Page 24 of The English Queen

The Waiting Room

For Immediate Release-

Tomorrow morning, Her Majesty the Queen will undergo surgery to remove a brain tumour. The surgery will provide her with a better prognosis after a diagnosis with glioblastoma recently. Her Majesty’s family has been informed of her condition and will be in London to support her with her surgery at the Royal Marsden. While Her Majesty was treated successfully to remove breast cancer more than a decade ago, this new form of cancer will require more intensive treatment and also remove her from work. As of now His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will be acting as head of state as the Prince Regent. This will be conferred by the Prime Minister this evening and will be confirmed in session tomorrow.

More information about the Queen’s condition will be available after her procedure and it will be shared with the public when appropriate.

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“Let’s talk about something happy, then,” Rebecca opened her laptop. “Talk to me about flowers. Let’s talk about flowers. You said you were still making decisions and—”

“Flowers? Mummy is under general anaesthesia and having her cranium broken into pieces and this is what you think we should discuss? That seems somehow quite wrong,” Beth said.

“What do you think the doctors are doing up there? In the operating theatre. They are probably listening to music–metal if I know her surgeon well enough–and chatting as needed about whatever. It’s the only way to survive. I was a surgical nurse for years. I loved my job. I loved my patients, which included your Mummy, but we still talked. Yes, even as your mother was on the table for her surgery, we talked. It’s healthy to focus on something else.”

Rebecca had been Maggie’s favourite oncology nurse. She tended her through the mastectomy, chemo, and radiation therapy. Beth remembered Rebecca from those days as being so kind. That was when Duncan fell for her. He would come to entertain Maggie and for the company of a lovely nurse who always brought the family snacks and a laugh. When Beth had her first seizure in years, Rebecca noticed the signs before anyone, caught her, laid her down, and kept her safe until it stopped. Rebecca’s compassion and caring never ceased.

“Go on, chicken,” Keir said. “Bex is right. Your brother and sister-in-law are working right now. Better to move onto happy things. Then, when your mam comes to, you’ll have something to tell her about. She’ll be a bit wild. Remember the fun we had after her last surgery?”

“I remember the one before most,” Beth giggled. “What an awful, terrible day.”

Duncan smiled over at Rebecca. “I will never forget that day as long as I live.”

Rebecca nodded. “Yes. Westminster Abbey burning to the ground. My child being sent home from school with no place to go. Keir and Beth stepping up to care for her. You and Eli taking us home with you because we couldn’t make it back south of the Thames that night.”

“Me telling you I loved you while on the phone because you gave me a Mars bar while I was dealing with chaos and Robert?” Duncan laughed.

“It was so perfectly imperfect and chaotic. It was us.”

“I recall Maggie, Beth, and I fell in love with Nira. And now she’s nearly grown,” Keir said.

“Nearly grown and spending far too much time on her wedding outfits.”

“I know that feeling. I have my first round of fittings on my city hall dress next week. Then it will be my reception dress in January. February, I can try on my ceremony dress. It is going to be beautiful,” Beth said. “And that’s not counting the dress I’m wearing to the royal reception before the wedding. Or any of the dresses I have to show up to rehearsal in. It’s dizzying. My entire team takes it so seriously. Getting married is a lot of work.”

Duncan chuckled. “It is for you ladies. We just show up.”

“Flowers, though, are good. The entire time we have been together, Louis has given me gorgeous flowers. I always have a fresh bouquet. It’s a spring wedding, so flowers are a must. We obviously will do plenty of roses. We’re thinking about how we can make the entire cathedral into a spring garden. And the service at the town hall is going to be simple. We were thinking pink and white roses. We can’t do much to distract from the baroque surroundings. I’ve hired a quartet.”

“Of course, you have, bug,” Keir chuckled.

“We’re going to arrive separately, Papa. I think Louis and I will go down the aisle together at the church. And I hope you don’t hate that too much. I only say it because it seems silly after we are legally married not to enter together and because I’m a grown woman. Also, I am writing our processional in my spare time.”

“You are writing a new processional?” Rebecca said.

Beth wrote a processional for her brother’s wedding years earlier.

“Well, I was writing a set of movements for Louis since… oh… April?”

“You were mad for him. Oh, that’s sweet. But does is he in on it?”

“Not at all. He left the music up to me. I’ll surprise him at the rehearsal. I’m quite excited about it. More than ever, I think I should focus on my projects. The Palace chapel has an organ so when I visit it, I can put in time transposing what I do on my piano to organ. Now, let me tell you, moving my grand piano north from Paris was a huge thing. I displaced one at the castle to the music room and the other lives in my sitting room–my piano.”

“Only you would do such a thing,” Duncan said.

“Louis’s mother found it downright ridiculous. I didn’t quite care what Elise had to say, though. Nor did Louis.”

Keir chuckled. “Good you aren’t afraid of her. I think I am.”

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