by Dee Lagasse
A little time, a lot of faith.
My time is running out. It’s time to have faith.
Scrambling to try to get in front of me, my grandmother’s personal secretary clears his throat and begins to profusely apologize to both her and my grandfather, who is looking rather amused by the situation. As he attempts to announce my presence before I get to them, my grandmother rolls her eyes and my grandfather waves him out of the room.
“Yes, thank you, Charles,” Papa laughs. “We can see Sutton has entered the room.”
“I’m sorry,” I start, turning to Charles. “I should have let you know I was coming, but I wasn’t thinking and now I’m here and…”
“What is it, Sutton?” Granny cuts me off calmly, placing her teacup on the table next to her, nodding to Charles to let him know it was time for him to leave the room.
Taking his cue, Charles takes a few steps backward and closes the door behind him as he leaves the room.
“You need to see this,” I tell her, all but shoving my cell phone into her hands.
Right now, title or crown lineage doesn’t matter. Right now, I’m just a scared girl turning to my grandparents for help. As the paparazzi footage Bodie sent me last night begins to play, my stomach knots.
Swallowing, I take a seat in the empty chair next to my grandpa. The buildup of tears from both frustration and worry begin to pool in my eyes as I watch my grandparents’ faces twist in shock as Bodie pleads with them to just leave. The bright blue flashes from the multiple police vehicles outside of his house light up his entire neighborhood.
As they ignore him and shout questions about our relationship, my grandfather’s eyes raise. No doubt they’ve just shown the part where the camera pans to Nora Cambridge’s terrified face looking out the window of Bodie’s house.
“I need to do something,” I tell them before the video finishes. “This has been going on since he went home. His dad and siblings can’t stay at their own homes. They’re camping outside of Nora and Oliver’s firm, harassing their clients. Someone tried to break into Bodie’s house last night.”
“I absolutely agree, darling,” my grandfather agrees, taking a sip from his scotch. “What would you like to do?”
Both he and my grandmother look at me in anticipation, waiting for my response. To be honest, I’m a little thrown off by their immediate support. Expecting an argument from at least my grandmother, I hadn’t even thought this far ahead when I left Pearce Cottage and “stormed the castle,” so to speak.
“I want to release a statement,” I blurt out, the idea rolling from my brain and off my tongue simultaneously.
“I think that’s a diplomatic and very mature way to handle it,” Granny nods in approval. “As soon as tea is finished, I will have Charles write it up and we will release it first thing in the morning.”
“No, it needs to be from me,” I argue. “And it can’t wait until tomorrow.”
I’m pushing my luck and breaking only about a thousand rules while doing so.
Bracing myself for the lecture about holding my tongue and knowing my place, I sigh in defeat. The slump in my shoulders as I exhale is dramatic and completely unnecessary, but I don’t know what else to do. The helplessness I feel makes this moment seem like a baby step at the bottom of a very high mountain.
“Do you love him, Puffin?” Granny asks softly, using the nickname she had given me as a child.
“More than anything.”
“Then you will write the statement,” she states, pointing to the desk across the room before continuing. “There’s a pad of paper with my crest on my desk. You can sit right there. Papa will call for your tea—”
“Or something stronger if you need,” my grandpa chuckles, interrupting his wife as he raises his glass and winks at me.
“Yes. Or something stronger,” Granny chuckles, continuing without skipping a beat. “As soon as your statement is finished. We will have it posted everywhere, immediately. Also, in addition to the statement, I need you to compile a list of Bodie’s and his family’s addresses, including their work addresses. Effectively immediately, they will be under the protection of the Royal family of Windham. Charles will find a security company in the states and will be dispatching a team for all of them within the hour. But first things first. I need you to take this cell phone and call Bodie so that I can tell him we’ll take care of this. And then you need to tell your Papa what you would like to drink so he can call down to the kitchen.”
As she extends the hand still holding my cell phone, an overwhelming rush of emotions begins to flood through me. Before I can stop them, tears begin to fall freely down my cheeks.
“Thank you,” I manage to get out as I bend down to take the phone from her hands. “Thank you for just being my grandparents right now.”
“Oh, sweet Sutton,” she sighs, her tone full of worry and anguish. “The crown is just a heavy piece of gold and the title that comes with it is a responsibility. While I have a responsibility to our country, being your granny comes first. You and your sister have never so much as even asked me to lift my finger for you, anything Papa and I can do to help you right now, we will. If that means letting you release a statement and putting a security team on Bodie and his family, that’s what we’ll do. And if that isn’t enough, well, we’ll deal with that if the time comes.”
Looking down, I remember that I am supposed to be calling Bodie for her. Pressing the buttons that will connect them, I hand the phone to her and she points over to my grandfather who is waiting by the phone to let the kitchen know what I want to drink.
“A tall vodka cranberry, please,” I tell him as I take a seat in the worn brown leather chair behind my grandmother’s desk. Nodding in understanding, he calls down and tells them to count on an extra setting at the dinner table tonight while he’s still on the phone.
Taking one of the fountain pens from the aluminum pen holder, I put it to the paper.
Since she was a child, Princess Sutton has been very aware of the warmth that has been extended to her by people all over the world. She is grateful to have so many people that continuously support her and knows what a fortunate and incredibly privileged life she has. She is also aware that her private life can be the source of a significant amount of curiosity.
But after the past week, she now feels she needs to address the media specifically. Her boyfriend, Mr. Bodie Cambridge, has been subject to a bout of abuse and non-stop harassment. Some of this has been very public - the false allegations on national television, the fallacies posted by not only the media but the public as well. Some of it has been hidden from the public - his family’s struggle to get past photographers in order to get to Mr. Cambridge’s home and the harassment of nearly everyone in Mr. Cambridge’s life trying to gain access to a story.
At this point in time, Princess Sutton is deeply concerned for not only Mr. Cambridge’s safety, but his family’s, and the members of his community. She realizes there are some people that would think that this is ‘the price he has to pay if he wants to be in a relationship with someone of Princess Sutton’s standing.’ Her Royal Highness does not agree. There is no price on this - it is his life.
With support from Queen Jane and Prince Donald, Princess Sutton has issued this statement hoping the people who have been pressing this story can take a moment to pause, and then take a step back. She also knows it is unlike her nature to release a statement like this, but hopes that people will understand why she has felt it necessary to address this with urgency.
Wanting to give it a once over before I hand it over to my grandfather for approval, I glance down but stop in my tracks when I realize that Granny is still on the phone. Taking a sip of my cocktail, I watch her as she nods in understanding and sympathy to the person on the other line.
“Well, Mr. Cambridge, I believe Sutton is done writing her statement,” she says, glancing down to the paper in my hand. “Please do try to take care until this is all sorted out and I truly look forward to
meeting you and seeing your son again sometime in the very near future. I’m going to hand the phone over to Sutton now. I’m sure she and Bodie have a lot to discuss.”
Pat.
Handing me the phone with her right hand, she extends her left for the piece of paper that never made its way into my papa’s hands. As her eyes scan the words that just poured right from my soul, I hold my breath, knowing for sure, this is where the argument comes in.
I’m going to need to change something, reword something. But for the third time in less than an hour I’ve been in this sitting room, she surprises me by walking to the door and calling Charles into the room. As she gives him directions for immediate release and the instructions to put security on Bodie and his family, I feel a wave of relief wash over me.
I know this is so far from over. It’s probably only the very beginning but having my family’s support means the world to me. Putting the phone to my ear, I say “hello.” Hoping to be greeted by a calmer boyfriend who realizes that I not only took care of it like I said I would, but that he has my family’s support as well.
When I’m greeted with silence, I tap on my phone only to have it go right to the lock screen. Taking a deep breath, I hate what comes next.
For the second time in my entire life, I’m going to use our family’s privilege.
“Is the Alloway private plane available?”
Chapter 16
Bodie
I announced that I am retiring from baseball today. Set in motion weeks ago, I knew it was coming. My letter to the team, my coaches, the owners, the city of Boston and the Red Sox fans, took up an entire page spread in the Player’s Tribune.
Twelve years of dedicating my life to a sport, setting franchise and league records, winning multiple World Series…and the biggest story of the day? My girlfriend publicly begging everyone to leave me alone.
With everything going on at home, I had forgotten about my own retirement announcement today. But it didn’t matter. None of it matters. My retirement, Sutton’s statement…because after making the statement, Sutton completely ghosted me.
After having a fifteen-minute conversation with Sutton’s grandmother, the Queen of Windham, my dad handed me the phone. Without saying anything, he went into the other room. Thinking he was giving me privacy to talk to Sutton, he didn’t realize the call had gotten disconnected, more than likely accidentally.
An hour and a half later, he peeked in the room to let me know someone from the security firm was at the front door.
“Everything good with you and Sutton now?” he asked as we walked out together, the concern for both me and her written all over his face.
I may be his son, and I know I will always be his priority, but I know he loves Sutton too. It’s kind of impossible not to.
“I don’t know, Pop,” I shrugged. “I haven’t talked to her. Figured she’d call me by now, but I haven’t heard a peep.”
“What do you mean, you ‘haven’t talked to her’?” my dad asked, confused. “When I handed you the phone, her grandmother said she was passing it over to Sutton. I left the room to give you two privacy. I thought you were on the phone with her this entire time.”
“Pop, there wasn’t anyone on the phone when you handed it to me,” I said, stopping in my tracks. Whoever was at the front door could wait. “I assumed she had her grandmother call us as a courtesy. Like a diplomatic apology.”
“Bodie, I’m telling you,” he started. “Sutton was coming on the line. If the call got disconnected in between Queen Jane and me handing the phones over, Sutton probably thinks you hung up, son.”
Reaching for my phone, I tapped the phone icon, her name creating the entire list on my visible recent calls.
Straight to voicemail. Fuck.
After the beep, I pleaded with her to call me back. I explained that the connection had accidentally ended, and I wanted to talk to her. I needed to talk to her.
It’s almost midnight. It’s been almost twelve hours since my dad handed me my phone and Sutton hasn’t tried to call me back. Instead shutting her phone off, because like a lovesick fool, I’ve been calling her on the hour, every hour…and sometimes in between.
All I want is for her to pick up the damn phone. If it’s over, then it’s over. I accepted that I was going to have to deal with the heartbreak of losing her last night. I thought letting her try to fix it was only delaying the inevitable.
But it worked. She made miracles happen. The team her grandmother hired was amazing. My dad, Oliver, and Nora went home, each with their own team. And that was after Sutton’s magical statement somehow convinced half the media outside to vacate. There are still a few hanging around, but the neighborhood feels empty.
And so does my house. I spent the last month frustrated because I just wanted my space back, knowing there was nothing my dad or my siblings could do to change the situation I had put us all in. We’d spent every night together for the better portion of the last month.
The dark silence surrounding me is terrifying.
I could walk around naked or watch whatever the hell I want in my living room – something I had given up with everyone here – but, all I want is for this phone call to go through and the person on the receiving end to answer.
“Hello, you’ve reached…”
Hanging up as the automated message says Sutton’s phone number and I curse the empty space around me.
I just want to know why. Why would she do everything she did, only to shut me out? Was this her way of peacefully ending things? Was getting her grandmother involved her version of waving a white flag? Is this what defeat looks like?
A loud banging on my front door brings me back to earth.
“Whoever the fuck you are, go away,” I yell, sighing when the knocking only seems to get more frantic and louder.
Whoever it is has no intention of leaving. Pulling myself off my bedroom floor, I walk down the hallway that leads to the living room and the front entrance of the house.
“Listen, I’m in no mood for—”
Opening the door, fully prepared to tell whoever was on the other side to leave, I stop as soon as I see the last person I expected to show up on my doorstep tonight.
SUTTON
“For what?” I ask as my teeth chatter. “Can we talk about this inside though? It’s bloody freezing out here.”
I didn’t have time to prepare myself for New England’s frigid February weather. It certainly wasn’t summertime back home, but it wasn’t so cold that I could see my breath as I spoke. It is here.
Leaving in a frenzy, my only concern was calling Clementine and Luke and asking them to take care of Roxy while I was gone. I had the clothes on my back and the small handbag that contained my wallet, my passport, and some lip balm. I didn’t even have a phone charger.
With wide eyes, Bodie opens the door all the way, letting me in his house.
“What? How?” he asks. “I’ve been calling you for hours. I thought you were avoiding me.”
“My phone is dead. It has been since shortly after I left Windham,” I explain. “I left in a hurry.”
“Is someone with Roxy?” he asks, concern lacing his voice.
God, I love him.
“Yes,” I assure him. “I made calls to Clem and Luke on my way to the airport.”
“Are you hungry? Can I get you something to drink?” he questions, shaking his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Bodie, stop,” I tell him, reaching for his arm. “We need to talk.”
The moment my hand touches his skin, my stomach twists and bunches in approximately seventeen thousand little knots. The connection between us feels magnetic. I can’t pull myself away. Hence me jumping on an airplane and flying two thousand miles across the Atlantic Ocean.
“That doesn’t sound promising,” he winces. “Please tell me you didn’t come all this way to say one last goodbye because, really I would have been okay with you doing it over the phone. I won’t go to
the press about us Sutton. I’ll never tell anyone anything. You have my word. I’ll sign anything you need.”
“Are you daft? No, I didn’t come here to bloody ‘say goodbye to you.” Rolling my eyes, I can’t believe he thinks after everything I did over the last twenty-four hours, how hard I fought for us, that I would come here and end things.
“Then why?” he asks. “Why did you come, Sutton? I think you took enough of my dignity with that statement. I’m not sure what else you want from me.”
He cannot be serious right now. This isn’t happening. There is no way the man I just went to bat for is chastising me for “emasculating” him. As I search for the words in response to his outburst, I’m sure the dumbfounded look on my face says enough. Accepting that all words have failed me, I allow myself to let out the fit of uncontrollable laughter I’ve been holding in. As the confusion spreads across Bodie’s face, I can’t help but laugh harder.
“I’m sorry, love,” I managed to get out, finally gaining some composure. “I just didn’t realize we were still living in 1950.”
“It’s my job to protect you, Sutton,” he sighs. “I’m supposed to be the one that slays the dragons and fights off the bad guys. I’m the one that’s supposed to keep you safe. I failed you. I failed us. I failed my family.”
The defeat in his voice wasn’t because of me, of us, or our relationship, it’s because he felt like he should have been the one to swoop in and save the day. Not the other way around. After spending his childhood watching his dad take care of everything and spending four years with Hannah, who expected him to give up the life he loves for her, he doesn’t understand it goes both ways.
Or, at least, it should.
“You know this isn’t a Disney movie, right?” answering his question with one of my own. “That it’s okay for the princess to save the prince too, right?”
