The Wedding That Never Was

Rings 36 - She was just Miss Matthias, the secretary

Rings 36 - She was just Miss Matthias, the secretary

Jennifer can proudly admit that she was a coward.

When she received a call from her Ate Cassandra that her niece, Isobel was taken to the hospital, she jumped to the chance to fly to London She was going to hell for using Isobel's sickness to avoid Sir Angelo come Monday. But she really cannot face him.

Not yet. She was still unsure of what happened. She just pushed it back on her mind. She didn't know how to deal with it. She didn't know what to expect. And she was afraid. Afraid that she'd expect something to happen. Afraid that the kiss was just nothing for him. So she ran.

Because she was a coward. But she needed time. Time to sort everything out. Time to just think about everything, her feelings for him. So here she was in London in a hospital hallway dragging her feet to go inside Isobel's room. The whole hallway has security details and she didn't mind them as she stood frozen. She just didn't want to go inside.

Sometimes her Ate Cassandra can see right through her and she didn't want her to see the storm in her eyes. She just didn't want to talk or share it yet.

Her head turned to the sounds she heard on her back, and her eyes widened when she saw the Danish Royal Family and their details in tow. She quietly stepped aside, wishing she'd be invisible or else she'd be forced to greet and also come inside the room.

She noticed how the security details in the hallway quietly and slightly bowed as the royal entourage walked. And when they finally neared the door and Jenny, she had no choice, she stepped forward again, curtsied and greeted, "Your majesties"

She couldn't just not greet them. All the summers she spent with Ate Cassandra's family, how Aunt Mildred forced her to learn about the social etiquette and not just the simple social etiquette but the social etiquette of the aristocrats.

"Jennifer." The Queen greeted, she touched her arm and so Jenny lifted her head and she saw the smile of the queen. "You do not need to curtsy, you are family."

But Jenny wasn't. Not really, her sister was like family to her Danish Royal Family but Jenny was just an outsider, the sister of a countess.

She gave a tight smile to the queen.

"Let's go inside, I'm sure Cassie's waiting for us." The king said and so Jenny had no choice but to get inside the room.

The guard opened the door, announced the royal family and also Jenny.

Ate Cassandra rushed to Anya and hugged her. "You didn't have to come!" she said but Jenny could feel that Ate really wanted her best friend.

Hindi naman kasi sikreto sa buong mundo na mag best friend ang ate at ang reyna. Sa pagkasundo pala ng mga anak nila ay alam na na mag best friend ang dalawa. Hindi masyado alam ni Jenny kung bakit parang mas naging close ang dalawa kaysa kay Ate Clara niya. Pero siguro ganun talaga pag tumatanda na ang mga tao, nagbabago na rin ang relasyon ng bawat isa.

Napansin naman ni Jenny na parang di pa siya napapansin ng ate kaya maingat siyang umalis at naglakad papunta sa hospital bed kung saan nakahiga ang pamangkin.

Malaki ang hospital suite ni Isobel, parang isang hotel suite na rin ito, at nasa may living room sila Ate at medyo ilang hakbang din ang kama ni Isobel. Habang papalapit kay Isobel napansin naman niya na nasa dulo ng kama nito si Alexi at nakatayo lang dun.

Di na niya muna pinansin ang prinsipe at lumapit na kay Isobel.

"Auntie Jen-Jen."

Ngumiti siya kay Isobel at niyakap ang bata. "I was worried, Sabbie." lumayo siya at umupo sa tabi nito, "What happened?"