by Leanne Banks
Ericka looked at Leo whose sleepy gaze followed the light. His eyelids drooped then opened then finally closed. She tilted her head and looked at Treat in silence. He placed the flashlight on the small dresser then stood and ushered her out of the room, gently closing the door behind them.
“What was that about?” she asked.
“I told you he might like more light,” he said.
“That’s why I put a nightlight in there,” she said.
“I think he likes something more active. It’s a challenge to track a moving light. He’s a smart little guy,” he said.
Ericka took in Treat’s last words and it was all she could do not to burst into tears. Although she believed Leo was smart, she hadn’t heard anyone else say those exact words. He’d been called beautiful and alert, but no one had called him smart. Ericka bit her lip, determined to pull her emotions in check. “Yes, he is smart,” she said as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Thank you for looking after him. It’s not really your job.”
“I don’t require a lot of sleep,” he said.
“I envy you that,” she muttered. Suddenly she realized how close he stood to her. She could smell the faint scent of soap and shampoo. He was so tall, she thought, and told herself she found that fact off-putting. She looked into his eyes and her stomach took a strange dip. What was that? She took a quick short breath and looked away. “You can go to bed. Nanny and I should be able to handle it now. Thank you again.”
“No problem,” he said, and walked past her down the hallway to the front door. He slept in the small guest suite. Attached to the cottage, the suite had its own door. For a moment, she wondered what he did all day in that suite when he wasn’t figuring out new ways to protect her and Leo. It occurred to her that all that solitary confinement would make her batty. Sure, she enjoyed quiet moments enjoying art. She especially missed those moments lately, but Ericka needed human connection. She wondered if Treat did.
Suddenly realizing she’d been thinking about him for at least three full moments, she shook her head and reminded herself that she didn’t care if Treat needed human connection or not. She just wanted him to stay out of the way so she could do what she needed to do.
* * *
Treat returned to the guest suite but felt like a caged animal. He felt he shouldn’t leave the property to go for a run, so he decided to take a swim. Maybe that would relax him. He slid into the pool and the water felt warm against his skin, probably because the night air was cool. Automatically swimming several laps, he waited for the exercise and the monotony of motion to ease his mind.
Being around the princess’s baby brought back memories of his disabled brother, Jerry. Jerry had been born with multiple deformities, both mental and physical, but he’d had a good soul. Treat had seen it in his young brother’s eyes and smile.
Treat had noticed that Leo didn’t smile as frequently. Leo looked as if he were trying to figure everything out. The baby appeared to want every bit of information he could get and he wanted it immediately. A demanding baby, he thought, and not just because of his hearing loss.
His brother, Jerry, had been demanding due to his health issues which had been enormous. After Treat’s father died when he was a teenager, Treat had watched his mother struggle to pay medical bills. He had cared for Jerry whenever he could, but his mother had pushed him to take a football scholarship. It had always been Treat’s dream to make a lot of money so that he could take care of both his mother and Jerry.
But Jerry had died during Treat’s junior year in college and he’d lost his mother just one year later. She hadn’t even seen Treat graduate. Treat had felt like a rudderless boat after that.
Even though he knew the princess’s situation was far different than his mother’s, he caught glimpses of the same emotions he’d seen in his mother’s eyes. Fear, worry, weariness. He also saw a helluva lot of determination. Ericka would make sure Leo received every bit of education and attention he needed. She could have taken an easier way out, but he could tell she would be actively involved in every decision in that baby’s life. Leo was damn lucky, not just because his mother was a princess, but because she was so devoted.
Treat swam a few more laps. The vision of the princess and Leo stomped through his mind. Swimming hadn’t extricated them from his consciousness, but maybe the exercise would help him sleep. Her Highness was making a bigger impact on him than he’d expected.
* * *
Ericka rose early and conducted two tele-conferences. She much preferred regular phone calls because for those, she didn’t need to apply make-up or fix her hair. During another call later in the morning, she received the disturbing news that young royals from Sergenia were in danger and needed to leave their small country due to unrest.
Ericka turned off her phone and did a session with Leo. She showed him several works of art and signed the best she could. “Here is da Vinci’s Mona Lisa,” she said, lifting her computer tablet. “He was a brilliant artist. As was Raphael.” She pulled up a photo of one of Raphael’s paintings. “I can’t wait to show you Michelangelo’s sculpture of David,” she told her son. “It’s beyond amazing. There’s nothing like it,” she said, and waved the hand toward her face making the sign for amazing.
“I must have been way behind,” Treat said from the doorway. “I didn’t know anything about da Vinci until I was in my teens. Unless you count the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
“Who are they?” she asked, feeling a strange rush of pleasure when she saw him.
“Cartoon turtle characters named after some of the great artists of the Renaissance,” he said. “Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello and Leonardo.”
“How clever,” she said.
He chuckled. “You learned about the real artists. I learned about the cartoon characters.”
Ericka frowned in sympathy. “How unfortunate,” she said.
He chuckled again. “No worries. I received a little more education later on and saw pictures of the Renaissance artists. I’m okay. Just not as cultured as you are.”
Ericka met his gaze and felt her stomach jump. “You can learn.”
“I do my best. Are you ready to go out for your luncheon with your sisters?”
“Yes” she said, standing as she remembered. “Nanny will take care of Leo.”
“I’m sure he’s exhausted from his morning lecture,” he said.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you saying I’m boring him?”
Treat lifted his hands. “Not me.”
“I need to freshen up,” she said. “I’ll be back in a moment. Nanny Marley,” she called and walked down the hall.
Treat walked over to look at Leo. “How ya doing big guy? Wanna talk football?”
Leo kicked and stared at him, making grunting sounds.
“Just so you know, Bonnie Sloan was one of the first deaf NFL football players. You can do anything you want,” Treat said. “When you get a little older, maybe we can toss the pigskin.”
A half-beat later, Nanny Marley entered the room. “How’s he doing?”
“He’s just received a very cultural tutoring session,” Treat said.
Nanny nodded and smiled. “Her Highness is highly motivated to expose Leo to art, culture and science.”
“What about sports?” he asked.
“That may be someone else’s job,” Nanny said.
Princess Fredericka strode into the hallway. “Ready,” she said, and quickly ran to Leo to give him a kiss on his chubby cheek.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Treat said, and walked with her out of the house.
“You don’t have to call me ‘Your Highness,’” she said.
“Oh, really,” he said. “Then what do I call you?”
“For the remainder of your service, you may call me Ericka in private,” sh
e said as she walked to the car.
“And what do I call you in public?” he asked.
“Miss,” she said. “Just call me Miss.”
“Done and done, Ericka,” he said as he helped her into the car.
Just a few moments later, Treat drove to the café where Ericka planned to meet her sisters and sister-in-law. Although she was more than willing to hop out as he approached the curb, he refused to let her out. “I’ll escort you into the café,” he said.
“Well, don’t expect to stay,” she told him as he parked the car. “There will already be security for the rest of the crowd. You’ll be superfluous.”
“Superfluous,” he echoed as he walked her into the café.
She gave a heavy sigh. “It’s not an attack against your masculinity. When it comes to security, my brother Stefan provides overkill.”
“I’m glad he’s protective. You are all valuable to him and many others,” Treat said. “There’s your table. I’ll be outside. Call me if you need me.”
Ericka was still contemplating his statement about how valuable she and her sisters were, but Bridget stood, in her immense pregnancy, and extended her arms.
“Ericka, come here and give me a big hug. I need it. Maybe you can squeeze away some of my swelling,” Bridget said.
Ericka smiled and rushed toward her sister and gave Bridget a hug as big as her pregnancy. “So good to see you. You look great.”
“I’ll look so much better in a few weeks. Look at Eve. She’s doing fabulously. Six months pregnant and she looks like she could deliver after a full day of plowing fields.”
“I hope not,” Eve said, kissing Ericka on the cheek. “How’s our little boy Leo?”
“Wonderful when he sleeps,” Ericka said. “Which doesn’t seem to happen at night.”
“Oh, no,” Pippa, Ericka’s other sister said. “Hopefully, he’ll sleep soon.”
Ericka felt Pippa search her face and wished she could hide her emotions.
“You should call me for help,” Pippa said.
“You’re busy with your own baby,” Ericka said.
“Not too busy for family. Any news on treatment?” Pippa asked.
“We’re still working with hearing aids, but we haven’t seen any improvement. Surgery may be in his future, but I want to make sure he’s ready for it. Even with surgery, I’ll teach him sign language. Of course, I’m learning it, too.”
“You know the rest of us will be right there with you,” she said. “We’re happy to learn sign language. It would be good for the children. It would be good for all of us.”
Ericka’s heart swelled and she felt her eyes fill with tears. “You’re so sweet,” she said, embracing Pippa. “So very sweet.”
“Oh, stop,” Pippa said. “Let’s have a nice holiday lunch.”
Ericka sat down with her sisters and sister-in-law and enjoyed a non-alcoholic cranberry spritzer along with a salad then a chicken crepe. Afterward, the women enjoyed chocolate mousse pie.
“Delicious,” Bridget said.
“I agree,” Ericka said.
“Stefan says you’re doing a great job with the royal society conference,” Bridget said.
Eve nodded. “He said the same to me.”
“And me,” Pippa added.
Ericka felt her cheeks heat with self-consciousness. “Thanks. Our colleagues have been very responsive.”
“Good to hear,” Eve said.
“I did receive an unsettling call this morning. You know that Sergenia is experiencing some unrest and the princesses and prince need a place to go. I think Chantaine would be perfect.”
“But we’re such a small country. How could they possibly hide here?” Pippa asked.
“Different identities and jobs.” Ericka said. “They’re amenable to such a plan.”
“But would Stefan agree?” Bridget asked. “He has always wanted to remain neutral.”
“Perhaps with the proper pressure,” Ericka said, then glanced at Eve. “I hate to ask you.”
“Give me more details later and I’ll see what I can do. He’s a stubborn, but wonderful, man,” Eve said. “That’s why we all love him.”
“True,” Pippa murmured then lifted her glass of soda. “To good health, happiness and the future of the Devereaux family.”
“Here, here,” Eve said. Bridget echoed the cheer as did Ericka.
“And next week, we meet publicly for the lighting of the royal Christmas tree,” Eve said. “Bridget excused.”
“If I can be there, I will,” Bridget said, and then took another sip of her cranberry beverage. “In the meantime, we’ve just added a couple new goats to our zoo. Too many in my opinion. Do any of you want a goat?”
Silence followed. No takers. Ericka nearly choked over her spritzer, but she swallowed hard to quell the urge so that Bridget wouldn’t mistake any sound she made as interest in taking on one of her goats.
After hugs all around, the women headed out the door. Ericka waited for her sisters and sister-in-law to leave then strode outside. A crowd awaited her, taking her by surprise.
“Hello,” she managed and Treat appeared by her side.
Several people rushed toward her and Treat stepped in front of her. “Go to the car,” he instructed her. “It’s behind you.”
Ericka rushed into the vehicle and Treat followed, driving her away from the crowd. “Next time, you won’t leave last,” he said sternly. “The crowd caught on after your sisters left.”
“I was merely being polite,” she protested.
“Next time you’ll leave at the same time they leave or before,” he said. “Think about it. If I hadn’t been there, you could have been crushed.”
She wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. She had underestimated how much the people wanted to connect with the royals. Now that she was a mother, she had to think more carefully about her safety. Thank goodness Treat had been there to protect her.
As he drove into her gated cottage, she felt a sense of safety settle over her. He helped her out of the car. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “I was so busy fighting for my independence that I didn’t realize I was sacrificing security.” She looked into his gaze and noticed a scrape and a trickle of blood on his forehead. “You were hurt.”
He shook his head. “Someone just got a little pushy.”
Horrified, she lifted her hand. “I’m so sorry. We need to bandage it,” she said.
“It’s no big deal,” he said. “Trust me. I’ve suffered much worse. Are you okay?”
“Me?” she echoed. “I’m fine. You took care of me.”
“Good,” he said. “Go inside. Take a break or a nap. I’ll be in the guest room unless you want to go anywhere.”
“Of course,” she said, standing on the porch as he walked away, wanting to put a bandage on his wound.
She felt a bit stupid after fighting her brother and Treat. As much as she wanted to think she could walk around like anyone else, she just couldn’t. And she needed to face that fact for both herself and Leo.
* * *
The next day, the artificial pre-lit Christmas arrived outside her well-secured gate. Treat brought it inside. “Good news. There are only three pieces.”
She looked at the mark on his forehead and pressed her lips together in concern.
“Stop staring at my little mark,” he said, waving his hand in her face. “We need to get this tree put up for Leo. Where is the little sleep-stealer, anyway?”
“I hate to wake him,” she said.
Treat dropped his chin and shook his head. “Well, he sure doesn’t mind waking you. Besides, this will be a great visual experience for him.”
“You’re right,” she said, clapping her hands as she strode toward the nursery and went agains
t every motherly instinct by waking him. His sweet little eyebrows frowned as she lifted him from his crib.
“Trust me,” she said. “You’re gonna love this.” Ericka was determined to continue talking to Leo even though he couldn’t hear a word she was saying. In a few months, if he got the surgery, he would be able to hear her, so she needed to keep talking to him. Shifting him slightly, she grabbed his infant seat and walked to the den. “We’re ready,” she said as she set Leo into his seat.
“All right, all right,” Treat said. “Let’s rock and roll.”
In a stunningly short amount of time, he put the tree up. Leo squirmed and sucked on his pacifier, but didn’t cry.
Treat plugged in the lights and Leo stopped squirming and sucking, gaping at the lights.
“He loves it,” Ericka said, delighted. “He loves the lights.”
Treat smiled and nodded. “Bet he’ll love it even more after we put on the ornaments.”
“Oh,” she said. “In the top of my closet in my bedroom. My sister gave them to me. I’ll get them.”
“No,” he said. “You stay here. I’ll get them.”
Ericka turned to Leo and cooed. “You like the lights, don’t you? Christmas is a wonderful time of love and hope, Leo,” she said to her sweet infant son. “Never ever forget that.”
Treat returned with the two boxes of ornaments and garland. “I hope you have some ornament hangers.”
‘I’m sure Valentina included them. We just need to find them,” she said, and opened the boxes. It took only a few seconds to locate the hangers. “Here they are.”
“Let’s get moving, then. Garland first,” he said as he began to spread the garland around the tree.
Ericka helped adjust the greenery. A half beat later, he grabbed a handful of hangers. Before she knew it, he hung five ornaments.
“Wait a minute,” she muttered and began to hang silver and red balls. “You seem quite experienced at this.”