looming on the horizon, and he just hoped and prayed that his mother and stepfather would arrive home before the heavens opened.
They were finally returning home after having to extend their trip an extra ten days after his mother was taken ill on the last day of their honeymoon and were scheduled to land back in Genovia a little over an hour ago and should have arrived back at the palace by now, but so far there was no sign of them. However, he wasn't overly worried... not yet, at least.
As he stood staring up at the sky, a few starlings fluttering around above him, his mind began to wander back a few years. Six to be exact. He remembered the day well, and the next, too, as if they were only yesterday. They were days he thought about often and knew he always would. Surprisingly, just like today, it was a grey and rainy day back then, too.
Pulling up outside the palace, just as a light rain began to fall, Pierre shut off the engine and climbed from his car. It was at that moment he realised his brother was outside, waiting for him. "You finally got here then," Philippe smirked and stood up straight from where he had been leaning back against the limousine parked on the drive. "We have been waiting ages for you to arrive."
"I know, I'm sorry. There was a lot of traffic," Pierre replied as he shut his car door before walking around to the trunk of the car. "I'll just grab my bag and drop the car keys inside, just in case they need to move my car while we are away, then we can leave."
"Okay," Philippe nodded and walked slowly over to his brother as he opened the trunk and grabbed his overnight bag from inside. "When mother called you last night, did she say anything to you about why they wanted us there with them today?"
"No, only what she told you," Pierre said as he shut the trunk and turned, the straps of his bag in his hands, to face his younger brother, "that, with it being their anniversary today, they wanted us both to join them at the lodge to have a nice family dinner together."
"Hmm yes, but why this year?" Philippe said with a shrug. "We haven't really celebrated their anniversary together as a family before. They usually have a big fancy ball with their friends, members of parliament, etc. so what's so different about it this year?"
"Yes, I know they do. But maybe Father's health is a huge factor in it being different this year?" Pierre replied and pressed the key fob to lock his car.
"Maybe," Philippe said, scrunching up his face with a shrug.
"What's that look for?" Pierre asked with his eyebrow raised.
"It's their anniversary," Philippe replied and looked up at his brother.
"Yes, I know," Pierre laughed and nodded. "That's the whole point in us joining them for a family dinner to celebrate their anniversary."
"Yes, I know that," Philippe nodded, his brow furrowed, "but what if… What if they.."
"What if they... what?" Pierre asked and studied his brother as he looked down to the ground.
"If they, you know," Philippe finally said and looked back up at his brother. "It is their anniversary, after all."
"Oh," Pierre exclaimed, realising just what his brother was referring to.
"Here at the palace it's fine. They can do what they want, when they want and we will never know about it. But we are not celebrating here. We are celebrating at the lodge, and well, as lovely as that place is, it isn't exactly the quietest of places. You can hear everything. And the idea of them, you know, getting it on, is very disturbing, especially at their age." Philippe said and shuddered at the thought. "You remember that time when we stayed there over my tenth birthday, and father decided to join us last minute. You can not un-hear that, Pierre."
"Oh, yes. I remember!" Pierre exclaimed and turned his head slightly to look across the front gardens of the palace with a shudder before looking back at his brother. The idea of their parents having that type of relationship at their age was somewhat disturbing. Had their marriage been that of a normal marriage. "But I don't think we have anything to worry about, though, Philippe. I believe that ship sailed between them long, long ago."
"You think?" Philippe said, and Pierre nodded.
"Yes, I do." Pierre said. "Even though they are celebrating their forty-second wedding anniversary today, they're more friends than anything."
"Yeah, that's true they are," Philippe said.
"Not that they've ever really been husband and wife anyway," Pierre said matter-of-factly as Philippe nodded. "It's been purely a marriage of duty. Always has been."
"I'm glad over that as I really can't... nope. I can't even say it," Philippe said with a shake of his head. "If they do, I'm leaving to find a hotel."
"And I'll be right there with you," Pierre said, and they both laughed as he extended his arm out to him. "Here, take my bag for me while I run the keys inside, then we can head out to the lodge."
"Must we?" Philippe said as he reluctantly took his brothers bag from him. "Can't we phone and tell them that one of us is sick, or something?"
"No, we can't," Pierre smirked and began making his way towards the palace steps as his brother groaned in frustration. "I'll be right back."
"Are they still not here?" Mia exclaimed, pulling her uncle from his thoughts, as she descended down the palace steps with two umbrellas in her hands. The sound of her heels clacking on the stone of each step.
Turning to her, Pierre shook his head as she stepped from the last step and made her way towards him. "No, not yet."
"I hope they are okay, I thought they would have been home by now," Mia said, extending one hand out towards her uncle as she approached him on the drive. "Here, I brought an umbrella out for you too. Just in case it starts to rain before they arrive."
"I'm sure they are just fine and will be home before it does start to rain," Pierre said, giving her a small smile as he pulled one hand from his pocket and took the umbrella she offered him. "But thank you."
"You're welcome," she said, taking her umbrella in both her hands grasp and held it across in front of her. "I know grandma still wasn't feeling right yesterday, which is why I was surprised that they flew back last night, but what if something happened to her on the flight and they had to divert to the nearest airport?"
"No," Pierre said with a shake of his head, "if that had happened and they had to divert for whatever reason, we would have most definitely been informed about it by now. Especially since Shades and Louis have gone to meet them at the airport to bring them home."
"That's true," Mia said, knowing her uncle was right. Had their flight been diverted, they would have known about it by now. Nodding ever so slightly, Mia turned to look around at the front garden of the palace a moment. Trying to distract herself. "I know it's not very nice weather for grandma and grandpa to return home too, but at least the lawn and her flowers are going to get a good water," she said with a small laugh and turned her head to look at her uncle, who was stood looking so solemn and sad beside her. "What's wrong?" She frowned.
"Hmm," Pierre replied, lifting his gaze from the lawn up to his niece. "I'm sorry, Mia, what did you say?"
"You were a million miles away," Mia said, giving him a small smile, as she fully turned to face him. "I asked what was wrong?"
But before he could reply, however, they heard a car slowly approaching on the gravelled drive. Just as it started to rain, lightly for now. "Oh, they are home," Mia exclaimed happily as both she and her uncle put their umbrellas up. "Hopefully we can all get inside before it starts to rain too much."
"Hopefully," Pierre nodded, and they both turned to watch the limousine as it rolled slowly to a complete stop in front of them.
"I'm so glad you're home," Mia smiled as Joseph climbed out from the other side of the limousine.
"As are we," Joseph said, making his way around the back of the limousine to open the rear door for Clarisse.
"What was the delay?" Pierre asked as Joseph stopped and turned to them.
"Your mother wasn't feeling so good when we landed, so we hung back until it passed," Joseph said and turned to open the door before extending his hand to Clarisse, to help her step out from the back of the limousine.
"Oh no," Mia said as she walked towards them, to shield them from the rain with her umbrella. "Are you feeling better now, grandma?"
"Not really," Clarisse said with a small shake of her head and letting go of her husbands hand she embraced her granddaughter in a long awaited hug. "But I sure am glad to be home at long last."
"Here, let me take that for you," Joseph said, taking the handle of the umbrella from Mia and watched her wrap her now free arm around her grandmothers shoulders. Embracing her in a tight hug as she closed her eyes.
"I think Mia has missed you, mother," Pierre chuckled as Joseph looked over at him and nodded.
"And she's missed Mia," Joseph smiled. "And you too, of course."
Smiling, Clarisse pulled back and studied her granddaughter's face the briefest of moments before looking over at her son. "Pierre," she said with a somewhat sad sigh and watched him walk over to her as Mia and Joseph embraced in a hug beside her.
"Hello, mother," he said softly, embracing her in a hug and kissing her cheek before whispering in her ear. "I'm glad you're home."
Nodding, Clarisse pulled back and looked up at him, his arm remaining around her shoulders, as she turned to her husband and granddaughter. "Shall we all get inside before it starts to rain more than what it already is?"
"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Pierre nodded and smiled from his mother to Joseph. Then, back to his mother beside him. "There's two cups of tea with your names on them."
"Oh lovely, I quite fancy a nice cup of tea," Clarisse smiled and slipped her arm around his back as they began to walk slowly together towards the palace steps. "I will join you for one cup, then I am going to go and have a rest. That was a long flight, and I'm exhausted."
"I imagine you are," Pierre nodded and looked down at the ground.
"Oh, Joseph," Clarisse said, suddenly stopping and turning to him and Mia still standing beside the limousine. "Can you grab my handbag from the back seat for me, please?"
"Of course, my love," Joseph smiled and bowed his head to her before watching her smile and turn to continue walking towards the palace steps with Pierre.
"I know you've had a lot going on this last few weeks, and you haven't been well. But have you remembered what day it is today?" Pierre asked quietly as they walked together.
"Of course I have. It's been there in the back of my mind for the last few days. Like it is every year in the lead up to it," Clarisse said and nodded ever so slightly as Pierre looked down at her. "And tomorrow, too."
"I'm sorry for bringing it up, I just thought what with all the changes happening this year, and with you and Joseph being married last month that you might not have even given it a thought," Pierre said solemnly as they came to a stop at the foot of the steps leading to the main entrance and turned to one another.
"I know there has been changes, a lot of them too, but I will never forget the day that my life changed all those years ago," Clarisse said as she looked up at her son standing so tall in front of her. Just like his father used to. "Being married to your father Pierre might not have been the life I expected it to be, as you may well know. But he gave me the life that I have now. And if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have had you or your brother. I wouldn't have Mia, and I certainly wouldn't have met and married my best friend, my Joseph," she said and watched as he smirked. "What's that smirk for?"
"You said my Joseph," Pierre said, and she smiled contentedly.
"Yes, I did," Clarisse nodded and turned to look over at her husband following slowly behind them while in deep conversation with Mia. The straps of her handbag in his hands grasp. "Because after all these years, he is finally mine."
Smiling, Pierre nodded and watched as his mother looked back up at him. "I'm glad he is. You two were made for each other." He said quietly.
"Thank you, darling," Clarisse smiled as she reached one hand up to briefly cup his cheek.
"Are you waiting for us?" Joseph asked as he and Mia stopped next to them and watched as both Clarisse and Pierre turned to look at them.
"Yes, we are," Clarisse smiled as Joseph reached his free hand out onto her lower back and leant closer to place a quick kiss to her cheek.
"Come on, let's go and have this tea," Mia smiled as she began making her way up the steps before stopping half way up and turning to look down at the three of them still stood at the bottom. "I'm dying to find out all about your trip and what you both got up to, actually no. I take that back. Not all of it. Just some of it. It was your honeymoon after all and I really don't want to know everything that you got up to."
"I was going to say there are some details, Mia, that are best left unsaid," Pierre laughed as his niece grimaced and continued up the steps.
"I see that nothing's changed," Joseph laughed and raised his hand up to brush Clarisse's hair back behind her ear as Pierre followed Mia up the steps.
"No it hasn't," Clarisse laughed and shook her head as she looked up at her husband.
"How are you feeling?" Joseph asked as he stepped closer to her side and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. His hand going to rest on the top of her arm, while he still held onto her handbag in his other hand.
"Tired," Clarisse said and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I could do with going straight to bed, really."
"Why don't you?" Joseph said softly as Clarisse rested her head gently on his shoulder. "I'm sure they won't mind finding out about the trip later."
"No it's okay," she said as she lifted her head and looked back up at him. "I'll get there soon enough."
"Clarisse," Joseph said sternly as he studied her face. "Need I remind you that you haven't been well? If you need to rest, then you must rest."
"I'll be fine, it won't take long," Clarisse said, leaving one arm wrapped around his back while bending her other arm up in front of her and placing her hand on the top of his chest. Tapping his bearded chin with her forefinger two times before letting it rest there a moment. "Besides, I really want a cup of tea first."
"You and your tea," Joseph couldn't help but laugh with a small shake of his head before leaning closer and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "Come on, let's get you inside and get you that tea so you can get to bed and rest."
"Thank you," Clarisse smiled as they stepped apart, and he slipped his hand in hers as they began making their way up the steps. "Do you want me to take my handbag from you now?" She said, holding her free arm across in front of her. Offering her hand for her handbag.
"Nope, I got it," Joseph smirked as he glanced back at her over his shoulder.
"Okay," Clarisse smiled, lowering her arm down in front of her and grasping hold of his wrist between them as they continued up the remaining steps together.