AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, Lizzy; I wasn’t working.The Timesmust just have a source or something. I was off the clock, and that’s what I just told my boss.”
“And that’s why you’re in trouble,” Elizabeth concluded.
“It’s a slap on the wrist; I’ll be fine. I’m allowed to have a life outside of the paper.”
“Still, I’m sorry,” Elizabeth offered, looking back to the fire and finishing her whiskey.
“You don’t have to be sorry.” Palmer watched as the fire flickered in Elizabeth’s eyes. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“I can tell when you’re lying, Elizabeth,” Palmer replied.
“I’m not lying.”
“Please look at me,” she requested. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re leaving tomorrow,” Elizabeth stated. “In a few minutes, you’ll tell me you’re tired or that you have to pack. You’ll take a car to the house, and I’ll be here alone. You’ll get on that plane, and I don’t know when orifI’ll ever see you again.”
Elizabeth’s eyes welled with tears that Palmer wanted to make disappear.
“Iwillcome back, Lizzy. I promise you; I’ll come back.”
“I can’t put this on you, Palmer. It’s not your fault I’m alone. I’ll need to remedy this feeling in some other way.”
Palmer licked her lips and said, “You could try to meet someone.”
“Someone?”
“I don’t know. I assume you need to…”
“What? Have babies now?”
“It’s not the Middle Ages, but that’s how this works, right? You have to have an heir. It was the same for your dad and his dad before him.”
“Other monarchs haven’t had an heir.”
“But you want kids, don’t you?” Palmer asked.
“I didn’t always. I was focused on school and a potential career before, but I think now I do.” Elizabeth smiled. “Do you?” she asked Palmer.
“I do, yeah,” Palmer said. “I was hoping for at least one or maybe a couple; I don’t know. I’d have to meet someone to share them with first.”
“Anna?”
“I told you, I turned her down when she asked to get back together.”
“I know, but you’ll be home soon. Maybe things will be different.”
“Thingswillbe different, but not because of Anna.”
“Then, why?”
“Because of you,” Palmer admitted. “You’ve changed my whole world, Elizabeth.”
“I have?” Elizabeth asked as a tear rolled down her cheek.
When the second one began to fall, Palmer couldn’t stop herself. She wiped it away softly with her thumb. Elizabeth’s eyes closed as she did that and didn’t open again until Palmer’s touch was gone.
