The Prince and His Beautiful Flower

Chapter 3

"The Prince is not going to want to hear this news." Chester looks at his cellphone thinking. "Lady Ramona has called you several times last night and again this morning. Are you going to return her call?" Chester is handing him the cellphone.

He waves Chester's phone away, shaking his head. "No, I have told you, her, my stepmother, and step-grandmother that I will never marry Ramona. If you remember I have also stated that in a few press conferences. All of this crap is getting old. They're wasting their time." Lancelot is looking at Catalina's picture.

Chester is pouring two glasses of orange juice. "The queen and her mother are not going to let you marry her. She is a commoner. Ms. Catalina is a beautiful, smart and special young woman. But they will never agree to it. Sir, may I remind you that those two always come up with a way to get what they want?"

Lancelot is still looking at his beautiful flower picture. "I do not care what they say. I will have Catalina beside me. Even if that means that I have to step down. There is no way that I am letting my beautiful flower go." He is still looking at her picture.

Chester nods his head, thinking "Well now we can't let happen. King Artis would not be happy about that at all."

During the flight, he and Catalina communicated through text and video calls.

Sixteen hours later, when he arrived at the palace Queen Olivia had already requested that Lancelot meet with her as soon as he returns

Lancelot bows and kisses her on her cheek. She hands him a cup of tea, and points at the chair across from "How was your trip?"

He doesn't sit down, he shakes his head "Another setup. Why don't they give up," Lancelot is thinking, looking out the window at Ramona walking their way."It was nice, as a matter of fact, I will be returning there in a few weeks. Maybe stay for a couple of weeks or a month."

The queen's head snaps looking at him with a narrowed eye. "We will have to see about that. Ramona will be staying with us for a year. You will be nice to her, I also expect you to accompany her to dinner every evening." She is looking at him.

"Nothing is going to stop me from going back to America. Now if you will excuse me I have some important matters to take care of. I will be having dinner in my room until further notice." Lancelot is looking at his stepmother. He is walking out of the room just as Ramona is about to speak to him. Lancelot doesn't acknowledge her presents.

Ramona is walking behind him. "Lancelot wait for me. Why are you walking so fast?" She starts jogging to catch up with him.

But he walks faster. "I have something important to tend to"

She stops looking at him with her head titled, thinking "I wonder what is so important. He just came back I am sure that it is not a royal duty"

As soon as his bedroom door closes Lancelot doesn't waste any time calling Catalina for a video chat. She is in bed when he calls her. He smiles when he sees her beautiful smile.

Catalina: Hello

Lancelot Hello my beautiful flower. You are looking so beautiful. Were you asleep?

Catalina: Thank you, no. I was reading and waiting for you. I wanted to make sure you made it home safely.

Lancelot: No one has ever waited for me to get home before. I like that, especially since it's you.

Catalina (laughs)

Lancelot: I should be there in a few weeks.

Catalina: I can't wait to see you.

Lancelot: My beautiful flower, I cant wait to see you either.

(Knock knock) "Your Highness" A man's voice came from the other side.

Lancelot: I will call you back.

Catalina: Okay, take care

"End of call"

He sighs, looking at the door. "Come in,"

The man lowers his head. "Sir, the King wants to see you in his office."

"Thank you, Theodore" Lancelot walks behind the man until he reaches his father's office. Lancelot walks in looking at his father sitting behind his desk. "How are you, father"

King Artis, smiles " Son, it's good to see you. I'm good, how was your trip?"

Lancelot sits down. "Father, that was the best trip I have ever had. I will be returning there in a few weeks" He smiles as his thoughts go to Catalina.

"That will have to wait. Next week you'll be going to Samoa for two months. Remember duty comes first." Artis points at him

He stands up looking at his father "Why can't Richard go? It's something important that I planned to do soon." His tone sounded like a demand.

"My son has never used that tone with me before" his father is thinking. "Because he isn't the next King. It's settled. I don't want to hear another word about it." His father picks up a folder looking at it. But his mind is on his son's attitude. "What has gotten into him" The King is wondering.

Lancelot walks out of the office, furious. "Why do I have a feeling that my conniving stepmother is behind this. Chester had better not have told her about Catalina. I will call her later tonight. She is probably sleeping now. Damn, I hate that we have different time zones. To be honest I hate she is that far from me." He is so deep in thought that he hasn't noticed that Ramona is walking beside him. Until she touches his arm. His head snaps looking at her. "What do you want?"

She reaches for his hand. He snatches it from her. "I ask you a question" She's looking at his hand. "Well, I thought that you and I could take a walk in the gardens" She winks at him

He shakes his head. "That will never happen. Don't ever touch me again." Lancelot walks away

Ramona is looking at him dumbfounded.

Chester is walking down the hall laughing at her, thinking. "Silly girl. She really is as dense as I have heard. She will never have his love. Regardless of all the tricks she the queen and her mother do."

****

"America"

Catalina is in her office staring at her computer thinking about her handsome prince. She isn't aware that her brother is standing in the doorway.

"I am glad you enjoyed your birthday. But don't go off like that again. I was worried about you" Her brother walks over to hug her.

She hugs him back. "Don't worry it will not happen again. I promise." Her mind goes back to Lancelot, and she smiles.

Angel sits on the corner of her desk, glancing at her computer screen "Karen told me who he was after I threaten to call the police and the marines. So you found your Prince."

A little pout came on her face. "Yes, but from what I just read about his family. There will be no happy ending for Lancelot and me. " She points at her computer screen at a young lady.

He's looking at a blonde with blue eyes" Who is she? She looks like Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians. Besides the hair, they can pass for twins."

"My dear brother, that is Lady Ramona Schwartz. It seems this is who the Queen and her mother want him to marry. From what the reports say Ramona's mother is a childhood friend of the Queen." Catalina turns her nose up looking at Ramona.

Angel looks at his sister. He sees that his sister has feelings for the prince. But he wants to hear it from her. "You seem to care a lot for him."

Catalina smiles " Yes a lot. Do you remember how mother said she felt the first time she and father met?" She looks up at him.

He nods his head and smile

"That's what happened to me. Even when I thought he was with the Mafia. I was willing to take that chance." She sits back in her chair

"You're a Stallone, strong, and a fighter. I'm rooting for you. I hope he knows how amazing you are. I have to go. I'm showing the house across the street from you." Angel kisses his sister's forehead

"Good, it would be nice to have new neighbors." Catalina exit the screen and pulls her hair to the top of her head " Why did I have to fall for you? We will never be part of each other life." Catalina is talking out loud to herself when her phone rings. She smiles when she sees Lancelot's picture is on the screen

"Phone conversation"

Catalina: Hi,

Lancelot: Hi, how are you?

Catalina: I'm good, and you?

Lancelot: I started to call you back last night. But I didn't want to wake you. It seems that I have to go to Samoa for a couple of months. My father told me right after you and I hung up.

Catalina: Oh I see. Be careful.

Lancelot: When I leave there I will come to you. Nothing is going to stop me from seeing you.

Catalina: Okay,

Lancelot: I'm truly sorry about this

Catalina: It's fine. You have your royal duties

Lancelot: I will call you later.

Catalina: Okay

"End of call"

Catalina can't move, it's as if she is frozen. She stays like that for about ten minutes. She feels as if she lost something. She takes a deep breath." Catalina Nova Stallone, who are you kidding? You knew it wasn't going to work out. Just remember the great time that you two shared and move on" She's thinking. Catalina tries to focus on her work. But she isn't able to finish any tasks.

Six weeks later Catalina, Gina, and Karen are at the mall. She and Lancelot still talk several times a day. But video chatting, texting, and communicating through the portal aren't the same as being together. She has decided not to expect anything more than that.

She's hungry so they are at eating at the food court. " Sometimes I have a feeling that I am being watched."

Karen is looking around the mall and at everyone sitting at the tables in the food court. " I'm glad that it's not just me. I thought earlier that someone was following us here. Same thing a few days ago when we went to get some ice cream."

Gina pushes her breasts up. "As long as it's a handsome man. He can follow me anywhere."

Catalina and Karen smile looking at Gina and shaking their heads.

"Girl, we need to have you checked. Mentally. We're talking about a stalker or a killer." Karen is still shaking her head.

All of a sudden Catalina rubs her stomach "Can we cut the shopping trip short? I'm not feeling well."

"You have been feeling like this for a couple of weeks. Maybe you should see a doctor" Karen offers her a soda

She put her hand up waving it away and shaking her head. "I've already made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. I have not been able to eat much. Most of the time in the morning it comes back up."

"Karen and I are going with you to your appointment. You don't need to go alone. At first, I thought you might be pregnant. But I'm sure the Prince used condoms. We know that you didn't have any with you. Nor are you on birth control." Gina is looking at her concerned

"Oh my God. I haven't had my monthly visit. We didn't use anything. Oh my God, no I can't be pregnant. " Catalina whispers yells, looking back and forth at the two of them.

"Calm down, we'll stop at the drug store to buy a pregnancy test. Either way, we're here for you. Now your brother might go off. But I will calm him down." Karen smiles patting Cat's hand

Bradshaw is sitting at the next table. He heard everything that was said. He's looking at the three ladies walking toward the mall exit. He stands up to walk behind them. " Damn should I call Prince Lancelot or wait? No, I will wait to see if she is pregnant. She is a sweet young lady. She just fell for a good man with the wrong genes." He is thinking.

Bradshaw reports to the Prince every night. Lancelot doesn't ask about what she is doing, going, or who she sees. He only wants to know that she's safe and that she doesn't need anything.

Catalina is driving into her garage after stopping at the drug store. She glances at the car that drives passes her house "Girl you are being paranoid. That's just the new neighbor going home." She mumbles, looking at Gina and Karen stepping out of Gina's car. They are parked in her driveway behind her.

Gina takes Cat's hand pulling her into the house and leading her to the bathroom. Karen hands her two pregnancy tests. Now Gina and Karen are standing at the door, looking at her.

"Stop looking at me while I'm peeing. You two are making me more nervous than I already am." She is urinating on the second test. After she finishes. She sits both tests on the vanity and starts pacing in the bathroom with her arms folded.

Gina is beside her pacing with her. " What are praying for positive or negative?"

Cat stops walking and looks at Gina as if she has two heads. "Negative."

Karen has been looking at her watch for the entire time. "Times up. Do you want me to check them?"

She shakes her head, closes her eyes, and pauses for a minute. "No, I will do it." Cat slowly walks over to the vanity and looks at both tests. "Positive, both are positive." She sits on the top of the toilet still staring at the two positive pregnant strips.

Karen looks at her, she knows that Catalina always wanted kids and family. This long-distance romance is taking a toll on her friend.

"Oh, Cat, you're carrying the second heir to the throne." Gina squats down beside her

Catalina stands up. "No, I'm not going to tell him. We all know that I will never see him again. Something will always come up. My handsome Lancelot and I were never meant to be together. Don't breathe a word to anyone about this. Especially not to Angel. I need some time to think. I'll tell my brother myself when I'm ready." She points at Karen

Karen hugs her "Oh, okay but I think you should tell Lancelot. He has a right to know, this is his child too."

"I agree with Karen, Cat you can't keep something like this from him." Gina looks at her worried.

Catalina looks at the two young ladies. "I know that you both are right. So I will think about it. But right now I need some time to myself to process it all. Are you two still going with me tomorrow?"

"Yes, you're not getting rid of us. Karen and I got your back" Gina lays her head on her shoulder

Karen is still hugging her "We're going to let you get some rest. But call us if you want to talk or need anything."

Catalina sits on the sofa after Gina and Karen left. "I won't be the first single mother. I got this. I can't let anything interfere with your father's destiny." She lays her hand on her stomach.