CHAPTER 15

CLAIRE DREW INVISIBLE PATTERNS across Leo’s chest, enjoying the way his heart beats against her ear, after they just finished making love again for the second time. His hand caress her in turn, they can’t seem to have enough of each other.

“I think I did not do my job well” Leo mutters.

“Your job? I don’t understand” Claire ask, raising her head from his chest to look at him, confusion clouding her eyes.

“I thought you will be asleep by now seeing how worn out I am by our lovemaking” he chuckles with delight.

Claire giggled pecking his chest, “trust me darling, you wore me out, but, I’m too happy to sleep. I don’t want to fall asleep.”

“I understand how you feel, but you can sleep. I will still be here”

“I know” she said with smile radiating over her face. “Tell me about your mother” curious to know more about the man that will soon be her husband.

Leo sighs gently, “She was a great woman, a wonderful mother and queen, always ready to help people around her, she is funny, and so spontaneous. She died when I was pretty young and her death affected all of us. The king practically left Liam to raise us, and he was just Twenty himself, with his whole life ahead of him. My father could not cope with her death, they were soul mate.” He whispered, pausing a bit before he continues, “out of the three of us, I was the closest to her, the privilege of being the last born and all” chuckling quietly. “I was so spoiled by her, and I even look so much like her, skin tone, eye color. Everything. It’s just so much”

“Now I know where you got your looks from, no offense to your brothers” Claire laughs quietly.

“Thank you. I love her so much, she was my world. I always say to myself that, my wife must be someone like my mother, when she died it was hard for me. For months I didn’t speak—”

“At all?”

“At all. I was numb, the doctors called it selective mutism. Since I was not born mute, I was traumatized, and became afraid of my own voice. They advised my father not to force me to talk, that when I'm ready I will. I did not feel like talking to anyone, and my father was not helping matter as well, he was grieving too, so I found solace in painting.” He mutters, pain lacing his words.

“In the end you turn out well and I’m sure she would have been proud of you.”

“Thank you.”

Leo has never opened up about the pain he felt when he lost his mother to anyone before like he just did with Claire. He is a prince and a man, a man should not be whinny about losing their mother at a young age, a man should not cry, nor feel pain. What will people think of him? So he poured his grief in painting and oh yes, in women as well. It was his coping mechanism, but everything changed the night he met Claire, something in him felt a deep connection to her. He just could not put a finger on it, and now he knows why, she is the one.

He remembered how his mother always teased him while growing up. Anytime he was behaving like a spoiled brat, she would always say that the woman he ended up with would be a woman that would tame him. She would not care that he was a prince, and that was exactly what was happening with Claire.

The first time they met, she did not even care that he was a prince, she sees him as a normal guy next door. Coming to Nigeria, meeting his family and realizing how rich his family is did not faze her one bit. She is hardworking, and takes pride in it. He may have set out to charm Claire and sweep her off her, so that she can marry him for the sake of the curse hanging over him, but he realized things are different now, he truly wants her for himself.

My God! I think have fallen in love with her.

He fell asleep with that thought in his mind, not sure of what to do with his new discovery.

The gentle rhythmic rise and fall of his breath confirms to Claire that Leo is asleep without having to raise her head to confirm it.

What he said earlier about his woman being like his late mother, lodged in her heart. She wonders if he still thinks that way, and if he does, is there a chance that he will come to love her? Seeing how quick she is falling head over heels for him. Or will it be a marriage based on respect, affection and friendship alone on his part.

*****

“Shh...Mummy is still asleep, don’t wake her up princess.” Leo whispered to Tonya who was happy to know that her mother slept over at her father’s place. Though a bit confused as to why she is still sleeping by that time and also in her father’s room.

“Is mummy sick?” she asked with innocence, as the two trudges to the kitchen to fixed something to eat before, the Chef resumes.

“No darling. Mummy is just a little bit tired from last night excitement” he said, trying to hide his grin. “Which cereal do you want between these?” He asked as he carried the little girl up to sit on one of the kitchen high chairs.

She indicated the one she wants out of the five varieties, waiting patiently for Leo to make it for her. “Is that why she is sleeping in your room?”

“Err, yes darling” how do you explain to a four year old child, that’s not used to seeing her parents in such light that they are now together? “Princess, what do you think of daddy and mummy staying together?” he asked pushing the cereal bowl to her.

“You mean getting married?” eye brow drawn together.

“Yes darling”

“I love it!” beaming at him.

“Good, that’s why mum and dad will now start sharing a room, because we are going to get married and be a family like I promised you in Nigeria”

“Okay.” Taking a spoonful of her cereal. “We will live here right?”

“Yes we will princess.” Smoothening her hair back, glad that it went much easier than he thought.

“I will also see grandpa and my other brothers and sister?”

“Yes you will. I promise...” he chuckles.

“What are you promising each other now, father and daughter?” Claire asked, smiling at the two as she walks into the kitchen. She wore one of Leo’s shirts which reached her knee, with her hair piled up atop her head with a band.

Leo has never seen anything far delectable than she looks at the moment; it’s a moment he would have loved to freeze in time. He gave her a wolfish grin, “look who decided to finally wake up.” Giving her a peck on her lips. “You look so ravishing in this shirt of mine” he whispered into her ear. Claire blush prettily, causing him to chuckle.

“Mummy!” Tonya beamed at her.

“Good morning darling” Claire said, coming to stand beside her. She pressed a kiss on her untidy hair, “you and daddy seems to be having all the fun”

“Dad said not to wake you that you are tired.” Chewing her cereal.

“Did he? Hmm” giving him a demure smile. “Anyways I’m awake now and we are going to prepare breakfast, how does pancake sounds?”

“Yes! I love pancakes”

“Sounds like fun. I think everything you need should be in this cabinet” Leo said, gesturing to the section.

Claire did not know making ordinary pancake could be so much fun, as Leo and Tonya joined in making it as well. During the cause of having their meal, Tonya asks her mother about the upcoming nuptials and Claire gladly tells her that its true.

The three retired into the movie room, allowing Tonya to choose a movie that they all watched. They all sat huddled up together with their daughter in between them.

“This is nice” Claire mutters. Thankfully the flower shop does not open to customers on Sundays, so there’s no need to hurry anywhere.

“Yes it is” Leo retorts back at her, his hand reaching out to caress her hair.