Mi Princesa

Part One - Chapter Nineteen: Awkward Silences

The awkward silence that lingered in the living room made Vanessa feel ill, she didn’t know what Fernando was going to say and she feared that this was all too much for him and he would break things off.

“Nando… say something,” Vanessa pleaded with him, she felt tears burn her eyes wondering if there was something that she could to help; she didn’t want to lose him.

Fernando looked at his fiancée, he hated that she was upset and he hadn’t meant to do so; he was just angry that the paparazzi had forced Nora out of school and that Olalla was stopping him from seeing her.

“Nando,” Vanessa whimpered, she didn’t want to lose him and she would abdicate if that was what it took for them to stay together; she sniffled resting a hand on her bump frightened about what he would do next.

“We can talk about this… Nora could come to school here, she’d be safe here,” Vanessa said thinking about what her grandmother had said earlier that day; she had to convince him that they could make this worse.

Fernando blinked staring at Vanessa, he didn’t know how that would work and he didn’t want to fight with Olalla; he saw that as a last option if things went bad.

“I went to St. Margret’s, it’s a private school but they have the best security,” Vanessa said rambling, she knew that it wasn’t much but it was the best that she could offer; Nora would be safe there and they would be able to protect her a lot better than Olalla was.

Fernando closed his eyes, he knew that Vanessa was trying to be supportive but he didn’t think that Olalla would let that happen; she wanted to keep Nora away from him and he’d never see his daughter again.

Vanessa swallowed, her fingers rubbing against her bump knowing that there had to be some way for her to work all of this out.

“I can’t take Nora… Olalla would never allow it,” Fernando said quietly, he wished that there was some way to make all of this right; he had never thought that it would be this hard when he had asked Vanessa to marry him.

Vanessa swallowed nervously, she had no idea what else she could do and she would have to wait to see what Fernando was doing so that she could make her decision.

“Call her and speak to her Nando… it can’t hurt to try,” Vanessa said softly, she wanted Fernando to be happy and she was sure that Olalla had only lashed out because she was angry.

It didn’t help that Aaron’s views on royalty were now in the papers, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut and he was making the situation worse.

Fernando nodded his head, he chewed on his lip as Vanessa got to her feet and walked out of the living room; he groaned knowing that he upset her, none of this was her fault and he had taken the situation out on her.

Dialling Olalla’s number, Fernando took a deep breath knowing that Vanessa was right; he had to try and show that Nora would be better coming to live with them.

Fernando didn’t see what was tying his former girlfriend to London only Aaron’s job and he was only a teacher; they could move anywhere for Nora’s protection.

***

Vanessa flipped through a baby name book, she chewed on her lip as she marked another name that she liked for the baby; she peeked up as she heard the bedroom door open and Fernando stepped inside.

Fernando paused nervously watching his fiancée, he hadn’t meant to treat her badly earlier; he had been upset that Olalla had taken out what had happened on him.

“I’m sorry,” Fernando whispered slowly moving towards the bed, he hadn’t meant to make her think that he would end things with her; she didn’t have to say it and he would never do that to her.

Vanessa didn’t look up from her book, she continued to mark out names that she liked for the baby; she knew that he was sorry but it had still hurt.

“I didn’t mean to take all of that out on you…” Fernando said sitting down on the edge of the bed, he’d had a rough day and he was upset that paparazzi had been able to do what they had.

Fernando gently reached for Vanessa, he gently brushed his fingers against her bare leg; he wished that he hadn’t been so cold with her when she had come home.

“I don’t like the idea that they can do that to my daughter,” Fernando said watching Vanessa, she still hadn’t looked at him and he hoped that he hadn’t pushed her away.

Fernando moved forward a little and kissed his fiancée, she was important to him and he hadn’t meant to take this out on her; he had been angry with how everything had worked out.

“I spoke with Olalla… she said she’d think about what you said,” Fernando said trying to ease the tension between them, he hated that she hadn’t said anything or even looked at him.

Vanessa continued to flip through her book, she wasn’t even looking at the baby names anymore and she just didn’t want to look at him; she was hurt that he had acted like that towards her, he had been so cold.

“Lo siento amor,” Fernando said kissing Vanessa again, he cupped her face wishing that he hadn’t done what he had; he tangled his fingers in her hair as he deepened the kiss.

Vanessa slowly relaxed and wrapped her arms around Fernando’s neck, she had no idea what they would do but she hoped that they wouldn’t have any more problems like this in the future.

***

Olalla crossed her arms watching Nora sleep, she knew that she couldn’t protect her daughter against the paparazzi but that didn’t mean that she wanted to spend Nora to live with her father.

Olalla had been happy when Fernando had agreed to her original offer, she had Nora for the majority of the year and he only saw her on the holidays.

Now it was clear that the offer could be reversed and Olalla didn’t like it, she was Nora’s mother and she had more rights to the little girl than Fernando did; she hated that Fernando could offer better protection.

“We’ll work something out,” Aaron said not wanting Nora to go and live with her father, he didn’t want Nora thinking that being a princess was everything.

Olalla sighed and closed her eyes, she knew that there wasn’t much that they could do; Aaron was only a teacher while she was a stay at home mother, they couldn’t afford private security like Fernando could.

“It won’t work… we’d never be able to afford it,” Olalla said knowing that she just wanted her little girl safe, she would have to send her to live with Fernando.

Aaron frowned hating that Fernando was getting his own way about this, he had moved to Andorra to start a new life; he had made his decision and he should stick to it.

“It doesn’t matter… we’ll find a way without the royal help,” Aaron spat before he turned on his heel and walked away, Olalla wouldn’t have to send her daughter away if he had any say about it.

Olalla had already snapped at him over his words that had appeared in the paper, he didn’t care what people thought and he was always going to be anti-monarchy nothing would change that not even Fernando marrying a royal.