Chapter 21: Almost Getting Caught
Shadé
I was in the hospital, lying down on my back. My stomach was abnormally large, as if I was in my final stage of pregnancy. I looked around my surroundings, surprised to see so many nurses around me.
"Push!"
I did as instructed and pushed as hard as I could. I screamed in agony. The pain was unbearable, like someone was pushing a shovel out of my vagina.
"Come on, one more push, I can see the head!"
I cried and gave another painful push. Another, another, and another. I was completely exhausted. Long trails of sweat dripped down my face, frizzing up my hair. The pain died down as whatever it was that I was pushing out of me exited.
Suddenly, a muscular, ivory skinned man with dark hair emerges from between my legs. I stare in shock at the indentation of his strong back muscles. I look around at the doctors, but they are nowhere to be seen; it is only me and the naked man that I gave birth to.
He slowly turns around and looks down at me with those familiar blue-gray eyes.
I jolt awake, accidentally falling from my bed and landing hard on my side.
"Owe, owe, owe," I moan agonizingly, caressing my sore hip and arm.
After a few minutes, I decide to lie on my back and reflect on what my nightmare meant. Did it have anything to do with Vincent being hospitalized? Did it mean that he was dying and one of our children will be his reincarnation? Oh God, I hope not. As much as I hate to say it, I wanted Vincent to be in the twins' lives. I wanted him to be there to hear their first words, to see their first steps, and to celebrate their first birthday; I just want him there, in their lives. But having a nightmare like that was beginning to bring my hopes down.
I got up off the floor, dusting the dirt off of my night gown. I wonder how Vincent is doing right now. I really want to see him, but I know I can't. There's no way I'd be able to walk into the hospital and say "I'm here to visit Prince Vincent. What room is he in?" That would be stupid, right?
I brush off my idiotic thoughts and begin to get ready for a long day of work.
__________
When I make it to the State Apartments of the Windsor Castle, I'm not surprised to find that it is painfully quiet. Everyone is staring at me with interest, all I want to do is die in a hole, but I can't, it isn't possible and if I hurt myself, I'd hurt my babies. No mother would want that.
As I'm dusting the bookcases in the library, I hear the door of the King's study opening. Everyone, including myself, loses interest in me and averts their gazes to the three officers, the security guard from last night, King Mathias, and Queen Miranda.
The Queen is in an unstable state as tears fall freely down her aged, yet beautiful face. It almost makes me break down myself. Seeing her cry so hard makes me jump to conclusions that Vincent must've done something that affected him fatally.
I can no longer hold the tears like I wanted to. They just begin to fall down my face like its nothing. The three other maids snap their attention back to me, their faces written in mild jealousy.
I turn around to continue cleaning and to ignore their odd stares.
"Where is my son now," I heard Miranda's frantic voice ask.
"Right now, the young Prince is residing at the KE Hospital. If you want, we can-"
"Oh, yes, please! I need to see my son," the Queen wailed. "Genevieve! Rodney! Come, now, we have to see if your brother is ok," she bellowed as her heels began to clack down the hall.
"Officer, I know my son is not crazy. Are you sure someone didn't try to hurt him," Mathias said desperately. Apparently, he doesn't know his son because he can definitely be a bit crazy at times.
"We can't confirm it. We've checked everything in his room and it was completely spotless... well, beside these. We found these under the pillow," the first officer said, holding up a small, clear plastic bag with...my underwear in them!
My face immediately heated up and I could no longer look at the scene before me. How did Vincent even get a hold of those!? Oh, damn! It was one of the times we spent a night together. It definitely couldn't have been the first night, no. I know it wasn't because I had them with me. I'm dead, the King's definitely going to fire me.
"Those are probably his fiancée's, you know, they like to get busy quite often," Mathias joked, causing the officers to chuckle.
I sighed in relief, which made the other three women snap their heads at me. Each one of them wore their own individual shocked expressions before one finally approached me.
"Those are yours, huh," she asked in a low whisper.
I looked at her as if she had grown two heads. "No. Why," I asked nonchalantly, masking my horror with carelessness.
"Well, you seemed a bit anxious when that officer pulled them out," she elaborated.
I narrowed my eyes at the girl and shook my head. "Just because I slept with the Prince once doesn't mean I was careless enough to leave evidence," I said soberly. There was no use in lying about my past affair with Vincent. All the servants and maids knew.
The other two maids lightly laughed as they approached me as well, cornering me against the bookcase I was previously dusting.
"Obviously, you were. I don't think Lady Melanie wears cheap panties like those," another girl said harshly.
My upper lip twitched in annoyance. If these girls do not back up away from me in the next five seconds, I'm beating someone's ass today.
Five.
The third girl laughed, before adding, "Exactly, so don't even try to say those shoddy ass skids belong to Lady Melanie."
Four.
"I'm giving all three of you three seconds to get away from me," I threatened.
Three.
"Or what," the first one mockingly asked.
Two.
The other two girls began to laugh hysterically.
One.
I didn't do anything. I just stood there and leaned my chin on my chest, staring down at my black flats. I wanted to beat their asses just as much as I wanted to cry. Hell, I wanted to cry because I wanted to fight these pathetic bitches, but I couldn't, because I didn't want my babies to get hurt. I'm almost three months into my pregnancy, nearly pass my first trimester. I can't afford to have a miscarriage. It'll break me. Dammit, it might even break Vincent. I wouldn't know what to do anymore. I wouldn't find a purpose to live anymore. If I were to lose the two little people that I love so much, but haven't even met yet, I may stop functioning all together.
"I knew you wouldn't do anything," I heard the voice of the first girl say.
I made an attempt to push past the three girls cornering me, but they kept pushing me back. "Will you excuse me," I said harshly. I hated being so short. It made me seem nonthreatening, especially when I had to look up at my opponent.
The girls smirked mockingly down at me as I sighed in defeat. I don't have time for this childish shit. I may be turning twenty in January, but that doesn't mean I enjoy playing these dumbass games with these worthless whores.
"Folashae," I heard the King say my name...incorrectly, at that.
The three girls abruptly backed away from me and went back to cleaning, as if they weren't bully me like children on a playground just a second ago.
"Yes, your highness," I answered as I attempted an awkward curtsy.
His gaze traveled down to my stomach and slightly widened. Seconds later, they softened before he asked, "Were you present of Vincent's incident last night. I don't understand who would want to hurt my son."
I felt the urge to just run and cry myself to sleep in a corner. Those horrific images of Vincent's pale, bloody frame leaned against his bathroom wall frightened me.
"Y-yes, I was there. I don't think there was an attempted murder. I can write an incident report, if you like, Your Highness," I replied, slightly stuttering.
Mathias nodded gratefully as he gestured for me to follow him. I could feel the burning glares and scowls directed at the back of my head as we left the library.
He led me to his drawing room where the police officers and last night's security guard were lightly chatting as they waited for the King to begin this discussion.
"Officer Henry, this is Folashae-"
"Permission to speak, Sire," I requested in a meek voice.
I could tell that King Mathias was slightly annoyed by my interrupting him in mid-sentence, but to hell with it! He was going to get my name wrong...again.
"You may," he says, granting me my permission.
"My name is Folashadé Hakim, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you all," I properly greet, directing my words only to the officers. A red bearded man, who I assume is the chief officer, outstretched his hand to me. I accept it and shake his hand firmly.
From beside me I could faintly hear King Mathias murmuring the pronunciation of my name. It really isn't that difficult. If he needs help, I wouldn't mind tutoring him in pronouncing my name.
"So you were present during the incident last night, no," An officer with bright green eyes, dark brown hair, and a slightly aged face asks to the left of the chief officer. He leans over and hands me paper and pencil.
I sit down across from the men, ignoring the intense glare coming from the security guard to the far right of the table.
I began to explain to them about what happened, starting from me helping Melanie in finding Vincent after he abruptly left dinner. To where we found him, but yet, he insisted that he and Melanie could talk later and that his room needed cleaning. Of course, I had to leave out the part in which our conversation took place. Then, after I left his room, finishing my cleaning duties, I heard a loud crash. Then, ending to the point in which I found Vincent, bloody, with glass shards piercing his skin, primarily, his hand. As I spoke, I wrote everything down.
Once I was done, I released a breath I hadn't known I was holding. I almost felt like I was lying. Although, I wasn't, it still felt wrong to leave out the true reason why Vincent would hurt himself. He hurt himself because of me; because I rejected him, he hurt himself. I wanted to break down so bad at that moment, but I couldn't. They'd get suspicious.
"Is that al-"
"This... doesn't sound right."
At the sound of those words, and voice, my heart completely skipped a beat. In that one skipped beat, my entire body shut down. My brain stopped functioning and my blood ceased pumping. The only thing on my body that moved was the small bead of sweat that trickled down my forehead, through the loose spirals that were my edges.
"Hmm," was all I could say. I was incapable of forming coherent words.
"You said that Vincent might've been going through some type of stress and just...snapped, breaking his mirror in the process. Are you sure that you just left the room as you said you did? Nothing more happened," the security guard asked challengingly.
The three officers and King Mathias switched their gazes between me and the opposing security guard, but finally resting on me, waiting for my answer to his challengingly anticipated question.
Why did this man insist on making my life hell? Because I punched him? So what, he slapped me! Is that not enough revenge for this man!
"What are you saying...Mr...," I said in an attempt to finally get his name.
"Hank," he said. "Just Hank. And I'm saying that you and Master Vincent may have-"
I abruptly interrupted him before he could finish. "Well, Hank, there is nothing going on between V-," I quickly caught myself, "His Highness and I."
Honestly, I could barely breathe! I was so used to referring to Vincent by his name that I'd gotten accustomed to not using the royal titles that servants would normally use when referring to someone of royalty.
Mathias snapped his head toward Hank in disbelief.
"What are you implying," Mathias ordered. "Are you saying that my son is a treacherous swindler!?"
Hank frowned solemnly and slowly directed his gaze from me to King Mathias.
"Your Highness, I never said such a-"
Mathias interrupted him angrily as he suddenly stood from his seat. Veins popped from his neck and forehead. "My son, the future king, is anything but a cheating swine! He is to be married soon and deeply loves his fiancée! I can see it in his eyes when he thinks of her! He tells me himself, so don't you dare insult my son in such a way!"
Watching the anger unfold from the King's normally cool demeanor was intimidating me. I wanted to leave, probably avoid him until his anger was leveled.
"My apologies, Your Majesty," Hank replied as his glare was directed at me. Why did this man hate me so much? I only met him last night for God's sake!
"You two, leave," Mathias ordered to me and Hank.
I hadn't even thought twice about what I was going to do next. I hastily gotten up and rushed out of the Drawing room, all the while keeping my head down.
I can't believe the King-the King-King Mathias of England almost found out about my past affair with his son. He was literally this close to finding out about Vincent and I's previous relationship.
Just as I was rushing down the corridor to get to the kitchen, a rough, callous hand pulled me back by my arm. I immediately knew who it was. I yanked my arm back and glowered at the hell raising man before me. What is it with everyone in this castle wanting me to suffer? Is peace really too much to ask for?!
"What the hell do you want now," I barked, glaring daggers directly into his eyes. If looks could kill, this man would be dead this very second!
"I want you out of here! Ever since you came, all I've been hearing is Folashadé this, Folashadé that! It's becoming a burden and I'm tired of it," he bellows angrily.
I contorted my face in confusion. So, that was it? Was he jealous?
"That's it? You must have some type of disorder," I said, waving him off. His hostile ways were ridiculous and petty.
"You're going to give the Alexander's a bad name. You're going to ruin the kingdom if you have that child. Once Vincent becomes king and everyone finds out that child is his, they'll lose respect for him for having an affair and impregnating a...black woman."
I wanted to punch this asshole in his throat. Was he really serious right now?
"That isn't true. There are many biracial children and interracial couples." Am I implying that Vincent and I are a couple? No, no, because we aren't.
"That may be true. But no one wants their country's representative to be in the wrong relationship. And if they know that he's cheated, they wouldn't be able to trust him in ruling the country," he said solemnly. He was right, the last part at least.
"I understand that you want me to go somewhere els-"
He cut me off. "No, I want you to leave the country," he corrected.
"Well too bad. I can't leave my way nor your way. Believe me, I want to, but I do not have that kind of money!"
"How about this; if I get you the money to travel to France, via English Channe-"
I interrupted him, shaking my head vigorously. "No, you don't understand! I have nowhere to go! If I leave, it's the end of it for me and my babies," I briefly explained.
He pursed his lips and averted his eyes to something behind me. "Fine, fine. But, you need to stay away from the Prince once he returns," he states.
My eyes immediately brightened at the thought of Vincent returning. "He's coming back," I asked eagerly, a bit too eagerly, at that.
"What did I just say," he sternly said.
"I know, you don't want me to ruin their family, and I won't. In fact, I've been keeping my distance from him for quite some time," I informed him, thinking of the last time Vincent and I were together.
"Well, that's good. Let's keep it that way," he said before walking past me.
I didn't want to follow through with his plan of never speaking to Vincent again. I know, it's confusing. One minute I want to avoid him and the next I have the need to talk to him.
"Shadé," a soft, familiar voice said behind me. I immediately recognized it as Melanie's. "Did you hear what happened to Vincent," she asked, finally approaching me. I noticed that Rodney was with her. Wasn't he supposed to be leaving with his mother and sister?
"Yes. I was there," I said between a sigh.
"Do you have any idea what could have happened," Rodney asked curiously. His eyes showed genuine concern for his older brother.
My eyes felt as if they were threatening tears to fall, but I wasn't going to break in front of them. "I'm not sure. I just found him in the bathroom surrounded by glass and covered in blood," I said, mustering as much strength as I could to say those words without crying.
"Well, it's a good thing you were there to save him. I felt like something was off about him," Melanie said graciously. There was a briefly silence as I nodded.
"We're going to the hospital to see him now. Would you like to join us," Melanie offered.
I quickly glanced past Melanie and saw the disapproving look on Rodney's strong features.
"Mel, I doubt she wants to go visit a boring hospital. Come now," Rodney pleaded politely. It was obvious he didn't want me to go with them.
"But, Rodney, she saved him! He could've died! Do you have no sympathy for the woman who saved your brother and my fiancée," Melanie snapped, glaring daggers in Rodney's. For some reason, the way she said fiancée seemed empathized.
"But we have plans, remember," Rodney said with a slight glare of his own.
Melanie's face went into complete shock as she snapped her head back to Rodney. He had an irritating smirk plastered on his countenance. Melanie must have mouthed to him because he suddenly chuckled and nodded.
"Oh, I will," he said menacingly.
"Fine, Rodney," she shouted before turning back to me. Her round face was red with either fury or embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Shadé. Perhaps next time," she sadly said.
I nodded in understanding, but was caught off guard by her next action. Her palms started caressing my stomach.
"Wow, you're growing. How far along are you," she asked intrigued.
"I'll reach twelve weeks in four days. I'm also supposed to have a doctor's appointment b-"
Rodney cut me off as he grabbed Melanie's arm. "Well, it was nice chatting with you, but we have to leave."
I watch in confusion as they treaded down the hall, arm in arm. I don't know why, but those two seemed a bit...secretive.