A Royal Scandal

Some Mother You Are...

Back at the palace, Tomeka was so distressed and overwrought. She paced her room back and forth while Briana went and got tea. She thought about calling Queen Leoni for motherly advice but she quickly reminded herself that her mother did not have one maternal bone in her body.

" Here is your tea your highness just like you like it"

" Thank you and dispense with the titles right now I don't want to be princess nor you to be servant girl. In this moment we are best girlfriends and we need to have a chat.

"First I would like to apologize to you for putting you that position Briana.. I had no right to ask that of you and then to keep Hakeem a secret from everyone including his father was a bastard thing for me to do. I know it was hard on you but I really hope that you can forgive me."

Moving them over to the bed so they could sit down Briana folded her legs Indian style and said " I do forgive you I just don't understand why you did it you and Danton were in love anybody could see that."

" That's just it Briana I don't know where it went wrong.. One moment were in love and bam! Next minute I get a letter from him saying that he pretended to love me to get close to me.."

" But that does not make any sense"

" Exactly I thought he was just scared to take it to the next level and marry me because we were moving so fast. So I sent him a letter back saying just as much and he wrote back saying that I was collateral damage to get what he needed.."

"Which was what exactly?"

" To gain favor with the king so that after he bought out all the properties along the beach he could demolish them and make it more of an upscale tourist attraction."

" I'm at a loss for words to think that man would be so calculating."

"Well you never know anymore...... and then when I found out I was pregnant I thought it best not to contact him. The King and Queen were not to happy about it and they said as much... the talked about how it would be bad for the family image so they told me I could get an abortion or leave and have my baby elsewhere but when I come back I better be baby free."

Briana leaned in and hugged her" Tomeka you are a strong woman you will make a fine Queen someday"

" Thank you and you are a wonderful friend I could not have asked for a more loyal one" " But I told your secret"

" It was bound to come out anyway because what is done in the dark will eventually find its way to the light. Now get some sleep I have a feeling we are going to need our energy in these up and coming days."

The next morning Tomeka was awoken by her mother who was yelling at the top of her lungs. "How could you do this we told you to get rid of that bastard and yet you brought him back to Malawi!"

"What are you talking about?" She responded groggily " The little boy Hakeem!" Queen Leoni screeched

" How do you know my son's name?"

"Everyone knows, it's here in the papers and it's breaking news on every major network do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for your father and I now we have every dignitary of our constituency calling wanting answers for this display of embarrassment. An unwed princess and a baby is no better than a harlot."

"Excuse me but you have no right to talk to me in that manner."

" Oh I have every right not only am I your queen but I am also your mother..'

" You are no mother of mine you never have been you don't have one maternal bone in your body. You sit here and pretending to be the doting wonderful mother but you never liked me nor my sisters, you made that very clear the day you married our father. So yes you may be the queen but never again will you disrespect me by thinking you can take the place of my mother."

" And why would I want to take her place she is dead and I am living flesh and bone standing side by side with your father"

" That maybe true but he will ne will never love you like he loved my mother now get out of my room."

" That is no way to speak to your queen especially when it is I who hold all the cards but I will leave never the less so I can watch you drown."

After Queen Leoni left Tomeka turned on the television to see herself Hakeem and Dacey plastered all over it. With each channel she changed the headlines got worse but one in particular stood out to her "Are You My Mother?" With Hakeems photo next to it.

It wasn't gauche or over the top like the other ones but it spoke to her inner self where she had kept her thoughts about her son locked away. She knew one day that this would be her cross to bear when he would come searching for her eventually but she pictured herself being older more mature but above all less afraid.