Page 91 of Royal Fling
“What do you mean ‘why?’”
“I mean, why do you love him? How do you know that you love him? How do you know you’re not just infatuated?”
Once again, she had a point. Only answering her question was easy.
“Because he's kind, he's sweet and funny, and he’s so smart. Because every time he rolls his eyes, I can’t help but want to kiss him. Because even after he found out who I was, he didn’t treat me any different. He treated me like a human being. Because he’s handsome, and sexy, and he’s got a heart made of gold.
“Because any other person wouldn’t have forgiven Fisayo so easily and wouldn’t have continued to treat me with such normalcy. Because… because any other person would have said yes to my proposal, whether to protect themselves or their future.”
My sister wiped under her eyes and smiled.
“He sounds incredible.”
“He is one of a kind,” I told her.
“God, I hate the press for doing this to you!” She looked at the ceiling as if she was about to start a fight with God, and I squeezed her cheek with two fingers.
“Me, too. But in a way, it was a blessing in disguise,” I said. “Because until that happened, I didn’t know Mama and Baba would even contemplate the idea of me being openly gay.”
She bit her lips and tilted her head to the side, brows furrowing.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. Nothing. I just… Do you… Do you think maybe you proposed for yourself and not for him?”
“I don’t know, Ginny. I really… don’t know. I don’t know how to fix this.”
“Talk to him. Go and talk,” she offered when we were interrupted by a knock.
“Luke!” I said instinctively, but when the door opened, it wasn't Luke. It was Fisayo.
“How are you, sweetie?” she asked.
I sighed in response.
“How’s he?” I asked.
I knew she'd gone after him, and I couldn't blame her. She was his mother, after all, and she'd already missed out on so much in his life.
“Not much better than you,” she said.
She came and stood in front of us, hands crossed in front of her stomach with the same pitiful smile as Ginny had on her face.
“He’s going home,” she announced.
“What?”
He couldn’t go home. Why was he leaving? He couldn’t leave me. I needed him. I loved him.
“I-I need to talk to him. I need to stop him.”
Nonny put her hand on my shoulder and shook her head.
“I don’t think that would help, Auggie. He’s not thinking straight, and clearly neither are you. I think if you talked now, you’d end up… hurting each other.”
“Then what do you suggest I do? Let him go? Give up on him?” I asked.
I couldn’t believe Nonny wouldn’t even suggest such a thing.
