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xoxo
Maria
She couldn't deny how much his presence affected her. Her heart was beating uncontrollably and if Clarisse hadn't had such a strong personality, she would certainly have thrown herself into his arms. But her mind spoke louder and after a few minutes of silence, Clarisse put on her shoes again and went to sit behind the desk. What was he doing there? Of course Clarisse immediately thought he had changed his mind and wanted his position back but… What if that was it? Would she be able to forgive him? Wasn't she known as the Ice Queen ? So , Ice Queen she is ! Joseph was still standing at the back of the office. He was prepared for Clarisse to expel him immediately but not for her silence and such a formal posture. Would six days have had such a devastating effect on a relationship lasting more than thirty years? Joseph grabbed her coat and placed it carefully on the back of one of the chairs in front of the desk.
"I didn't expect to see you here, much less without being announced. What can I do for you?" Joseph closed his eyes momentarily. He had seen that cold and emotionless expression before... always aimed at Mabrey or a member of Parliament or even aimed at Pamela but he had never thought that he was the recipient of this expression. What had they done?
"I apologize for not announcing myself, but the truth is that since I entered the Palace gate, no one has said a single word to me or questioned me about my presence here. I think the security team needs to review the protocols very urgently." He said jokingly but Clarisse's expression remained unchanged.
"Thank you for the advice. But I ask you again… How can I do for you?" Clarisse indicated the chair to sit down and Joseph nodded.
"I came by to see how you are…"
"I am fine. I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine."
"You don't look very good to me... And I saw on television that Mabrey introduced you as his daughter... But I liked seeing your response. You immediately put him in his place." Joseph laughed but Clarisse remained the same and he was getting really uncomfortable.
"You look different…"
"Do you think so, Joseph? I don't. My long years of life have taught me how to deal with things that hurt me."
"Clarisse, I owe you an explanation…"
"You don't owe me anything. You were my employee for more than 30 years, as you said, and you performed your duties extraordinarily well."
Joseph got up and began pacing back and forth.
"Don't say that, Clarisse. You're hurting me and you don't need to. There are things you don't know..."
"Joseph, what do you want from me?"
"I want you! I love you!" Joseph stopped and looked her straight in the eyes. Clarisse stood up and stared.
" Really ? I would never know. You have a very peculiar way of showing affection."
"You know perfectly well how I feel about you!"
"Enough. I don't know, nor do I want to know. This matter is in the past and my personal life will not interfere with my reign again. I was a fool and for that I regret it immensely but it won't happen again."
"Things are more complex than you imagine, Clarisse. Do you, for even a moment, imagine that I made this decision lightly?"
"Do you mean to tell me that you carefully considered your decision?"
"Of course. All decisions involving you are always made after I think a lot."
"I see… And I thought, for a moment, that it had been an ill-considered decision, taken in the heat of the moment." Clarisse was unable to mask her pain and disappointment. "Do you need anything else?"
Joseph understood perfectly well what was going on in her soul, he saw the pain in her eyes and he felt unable to respond. He had repeated so many times, while he was at the beach house, everything he wanted to tell her, how to explain his situation. And now that he was in front of her, the words faded. Clarisse remained silent for a few minutes, waiting for a response, an explanation, and lowered her eyes when she realized that Joseph wasn't going to say anything else.
"I have a lot of work to do. But please, feel free to visit… whoever you want. Now, if you'll excuse me…"
"I only left because I wouldn't be able to protect you, Clarisse. And having that man under the same roof as you is asking for trouble. Send him away, Clarisse. If he tries something, I don't know if Shades will be able to stop him."
"If that was a genuine concern, you wouldn't have left."
" Damn , Clarisse! But don't you understand?"
"Apparently no!"
"Send him away! You can't keep having that man here!"
"Enough, Joseph. You, better than anyone, know why I can't do it. My trip to San Francisco completely transformed my granddaughter's life. Her life was turned upside down in a matter of three weeks. I will not risk losing the Throne that is rightfully hers. And despite you fiercely defending Pamela and Frederica, they will carry out the threats they made. But that's my problem!"
Joseph began to feel severe headaches and had to sit down again, but remembering that he was with Clarisse, he stood up immediately and staggered.
"Joseph, are you well ?"
"I have to go…" Joseph turned, tripped over one of the chairs but continued walking towards the door. " I'm Sorry , Clarisse. I'm really sorry."
Clarisse rushed towards him, grabbing his arm.
"Joseph, you are not well. Please sit down."
"I can't stay here, my love . Please." His face was contorted into a grimace of pain and Clarisse was becoming terrified.
"You're not leaving." Joseph was about to protest but dizziness almost made him lose his balance. Clarisse put his arm around her shoulders and one of her arms around his waist and almost dragged him to a chair. Then she went back, opened the office door, and sent Felix to call Scott and Dr. Watson urgently. The sound of his body hitting the floor made her look back.
"Joseph!" Clarisse ran towards him and Felix followed her. Together, they managed to lay him down on the couch. Seconds later, Scott entered the office, accompanied by Charlotte.
" Your Majesty , Dr. Watson arrives in two minutes. What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know. He started grabbing his head and saying he had to leave, he tripped, almost lost his balance, then fell to the ground and lost consciousness. I don't understand what's going on. He is very pale."
Dr. Watson entered at that moment. He greeted Clarisse and immediately knelt down next to Joseph. Clarisse watched, in silence, as the doctor examined Joseph.
"Scott, call a helicopter. Joseph has to go to the hospital immediately."
Clarisse covered her mouth to stifle a scream of horror. "But what's going on, Doctor ? Has he been sick?"
"I don't know, Your Majesty . Joseph hasn't come to my appointments for eleven months. And I fear this could be a stroke."
Clarisse remembered the man who had asked her how Joseph was. He would probably know something.
"Dr. Watson, two days ago I went to dinner with my son and a man whose name I don't remember but Scott certainly will, asked me if Joseph was better. He's a neurosurgeon."
"Someone find him and take him to me, Your Majesty . I follow Joseph in the helicopter to Central Hospital. I'll get in touch as soon as I know anything."
"Thank you, Dr. Watson. Charlotte, ask Scott the doctor's name and ask him to find him and take him to the Hospital."
"Right now, Your Majesty ."
C/J
As upset as Pierre was with Joseph's actions toward his mother, he couldn't help but worry. Joseph had almost been a father to him. Joseph had been present in almost every moment of his life. It was past 10pm and there was not a single news from the hospital. And so long without news can't mean a good thing. Charlotte called almost every hour and no one could give her an update on Joseph's health. Taking into account that the Queen was not going to leave the Palace, Scott went to the hospital himself. Clarisse was devastated. And if, in the eyes of the staff, her attitude was the same as the previous days, in the solitude of her suite and only in the presence of her son, she could drop the mask. Pierre didn't quite know how to change the subject but he had to. Clarisse had lost Rupert and Philippe so recently and he knew that right now, her mother was terrified at the possibility of losing Joseph.
"I would like to meet my aunt."
Clarisse was so far away in her thoughts that she didn't even notice her son's words.
" Pardon ?"
"I said I would like to meet my aunt Catherine. If you don't mind, of course."
"Oh darling , of course I don't mind. I'm sure she's my sister and when you see her, you'll understand why. And I'm sure you'll love her."
Pierre looked at his watch and then at his mother.
"Can I meet her now?"
"Now? Pierre, that's impossible. She lives in Canada."
"These days, almost nothing is impossible, mom. Make a video call." Clarisse stared at him...
"Pierre… I don't think it's a good idea to be bothering Charlotte at this time…" Pierre laughed.
"Mommy, there's no need to bother Charlotte. Give me your cell phone and I'll teach you."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the phone.
" Your Majesty , Dr Watson and Dr Cowell are at the Palace…"
"Have them wait in my office, please."
" Of course , Your Majesty !"
Pierre got up immediately and followed his mother. The sound of her heels on the marble floor was the same as every day, but Clarisse's heart barely dared to beat. She was terrified of the meaning of the two doctors' coming to the Palace. And Pierre too. When they entered the office, the two doctors remained standing in front of the desk. They both bowed and either of them had a very worried expression. Clarisse sat at the desk and showed them the chairs to sit on. Pierre remained standing next to his mother.
"Your presence here at this hour is scaring me…"
"Your Majesty…" Dr Watson looked at Dr Cowell and continued. "Unfortunately we do not have encouraging news. Medical procedures are increasingly advanced, but not always…" Clarisse interrupted him immediately.
"Dr. Watson, get straight to the point and spare me the technical details that I don't understand at all. What is wrong with Joseph?"
" Yes , Your Majesty! Sir Joseph… He has a brain tumor."
Clarisse felt her body go cold from one end to the other.
"A brain tumor?" she asked in a trembling voice. "But… how did…" Clarisse looked at Pierre and he put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently, in an attempt to give her strength. Dr. Cowell straightened up slightly in his chair and began to speak timidly.
" Your Majesty , allow me to tell you very succinctly what happened. Sir Joseph came to my office three months ago because he was experiencing severe headaches that sometimes obscured his vision and made him lose his balance. We did all the tests possible and he was then discovered to have a brain tumor. The tumor is not malignant and may have been caused by a strong blow to the head. The problem is that the tumor is growing and can cause blindness, paralysis, cognitive atrophy... in short, Sir Joseph's chances are not encouraging at all..."
"But it can't be treated or operated on?"
" Well … We have already tried several treatments, without results, because surgery is an immense risk. The location of the tumor means that the slightest error during surgery could cause a stroke… And that could be fatal."
"Oh my God. And why didn't I know this from the beginning?"
" I'm sorry , your Majesty . I asked Sir Joseph if he wanted me to send his clinical file to the Palace and he declined. And he reminded me in a very enthusiastic way that he would not appreciate me breaking doctor/patient confidentiality. He didn't want to worry you, Your Majesty . He left it written in the file that, in the event of death, the first person to be contacted would be Miss Charlotte and that she would know what to do. He also left it written that, if he were to be connected to life support, that we should turn off the life support machines. He doesn't want to be in a vegetative state." Clarisse closed her eyes and took a deep breath, desperately trying to calm herself. This couldn't be happening. "Unfortunately and perhaps due to Sir Joseph's fall today, we detected a small hemorrhage next to the tumor... At this moment, we have a maximum of 24 hours to decide what to do, Your Majesty . Either scenario has tremendous risks."
Clarisse stood up and so did both doctors.
"Please remain seated. You're telling me that without the operation, Joseph is taking all those risks. With the operation, he could be fine BUT he could also die… And what are you going to do?"
" Well , Your Majesty , this decision cannot be ours…" Said Dr. Watson. "More than twenty years ago, Sir Joseph changed the name of the person to contact. Every year I ask him if he wants to change this person and he always says no…"
"And who is this person?"
"It's you, Your Majesty ."
"What? I can't decide such a thing!"
"I do not know what to say…"
"This cannot be happening. I can't make a decision that puts his life at risk! I can't!"
"Mommy, Joseph is a winner. He will fight with all his might to survive."
"Pierre, but if something goes wrong… Dr. Cowell , what are the chances of Joseph surviving the operation? "
"Very low, Your Majesty . Below 20 percent."
"And what are the chances that he won't have one of these after-effects without the operation?"
"The odds are zero, Your Majesty . Without the operation and at the rate at which the tumor is growing, Sir Joseph will begin to have vision or mobility problems within a month at the latest."
"How is he now?"
"He regained consciousness on the way to the hospital but, after speaking with Dr. Cowell and taking into account his delicate state of health, we chose to place him in a semi- coma state, to avoid further stressful situations and the associated worsening."
"Gentlemen, I ask you to remain here and give me a few minutes. I'll be right back!"
Clarisse left the office and entered Charlotte's office.
"Thank God you're still here, Charlotte."
"I'm not leaving here as long as you need me, Your Majesty ."
"Oh Charlotte. I know honey. Please call Catherine immediately. I need to talk to her."
"Of course, Your Majesty ."
A minute later, Clarisse was on the phone with her sister and explained what she had gleaned from Joseph's situation.
"What do I do, Catherine?"
"Clarisse, take a deep breath and calm down. Without more details I can't give you a more correct opinion but, in fact, the operation is Joseph's best chance…"
"but what if they make a mistake? He dies, Catherine. And it will be my fault if I lose him. Oh Catherine, why do you live so far away? I wish you were here."
"But I'm just a Pediatric Cardiologist, honey!"
"But you are a doctor. You know how to see if they are doing everything well or not. I'm terrified, Catherine!"
"I know you are and you are absolutely right to be. I told you to send me Joseph's reports so I could ask some colleagues to analyze them but there's no time… From what you told me, at the moment every hour counts!"
"In any case, I will ask Dr Watson to send you all the reports. I will go back to my office now and talk to you tomorrow, do you mind?"
"Of course not, Clarisse. Before you hang up, pass the phone to charlotte so I can give you my email. And please, Clarisse, try to calm down. Everything will be fine, you'll see! He won't leave you alone!"
" Thank you you , Catherine."
"Don't thank me, I'll be here whenever you need me."
Two minutes later, Clarisse returned to the office and gave Dr. Watson Catherine's email.
"Dr. Watson, Dr. Catherine is a good friend of mine and asked to see Joseph's reports. Who knows, maybe she can help in some way? Can you ask someone to send it to her now?"
" Of course , Your Majesty . Can I speak freely?"
"We have known each other for many years, Dr. Watson. Of course you can."
"In our opinion, we would wait another two or three hours to see if we could stop the bleeding. If we succeed, we have more time to try other solutions... If we don't succeed, the best thing would be to prepare for the operation. Twenty percent is better than zero…"
"You are right. Let's hope for the best!"
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xoxo
Maria
