PRINCESS TALE

"Xenia, is Ko Phi Phi rich?" Ann-Catherine asked as she stared at Gregory's mansion.

"He isn't poor," Xenia replied.

"Your man is filthy rich," screamed Louise strutting past the door where her voice echoed in the hall.

"Wow, Xenia, why didn't you tell us?" Gloria asked.

"I thought it wasn't important."

"But I was worried sick imagining you two taking up mortgages for a house or a car etc. I treated Ko Phi Phi, I mean Gregory like, oh my God, I'm so embarrassed, please apologize for me, Xenia," Ann-Catherine said.

"Gregory probably doesn't remember anything, mom."

Xenia tried to be reassuring, but she knew Gregory the computer remembered each word her mother ever pronounced in his presence.

XX XX

"Isn't your day off? Don't you want to be at home?" Grace asked.

"Xenia has invited her mother and sisters to announce our baby. I don't think her mother has me tattooed in her heart," Gregory said with a sulky expression he only showed his sister.

"Oh, Gregory, you're not afraid of her mom, are you?"

"Well, the first time we met, I was half-naked coming out of her daughter's bedroom. The second time I was looking for Xenia after she broke off her engagement, I became the man who ruined Xenia's life. And the third time we met was because Xenia left me. Do you think her mother can appreciate me in some way?"

"Well, if you put it like that."

"And she keeps giving nicknames of blue bays," Gregory said, thinking about his Thailander nickname.

"I think she likes you. Nicknames are signs of affection."

"Hope you are right. I'll go back for tea time to check the temperature."

XX XX

In the meantime, Xenia gave her family a grand tour of Gregory's mansion.

"Here's Sia's bedroom. You all have a bedroom each."

"Eh, Xenia, I think one room for the three of us is enough. We are only staying for two days."

"Madame, lunch is ready."

"Thank you, Maria."

"Jesus, did she just say madame?" Ann-Catherin asked while putting a hand on her chest.

"Xenia, okay, come clean. You have to tell us how did all this happen?"

"Alright, let's go to the dining room," Xenia showed the way.

Once all were seated, Xenia began, "one day, I came to work late."

Louise beamed, "skip that, get to the nitty-gritty."

"No, it's important, so there was this guy, an auditor. A very stuck up man, I swear I was going to kill Gregory at the time. To make things worse, he moved in across from me. I mean, I met him every single day both at work and at home," Xenia pursued.

"Yeah, I remember when I got in the lift with him. Oh, you witch, you didn't want me to get his number to keep him for yourself," Louise teased.

"No, we hated each other back then, and I didn't know he was this big shot."

"So?" Gloria pushed.

"So, like two months after Gregory arrived, we went to Aurelie's wedding."

"I remember that," Ann-Catherine added.

"And it just happened, then we broke up when I found out who he was."

"Wait a minute, rewind," Louise said, "you broke up with a man who told you he was rich?"

"He was my boss. I have some work ethics, you know," Xenia popped a berry in her mouth.

"Xenia, it doesn't make sense, who breaks up with someone for that. Let me play it for you, Gloria, back me up."

"Xenia, I'm rich, I'm the Prince of Zamunda."

"Say Wales or Scotland," Gloria encouraged.

"I'm the Prince of Wales."

"Oh no, everything but that. I would prefer you to be a cashier at Safeway. We can't go on; I never want to see you again," Gloria said, giving the reply.

"But Xenia, I can offer you a life of richness."

"No, I adore my hard knock life."

Ann-Catherin laughed, "you girls are too much."

"See sounds even dumber out loud. It reminds this bestseller everyone is drooling over. As the girl is such a drama queen, she doesn't even see the right guy right before her eyes. The heroine spends her time running, and the guy smothers her with love, and she's like, no, I can't take it."

"Oh yeah, Chromosome Attraction, I like it. The girl is crazy; at first, I was like another dumbass CEO, ploy. I read one page, and I left the book. I went back to the book store, I read a chapter, and left; the third time, the woman at the store was like, you better buy the book or else. It's quite good," Gloria replied.

"I think the whole story has this overdramatic flow as if someone could have so much shit and drama going on, and the MC is always aggravating everything," Louise added.

"Watch your mouth," Ann-Catherine warned with glaring eyes.

"Anyway, then I got engaged to Andrew," Xenia picked up where she left off while thinking her family cleansed her life in seconds.

Louise sighed, "yep, another diamond in the sky."

"But, Gregory came back."

"I remember that too," Ann-Catherine said.

"And I realized I was clinging to my first love because I was too scared to live the greatest love."

"Wow, Xenia, I've never heard you say such a thing; living in Shakespeare's homeland is having that effect on you."

"She lived in Molière's homeland, and Xenia didn't become the Queen of prose."

"And so this brings me to the reason why I invited you here."

"You're getting married?"

"No."

"Wait a minute, I don't know if you realized, but this girl has been eating berries since we sat down," Gloria said, looking at Xenia suspiciously.

"Xenia, you hate berries you puked on Mathieu Combe in 5th grade because of berries," Gloria said.

"Don't tell us you're -."

"I'm pregnant."

Ann-Catherine gulped, "Lord have mercy."

"Xenia, are you sure about this?"

Xenia nodded. Her sisters left their seats to come and hug her.

"Mom," Louise urged.

"Give me a second; I'm in shock, just one question, Xenia. I don't have to call Gregory Lord something-something, do I?"

"No, mom, call him Gregory."

"What's his full name?" Louise asked.

Xenia made big eyes, "Gregory Carlton Ashton III."

The girls burst into laughter.

Her mom got up to hug her; Ann-Catherin cried more than anyone in the room, "you better be happy you hear me?"

"Yes, mom."

XY XX

After the announcement, Xenia and Gregory found themselves in doctors Edwards's office Monday morning.

"Okay, ready."

It was the first echo Gregory held Xenia's hand.

"You see there; you can see the head and there," the doctor zoomed and moved the mouse, oh how interesting."

"What is it, doctor? Is there something wrong?"

"No, not at all, I see it runs in the family."

"What. What runs, what runs doctor?" Xenia asked.

"Listen," doctor Edwards said as he turned up the volume, they heard an irregular heartbeat.

"There's something wrong, isn't there?" Xenia asked.

"No, one is the sound of one's heart. The second sound is your other child's."

Xenia blinked, "I-I beg your pardon, can you repeat, please? I think I don't understand English anymore."

"I said it's the sound of your children's heartbeats."

"Wait, why are you saying, children? There's only room for one here," Xenia said, almost yelling at the doctor.

"Twins," Gregory whispered.

"Yes, Mr.Ashton, twins."

Xenia's lips made a bridge as she protested, "listen, Dr. Edwards, I signed for one. I said one, what is this noise about twins?"

"Well, madame, it's not me who hands out your X and Y's chromosomes."

"Gregory, stop laughing, I said stop it, this is entirely your fault. You did this to me," Xenia yelled.

"Yeah, I did, and I have never been happier."

Gregory had a twin who was a mother of twins. How did Xenia not think she could have them when it was in the family's DNA?

"I hate you."

"I love you, Mrs. Ashton."

"I'm not an Ashton yet, and I might keep my name."

"Whatever you wish, my lady," Gregory kissed Xenia on the forehead.

"Yeah, just keep kissing me. You are a dead man, Gregory Carlton Ashton III."

>>> Fin

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