Winter (Snow White, No. 2 Modern Prince Series)

Chapter 9 - Ever After

My stomach rumbles loudly. Enough for the taxi driver to offer me a bag of peanuts. I decline politely. I'm not hungry, just very nervous.

He stops before the fence of the house. I ask him to wait for me and tell him it won't take long. I grab my elbow crutch and step out of the car. I moved back last week after leaving this house six and a half years ago.

The front garden has been landscaped. I can smell the fresh cut grass. Dad used to spread a blanket on it. We would lay on our bellies and draw together in a big book. He said I had an eye for color. Mom would bring us cookies perfectly arranged in a tray. Not home baked as she was a terrible cook, but she made the effort with the presentation. Those were happy moments.

I hesitate in front of the door as I have done every day for the past week. I grew up here and still the last memories make me feel insecure. I take a deep breath and turn the knob. The door opens with the same cracking noise I remember well.

Everything has returned to how it was and there isn't a trace of him. My steps and crutch resonate on the marble tiles as I pass my hand over the furniture. He had the house redesigned and our old furniture thrown in a storage.

"Winter? Is that you?"

I smile at the voice.

"Yeah, it's me," I reply.

"How did it go at the doctor?" Daisy asks as she comes into the living room. "Goodness! You look handsome! I didn't see you this morning when you left,"

I look at my reflection in the mirror nearby. It must be motherly love because I still see the same pale kid staring at me. The difference is that my unruly black hair is slicked to the side and I'm wearing a red leather jacket that used to belong to my father.

"The doctor said there are no changes," I say. "I'm resigned this is how it will be for the rest of my life," I motion with my head to the crutch.

Rex's attack came with consequences. The poison in my bloodstream left damages to my nervous system and I took long to recover. I feel a dull pain in my legs, and my hands and feet go numb at times. The crutch gives me support when I walk and prevents falls.

"I'm sorry darling," Daisy places her hand over mine.

"It is what it is. Should we leave?" I ask and she nods while grabbing her purse.

The tall buildings impress me as we ride in the taxi towards the city center. Not much has changed since the last time I was here. If anything, it seems as if a new coffee place has popped at every corner. I feel anxious and my palms sweat. I rub them on my black jeans. Daisy notices it and hands me a tissue.

"Why are you nervous?" she asks.

"My last memories of the building aren't pleasant," I reply.

"He can't hurt you anymore,"

Rex will never hurt me or anyone else. He died during a plastic surgery procedure a few weeks after I encountered him. His heart couldn't endure one more session to keep him looking young. He was long gone before I could tell my family what he did to me.

"The employees didn't like him, but I'm not sure they will like having a kid as their boss," I say.

"You are not a child and you have handled the business actively for the last six months. Many of them have seen you grow up. You aren't a stranger. Plus you have help,"

After I took claim to what rightfully belongs to me, I realized what a big task lay ahead. Dora helped me to understand the books, and Daphne gave me a quick course on corporate communication. I also hired a consultant to assist me and who has been my representative while I felt ready to face the employees.

The taxi parks in front of the building. I step out while Daisy pays the driver and I breathe in relief. The monster sign of ENVY has been replaced with our old family crest. The iron letters mounted on the wall read Noble House of Fashion.

Daisy joins me and we enter the building. Waiting by the security guard is my consultant, my right hand, the love of my life, my wife Zoe.

"Hello handsome," she kisses my lips. "Are you ready?"

"No turning back," I smile at her.

"They are looking forward to meeting you," she says as we head to the elevator.

Only her presence gives me strenght. Together with Daisy, she took care of me while I recovered. After I got released from the hospital, she received me in her house as walking up the steps of Dora's house would have been impossible. At times the pain in my body was unbearable, specially during the night. Zoe patiently massaged my muscles and gave me my medication. She would stay with me until I calmed down or fell asleep. My numb hands would prevent me from performing the simplest of tasks such as eating or getting dressed. My girl fed me and helped me with my chores. Not once she complained.

When I felt well enough, I asked Daisy to help me plan an unforgettable date. I invited her for dinner and prayed that my body didn't play a stunt. She looked so beautiful in a blue dress. The restaurant gave us a table in their patio lit with tiny lights. A waiter brought her the bouquet of roses I arranged and I told her it was a thank you gift for all the time she spent taking care of me. She said she does it with love. I couldn't kneel, still can't, so I stayed seated while I took the ring box from my pocket and asked her to be my wife.

We got married in a small ceremony on the front yard of Seventh Heaven. I wasn't feeling well on that day. Maybe I was nervous and it took a toll on my body. Daisy walked me down the aisle and I was allowed to sit for the rest. Zoe entered and I've never seen anyone as beautiful. She sat next to me and held my hand. When we were declared as husband and wife I cried and she cleared my tears. I whispered to her that I was in pain. She opened the tiny purse she carried and handed me one of my prescription pills. Even then she thought of me. I knew then I made the right decision.

The elevator doors open and I'm pleasantly shocked that the floor has been returned to how it looked when my parents owned the business. The luxurious brown leather furniture is back and mannequins showcase the latest designs. Zoe helped me to hire fashion designers who could carry Dad's design legacy. I didn't inherit his artistic skills and I'm better suited to manage the business like Mom did.

The receptionist stands up and smiles when she sees me. I smile back at her and my stomach does a happy flip when the phone rings and she answers with 'good afternoon, thank you for calling Noble House of Fashion'.

"This way, honey," Zoe holds my arm and guides me to one of the meeting rooms.

Daisy opens the door for us and as I enter, people start clapping. I recognize many of my parents old employees, but seems we have acquired many more in the time I was away. They come forward and welcome me back. The ones I don't know introduce themselves. A cake in the shape of the family crest rests on the meeting table. I grab a knife and begin cutting pieces for everyone. This is my business and I'm thankful that they want to work for me.

I feel a small twitch in my leg and that is my sign I need to rest. I grab a chair and sit on it, using the resting moment to eat a piece of the cake myself.

"Do you want to see your office?" Zoe asks. I look at her and hesitate. "I think you should,"

I stand up and follow her again to the elevator. My heart races as we head to the penthouse. The moment I step in the room, I can't believe what I see. The room looks exactly the way my mom left it.

"I had it done from a bunch of photographs I found," Zoe says.

I cup her face and bring her lips to mine.

"I love you so much Zoe,"

"I love you too. Welcome home, Winter,"

THE END