Two’s Company, Three’s Allowed.
Lucy looked out over the green pastures and beyond to the mountains, her horse patiently waiting for her to move again. Next to her, Hana’s steed was restless.
‘Penny for your thoughts Lucy?’ she asked
‘I’m not sure I can discuss it’ she said sadly
‘Now come on, you can tell me, we’re best friends’ she said, turning toward her as the horse fidgeted. ‘Or is it something top secret that only Royalty can deal with?’
‘No, it’s more personal than that’ she said, tight lipped ‘but it’s eating me up’
‘It must be important then – you should be happy right now. You’re Queen of Cordonia, and you just married Brad, who adores you’ Lucy’s face fell at her friend’s assessment.
‘I know, I should be grateful, so many people must be envious – but there’s something on my mind that I can’t let go of.’
‘Well, we came out here to have a picnic, so let’s stop here and you can tell me all about it’
‘Okay, maybe it would help to share – but maybe it will just upset you too. You might think less of me’
‘You’re my best friend and we’ve been though some very frightening times, Lucy. I couldn’t bear to see you unhappy’ said Hana ‘A problem shared is a problem halved, and maybe I can bring a new perspective to it’
Lucy dismounted and put down the rucksack she had been carrying. Hana did the same, and they set up camp by the stream, leaving the horses to graze on the lush summer grass. Hana spread out a blanket and they sat, unpacking the lunchboxes and flasks they had brought. It was simple fare, a relief from the elaborate meals that were served at the Palace. It was good to be back at the Chateau at Lucytania where things were a little more down to earth.
They sat munching sandwiches and crisps, smiling at the simplicity of it all.
‘So come on Lucy, what’s bothering you?’ asked Hana
‘Well, you have to know that before Brad proposed, and when we were trying to track down Tariq, I spent a lot of time with Drake’ she started, and Hana nodded ‘It was Drake who came to my rescue when Tariq came to my room’ She put down her sandwich and took a sip of the coffee they had brought
‘As you know, I couldn’t be seen with Brad. Even before that, he had to spend time with the other suitors, to be fair to them although he’d fallen for me big time. He asked Drake to look out for me, and he did.’ She smoothed the blanket out in front of her, sighing
‘I remember it well. You were amazing Lucy, you took to it as if you were born to be here’ said Hana.
‘That’s as maybe, but the problem was, I spent so much time with him, I started to fall for Drake’ Hana’s eyes widened, but she said nothing. Lucy swallowed
‘I slept with Drake – more than once. In fact, I slept with both of them before Brad proposed. At first, I reckoned that it was all just an adventure, that I would be back in New York after the social season ended. I never thought I’d fall in love – with Brad, with Drake - and with Cordonia. When Constantine sabotaged me, it changed everything. By the time I’d cleared my name there was no way I was leaving Cordonia’
‘When Brad proposed, I said yes, because despite everything, by then I cared for him very much, and I knew he adored me. I suppose I told myself that Drake had just been a distraction. I knew that he cared for me too. But the look on his face when I told you all about Brad proposing made me feel so bad. I was happy with Brad, but a part of me was sad that I couldn’t be with Drake anymore.’ Hana’s eyes were wide, but she still didn’t speak
‘In Vegas, I told Brad I wanted a last fling, and he agreed. I thought if I went with Drake one last time I could lay it all to rest.’ she sighed ‘But it didn’t work. When we were kidnapped by Justin and he was hurt, I was beside myself. I don’t know what I’ve have done if I’d lost Drake then. I pushed it down as we got ready for the wedding – it was too late to change my mind. Hana... Drake and I have something between us – something sparky and passionate that’s different from what I have with Brad. He’s loving and gentle and strong, but it’s like there’s something missing without Drake’ At last Hana spoke
‘I could see that you had chemistry with Drake’ she sat looking at her hands ‘But you have it with Brad too, and you make a wonderful couple. But it must be a terrible secret to keep from Brad. You should really tell him, you have to be honest in your relationship.’
‘I don’t want to hurt him though’
‘Well, look at it like this, Lucy. We all cling to the idea that ‘the one’ is out there for us – but what if there’s more than one? What if we meet two who are right for us at the same time, or close to each other? What if like you say, one is not exactly right, but two together make up ‘the one’? Who’s to say that there should only be one specific person who will make us feel happy?’
‘I’d never really thought of it that way’ said Lucy pensively
‘I think you should tell Brad. He’s very perceptive – he may already have realised things aren’t quite right. You have to be honest, to be fair to him – and to Drake. It’s your decision of course, but that’s my advice. You may find a solution together’
‘Thanks Hana, you’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ll let you know how I get on. Thank you for being such a good friend’.
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