Pamela, New York

Chapter 7

I nod, "I know what you mean."

He nods.

"Why did you say you don't know if you can have them... Do you find it hard?"

"Well like I said, most women I meet adjust to me. They shouldn't have."

"Most women being Kate too?"

"I am not dating Kate."

"Will!" I press the recorder off again.

"Have that on the record. I want you to write it."

"You can't do that to her."

"What do you mean I can't do that to her?"

"Does she know you're not dating her?"

"She knows! It's just that she is in a complete denial."

"She loves you."

"But I don't love her, Pam. What is wrong with you?"

"Let's just not talk about Kate," I say, pressing the recorder back on. "So what is your plan now after military?"

"I am going to do some international diplomacy. It is my duty to the country."

"International diplomacy?"

"Yes. On behalf of UK government, I will travel the world meeting world leaders."

"How fun."

"I bet," he says and we giggle.

"If you have one day as someone else, I mean, just William - without the Royal family label. What would you do on that day."

"This seems to be your favorite question. I answered this already."

"Yeah but you did all of those in New York."

"That's true," he smiles. "The best days of my life."

"So what do you want to do now, if you weren't you?"

"I have no problem repeating them."

Pamela hit his upper arm and point at the recorder.

"Look I was in Iraq and in there I realized that it is possible for me to have a break from all of this. Which brought me to my point awhile ago, if I'm with the right person, the right people, I can have days, years for the rest of my life, as William."

"So you're done wishing, and now you're working in getting them."

"Yes," he nods, "I believe it's possible. Because I have experienced it before. I have had days where I was just William, and that's just my wish: I want to have them for the rest of my life."

I am speechless.
William throws me a grin.

***

"Dude, are you sure you know how to drive this?" I stare at the green safari jeep we're about to embark on.

"Dude, I've been doing it since I got my driving license."

"Yeah but do you know which road that is safe for us to pass through? What if we get lost?"

"I memorize this place like an ABC," he says, turning the machine on.

"Yeah but you can't memorize lion's behaviors, can you? What if they stop us at our track..."

"Pamela, just shut up and enjoy the ride."

"I can't!"

He sighs, "Don't you trust me?"