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Mary flinched but didn’t protest. Tabitha knew it was a low blow, bringing her father up, but it was the only way she could think to bring her point across. Mary had never recovered from his death, and she carried the pain with her every day.
“That’s different,” Mary whispered.
“It’s not. J is the love of my life. Either you accept that and find a way to help us, or I will walk away from the British monarchy. I choose her, Mom. I love you and I do want to fulfil my responsibility as your heir, but if it comes down to a choice, I’m choosing J over everything. She makes me happier than I have ever been. Happier than I could ever have imagined was possible.”
Mary was silent for a long time, considering her daughter. Eventually, her eyes moved to JK. “What do you have to say about this, JK?”
“Your Majesty, I love your daughter more than anything in the world. I would move heaven and Earth to make her happy and I fully intend to give her everything she deserves, as much as I am able to. I am so unbelievably lucky to have found her, and as long as she wants to be with me, I am not letting her go for anything. I know this is not easy. Believe me, I know we come from different worlds. But, I can learn. I can be who you need me to be to fit into the monarchy.”
Silence once more fell over the room. Tabitha wondered if she should say something else to strengthen her case but decided that she had said enough. It would be better to give Mary some time to digest it all.
After a few agonizing minutes, Mary sighed, some of the tension going out of her shoulders. “Tabitha, I grew up with a lot of expectations placed on me, and I passed those expectations on to you. Perhaps they are outdated now. I want things to work out well politically, but more than that, I want you to be happy. This isn’t easy for me to accept, but if JK is truly who you need… Well, then I will support you. We will take advice on how best to bring her into the family.”
Tabitha played the words over several times in her head, unable to believe what she’d just heard. “Y-you’ll accept JK?”
“You’ll still need to get married, and I expect heirs, but yes, I will publicly and personally support your relationship.”
“You don’t have to worry there, Your Majesty. I have every intention of marrying your daughter and raising a family with her, should that be what she wants, too.”
Tabitha turned to face JK, tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. “Really?” she whispered.
“Really. Don’t worry, I’ll do a proper proposal when the time is right. I’m sure it’ll need to be a big event with the press and the right people around.”
Mary gave JK the first genuine smile Tabitha had seen directed at her. “You know, I think you’re going to fit in around here just fine, JK. Please, call me Mary. I’m to be your mother-in-law, after all.”
“Thank you, Mary.” JK stood and the two of them moved into an awkward embrace. It didn’t matter. There was time for the awkwardness to thaw, for them to become more comfortable with each other. What was important was that they were both willing to try.
“You know what this means, right, J? Are you really willing to move to England? To sit by my side in many years time when I become Queen and rule alongside me?”
“For you, Tab, anything. It’s not at all where I saw my life going, but that’s just because I never envisioned anyone as perfect as you coming into my life. I’m sure it’ll take a lot of getting used to, and I have a lot of learning to do, but we can handle it, together.”
“I’ll be with you through all of it, just like you were with me through this—just like you would have been with me should this conversation have gone the other way.”
“As will I. I know all the ins and outs that members of the royal family might not. I’ve got your back too, J.” Julie said to them both.
“Thanks, Julie. And thank you for being such a true friend to Tabitha. I know she couldn’t ask for anyone better supporting her.”
“I should get going, since our business is concluded.”
“You don’t need to rush out, Mom. At least stay for the day. We can have lunch and dinner together—you and J can get to know each other a bit better. I’m sure you’ll be fast friends once you get past the initial stages of introduction.”
“OK,” Mary smiled. “I’d love to spend the day with you both. Although I think if we go out, my presence will draw some attention. How will you cope with the press when you are back in the UK, Tabitha?”
“I don’t think that’ll be a problem anymore.” Tabitha gave her mother a small smile. “I think part of the reason I didn’t want the media shining a light on my life was because of how lonely and alone I felt a lot of the time. It just highlighted my own unhappiness to me, and I hated it. Now, my heart is full, and seeing my joy spread across the pages of newspapers and magazines… Well, I can’t imagine it’ll bother me.”
JK’s shoulders relaxed a little. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
She put an arm around Tabitha and Tabitha leaned her head on JK’s shoulder. Mary smiled.
Everything was going to be okay.
Epilogue
Tabitha- 2 years later
“Idon’t get it. It’s just a fork. Why is it so important?”
“Honestly, it’s not,” Tabitha admitted. “Everyone thinks it is, but really, in the grand scheme of things, who really cares what utensils you use? However, my mom wants you to learn the proper protocol, and I think we should at least put in some token effort.”
