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She shrugged.
“I was going to surprise you with a visit. Luiz wasn’t supposed to say anything.” Arlo rubbed his hands together.
Francisca buried her head into Paulo’s shoulder. More sniffles could be heard.
“Mom, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”
His mom began full on sobbing.
Paulo patted his wife’s shoulder. “Your mother… and I… just hoped you getting married meant… good things for you, for the island. Things have been tough the last few years. Everyone at the palace has been abuzz with excitement over a royal wedding and what that could mean… for all of us.”
“Dad…” Arlo hung his head.
Ada closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry, I’m so lost. Palace, royal wedding…”
“She doesn’t know?” Francisca straightened. Paulo pulled out a handkerchief and she patted below her eyes.
Putting a hand to her chest, Ada tried to steady her breathing. “What don’t I know?”
Arlo turned toward her and blew out a breath. “My parents are…” he paused and rubbed his forehead. “The king and queen of Ilha de Segredos.”
After a moment, Ada burst out laughing. “I’m sorry. I swear you said your parents are… royalty.” She relaxed back on the couch. “That’s a good joke. You almost had me.”
“Henrique, I can’t believe you didn’t tell her.” Francisca shook her head at him.
“It’s not the easiest topic to bring up.”
“Whoa, wait?” Ada sat forward. “What’s not the easiest to bring up? And why does everyone keep calling you Henrique?” Ada felt shaky, she couldn’t tell if it was anxiety or anger. Probably both.
Arlo leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and looked over at her. “My real name is Henrique Inacio Cardoso, but I go by Arlo Silva.”
“Please, tell her why son,” his dad murmured curtly.
Arlo ignored him. “My parents are the king and queen of Ilha de Segredos, which makes me…”
Ada raised her eyebrows. “Noooo…”
“A prince.”
Ada stood. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She started pacing, then froze and robotically turned toward his parents. She attempted a curtsy. “Your royal highness majesty ma’am sir.”
A smile cracked through Francisca’s face. She waved away her gesture. “I think we’re past formality. After all, we were almost family.”
“Don’t I get a curtsy?” Arlo quipped.
“You’re lucky I haven’t given you a black eye.”
Arlo threw his hands up in surrender.
“How could you not tell me? How is this even happening?” Ada started pacing again. “And on top of that we’re supposedly engaged?”
“Everythingisa bit complicated,” Arlo admitted.
“It’s devastating,” Francisca said, standing. “A royal wedding was giving us something to look forward to for the first time since the pandemic. Tourists have started slowly coming back, but I’m afraid it’s going to be too little too late for many businesses. Our economy is on the verge of collapsing. A royal wedding would have put us back on the map, brought tourists here in droves. The press team already had a whole social media campaign to feature local businesses that we would be using for the wedding festivities.”
Now, Arlo stood. “Mom, that was incredibly presumptuous.”
Paulo rose to his feet next. “No, it’s predictable. We should have known. You left your island once chasing… who knows what. It’s our own fault for thinking you’d changed, that you’d think of anyone but yourself.” He turned and stormed toward the door.
