by John Simpson
“That’s for sure!” Darren said.
As they entered the house, Jack came running up with the Scotties on his heels.
“Hi, guys, what did you do all weekend?” Jack asked with a sly smile.
“I can tell by your smile what you mean by that. Don’t you think about anything else?” Darren asked.
“What did you think about when you were my age?”
“Ha! He’s got you there!” Michael said as they walked into the living room.
“We’ll tell you about most of it at dinner,” Darren promised. “Where are my uncles?”
“They’re upstairs dressing for dinner. Don’t the Scotties look great? We had them groomed over the weekend,” Jack said enthusiastically.
Michael and Darren looked down at Bonnie and Brandy and smiled.
“They look smashing, Jack, just like real Scotties should. They’re a fine quality from a good breeder, no doubt,” Michael said.
“That’s because Darren’s mom got them for us when we lost little Mary,” Jack said. His smile slipped a little at the mention of the departed, much-loved pet.
“Cheer up, Jack. For all you know, Mary’s spirit is in one of these little girls,” Darren said.
“True! I never thought of that,” Jack answered.
“Never thought of what?” David asked as he and Shane entered the living room.
“I never thought that Mary’s spirit might be in Bonnie or Brandy and that she’s still with us!” Jack said excitedly.
“That is possible, Jack. You never know about such things. Hi, boys, good weekend?”
“Yes, sir,” Darren replied. “We got to see all kinds of things. I wish you all could have been with us. Michael was an incredible guide and got us into places tourists never get to see.”
“Well, there has to be some use to being a prince.” Michael chuckled.
“We have time for a drink before dinner. What would everyone like?” Shane asked.
“I’d like a Manhattan, if you don’t mind,” Michael answered.
“I’ll have a screwdriver, please,” replied Darren.
“I’ll have a Scotch, neat,” said Jack.
“Please sit down. Be comfortable,” David said as he made the drinks. He poured a ginger ale over ice and handed it to Jack.
“Here you go, Scotch on the rocks. I think you’re too young to drink it neat,” he said.
“Since when does Scotch have bubbles?” Jack asked as he took a sip. “That’s not Scotch. You pulled a fast one on me!”
“You really want a sip of Scotch, Jack?” Shane asked.
“Yep, I’m grown up!”
Shane shot David a smile and poured about a quarter inch of good single malt Scotch into a glass. “Now, if you want this, you have to drink it all, understand?” Shane asked as he handed the glass to Jack.
“Sure. Give it here!”
Shane watched as Jack tried to drink like a man. Jack tipped the glass back and drank the contents in one gulp. A second later, Jack was on the floor gasping for air with tears running from his eyes.
David thought the lesson was a good one, though he didn’t want it repeated.
“Well, Jack, did you enjoy that?” Shane asked as Darren and Michael held back their laughter.
When Jack caught his breath, he was white as a ghost. Finally, he was able to speak.
“That is some damn nasty shit! I don’t ever want to drink that crap again!”
The entire room broke out in laughter. Jack blushed, guzzled down his ginger ale, and held his head in his hands.
“Now, maybe you’ll believe us when we tell you that alcohol is for adults and not for boys,” David said.
“Yeah, I get it. That was some kinda poisonous shit!”
They all laughed again as Blaine walked in.
“Dinner is served, Mr. Ambassador.”
“Thank you, Blaine,” David replied.
“Is Master Jack all right?” Blaine asked.
“He’s fine. He just learned that Scotch is not for boys.”
“Ah, I see,” Blaine said and smiled as he left.
Over dinner, Darren recounted the highlights of the weekend, and while Jack was jealous, he never said a word. However, he did drink three glasses of iced tea.
“That reminds me,” Darren said. “I need to call my mother. She wanted a secure line to talk to me and Uncle David and Shane.”
“Oh? Do you know what it’s about?” David asked.
“Not a clue, but she better not be pulling me out of London. If that happens, will you intervene for me, Uncle David? I can’t leave Michael. I love him!”
Silence fell over the room, and Shane was the first to break it.
“You love Michael? Are you sure?”
“Yes, and Michael loves me too.”
“It’s true. Darren and I were already very fond of each other, and our feelings have grown into love. I would be heartbroken if Darren had to leave England.”
“The president might be in a meeting,” David said. “Let’s go into the living room and see if we can get her on the phone. Blaine, coffee in the living room, please?”
“Of course, sir, right away.”
“Shane, be a dear and tell security to put us through to the White House.”
As they all sat and Blaine poured coffee, the phone rang. David picked it up and found Victoria Wilson on the other end.
“Is it a bad time, Madam President? I just learned from Darren that you wanted to speak to both of us. I hope nothing is wrong?”
“No, nothing wrong. Please put Darren on first, and then I’ll talk to you and Shane.”
“Of course. Darren, it’s your mother.”
David sat as Darren picked up the phone. He felt uneasy at the way the call was being conducted, but he couldn’t tell very much from hearing one side of the conversation.
Shane watched David, and Michael kept his eyes on Darren, as if he feared Darren might suddenly fly away. Finally, Darren wrapped up the conversation.
“All right, Mom, we’ll talk again tomorrow evening. Here’s Uncle David,” he said as he held out the phone.
“Victoria, what is all this cloak and dagger about?”
“I trust you and Shane are well and happy?”
“Yes, we are. Please tell me what’s going on before I have an aneurism!”
“Are you well enough to travel to DC for a couple of days?”
“Of course we are. Jack too?”
“Yes, Jack too.”
“All right, but why? Are you having a White House barbecue?”
“No, dear, I’m having a wedding. I’m engaged to be married, and the ceremony is one month from today. Will you come?”
“First of all, congratulations, my dear. That’s wonderful news, but who is he?”
“Why, so you can run all kinds of security checks on him?” Victoria laughed. “I can assure you, that’s already been done. His name is Harry Rothschild, and we’ve known each other since I was vice president. He asked me to marry him last weekend, and I said yes.”
“Is he one of the loaded ones?”
“Of course, darling. You don’t think I’d marry a pauper, do you?” She laughed once more. “Now, will you come? You and Shane, and Jack and Mary.”
“Yes, of course, we’ll come. Um, is there room for one more for the inner circle of guests?”
“I suppose so. Who?”
“What’s a wedding without royalty? I’m sure Prince Michael would be pleased to receive an invitation, and your son would love you even more for it, if that were possible.” David winked at Darren and Michael.
“So, they’re still seeing each other?”
“More than that, my dear. Trust me.”
“Then, of course, the invitation includes the prince. In fact, King William and Prince Harry are invited too. You can all stay at Blair House since I’ll have in-laws at the White House. How does that sound?”
“Perfect, Madam President, just perfect.”
�
��Excellent. You’ll receive more details, but mark it on your calendars, and I expect all of you to attend. Now forgive me, David, but I’ve got a terribly long day, and I must get back to it or I’ll be behind for meetings tomorrow.”
“Of course, Victoria. Have a good rest of the day, and congratulations once again.”
They hung up, and David sipped his coffee.
“The president is getting married?” Shane asked.
“Yep, and we’re all invited, including Prince Michael. He can go as Darren’s date if he likes.”
“I’d like that very much!” Michael said. “Is it okay with you, Darren?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t it be? We just spent the weekend telling each other that we’re in love. Wherever I go, you go… if you can.”
“How exciting! Where will we stay?” Michael asked.
“We’ll be staying at Blair House, across the street from the White House,” David said. “That way, I can keep an eye on you two.” He gave Darren and the prince a mock stern look.
“We’ll be fine, Uncle David. Michael, do you have one of those fancy dress uniforms to wear to the wedding?” Darren asked.
“I do. It isn’t as grand as the uniforms that Cousin William and Harry wear, but I’ll bring it.”
“I’m kinda shocked that she’s getting married. I didn’t think she would ever do that again,” Darren said.
“It’s lonely being president, Darren. If I hadn’t had Shane, I don’t know if I could have made it. Your mother deserves happiness. She certainly couldn’t be marrying into a better family, that’s for sure.”
“Well, I should be off,” Michael said. “It’s been a great weekend with a surprise ending. I’ll inform my cousin and make sure there’s nothing that might prevent my going.”
“Please tell him that he and Harry are invited as well. I’m sure the president doesn’t actually expect them to show up, but they’ve been invited nonetheless.”
“I’ll pass it along. Thank you for dinner,” Michael said before he turned to Darren. “Walk me to the door?”
Darren and Michael kissed in the darkness of the foyer and promised to meet in the next day or so. Finally, Michael ripped himself away and got into the Land Rover.
When Darren returned to the living room, David, Shane, and Jack were talking excitedly about the presidential wedding.
“Will they do it in the White House like you and Uncle Shane?” Darren asked.
“I doubt that. I would think that they would hold the ceremony in the National Cathedral. The bigger question is, will they be able to have a honeymoon?” David said.
“I have one other piece of news,” Darren said. “At midnight, I’m being promoted to the rank of sergeant. So, I become an NCO!”
“Congratulations, Darren, you deserve it!”
David and Shane hugged Darren, and Jack gave him a high five.
“I’m kinda tired. We packed a lot into the weekend, and I’d like to shower and go to bed.” Darren said good night and went up to his room.
“Jack, let the puppies out, and then head up to your room for the night, okay?”
“Sure, Dad. Can I watch a little TV in my room?”
“Yes, but not past ten o’clock, and then lights out, got it?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
Jack ran over to David and Shane and gave them each a hug and a kiss good night.
“Come on, girls. You gotta go squirt, and then we’re off to bed!” Jack ran from the room with the Scotties keeping pace.
“Those dogs are a great comfort to Jack,” Shane said.
“We’d be hard-pressed to separate them, that’s for sure. They were meant as a comfort to all of us when Mary died, but they came along at the right time for Jack, mainly.”
“Want to go up to our bedroom for the evening?”
“Yes. Tell Blaine to send up the iced tea pitcher early since we’re ahead of schedule.”
OVER THE next couple of days, more details came in regarding President Wilson’s wedding. David’s guess was right; it would be held in the National Cathedral by invitation only. The reception would be held in the East Room of the White House. The complaints about who was not being invited to the reception had already started. Two days after Victoria had given David the news, she called him at the embassy.
“Hello, Victoria, how are you? Nerves getting to you yet?”
“No, my nerves are fine, but people are getting under my skin. The East Room will only hold so many, and yet, everyone who’s been invited to the wedding feels like they should be invited back to the White House afterward. I don’t know what to do!”
“You want a suggestion?” David asked softly.
“Hell yes!”
“Erect a pavilion tent on the south lawn. It’s been done lots of times before, and it will allow you to invite as many as you like.”
“A tent? Not very elegant, is it?”
“You’d be surprised what they can do to the inside of one of those party tents. They put in a floor, hang lights, set up tables, music, dancing, the whole shebang.”
“I’ll look into it this afternoon. Thank you, David. I can always count on you to have the answer. Who’s coming from London?”
“Shane, Jack, and me of course, along with Mary and Prince Michael. I think the king is extending his best wishes and sending something, but he can’t make it.”
“Prince Michael… how serious are those two?”
“My guess is that they’re pretty serious. They spend most of their free time together, they never seem to argue, and I think they love each other deeply. It’s developed over time, but on their weekend away, I think a lot surfaced, including a mutual commitment.”
“Do you think…? Do you think they might want to get married? I mean it’s legal in both our countries, but how would the king react?”
“I think he’ll be pleased. After all, it’s not as if Michael can be married off to a gay prince in Europe somewhere. He could do a lot worse than the son of the president of the United States.”
“If you had told me that I’d have a genuine prince for a son-in-law one day, I would have said you were hitting the sherry too much!”
“Well, let’s not jump the gun. Just let them be themselves when they come over for the wedding. They won’t do anything that would cause you embarrassment.”
“David, you should know by now, my son can’t embarrass me. I’m very proud of him, and if he’s in love with Michael, then I have to assume that Michael is a very decent young man, royalty or not. Now I have to run to another staff meeting. Give my love to Shane and Jack!”
“Will do, bye!”
David hung up the phone and got back to the business of the embassy.
AT THE White House, the president stopped her social secretary on her way to the meeting.
“Sandy, I want you to make arrangements for one of those large party tents for the wedding reception. We’ll have it on the south lawn and stop all this bitching about who gets invited and who doesn’t.”
“Of course, Madam President,” Sandy replied.
LATER THAT day, Darren called his mother.
“Hi, Mom, got a minute?”
“Yes, honey, is something wrong?”
“No. You may not know it, but I was promoted to sergeant this week.”
“No, I didn’t know it. Congratulations!”
“I’m not going to reenlist when my time’s up. Michael is worried I’ll be transferred to the other side of the planet, and we won’t be able to see each other. He also doesn’t want me killed in a war. I just wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be disappointed in my decision.”
“Darren, that’s totally up to you. You’ve served your country, though you’re the son of a president, and that makes a statement all by itself.” Victoria paused. “About Michael, are you serious about him?”
“Yeah, Mom, he might be the one for me, you know, for life. He’s everything I’d want in a husband. Him being royal doesn’t hurt either, be
cause I get to visit all these cool castles as his guest.”
“That’s not the main reason though, is it, honey?”
“No, Mom, the main reason is I love him, and he loves me. We’re both VIPs, so we know neither of us is social-climbing. I’m sure you don’t want me to get into the nitty-gritty details of our relationship, so trust me when I say I want him.”
“No, dear, that’s personal between you two. Let’s spend some time together while you’re over here. I mean you, Michael, and me. Okay?”
“Sure, sounds good. About your wedding, I always knew you liked him, but I thought you might wait until you got out of office before marrying him.”
“I decided not to put off that part of my life. I deserve some happiness too. David got married while president, so why shouldn’t I?”
“I’m not objecting. I just meant I was surprised. I’m happy for you, you know that.”
“Good. I can’t wait to see you and your young man. I have to run, dear, be safe.”
“You too, Mom. Love you!”
“I love you too, Darren.”
Chapter 7
PRINCE MICHAEL waited in the sitting room for his appointment with King William. After “business hours,” Michael could usually see or talk to the king with a minimum of fuss. Affairs of state had become weighty and demanded more and more of William’s time.
“His Majesty will see you now, Your Highness,” said Lord Donnelly, the king’s secretary.
“Thank you, my lord.”
Michael got up and went into the office of the king.
“Good day, Your Majesty,” Michael said.
“Hello. I heard you had a wonderful weekend at Hampton Court with Darren.”
“We did, thank you. We went to the Tower afterward so Darren could see the Crown Jewels.”
“Good, I’m glad for you both. What can I do for you?”
“Darren’s mother is getting married and has invited me to attend. She has also extended an invitation to you, Prince Harry, and the Princess. It’s assumed that your schedules will prevent you from attending.”
“When is it?”
“In a month’s time, in Washington, of course.”