Always

Twenty Two

Twenty Two

I am having a performance tonight. And it's not just any performance but one of the most important performances of my life. My future mother in law and sister in law are in the audiance.

When Niko was planning out everything he thought that this was a good opportunity. We only just decided last week after he found out I would in London at the same time that his mother and sister would be.

So here I am. In a lavish purple dress and an ensemble of instruments playing behind me. I sing as I am now used to, my heart still beats but I'm glad that the light blinds me so all I see are the few in front of me. It helps with the nerve. This is actually part of my tour so I am performing more than one song. It isn't a concert per se. Just five songs and a possible encore before I call it a night.

Whenever I get off stage I usually wonder how artists that dance and sing manage to do it for an entire night. Maybe I'm lazy but just standing there as I sing my lungs out takes a lot out of me.

I am actually happy when we finish performing. I go backstage where they help me out of my outfit. I ask them to take off the make up and am in the middle of putting my jacket on when Nikolai steps into the room.

He hugs me and I hug him back. I haven't seen him in a week which is pretty long since we started publicly dating. We fly to each other whenever we can. We walk around holding hands, I even accompany him to some events.

"I missed you." He says.

"Not as much as I missed you."

He takes me to the balcony seat where his relatives are waiting. We both go in and immediately his sister envelops me in a hug.

Like Nikolai her hair is wavy and in a tight chignon. She has their father's blue eyes but that's the only difference between them. They resemble their mother. She too has a smiling face and cold eyes.

"That was a wonderful peformance." She says "Quite breathtaking." His sister's accent is similar to Nikolai's but you can tell she spent more time in the UK.

"Yes, it was something." His mother has an English accent. She grew up in London, an actual lady.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." I say. I try not to feel nervous but my nerves are all over the place, I don't even know where to place my hands. They eventually end  up crossed and on my front after I shake hands with his mother. None of us bother mention names, all we say is I've heard so much about you. But of course I've heard of Queen Elizabette and Princess Marriette of Denmark and of course they've heard of the singer that's dating their relative.

I'm glad there was no curtsying involved. Paulsen considers my posture horrid.

"Henrik did suggest a dinner." His mother - she has his eyes but hers are darker. Like she spends even more time conniving, the wheel forever turning. It makes me think that she only agreed to this to further her plan. And if Nikolai's word is anything to go by, no one wants us to be together. But so far everything is civil.