After Happily Ever After

When In Love Part One : 'Tis the Season

"Miss King you have a call for you. Shall I tell them you're busy?"

Fallon peered over her sunglasses at her second assistant, Rika. Her wide, dark brown eyes shone in competition with her equally dark, smooth brown skin. Like Fallon, Rika had spent three days being scrubbed and moisturize until she glowed from within. Her close-fitted dress swept the stone floor of the spa, hiding her bare feet.

Fallon adjusted her bathrobe to cover one shoulder, leaving her other hand undisturbed in the manicurist's grip.

"Is it the Royal family?" Fallon asked. She held a hand out and a large mug of tea perfectly warmed, was set in her hand.

Rika answered, while Fallon took a slow sip, "No. Their good morning and good luck messages from earlier are all that stand. Although," Rika's pretty, freshly tinted brows tilted with mild frustration. "It seems Princess Shuri and Prince N'Jadaka have edited your schedule somewhat."

Fallon smiled and shook her head.

Those two had entered a hopefully unofficial war for her attention during Fallon's two-week vacation. Shuri had made it her mission to make herself Fallon's favorite royal.

She had a slight leg up on Erik being that Fallon spent almost six months of the year on the road with the royal family or in Wakanda. But Erik made up for all their lost time by pulling some strings and got two weeks off right before their engagement announcement.

Fallon still couldn't believe there was going to be an engagement announcement!

"Do you still have the original copy of my schedule? Before all their add ons?" Fallon sipped deeply at her tea.

She didn't know what sweeteners Wakandan's used but she didn't think she could ever go to plain white sugar. Not after this.

"Of course, Miss. The person on the communicae claims to be your mother." Fallon froze. Her mother?

Rika was oblivious, "A woman has been harassing security for several months for access to you. There was an immediate background check done and while records indicate a relation..." her assistant hesitated. The first time Fallon could ever remember seeing her do so.

"Prince N'Jadaka thought it best we keep her away until after the announcement and press tour."

Rika's shoulders hunched as if she expected to be yelled at.

The gesture made Fallon aware of how tense she was. Fallon held out her tea to be grabbed and someone did. She gestured for the manicurist to free her other hand all while sitting up in the spa chair.

It was all too easy to go from bougie and unbothered to Fallon's typical overthinking self.

"If Erik says to leave it till after the press tour, then we should. But if you could call him for me, Rika, I'd really appreciate it."

It was a wonder Fallon sounded as professional as she did. On the outside, she was Miss King. The woman who handled royal social engagements, met politicians, holy men, and billionaires. On the inside she was a lonely little girl again. Poor and often hungry because she never felt safe asking her mother for more food.

She hasn't been that little girl in so long. That side of herself was almost unrecognizable after the life she's lived since working at the Center.

Fallon got this job after a whole lot of hard work, luck, and perfect timing. This job had been the light at the end of a tunnel where the darkness was poverty in one of the most expensive cities in the country. There had been no mother to call for money or support when Fallon's $400 checks would be devoured by bills and necessities.