Page 18 of The Crown

And a shot of her father clutching onto June’s arm, with a frantic look on his face.

Jo cringed and clung to his arm like he was shown doing to nurse June, afraid to look away from the screen, but dreading what she might see next. Then the screen flashed to Jo’s apartment at Vanderbilt, her schedule, and then Kevin came on the screen. “Jo still has a good life here. She is in the middle of her fellowship, has her MBA. She is giving up a lot to help her dad. Left it all on hold. The Dean won’t hold it forever.” He stood taller. “And then she took off with that Prince. I just hope it is still available when she gets back. I know she won’t stay forever. She has a whole life here she loves too much.”

Jo was horrified. How could he talk to the press about her? What was he thinking? She didn’t dare look at anyone in the room. Her father’s hands shook. “I didn’t know all that you gave up to come, Jo. Your fellowship? I’m sorry I didn’t know.” His eyes were pained. “There is so much I don’t know, or forgot. I … I’m sorry Jo. I can’t let you ruin everything for yourself. Your life at Vanderbilt, your opportunities here. It’s not about me, Jo. Live your life. Take it, run with it. Follow your dreams.” He stood. “I think I’ll go find Nurse June.” His voice shook, cracked, and his face wrinkled in pain. His steps were steady though, and he held his head erect as he made his way out of the room.

Jo choked on a sob. “I…I don’t know what to do” She looked around the room. Many wouldn’t meet her eyes.

The queen waited, watching her. “This life, it requires sacrifices. We know it is a lot to ask of anyone. It is too much for some. Those in our set, we are used to this. We know that the crown comes first, the country, Torren. But for you, you came to us with everything already moving forward in your life. We know not everyone can handle that kind of sacrifice.”

Jo opened her mouth, unsure what to say, shocked at the direction the queen had gone. “What? Do you think I can’t hack it? That I don’t already know what I am sacrificing?” She stood. “Did you not just see my father?”

She couldn’t stand to bare herself in front of these strangers any longer. They looked sympathetic but the sterility in their eyes, the separation of their emotions hurt her. Nico still hadn’t returned, but she had to leave, she needed to go after her father.

Nico came in as she was standing to leave. “My father is really upset. I need to go to him.”

His eyes showed compassion and fear, but it was the touch of uncertainty that did her in. “Nico? Do you think I can handle it? You believe this will work, don’t you?”

His answer came too soon. “Of course. Jo, we’re in this together.”

His phone vibrated and instead of ignoring it, or pocketing it, he looked. And she saw Monique’s picture again. And that was it. She just shook her head and left the room, determined to find her father.

8

She hurried down the hall. If her father was determined to leave, she could not let him go alone. She would at least travel with him, get him settled and then determine her next step. She texted her assistant on the way. She was going to miss having an assistant. “I need to pack. I’m leaving with my father.”

She rushed to his room, and just as she suspected, he and Nurse June had pulled out the suitcases, and he was directing her to load her things.

“Dad.”

He looked up when she entered. “Don’t stop me. I’m done being a burden to you, Jo. Your life has so much potential right now. The world is at your feet and I can’t be a bump in that any longer.” He came towards her. “Why didn’t you tell me, that you gave up so much at Vanderbilt? I thought you had finished.” He clenched his fists. “This is so frustrating. Not having the full use of my mind.”

He turned back to his things, and hurried through the packing. “I’ve told them we are to catch the first flight out.”

“I’m coming with you.”

June stopped, but her father kept working. “Of course you aren’t.”

“I am. They don’t think I can do it. They aren’t sure I have what it takes for the crown. And maybe they’re right. Maybe I don’t. Cause you are more important to me than any crown. And what they did to us, blasting our pictures all over the news, your picture. I can’t handle that. You matter more to me than anything.”

“Anything?” Nico stood in the doorway.

Her heart leapt and sank at the sight of him. How could she do what she was about to do? “You will always be my everything, Nico, but I am not what this country needs. I don’t have what it takes. My father…”

Her father threw more clothes in his suitcase. “Is just fine Jo. I’m fine. I’ve been taking care of you, and myself, for a long time now.” He closed his suitcase. “I’ll see what kind of flight they found for us.” He went to the other side of the room and picked up the house phone.

“Jo.” Nico approached her, and the nurse left the room.

“What, Nico? Your mother is right. I’m not ready for this. The press, what they did to my father. I can’t handle that. He matters to me.” She hated to say it, but he must know the truth. She felt her throat constrict as she tried to say her next words. “The crown isn’t everything. Not to me. I wish it were.”

He searched her face, her heart melting at the sight of the love and kindness she saw in his eyes. “But you. You are everything.” She stepped into his arms. And buried her face in his shoulder. “I love you Nico. I wish I could do it.”

“Hush, hush Jo.” He ran his hand down her back. “This is all new to you, but you have to trust me. It’s not new to me. I chose you, asked you to be my wife, already knowing things like this might happen. And I would not,” He held her cheeks in his hands and repeated. “Would not have wanted you to be a part of it, if I didn’t think you could do it. When I asked, I knew what I was asking of you. I knew I was asking a lot. But I knew you could do it.”

Jo loved him for all that he said. She wanted to agree with him, wanted so badly for all of the awful to go away. But even though she closed her eyes tight against it for a moment, when she opened them back up, the press had still attacked her father personally, the queen doubted her ability to be the next queen, and Jo felt like the wrong person to stand at Nico’s side. Perhaps the right person personally, but the wrong person to be his queen and since that person had to be one and the same, she just wanted to go home.

“I love you Nico. But I need to go home and think about things. I need to get father in a better situation for him. I need to check on the marina. I just can’t stay here any longer.”

“What? Jo, no. We can talk this through. We can do whatever it takes to make it better. Running away won’t help anything.” He stopped and stepped closer. “I’m afraid you won’t come back.” His words came out in a whisper, fear filled his eyes, and Jo’s heart almost broke. Tears blurred her vision. She squeezed his hand once, then turned and ran from him, unable to speak for fear she would agree to stay.

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