Forbidden Royal

Chapter 1 Donna Smith closed her eyes, took a deep breath and wished for a different life. Losing her job after everything else that had gone wrong? She opened her eyes. Here she still sat at her library desk, in her black chair, her desktop computer tuned to the news as she waited for the next axe to fall and this time on her neck. Scandals, murders and rumor filled the page but the fourth story caught her eye. Royal Wedding of Lucio Aussa and Amy Fields—Guest List to Include the Queen of England. None of the Aussa princes had married royalty and Donna tried to imagine herself sharing a table while drinking tea with the Royal Family. What would they be like? “Your turn, Donna.” Beth tapped her computer and drew Donna’s attention back to the dreaded now. “Good luck.” As soon as she walked in that back office, the city commissioner was going to tell her she was out of a job. Unlike Beth, who had thirty years as a librarian, this would be the end for Donna. She stood, picked up her battered black Kate Spade bag and smiled at her friend. “Thanks, Beth.” Beth winked and returned her attention to her own computer. The library still looked the same, except for the missing patrons. Once the employees were out, movers were scheduled to come, pack, and move the books to other libraries around the county. Donna, nerves tight, opened the door to the small conference room and tried not to stare at the balding older man with the unnaturally bright smile. Her insides shook as she closed the door and took the seat opposite him. He adjusted his glasses and read a manila folder that had all her personal information in it. Once he was done, he focused on her. “Donna Smith, you’ve worked for this library for ten years as a full time librarian, and four as a part-time employee before that.” “Yes, sir.” She didn’t blink. This library had been her salvation as a young girl forced to live with her grandmother who resided in an elderly community. At sixteen, she’d been thrilled to work in the office and she’d gone to college for a degree in library science. Books had always given her an escape and knowledge. Beth had bent the rules to give her the full time position when it became available, though she’d been a year away from her degree. The commissioner’s even breaths rattled her insides. He put her personnel file down and folded his arms in front of him. “So, the city will offer you a full pension if you leave quietly and let us close down this branch without media attention.” Her stomach knotted. Did he know that she’d drafted a letter to her senator and the Miami Herald? A full pension? She was only thirty, not that she expected to ever see a dime. The government was going to run out of money long before her turn for retirement came up. She hugged her waist. “Does the pension start when I’m sixty-five?” “It will start immediately.” He sat back in his chair. “But only if you sign this non-disclosure agreement on why we are closing this particular library.” They’d stated economic options—very vague but she and Beth suspected it had to do with the new mall proposition by Commissioner Kelly. Her lips parted and she wasn’t sure what to think. She’d been prepared to start a job search after a week of mourning, but now it seemed she’d have a few dollars for the rest of her life. She nodded, willing to ignore her petition for the chance at security. She picked up a pen and stared at the stack of papers to his right. “It’s not much of a choice.” He pushed them toward her, not bothering to smile. “We’ll need you to sign your retirement documents too. If you go back on this agreement, all money will be forfeit.” Her wedding had been cancelled, she was out of a job, and oh, how she missed her grandmother, but hopefully this was a new start. Donna signed the first page and flipped to the next. “I’m sure whatever is built here will provide economic improvement.” “Good girl.” He took the stack of papers back from her and double-checked her signatures. She crossed her arms and the weight of what was happening hit her like a hurricane. “I’m not a girl and I’m not feeling like a retiree. I’m thirty, not sixty-five.” He tucked the contracts into the folder, put it to the side and leaned forward. “Most women your age-” No lecture. Not today. She stood, knocking her chair back a few inches. If she was retired with her small pension, she could move—go anywhere. It had been two months since her fiancé broke her heart and six months since her grandma had died. She stared down at the commissioner. “Stop. I’ve signed everything, so we’re good.” He nodded and picked up the next folder. “Please send in Mark Walker. You can pack up your things and go home.” “Yes, sir.” She rushed out the door. Beth remained at her desk. Donna walked over to Mark, hunched over his computer by the reference section, and gestured toward the office. Then she returned to her desk, packed her few personal items and realized this was the last time she’d see the stupid yellow smiley face sticker on her monitor. Tears threatened to form in her eyes. She’d spent half of her life, right here, in this seat in the library. This was worse than her engagement ending. Beth placed her hand on Donna’s arm. “So?” “So, I’m retired too.” Donna heard the surreal tone in her voice. Beth, though twice her age, had been friend and mentor since Donna was sixteen and she had no secrets from the woman. “It doesn’t seem real.” Beth picked up her pocketbook and pointed to the door. “At least they are paying you off with a monthly check for the rest of your life. This is in many ways a blessing.” Donna packed her favorite blue pen with a white flower on it. “It still feels like I lost my job.” She’d been sixteen when her parents had died and she’d moved to Miami. Walking into this library a stranger, she’d checked out with Pride and Prejudice from Beth’s recommendation and given the librarian a solemn promise that she’d return to talk to her about the book once she finished. It had given her purpose. Beth leaned closer, her eye on the office door. “What are you going to do now?” Fair question. Donna had no idea. She continued to pack a few more items in her full bag and avoided Beth’s gaze. “Now that my wedding is cancelled and I don’t have a job?” Beth patted her arm like they were family which was good because Donna had no one else, not really. Beth pushed Donna’s hair out of her face and smiled at her. “So you’re free. For the first time, what are you going to do?” Donna met her gaze and saw kindness. She then finished with her drawer and closed it. The sound echoed through the library as Donna repeated, “Free. I’ve never been that. What would you do if you were me?” Beth laughed and threw her hands in the air like the answer was obvious. “Travel the world, experience things. Donna, you’ve been grounded for years. It’s time for you to fly and see where you land.” Mark had finished his discussion with the commissioner and walked right to the door without a word for either of the women. The commissioner followed, leaving with an awkward wave. Out of routine, she and Beth checked the library as they did every night before closing and turned off the lights to all the rooms. Donna admitted, “I do have a list on my phone of things I’d like to see.” Every so often she took notes on things she’d read about that would be nice to visit. Donna turned off the last light. This felt like the end, but she hooked her arm through Beth’s. “Then go for it,” Beth said. “You don’t have to be anywhere anymore.” True, but at thirty that felt more like a punishment. Being alone with her thoughts always made her miserable and now that work was gone, she’d have to face herself. She smiled at Beth. “Let’s get out of here.” In the parking lot, they headed to Beth’s five-year-old Camry that was fully paid for as it had been her week to carpool. Perhaps in other parts of the country five o’clock was dark but in Miami the sun still shone like afternoon. “Can I see your list?” The chill in the January air didn’t matter. In fact, Donna thought it was right that winter would be here soon. She shivered and reached into her bag, digging her phone from the side pocket. She opened the notes app and handed it to her friend. Beth laughed as she scanned the list and read a few out loud, “Kiss a stranger… meet the Queen of England… go up the Eiffel Tower…Eat anything that looks good… This is easy to fix. Let’s look up airline flights on our phones.” “It seems so silly.” Donna got in the passenger side as Beth slid behind the wheel. Before leaving the parking lot, Beth held up her own phone to show Donna the cost of airfare. “Donna, I know you have money socked away and now is the time. You can fly to Avce and crash the Royal Wedding, then take the train over to Italy for lasagna and check Venice off your list.” Tempted, Donna shook her head before the idea took root. “No.” She’d created that stupid list to pass the time, it had never been a goal. Beth continued, “Harry left after you bought your honeymoon. You have travel funds. This ticket is the cheapest,” she tried to hand over the phone, “but you’d have to leave tonight.” Donna didn’t take the cell phone. How could she explain her resistance without sounding bitter and grumpy? She’d planned on licking her wounds in her condo forever, not coming out except to check on Beth. For valid reasons, there was a part of her that hated change. Beth drove down the side street then onto the bright lights of Collins Avenue where the oceanfront was jam-packed with billionaire tax-haven condominiums, her phone on the console between them. Donna eyed the open app and hugged her waist as the palm trees passed by. What if she did take a few months to travel? She’d come back to her condo, refreshed, and find something to do with her life. Perhaps the time away might give her perspective on what she actually wanted. “You are thinking about it, I can tell.” Beth stopped at a red light. Donna sighed and shook her head. “That only gives me hours to pack.” She knew exactly where her suitcase was, shoved in the back of the closet. Beth laughed and clicked something on her screen. “I’ll drive you to the airport. Pack light. You can kiss a European when you get there and let your hair down.” “I don’t know.” Her brown hair in a bun suddenly felt tight when it was loose and messy from a day of work. And what was so terrifying? That if she left, she’d come back the same person? However, it would be nice to actually see more of the world she’d read about in books—escaped to during the hardest times. Miami wasn’t everything. Beth made a tsk sound with her throat and pointed at one of the shopping malls across the street from the beach, near the Intracoastal. “Look, there’s Harry.” Donna followed her friend’s pointed gesture to see Harry with his new girlfriend coming out of the jewelry store. Beth sped up, but Harry’s hand on his new girlfriend’s back was burned in Donna’s mind. She quickly told her friend, “Okay, I’m going. Let me have your phone.” She reached into her bag and brought out her wallet. If Harry could move on, she could too. Perhaps this trip would open her eyes to the beauty of the world rather than the pain. What if, why, and that eternal question of “what do I want to do with my life” might be answered. Getting away sounded perfect. Donna typed in her credit information. “Yes!” Beth cheered. “But keep in touch. Email me from anywhere, text any time. I want to hear when you’re happy again. You’re the closest thing I have to a daughter.” Good. The ticket was bought. Donna leaned back. When had she last been happy? High school? College graduation? Even that had been marked with sadness that her parents weren’t alive to see her accomplishment though her grandparents had been great to her. It had been so long that she wondered if the emotion was a childish illusion that couldn’t exist.