The Princess & the Football Player

Chapter 22

"Welcome, your Royal Highness. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Jones. Has anyone arrived yet?"

"Just us" someone says to my right.

"Merry Christmas, grandmama."

"Merry Christmas, darling" she says, kissing my cheek. "You look beautiful. What is your secret?"

"Oh, you know. Eating and sleeping well, drinking water, working out..." I chuckle.

"Alone?" she smirks.

"Grandmama!"

"I know you, Eleanor. You are definitely seeing someone, that smile betrays you."

"How is that I am the first one to arrive?" I ask as we walk towards the library, trying to change the topic of conversation.

"Your aunt and your uncle are always late, you already know them. The girls said something about some late shopping, and your uncle was supposed to be here already, but Pierre's connection flight got delayed."

"Poor Pierre. He probably lost his flight on purpose because he doesn't want to meet us all."

"But he already met us last year when he cooked for us!"

"Exactly" I smirk.

"Oh, Eleanor" my grandmother laughs. "I love seeing you this happy."

"Thank you" I smile. "What about Sophie and my parents?"

"They... They are arriving late because they are waiting for some guests."

"Guests? Who?"

"Please don't get mad, Eleanor."

"Why would I... No. Please tell me it isn't Charles and his parents."

"Eleanor..."

"I thought we were done! That we had agreed that pushing it will only make it worse! Why is my mother so stubborn?"

"Camille and Jean are your parents best friends, they just want to spend the holidays together."

"Yeah, sure" I snort. "What they want is for Charles and I to get back together, and that isn't happening."

"Ellie, darling. Give them the benefit of the doubt."

"No!" I say, walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Back to London. I'm done with this."

"Oh, don't be like that!"

"Like what, grandmama? I'm tired of my mother deciding my life for me!"

"She does it because she loves you, because she wants the best for you."

"If she did, she would be more like you. You never opposed to her and dad dating, and as long as dad was happy, you were happy too. You didn't care about mum not having a job or what she had studied."

"At first I did have my doubts."

"But you never tried to set up dad with the daughter of any of your friends, telling him that anyone that wasn't them, wasn't enough for him!"

"This boy you are seeing... He isn't from our world, is he?"

"What?" I say with a nervous laugh.

"Your mother has been pushing you towards Charles for years and you've never behaved like this. You've never been this angry."

"Maybe I just reached my limit" I shrug.

"Or maybe you are just afraid because you know she won't approve of him. That's it, isn't it?"