CHAPTER 9
Faith
I open my eyes and see beige. I feel the cool fake leather underneath me and feel a dog’s tongue licking my hand.
And I’m moving.
I look down and see a dog licking the back of my hand, but it’s not my dog.
I realize I’m in a car.
I look towards the front seat and see Peaches and Cream riding shotgun.
What in the world?
And then I start to remember.
“Everything’s going to be alright,” a voice says from the driver’s seat.
It’s him. This is real.
“What happened?” I say.
“You passed out. You didn’t hit your head though. You’ll be fine in a few minutes. We’re heading back to the palace now so our doctors can have a look at you just to make sure.”
“The palace?”
“Yes. I want the doctors to have a look, just to make sure. You just fainted but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“I’m okay. Really.”
“I won’t take no for an answer.”
I slide my body sideways and rotate up into a sitting position. I look from the backseat through the window in-between the two front seats.
“Sorry, do you mind laying back down for a second? Just until we pass through the gate?”
“Sure,” I say. I slide back down from my seating position. He must be embarrassed about me. Embarrassed because I work for the palace and I’m out and about getting my dog kidnapped and fainting almost at the sight of him.
Either that or…he doesn’t want to be seen with me. I understand that he needs to present a certain image and be seen with a certain class, but I don’t think I’m that unattractive.
I’m a bit disappointed…okay a lot. But I know how things are in this world and I just need to do as he asks until we get through the gate.
We start to slow and I notice the row of trees that are located near the entrance. Even flat on my back in the back seat I can recognize them. I catch myself staring at them every day just before I enter the grounds.
Suddenly I can’t see anything. There are a multitude of bright lights flashing in my face. One right after another.
I bring my forearms in front of my face like an X to cover my eyes. The flashes are so strong it’s like my eyelids are defenseless against them.
I hear a lot of loud voices. Most people are shouting, “Prince Alistair!” I make out the word “dog park” a couple times. That and “what happened.” And I think I hear someone say, “who is she?”
Are they talking about me?
I feel my body move on the seat as the car turns. Just as quickly as the flashes arrived they’re now gone.
“You can sit up now,” he says.
I roll around in my seat and look up. Sure enough we’re arriving at the palace, but unlike other days I’m not taking the cobblestone that goes along the perimeter to the employee parking. Today he’s pulling right up front.
There are already two butlers that seem to be waiting on us. There’s a third man dressed like a doctor.
“I’m sorry about the front, and asking you to duck down like that. I just want to respect your privacy.”
“Okay. Thank you,” I say, still a bit unsure if he’s trying to protect my privacy or his own.
“Things are about to change in a big way and we need to discuss your options first so you can make the decision that’s best for you.”
“About to change?”
“Actually, they already have. You’re on the homepage of every news site in the country. Likely your photo will spread worldwide before the top of the hour.”
I tap my hand on my pocket. My phone is still there.
I pull it out and fire it up.
I don’t even need to go to the homepage.
My name is the number one trending search in Google, Twitter, and Facebook.
#Faith
#whoisshe
#prince’snewgirlfriend
#luckylady
Oh. My. God.