Promises to Keep[WATTYS15]

Chapter 24

"What do you mean?" I panic asked. "This better not be a sick joke," I then warned.

"No, it's true," He shakily spoke. "Papa died this morning. He was in hospital when it happened, that's why he couldn't come yesterday and no one wanted to spoil your day so no one told you," He continued.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" I questioned, looking at both my brother and boyfriend.

"We knew you'd run and leave the celebrations behind. Dad's on his way back right now. He phoned the council and asked them to cut his journey short," Lucas explained, tears brimming his eyes.

    I knew the saddened feeling he was feeling. We'd just gotten to know him on a personal level and here he was, being ripped away like a plaster (Band-Aid). We all knew the time was coming but we just didn't expect it to be so soon. Lucas and I thought that maybe he'd live to see us all growing up. Maybe that was an illogical thing to think but it was what we felt. We all wanted papa to see our children grow up a little. Lucas was lucky in a sense; papa had already seen his two children. Granted that Lucas is nearly 21 but still, it was strange that none of my children were going to see their great-grandfather. I'm being stupid again, aren't I? Damn it, Abi, stop talking in your head.

"How?" I questioned warily.

"Same as mum, cancer got the better of him," Lucas answered, emotion straining his voice.

"How long was he in?" I questioned, the emotion catching up on me.

"Two weeks. He gradually got weaker, and died this morning. No one told you because of how you reacted to mum and the outbursts you'd done," Lucas explained.

"HE WAS MY PAPA, TOO!" I shouted, the tears finally pouring out.

    Klein rushed and engulfed me in a hug. I knew what was coming. I was breaking down. My hard exterior was crumbling down, the repossessed memories of my mum's death was coming back. The violent flashbacks that made me blame Klein for all the supposed trouble he caused. Which, was zilch. He done nothing but I still blamed him endlessly.

    Klein was cooing in my ear as I broke down in his arms. I was just thankful that he was here this time because last time, when I was battling the grief alone, it was hard. I had no distractions so I cried and I cried over the memories I possessed with my mum. Lucas was there bawling his eyes out too. Something I've only ever seen for the second time. The first was when mums funeral and passing was. Second was now. To think that the hard exterior surrounding the royal family can break down easily is really awkward. Everyone thinks that we're superhuman and that we don't have feelings, but we do and sometimes the feelings are hard to comprehend at times.

     Love is hard when you've got to fight the demons of death and grief. People on the outside of the four walls of the palace, they think you're invisible and inhumane to emotion. They think that you've got to have this stoic expression on your face every time that you do something. However, I've fought through so much emotion that I don't know where it all comes from.

"Abi, we didn't want to keep it from you, but it was dad's decision. He came to it with papa. They didn't want you to go back through your state of depression when you found out mum was dying and then the reaction you had when mum passed. We're sorry. We truly are," Lucas pleaded emotionally.

"Luke, why? Why did you keep it from me?"

"We thought it was for the best. Everyone personally agreed to keep it a secret from you. They were scared and they were worried that you'd revert back into your older state. Dad was personally worried that you'd end up actually relapsing. I know you're in the progress of trying not to, but dad thought that this would officially drive you over the edge. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry," Lucas mumbled as he latched on, taking over Klein's place.