Page 27 of The English Queen

Sabine perked up.

Rita put Vanna on speaker, “Can you say that again for Mum to hear? You’re on speaker.”

“Robbie just got word she’s come through and all is well. Keir’s up with her in the ICU now. She’s doing great.”

“I’m so relieved,” Sabine said.

Malcolm smiled and nodded. “What good news! She’s a battle axe. I’m not surprised.”

“Robbie is flat out relieved. I am sure they all are,” Vanna said. “I can’t chat, though. I have to notify the schools to tell the children.”

“Can you have them tell mine when they pull Georgie out?” Rita wondered.

“Yes, I can. No problem. Love you all. Talk soon.” Vanna hung up.

Rita said, “I never get to have a pleasant conversation with her these days.”

Sabine patted her daughter’s knee. “Being the queen is a big job. Life has changed for the both of you.”

?????

“Oh, my goodness, am I losing my mind?” Robbie heard his mother say quietly.

He looked at her, still covered in tubes but looking more like herself than the day before when he popped in.

“No, Mum, I’m here. And here is Kiersten, too. Vanna is trying to spend longer periods away from the baby. So, I said I’d bring her to visit you,” Robbie approached his mother’s bed.

“I’ll probably frighten her,” the Queen protested.

“Nonsense,” Robbie said. “Look.”

Robbie sat on the bed and placed Kiersten near him, allowing her to sit in a comfortable tripod.

Maggie shook her head only a little, “Oh, no, you must not sit up on your own. No, no, I will not hear it. Not in a million years.”

“She’s scaring us. Doing everything far too soon. And Vanna is not adjusting to it well. She’s… she’s really struggling with it. I think knowing she’s going back to work full-time has been a struggle. And us going to Australia is not sitting well with her.”

“I’m sorry to drop that in your lap.” Maggie grimaced as Kiersten beamed at her.

The baby giggled loudly. It was heart-melting.

“It’s okay. I’ve made a decision that angered your people and the budget no doubt. We’re all taking turns and bringing Kiersten. Vanna’s parents are going to come with us and help with the baby. We’ll take the first two weeks with a state banquet. Rebecca and Duncan will take over for the remaining two weeks. Neither set of us want to leave our young children alone for four weeks.”

Maggie gave a long sigh. “That is your choice. Your children will understand.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they would. However, neither Vanna nor Bex wants to leave their children for a month, and I don’t think Duncan or I did, either. You used to do it a lot. I am not judging you. You loved us. You were busy. But… that’s not what Duncan and I decided was right. Rebecca is also wildly popular in Australia. We will–all four of us–be there for the state banquet. I think the press will like it.”

“And the Nobels?”

“Well, I’ve decided to send Beth and, per Rebecca, neither house is offended by this. She can go to both as my surrogate, and we’ll call it fine. You’re in hospital. Duncan and I are under water. I had to cut fat where I could,” Robbie expected his mother to be upset.

Instead, she merely smiled adoringly as Kiersten blew a raspberry.

“She looks more and more like you these days,” Maggie said.

“She looks like you. One of the pictures of you Vanna found in the White Drawing Room–you and Aunt Sabine–nearly made her fall over. You were probably about one or so. You two looked like little angels.”

Maggie chuckled. “We never were.”

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