Crushing on Royalty (The Cuttings #1) [To Be Reconstructed]

12 | Flight Time Terrors and New Beginnings

I took a deep breath and followed Lady Cutting to several halls until we reached the garden. Out there, I saw that there were full of roses everywhere. Not just your typical ones, but gigantic roses as big as your head. They shaded in different varieties of colours and their sweet scent wafted right through my nose, making me breathe in and smile. I was in love with them. Somehow, looking at the roses made me feel better, letting me forget all of my problems in the world and in my life -- until Lady C barked my name, of course.

That completely ruined everything.

When I snapped back to attention with a grumble, I saw Grams sitting in a chair, teacup in her hand. Right beside her was -- who else? -- Cookie, swinging idly on his swing set inside his big bird cage. When he made eye contact with me, I swear, his beady black eyes twinkled, plus he smirked. Smirked! What kind of bird would even do that?

It seemed like a lifetime away that I saw him and Grams, but really, it was only two days ago that I hadn't seen them.

My grandmother, looking beautiful and serene, a few feet away from me, gazed at me with concerned but loving blue eyes.

I didn't have to tell her everything for her to know what problems I had. All I wanted to do right now was crawl into her lap, make myself a little ball, and curl into her warmth like I was eight once again, feeling terrible about my parents' death.

I'd never showed weakness ever since I'd started telling myself that nothing was going to happen to me if I'd acted like a sissy, but right now, all I needed was my grandmother and her comfort.

Lady Cutting graciously left me with Grams and Cookie to tend to her garden duties, so I sat opposite of Grams' chair, rubbing my hands on my jeans. Surprisingly, Cookie wasn't annoying me. Well, considering he was with Grams, why would he do that? He was a total saint when he was in front of her!

I let out a shaky breath, staring into Grams' eyes. She put down her teacup on the saucer, then reached a hand across the table and curled her warm hand in mine. I squeezed it hard.

"When you were a little girl," she began in that soft voice of hers, "you had no idea what you'd do with your life when you knew that your parents were already gone. You were uncertain of things, and you were afraid that anything might happen to you like the fate your parents dealt...but your grandfather and I took you and Tomas, raising you both to be where you are now.

"You were a fragile girl before we even took you in, but you learned to teach yourself to be strong. And now that...that you're engaged, well, it's a big step.

"Even if this, I believe, is not the best course of action, honey, I know that you'll still do it. Why? Because all you want to do is to help me and your brother.

"You know -- we all know -- that our life at home at the moment is a bit of a stretch, but here you are, leaving for England in exactly four hours."

I didn't speak. See Grams? I didn't tell her anything, but she already comprehended everything without me opening my mouth. She squeezed my hand gently, giving me a reassuring little smile. And that was all I needed to make me feel more miserable than ever.

I started bursting into tears.

My shoulders shook and I took off my sunglasses, wiping my bare eyes.

Grams cooed, frowning and saying, "Aww, sugar," to me, leaving her seat and coming to my side. She wrapped her arms around me, and I cried into her shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her waist. She smelled of rosemary and jasmine.

"Grams," I sobbed. "I'm miserable."

She shushed me and just allowed me to cause a flood in the area.