When I woke up the morning, the Queen aka my grandmother was gone. My mom stood in the kitchen cooking up a storm. It all looked so normal. Not like we just had royalty in the building. She hadn't noticed me yet, so I took the time to look at her. my mom was a petite five foot nothing with thick dark curly hair and almond eyes. Her caramel skin shined in the sunlight from the window. She was still in her bathrobe and she moved briskly around the kitchen.
I had known this woman all my life and she couldn't keep a secret to save my life and yet she had kept this one buried deep somewhere. This one just happened to be huge. I was a fucking princess. Little black girl from the ghetto, or so I thought. All night I had woken up again and again. My mind unable to let me rest. I had gone through so many scenarios in my mind and none of them ended with me running some faraway land. All I could think to do was escape.
Looking around my home, the place we had lived for so many years, it was almost laughably small. One large room that served as the living room, dining room, and kitchen. A small bathroom and two bedrooms. This had been my palace for years. I didn't want things to change. Eyeing the door contemplating my escape, I spotted something that made me pause.
"What is that?" I asked, pointing to the three large suitcases lined up by the door. They were not mine. They looked expensive and new.
My mother jumped and turned around, spatula in hand. Her other hand flew to cover her heart as if to calm the beating down. "I didn't hear you come in here. Girl, you almost scared me to death."
I was still looking at the luggage. "Mom," I said slowly, even as my throat tightened. "What is that?"
She followed my line of sight, her eyes landing on the object of my current obsession. Quickly she turned around and removed the pancakes from the pan, before turning around to look at me again. She beckoned me to come to the table in the kitchen. She said nothing but sat and began loading my plate and hers with food. I waited patiently for her answer, even though I already knew.
"Understand Vicki, this is not something you can run from or escape." She started softly. "You are destined for so much more than this. More than you could ever imagine. I robbed you of your chance to be who you really are once. I'm sorry about that. I was selfish and only thinking of my pain. I robbed you of a father and a whole country who will love you forever. Your grandmother is fading. She can't do this much longer. She needs you and your country needs you."
"Please don't tell me that those are my bags."
Teary eyed, she smiled, "They are. You have to go and you have to do what your father would have wanted you to do. He was a great man, Vicki. It would have given him so much pleasure to see you back in LaCresha. It's only right. If you abdicate, you will place hundreds of thousands of people at the will of a man more sinister than you can imagine. He will destroy everything that your ancestors have built for so long. He doesn't believe in diplomacy, he is much more of a monarch. A Duvall has sat on that throne for over three hundred years. Do not give that up."
"How could you keep this from me, mama? This is so messed up and now everybody expects me to just jump on the royal band wagon." I said, picking at my food.
"You have always been who you are, and you don't have to change. Much. You just do what feels right."
"None of this feels right." I grumbled.
"It will get better. You're a natural leader and I'm sure your grandma will teach you everything. Or pay someone to do it. Every girl dreams of being a princess. For you it's a reality."
The more she talked, the more my anxiety set in. I needed to get out of the house. I needed to talk to my friends. I stood and said, "I'll be back."
"Where are you going?"
"To see my friends," I replied.
I stepped out into the hall and came to an abrupt stop. Outside my door were four men, two in front of me and two on each side of the door frame. They wore suits and looked like secret service. I ignored them and started to walk down the hall, only to have them follow me. Was this going to be my life now. As I left the building, I saw three more men outside. They didn't blend in. In fact, they stood out like palm trees in Saint Louis.
When I was almost to Nasha's house, I rounded on my Followers. "Look guys, I understand you're doing a job, but can y'all at least give me fifty feet?"
They looked started and surprised, but one guy was fast to respond. "Sure think Your Royal Princess."
I rolled my eyes and continued to Nasha's. When she opened the door, her eyes flew to my new shadows. She raised an eyebrow with a question.
I pushed past her and plopped on her couch. "Bitch, you will not believe the tea I got to spill."
"I'm all ears, especially if it involves the men in black out there."
"Who else? Call Tori." I said.
*****
"So you like, really a Princess?" Tori asked for like the third time.
Nasha had gotten over her shock and we were moving on, but Tori seemed to be stuck. "Like a princess and he frog, Rapunzel princess. Oh my God, You're just like Rapunzel. She didn't know she was princess either," She continued, and finally shut up only to say, "So you're royalty, wow."
"We already been over this Tori," Nasha said, rolling her eyes to the heavens. "She a real princess and The princess Tiana was not a real princess, she married a prince so that don't count."
"Girl, stop," Tori said, pursing her lips. "You, know what the fuck I mean."
"Guys, Back to the business," I semi yelled, sensing an argument coming on. "What am I going to do?"
"What do you want to do?" Nasha asked. "How do you feel about all this?"
"I feel angry." I hissed. "Naw, I'm pissed. This was never meant for me, y'all. They only came for me because my dad died. I feel bad about that because I feel absolutely no type of way that my father is dead. I don't think my grandma likes me and my mom is already packing my bags. I had a brother y'all and I feel horrible that I'll never know him. I'm all fucked up and I don't want to leave."
They were silent and ass i spilled my guts that had moved closer. Nasha had her arm slung over my shoulder and Tori had grabbed my hand. Man, It felt good to get that off my chest, surrounded by my best bitches.
"Well, I think you need to own this shit. Go to your palace and ball out. Be the best damn princess you can be. You got it in you. Do things your way." Tori said, which was the most helpful thing she had said since getting the news.
"Yeah," Nasha agreed. "It's OK to be angry to, I'd pissed if I found out something like this at the last minute. However, you should also feel blessed boo, you not only found a missing part of yourself, but talk about a major upgrade."
"You got a chance to change so shit. Just don't forget about us or where you came from." Tori said, smiling.
"I could never forget you guys." I said, hugging them both. "Plus, I would love for yall to come to or at least come to visit."
"You already know." Nasha said.
"I'm sorry about your dad and brother," Tori said. I didn't cry when my old dude died either."
"You're going to be fine," Nasha said again. "Now lets find out about LaCresha. I'm sure there is something online."
"Bet," I said as she pulled out a large iPad and began to do research. We all got a crash course in the history of LaCresha.