Switched

Chapter 19

I stretched and sat up. I looked around the unfamiliar setting of Jonathan’s childhood home.

    Jonathan lay asleep next to me. When did we finally stop talking and start sleeping?

    “Good morning,” Jonathan’s mom whispered walking into the room.

    “Good morning. What time is it?” I asked yawning.

    “About four thirty. I’m sorry that the sofa isn’t more comfortable.”

    “No, it’s fine. I slept wonderfully.”

    “I heard you two up talking until after three this morning. You must’ve only gotten half an hour of sleep,” she laughed.

    Jonathan started to stir and we quieted ourselves.

    “What would you like to do today, princes- Kriss?” she corrected herself.

    “I don’t care. Whatever you normally do in a day is fine with me,” I told her reassuringly. She looked as nervous as I felt.

    “Okay, well, normally about this time I start making breakfast and doing chores. The kids get up at seven and help me. Then we’ll go into town.”

    “Sounds wonderful. How can I help?”

    “Do you know how to make eggs?” she asked doubtfully.

    “Yes, before I was a princess I lived just like this.”

    “Alright, then let’s go,” she said walking toward the kitchen.

    We went to the kitchen. I scrambled the eggs while she peeled potatoes. We stood there and talked the whole time about nonsense things, but it felt right. I can’t explain it, but there was something about being in a family setting like this that just felt like everything was normal again.

    “Not to sound rude, but what’s your name?” I asked realizing we hadn’t properly been introduced.

    “Oh,” she laughed. It sounded like Jonathan’s laugh. “Morgan,” she answered smiling.

    “Okay, I just felt impoliet always addressing you as ‘hey’.”

    The food was done cooking and Morgan excused herself to go upstairs to wake up all the kids. One by one all nine kids came down the stairs in pajamas and stood wide eyed at the doorway when they saw me.

    “No way!” said one little boy. “The princess is standing in my kitchen! I’m going to get eternal bragging rights for this!”

    “Actually, it’s mom’s kitchen, and that chick can’t possibly be the princess,” a girl said walking over to me. “She looks nothing like her.” She walked a circle around me eyeing me up and down.

    “No, that’s the princess, I have a picture of her on my wall,” the boy countered.

    I had to stifle a laugh.

    “Only one way to find out,” the girl answered as she pulled up my pant leg to reveal my birthmark. “Oh my God,” she gasped.

    “That’s counted as assault on a member of the royal family,” Jonathan spoke from the doorway.

    “John!” all the kids shrieked and ran to him. Suddenly I was forgotten.

    “I’m so sorry, Princess. I didn’t mean to offend you-” the girl rambled.

    “Tori, you’ve done it now. The princess hates being touched, and she doesn’t like people looking at her birthmark. I believe that if she doesn’t pardon you-you could be tried as an adult for your crimes,” Jonathan said completely seriously stepping closer to me.