Royal 2 (Book two in my Selection series)

Chapter 50

The next day I start my short walk with Colton. Everyone was at work now and Colton didn't want to go to daycare knowing I'd be home alone so I decided to stop by the restaurant where I'd previously worked.

"Hi." I say as I see my old coworker waiting to seat people. Raúl looks up with a questioning look then his eyes brighten a bit when he sees me.

"Ah! Autumn!" The man says with a slight accent from his Spanish origin. Raúl lived nearly all the way across town with his small family of two toddlers and his wife. "Your back!"

"I'm actually not here to work. I heard Kiera was taking my place and for now I'd like to keep it that way. Do you happen to know where Owen is?" I ask him.

"Yes, he is in the back in his office." Raúl tells me. I smile and thank him and head off to the hallway that leads to the kitchens, bathrooms, and finally his office. His office was calm and far from the bustle of the restaurant out front.

"Owen?" I knock softly on the door and barely step through when it peaks open.

"Autumn?" Owen peaks over his glasses as he slows his writing on the paper in front of him. "I didn't expect to be seeing you back so soon."

"The Selection was canceled. Along with the government shutdown. I assume the press is going to be extremely unforgiving knowing the final Selected are home again." I say with a sigh and lean against the door still holding Colton's hand.

"I'm sorry to hear. Look, there has been a girl working in your place—" Owen starts some sort of apology but I quickly cut in.

"Look, I want her to keep the job. I'm well off on money right now and her family needs it." I shake my head a bit.

"Are you sure?" Owen really seems conflicted and I wanted to make this as easy as possibly.

"Yeah. I have plenty of money right now and I've been staying at my cousins for now." I say with a slight shrug. "I'd like to come eat here one day, though."

"That would be amazing. Sorry to bother you all, but hopefully I'll see you tomorrow." I say and smile at Owen.

"Have a good day!" Owen says as I close the door. I grip Colten's hand and duck my head as I walk out of the store. I was wearing an old beanie and a fairly new coat from last year. Colton was dressed in newer clothes since he continuously would grow out of old clothes.

"Do you care to go by the library?" I ask Colton.  "I've got something I need to check on."

Colton nods and I try to ignore the looks I get from people. I look down at my feet as I pass through the familiar sidewalks to the library.

"Sissy?" Colton asks as I notice cameras find my face. "Why is everyone staring at us?"

I breathe out and pretend I don't even see the cameras. I didn't want Colton to be treated differently because of me and what I've put him through.

"Just ignore them." I say to him. "It doesn't matter what they all think about us, so just pretend they are there, okay?" I say and force a smile.

"Okay." Colton mutters and jumps with both his feet over a crack in the sidewalk and continues to skip happily. I'm sure the reporters were dying to be the ones to figure out why there was a government shutdown, but as we had been instructed before we left the palace, everything we had been told was extremely confidential and could put the lives of royalty at risk.

When Colton and I get inside the library, I lead him to the small room with toys and books for young kids and told him to pick a few and I'd rent them for him. I head off to another aisle, knowing the lady working there was very fond of Colton and wouldn't let him run off, and search for an encyclopedia.

I flip the pages of the encyclopedia and turn to the 'C' letters. I searched and searched because I knew I had to know more about this.

Coup. Only a few things stood out to me in particular on the page. A coup was an overthrow of the government. I wondered how the royal family was going to fight it. Was there an army that was keeping them occupied now?

I read on. The longest coup in history was three years and four months. I draw in a breath and hold my head in my hands. I could very well never see Will again, or it could be years before I did.

"Sissy? What're you reading?" I hear Colton say and sit beside of me on the cushioned seat.

"Umm... nothing." I say and shake my head distractedly. I close the book and slide it onto the shelf. "Did you find anything you want to read?"

"Yep." Colton says and hands me two books with cartoons animals decorating the front.

"Great. Let's go and get home." I say and attempt a smile and lead him to the front desk. I hand the lady at the desk the two books and my bright yellow library card that I bought for Colton months before I left for the Selection.

The women took the books wordlessly and only gaze me a short look before handing me the books and the card back.

"Thank you." I tell her and time out the doors with Colton. I look around and there were at least three cameras pointing my direction. One reporter walks up to me with the camera propped on his shoulder, allowing others to follow me as well.

Questions are thrown at my direction and I try and walk swifter. I look down at Colton and his eyes are filled with panic as he stares up at me with his books clutched in his hands.

"Ignore them." I mutter quietly to him and clutch his tiny hand.

"Lady Autumn? Have you talked to the prince since the end of the Selection? Do you know if he's watching this now?" One reporter says. I stop in my tracks and stop all the reporters behind me.

"I haven't talked to Will." I mutter. "I hope he's watching this right now."

"Did you love to prince? How did you think the Selection was going to end?" Another voice raises and I shake my head. I keep walking, trying to guide Colton away. Of course I loved the prince, and of course I knew how the Selection was going to end.

"You do understand that the four final Selected are finally home after months? Stop bombarding us with questions and hoping you will get answers that we cannot give you because we don't know any more than you do. We were sent home from the palace without a second word from the royal family." I spewed out lies to get the reporters away from me. "So leave me, Josie, Eden, and Aida alone."

I grip Colton's hand tighter and lead him away from the crowds and off the small road leading to James's house.

I realized I'd never be the same after the Selection.