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I laughed. I knew that. I was just messing with him. “How are Mildred and Priscilla? What did you read to them?”
“You called to find out my daughters’ bedtime stories?”
“Obviously not. I’m trying to distract myself with your happy family. Can you please cooperate?”
“Yes, sir. I read Mildred Peter Pan…again. And Priscilla, The Princess Bride. She’s been obsessed since she watched the movie. Are you satisfied?”
“Not really.” I shook my head.
“Would you like me to tell you what I am wearing?”
I laughed. “By God, no.”
He laughed too. “Gale, what is it? You rarely call. What happened?”
“So much.”
“Not easy being King?”
“Actually, it’s the husband part I’m struggling with right now.”
“Ahh. So, what did you do?”
“Why would it be that I made a mistake?”
I heard the door on the side of his line close before he spoke again. “I’ve met Odette. She doesn’t seem like the one to start a conflict. From what I can see, she is the go-along-to-get-along type. But I could be wrong. Was it her who made a mistake?”
“Can’t it be both of us failing?”
“You can only fix your part, though,” he replied.
“Was it this hard at the beginning of your marriage? I don’t really remember Arty and Sophia fighting, and it definitely wasn’t so soon after they got married.” In fact, it looked like the two of them were in their own world for weeks. Nothing bothered them.
“Have you ever noticed that you have Arthur on a God-level-like pedestal?”
“What?”
“Whenever you feel like you are failing, you always bring him up and compare yourself to him. Arthur always made mistakes but was just good at covering them up.”
“Are we talking about the same person?”
“Yes, and there you go again. Believing he did no wrong. Gale, Arthur was human. He was your older brother, so he always tried to show you his best side. Always tried to show everyone his best side. But he struggled, too. Marriage is hard for everyone already. But it is especially hard on royals. There were many times he called me frustrated and upset.”
That got my attention. “He used to call you?”
“Yes, especially when Sophia would leave the palace and come stay at our house when she was mad at him. Sophia and Lydia are good friends, as you know.”
Wait. Sophia would leave the palace at times? “Where was I when this was happening?”
“Probably somewhere you shouldn’t have been, getting your picture taken without your consent.”
I sulked at that dig. “Nicely done.”
He snickered. “Thank you, I thought so, too.”
“Why did they fight?”
“I am not sharing that with you. Just like you wouldn’t want me sharing anything we discussed with anyone were you here or had passed,” he replied, and I knew he really would not budge on that. And I was somewhat grateful.
