Royal Fake

“So, do you want to be a princess or a fashion designer?” Madison asked, right off the bat.

“Or a wife and mother?” Kylie chimed in.

“I want to be all of it.” I shrugged my shoulders and cringed a little knowing I was asking the impossible.

Madison laid it all out for me. “You’re gonna have to pick. I’m sure you can annul your wedding and stay here. Liam will be furious, but he’ll have to deal with it. He didn’t put any punitive clauses in your contract, which is great for you. You just don’t get to be the queen of Ireland or any of that nonsense.”

“But you should choose now so Liam can move on with his life. Your brand is on fire, Avery. It’s a hard decision,” Kylie added. “And you’re doing good for the kids. This blew their world up.”

And that was it. I was doing good for the kids. I didn’t need to be any more famous, I was finding fame a horrible drag, but helping those homeless kids and giving them a sense of purpose… that was everything I truly wanted.

“I want to help kids and I can do it with fashion.” I saw Kylie and Madison’s faces brighten.

“So, you’re staying?” Madison could hardly contain her excitement.

“I’m going back.” All of us felt the excitement in the room plummet. “I married Liam. I took vows and I owe it to him and our child to stand by them. Someday, I’ll be able to design and maybe my clothes will help those who need them. Gosh, I’ll even give away the whole ten million to charity after this. For now, I promised Liam I’d wear the damn hose and keep behind him and let him be king. He allowed me my dream and it’s time I step back and give him his. If there’s any way out of this mess, someday, I’ll find it.” My heartfelt heavier, but I knew it was the right thing to do and that somehow made everything okay.

“Are you sure?” Kylie asked to confirm my true intentions.

“I am now.” I bucked myself up into a smile.

As if Liam was eavesdropping on our conversation, which I couldn’t for sure know he wasn’t, he called my cell phone.

“I’m coming home,” I said as soon as I answered the call. “I have an all-clear from the doctor and we have the baby’s gender. It’s in a sealed envelope we can open together when I get to Ireland.” I rambled all of that off without breathing, I just had to get it out.

“Are you sure you’re up for a flight?” He sounded so concerned, poor guy, he’d been a wreck all week.

“Yes. We just need to contact your security to make sure I can take a commercial airline. I mean, I’m sure it’s okay, right? No one really knows who I am.” I had to contact his security team anytime I went anywhere especially while I was pregnant, but now more than ever that I was married and carrying the future king or queen of Ireland.

“No, love. You’ll need to take a private jet. I can’t have you and the baby on a commercial airline.” I pretty much knew that would be the case.

“Fine, then just let me know when I should meet the plane.” I’m sure he heard the drop in my voice.

If I took the jet, I’d be a princess once again. I wanted to hold onto my individuality for a few more hours, but I was giving it up, so like ripping a Band-Aid off a wound, it was time to just feel the pain.

“I’ll meet you as soon as you arrive at the airport in Ireland. And we have the gender, Avery that’s exciting.” He was like a little kid unable to contain his excitement.

“I can’t wait to see you.” That much was true, I really missed him… much more than I thought I would.

I watched as the looks on Madison and Kylie’s faces soured.

“It’s been unbearable without you. I have something very exciting to share when I see you.” I could only imagine he wanted to tell me was that his father had forgiven him, and he had a coronation date, which to me, wasn’t all that thrilling.

“I can’t wait to hear your news.” I tried the best I could to put honest excitement in my voice, but it didn’t sound genuine.

“I’m sending Lucy on the plane to come to get you.”

I half expected Georg, but Lucy? Why? We’d never even had a conversation together. He must have been able to convince her to come on the flight and try and make me a good Irish monarch again. He probably struck some kind of deal with her, why else would she want to be alone on a plane with me?

“Why?” I whispered into the phone.