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Nicolas and Alexandra sat on a bench in the park and he leaned across and kissed her lovely cheek and the cameras of the world went wild. They barely had had anything on Alexandra’s love life in sixteen years since she had turned eighteen. Some public appearances with Lord Hugo that never seemed to go anywhere. Here was this new delicate love they saw in Alexandra with the handsome prince. Alexandra was right, it was everything the public wanted.
How much more would they take from her? How much more was she prepared to give?
That evening, safely ensconced back in their respective rooms and the staff dismissed, Erin’s phone beeped. It was Alexandra.
Come to me.
It never usually pained her, but it pained her now, to be summoned like a dog and to have to go. To want to go and to not want to go all at once, but the Princess was her job and when summoned, she had to go.
She opened the door to Alexandra’s rooms and walked in. Alexandra was still in the pretty summer dress, it clung to her full breasts and tiny waist and then flowed out like a ballerina or a fairy. She stood by the window, bathed in golden light from the setting sun.
“Take a seat,” she said.
Erin sat on the ornate sofa. It was decorative rather than comfy, but it didn’t matter. Nothing really mattered now. She put her head in her hands.
“I don’t think I can do this,” Erin mumbled into her hands. “I knew the score. Of course I did. But I had no idea it would hurt this much.”
“I’m so sorry, Erin.” Alexandra remained at a distance. They both knew what would happen if they got too close. “I wish things could be different. There is a way for us to work, you know. If you can find a way to accept the rest of my life. My commitments. The things that I have to do that are so much bigger than myself and my own desires.”
Alexandra sighed and looked out of the window. Looking at Erin was perhaps too painful.
“I have been cruel to you. To draw you into my difficult life and hope that you could become a part of it. I realise how much I have asked of you, and for that, I am sorry. I’ve been selfish in pursuing you and falling in love with you. I am so so very sorry Erin. Please tell me what it is that you need.”
I need you. I need you. I need you. I love you.
Erin thoughts were loud in her head. But she swallowed the words.
“I need space. I’ll do my job. I want to continue my job. Getting the opportunity to work for you has been the best thing that ever happened to me. But I don’t want to see you outside of that.” Erin couldn’t look at her, so she looked at the floor. “I want us to remain professional, Ma’am.”
It hurt Alexandra to hear the use of Ma’am with nobody else around. It hurt Alexandra to realise what was happening here. That the woman she loved was ending things. This wasn’t how she saw this going.
“Then, you are dismissed, Sergeant Kennedy,” she said into the window, every word an effort. “Thank you for your time.”
Erin scuttled out of the room as fast as she could.
Alexandra collapsed to the floor in tears. A distress on a level she had never known. She was suddenly sobbing so hard that she couldn’t stop. She felt as though her heart had been ripped out of her body. The pain in her chest overwhelmed her. She lay foetal on the floor hugging her knees to her chest as the tears kept coming. She couldn’t breathe. She gasped for breath as the pain racked her body. She coughed. She coughed more and ran to the bathroom as she made herself sick with the coughing.
She crawled back towards the sofa and grabbed the phone in the room.
“Hello,” she gasped between sobs. “This is Princess Alexandra. I think I need a doctor.”
“Of course Ma’am.” The voice on the other end of the line was immediately concerned. “Right away. Can I send someone for you before the doctor arrives?”
Erin, Erin, she needed Erin.
Her parents? God, no.
“Alicia,” she choked. “Alicia.” Then she dropped the phone as she hyperventilated.
Alicia’s room was close and she let herself in quickly to find Alexandra a mess panicking on the floor.
“I can’t breathe,” she sobbed.
Alicia had a moment of shock. Never in years of doing the Princess’s hair and make up had she seen anything but smiles and professionalism from her. So gathered. So together. So level headed and calm.
“Ma’am. It’s okay, I am here. A doctor is coming.” Alicia sat immediately on the floor behind, legs wide around her and pulled her into her arms and comforted her like a baby.
Alicia had seen pain and felt heartbreak before. That absolutely had to be what this was. Nothing else hurt like heartbreak. But Nicolas? Surely not. Just this afternoon, the photos in the park, things couldn’t have been better between them. Having said that, Alicia hadn’t ever thought Alexandra was that into Nicolas. There must be someone else. But, who? Surely Alicia would have noticed if the Princess was seeing someone else.
