Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Scottie
Saturday as she lounged by Shug and Fritz’s pool, Scottie read a book and jotted thoughts and questions on her phone nates app for her meeting with MP Fickle.
But none of it distracted hers from Dad, who was in love, snuggling his fiancée, Remi, in the shallow end. To be honest, it was a bit much, but he’d not stopped smiling.
Remi splashed Dad and he laughed, dunking her under.
Were a couple of sixty-somethings allowed to act like teenagers?
Remi surfaced with vigor, hopped on Dad’s back, and tried to push him below the smooth, cool surface, but instead, Dad circled her around to his chest and drew her in for a lavish kiss.
Scottie ducked behind her book, the one by the Lauchtenland author. She’d never witnessed Dad as a romantic being. Never saw him as a man with sexual desires. Yes, she was thirty-eight years old and not unfamiliar with being a lover, but this whole scene tilted her world.
Worse, she was jealous at the idea of sharing Dad’s attention. Since she’d arrived, he’d barely talked to her beyond a hello hug and kiss on the cheek.
Meanwhile, over by the grill, Grandpa Fritz chatted with his brother, Uncle Walt, who’d recently been widowed. His three children were out and about in the world, with no interest in O’Shay Shirts. Uncle Walt lived in north Florida after he retired as VP of Sales.
Aunt Leanne, Fritz’s younger sister visiting from Boston, walked from the kitchen onto the white pool deck, a sarong wrapped around her waist, her blue one-piece bathing suit reminding Scottie of the 1950s Hollywood starlets.
“I’d tell your dad to get a room, but it’s kind of fun seeing him in love.” Aunt Leanne stretched out on the chaise lounge next to Scottie, a mai tai in one hand and a thick Danielle Steel read in the other. “So, how’s our princess? I hear you’re going back?”
“For a few more weeks. There’s a ball I’m to attend. And I’m not a princess, Aunt Leanne.”
“Good. Don’t let them peel the O’Shay off you. We’re strong, independent women. Movers and shakers.”
“So are the Blues,” Scottie said.
Leanne O’Shay Neuheisel had cut her marketing teeth at O’Shay Shirts, but when Grandpa Fritz promoted an O’Shay cousin to director of marketing, Leanne resigned, moved to Boston and founded one of the nation’s leading headhunting firms. All five of her children now worked for Neuheisel Co.
Other than Cousin Blake, who headed O’Shay’s human resources, the O’Shays had moved on. Now the future of the company fell to Scottie. She’d never seen it more clearly than this past week.
From the moment she’d walked into the office, she was bombarded with questions, drawn into meetings, brought up-to-date on the End of Fiscal Year profit projections, informed of work force adjustments, and regaled with how Jack Gillingham, Veep of Marketing, averted a disaster while on a commercial shoot.
The rest of the week, she was at her desk by seven a.m., working until nine p.m. At home, she microwaved a semi-healthy frozen dinner, sipped on a small glass of wine, watched a rerun of Family Ties, and fell asleep on the sofa.
She’d wake up in the wee hours and head to her room, envisioning the Princess Charlotte suite.
She missed afternoon teas with Kate and walking with her along the cliffs when she felt strong.
She missed the cry of the wind slicing up Whistlecrag Bluff and the sound of Michael’s voice when he met her in the Grand Foyer.
Kate had texted several times but never informed Scottie on her health or asked when she was returning. Cranston sent a message and, in his kind, devoted way, implored Scottie to return.
Cranston: Lady Royal, you bring her such joy and joy is healing.
Scottie: I’ll be there Sunday. Thank you, Cranston.
“Refill anyone?” Shug came along with a pitcher of icy sweet tea and paused to peer toward Dad and Remi. “I’ve not seen Trent like this since Kate. I wasn’t sure I’d ever see him in love again. A man’s broken heart doesn’t heal the way a woman’s does.”
Wait. What? Scottie leaned toward her grandmother. “You saw Dad and Kate together? In love?”
“Yes, she lived with us when she was pregnant with you.” Shug set down the tea pitcher and sat on the other side of Scottie. “Well, the last four months, anyway.”
“She lived with you and Fritz? I thought she was in Nashville.”
“Who said? She was here. You were born in this house, Scottie. Hmm, guess that’s another thing we never told you.
Didn’t want you asking questions. The second suite upstairs was Kate’s.
Her dad, the king, sent over his personal doctor and nurse for the delivery.
They lived in our guesthouse until you came quietly into the world. ”
“Oh, that’s right. Scottie, you were so quiet we thought you were dead,” Aunt Leanne said. “You never made a sound. Sort of like a hiccup, wasn’t it, Octavia?”
“Wait, wait, wait. Aunt Leanne also knew my mother?”
“I always thought she mewed, like a kitten,” Shug said.
“I mewed?” She’d never heard any of these stories.
In the first grade when LaToya Dixon told her babies were delivered by storks, Scottie believed it.
She must have arrived by a bird’s beak because she didn’t have a mother.
And no one ever told her otherwise until she learned about the birds and bees.
“I only saw her once. From a distance. I did not know your mother was a crown princess.” Aunt Leanne shot a wry glance at Shug. “That secret was kept in a vault.”
“We couldn’t tell anyone.” Shug sat back, sipping her tea and bringing her sunglasses from her head to her eyes.
“You were the most beautiful, sweetest baby, Scottie. I thought I’d break into a million pieces when Kate realized her father was not going to let her bring you home.
It was one thing to not marry Trent, a whole other thing to leave you behind. ”
“Looking back, perhaps it was a good thing,” Aunt Leanne said. “Scottie is heir to O’Shay. Who knew the daughter of a princess would be the last O’Shay in Hearts Bend to take over?” She leaned to see Scottie. “We’re all counting on you.”
“Don’t put pressure on her, Leanne. You never know what the future holds. O’Shay may not be around forever.”
“It will as long as Scottie has breath in her lungs.” Leanne huffed and puffed in her chair. “Kick butt and take names, Scottie. Marry that hunky Army Ranger, Cap. I liked him.”
“Me too. But he’s going to marry his ex-wife.”
“His ex-wife. Well shut the front door. Did you have a clue?”
“No, but don’t worry, he wasn’t my true love.”
“Maybe she’ll meet a handsome prince at the Rose Ball.” Shug tossed Scottie a wink. “You always fancied yourself a Cinderella.”
“All the princes of the North Sea nations are married or too young. Besides, I don’t think any of them would want to move to Hearts Bend. And I never, ever fancied myself a Cinderella.”
Where did people come up with this stuff?
A splash in the pool followed by a yelping laugh closed the conversation as Dad cannonballed in front of them. “Get in the pool!” he said. “How about a game of water polo? Men against the women.”
“On your own head be it,” Shug said. “You have Fritz, Walt, and Fletcher. I have Remi, Scottie, and Leanne.”
“Exactly,” Leanne said, tossing off her sarong and adjusting her suit, tugging at her wrinkled arms. “We float. You don’t.”
After Dad and Leanne set up the net and argued about the rules, Leanne called for a girls’ strategy meeting. Scottie headed over, but Dad gently pulled her aside.
“Hey,” he said softly. “We haven’t had much of a chance to talk. You doing okay?”
“Yeah, I am.” She glanced toward Remi. “It’s kind of weird seeing you in love but—”
“You’ll always be my favorite girl.” Dad chucked her chin with his finger. “You know that, right?”
“I’m happy for you. Honest. I can see she loves you very much.”
“Are you okay going back to Lauchtenland? I don’t like you being caught up in these protests. What’s going on? Some group trying to end the monarchy?”
“It’s a small but loud contingent.” She kept her meeting with MP Fickle to herself.
“You don’t have to go back, Scottie. Do you feel safe?”
An image of Michael flashed across her mind. “Yeah, Dad. I’m safe. Really safe.”
“Okay then…you still going to be my best girl at the wedding?”
That’s when the volleyball bonked him in the head and Remi taunted him to get in the pool. Dad ran down the deck and dove into the deep end, surfacing with his in-love smile.
Scottie felt every one of his movements in her soul. The plunge into the water, headfirst, then surfacing into sunshine, into love.
All her life she’d followed in Dad’s footsteps.
She was his mini-me. They talked about life and sports and O’Shay Shirts, about her education and how she’d one day be in command.
Yet at this very moment, Dad revealed a whole other side of himself.
Scottie was undone, wanting nothing more than to follow him once again and plunge headlong into love.
But that was impossible.
* * *
Michael
The steward at Blue Hall, 03 Row Clemency, led Scottie and Michael down a wide corridor, past the portraits of former MPs looking sternly through the glow of ornate wall sconces. The carpet was plush and bound by the House of Blue cypher.
He glanced over at Scottie. She smiled, which made his heart beat faster. She seemed different to him. Lighter? As if she’d let go of an unseen burden.
“Do you think Hamish Fickle realizes everything holding Lauchtenland together comes from the House of Blue?” she said. “That the Crown defines us as a people, as a nation. The demise of the Blues would mean the demise of Lauchtenland.”
“I’m not sure he’s thinking about anything but his own career.”
Her hand brushed his, and a small chill crept up his arm. He must put his feelings in check.
“Do you have your notes of what you want to say?”
“Yeah, but I really want to talk from here.” Scottie tapped over her heart and Michael admired her all the more.