Royal Package - Lili Valente Page 0,61
health. You come home so seldom, I know you don’t see it, but Lizzy and I do. Getting Mama out of her pajamas and locked into a set routine would be a full-time job on its own. And if you took Papa away from his familiar surroundings, I’m not sure what would happen. I’m guessing he’d get even more floaty and vague than he is already.”
I take a deep breath and push on, though the silence on the other end of the line is far from encouraging. “And call me crazy, but I feel a responsibility to take care of them as they age. It’s the compassionate thing to do. They’re our family, and they’re on their way out of this life. I want to make them as comfortable as I can for as long as I can. Just because they couldn’t give us what we needed when we were small doesn’t mean we can’t give them what they need now. We have to break the cycle of selfishness sometime, don’t we?”
Zan’s quiet for another beat before she says, “I’ve never thought of it that way. In my head, they’re still in their fifties and making us stay up in the drafty tower while they throw loud parties they can’t afford.”
“We were eight,” I remind her gently. “We haven’t been eight for a long time.”
“No, we haven’t,” she says, a little sadly. “I miss you, Bree. We should talk more often.”
“We should. And we will,” I promise. “But in the meantime, what should we do about Lizzy?”
“I’ll hire someone to find her,” Zan says. “I have a few connections with private detectives from my work with the insurance adjustors at my old company. I’ll get a recommendation for someone and get him or her on the case. You concentrate on sorting out the mess there.”
I take another breath, holding it for a moment before letting it go. “All right. But let me know the minute you have news.”
“Will do,” Zan says, before adding in a gentler voice, “and call me if you need me. You know, if things go badly and you’re having…feelings after.”
My lips curve. “Thank you. I know how much you hate feelings, so that means a lot.”
“I don’t hate them. I just hate how much they hurt sometimes.” Before I can respond to the rare show of vulnerability from my younger sis, she says, “I have to go. Check in with you soon. Good luck, Bree. Sounds like you’re going to need it.”
“Thanks.” I end the call with a tap of my shaking finger.
I am going to need all the help I can get, but at least now I don’t have to worry about being a horrible monster who’s falling for my sister’s future husband.
Lizzy and Andrew are never going to be married—Lizzy made sure of that when she contrived to send me here. I have my sister’s blessing to care about Andrew.
Now I have to see if Andrew can still care about me once he knows the truth.
A knock on the door makes me jump.
Tucking my phone guiltily under my armpit, I turn and call, “Come in!”
The door swings open to reveal Queen Felicity, wearing a tentative smile on her face. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“N-no,” I stammer out of habit, before shaking my head and repeating in a firm voice, “No. You’re not interrupting. What can I do for you?”
If I’m going to come out as Sabrina soon, it’s time to start being myself. I’ll tell Andrew first, of course, but I don’t want to lie to the queen anymore. I like and respect her too much.
“It’s what I’m going to do for you,” she says, opening the door wide to reveal two women wearing pale pink smock coats with a wheeled cabinet between them. “I thought future mother and daughter-in-law facials and manicures would be a nice way to spend the afternoon. I hate that we haven’t had time to sculpt together, but this might be nearly as good. And we’ll make sure we stay out of everyone’s way while they’re packing up for the picnic.”
“That sounds wonderful.” I force a smile. I haven’t had a manicure in ages, and a facial in even longer, but I know I won’t be able to enjoy a single second of this very generous pampering.
I need to get to Andrew before the ceremony starts and tell him the truth, but I can’t very well say to the queen, “Thanks, but no thanks, I have other plans, lady.”