LOST AND FOUND

NINETEEN

The wedding and coronation is tomorrow. The castle is surrounded with a layer of thick tension.

I am currently finalising the last minute preparations before tomorrow.

-Later-

I walk into my room and gasp as I see Melissa sitting on my bed. "You frightened me."

She chuckled, "I'm so sorry for intruding. But I've got news."

I furrow my eyebrows, "News?" She nods. I sit down beside her. "Well, what is it?"

"I'm pregnant." I gasp, "Oh Elissa! This is fantastic! Does mother and father know?" She shakes her head vigorously. "No. I will only spare them the news after your wedding."

I stare at her, "You do not need to do that." She tears up and shakes her head, "No Laur, I really do. I owe you a lot. This is the least that I can do for you."

I hug her and nod, "Alright then." She nods, "Oh and one last thing." I nod, "Yes?"

I watch as her tears cascade down her pail cheeks. Now I'm worried. She reaches for my hand and gives it a tight squeeze.

"Ryan has built a cottage for us to live in. That's why his been so absent lately."

She's leaving too.

I remain silent. She sighs, "Laura." I shake my head, "I went through all this effort to get you back in here only for you to leave."

She shakes her head, "No Laura. Not at all, Laura I-"

I cut her off, "No Melissa. I-I need you to give me some space. Great, all this drama needs to happen on the day before my wedding day! My cornoration!"

I am now crying as is she. She tries to reach out for me I but I flinch. Max enters the room and furrows his eyes at the sight of us.

He glances at me. Melissa tries again but I whisper, "Please." She sniffles and shakes her head before walking out.

Max shuts my door and stares at me. "Laura?" I sniffle and remain silent. Max inches closer to me. I remain where I am standing.

He pulls me into his arms, and as much as I try and push away he tightens his grip on me while whispering.

"I love you. I'm here."

After I drench his shirt with my tears I hold him. So scared to let him go, just incase he vanishes too.

I let him go, I suddenly feel so insecure as he touches me with his eyes. He places his hands on either side of my face.

He stares into my eyes, "Your eyes are two buckets of rainwater, deep, fresh and clear." I sigh and close my eyes.

He places a soft kiss on my lips before whispering. "Everything will work out Laur."

I nod before watching him exit my room.

-Later-

I gather my thoughts before walking into Melissa's room. To my suprise she was not there.

I look outside her balcony and see that she's all alone by the rose garden.

I decide to make my way there. As soon as I get there, the air feels crisp and cool.

"Mind if I join you?" She shakes her head. I sit down next to her. "Melissa, I remember when you were a small little girl who couldn't stop fussing over these red roses. Now you're this lady who is about to start a family. It was wrong of me to snap at you like that. It's just you leaving for good seems to much for me to handle. Life is just moving so fast, barely any time to breath."

She smiles, "That's the beauty of it. I mean you never know what could happen next. I get it though, I mean I'm still that little girl I guess. I'm only fifteen remember, and now I'm having my own baby. Out of wedlock. Although, on our way to the cottage we'll just sign the marriage papers and such."

I nod, "Yeah." She smirks, "Oh you'll have tons of children with Max. I can visualise it. In fact, I specifically visualise four children."

I laugh, "Yes indeed. Perhaps not four children, but then again we cannot predict the future."