Dinner at Gwen’s favorite restaurant was normally something Danny looked forward to, but after screwing things up with Josephine¸ he would have rather been at home sulking.
“So, she hasn’t returned any of your calls?” Daniella’s husband, Ricky, asked as he stuffed himself with garlic bread.
“Nope! I should have known when she pretty much bolted out of there.” Danny grumbled, feeling sorry for himself as he speared his spinach ravioli.
“Why are you already losing hope? The way she looked at you, the way you looked at each other? I refuse to believe that it’s already over between you just because you asked a few questions.” Daniella glared at her brother, willing him to have a little more faith than that.
“You weren’t there. She looked so upset after I mentioned it and then she got that text message and it was game over, man!”
“Uncle Danny, Christmas time is when miracles happen. You just have to believe.” Gwen said as she dipped her French fries into her grisly ketchup and maple syrup concoction. Danny smiled lovingly at his niece.
“You know something, Gwenny-bear, you’re pretty smart for a four year old.” He said tickling her sides.
“I’m not four, I’m eight” She giggled loudly, instantly brightening Danny’s mood. He sat back up in his seat and glanced out of the large window that they sat beside.
“Look, it’s Josephine!” He exclaimed excitedly, motioning out to the sidewalk where Josephine was engaged in a heated discussion with an older, burly gentleman with dark mahogany skin. They both seemed out of place for Bridgeville in all its small town glory. Their clothing was both expertly tailored, him in a Herringbone charcoal gray three piece suit while Josephine’s plum colored dress coat obscured most of her attire, her matching stilettos gleaming in the sunlight.
“I wonder how she got her hair into that chignon. It looks absolutely flawless. Not a single hair is out of place, even this wind.” Daniella said in awe.
“I can’t believe she’s just standing not even 50 feet away, right after you guys lectured me about not giving up.” Danny muttered, still watching the two interact.
“See we were right, but maybe you should call her later. She seems a little busy.” Daniella warned, craning her neck to get a better view.
“She might need help. He could be some creep following her or something. She's really laying into him by the looks of it.” Danny pushed his seat backwards and stood up.
“I'll be right back. Stay here.”
He marched out into the blustery December afternoon and hurried over to where the two figures still stood. Although the man towered over Josephine by over a foot, she didn't seem at all wary. The closer Danny got to them, the more snippets of conversation he caught.
“He has sold me, Oliver. Like livestock to the highest bidder.”
“Josephine, he simply thinks this is the best thing for you right now.”
“The best thing for me? How kind. Who is it to be then? Is he a pig farmer in Bulgaria or is it worse?” She chuckled, humorlessly.
“Josephine, please calm down.”
“I am calm, Oliver. I am saddened, though, that he didn’t even tell this news to me. He told it to you to pass the message along. It’s my life that he’s plotting out and he can’t even spare me a phone call?”
“You have to understand, your father is under a lot of pressure and perhaps his decision leaves a lot to be desired.”
“Precisely, what I think! So I’ll need you to arrange a phone call with him. As soon as possible, Oliver!”
“Josephine! Hey! Are you okay?” Danny called out as he stepped in front of her. Her face was twisted in a tortured look of fury and hurt, but at the sight of him and at the sound of his voice, a relieved smile instantly replaced the deep frown. Her anger seemed to quickly recede as she closed the space between them.
“Daniel! What are you doing here?” Josephine surprised him by wrapping her arms around his waist in a tight hug, which he returned without hesitation.
“Are you alright? Need me to get rid of him?” He whispered into her hair, as they embraced.
“I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me.” Josephine stepped away from him, suddenly realizing her forwardness in front of Oliver. Danny studied her face for any signs of distress.
“Don't apologize, I liked it.” He winked at her and she blushed furiously, her ears reddened at the tips. Oliver cleared his throat loudly.
“Where are my manners? This is Oliver. Oliver, this is the Daniel that I spoke to you about the other day.”
Oliver silently glared at Danny's close proximity as he sized him up.
“Don't mind him. He's always rude. It's very nice to run into you, but where is your coat? It's freezing.”
“Oh, I saw you out here and I thought I'd say hi. We're having an early dinner to celebrate my niece’s ballet recital. We have a table right over there.” Danny pointed to the little family restaurant that stood at the corner of the street. “Come join us.”
“Oh, I would love to but I wouldn't want to impose.” Josephine said politely, as Oliver placed a firm hand at her elbow, attempting to steer her away in the opposite direction.
“No! You won’t be imposing. I would really love it if you would come join us...both of you.” Danny chanced a look at the looming, impassive, face that continued to stare him down with only the occasional blink to suggest that he wasn't some sort of gargoyle.
“Josephine, we don't have time for this. We still have matters to discuss.” Oliver spoke up, looking pointedly at her. She shot him a furiously defiant look.
“Well if you insist, Daniel. Only because you're standing here shivering. Oliver is right, though we cannot stay long.”
The older man gritted his teeth in dismay as Danny smiled gratefully at her and led the way.
––––––––
“Look who's joining us! Josephine and, um, Oliver! You remember Daniella, of course. This is her husband, Ricky, and their daughter, Gwen. We’re here celebrating her successful Christmas ballet recital.” Danny motioned to the little girl who was busy scribbling away in the restaurant supplied coloring books and her Father, an olive toned balding man who sported a handlebar mustache.
“Hey, nice to meet you both! Danny, here can't stop talking about you! I can see why now.” Ricky said as he stuck his hand out to shake. Josephine smiled and shook his hand but Oliver stood behind her like a resentful sentinel.
“Look at her in her little tutu, Oliver! Isn’t she lovely? I took ballet too, when I was your age. I was terrible at it, wasn’t I, Oliver?” Josephine gushed. The man in question barely contained an eye roll.
“Wow, you're really pretty!” Gwen said breathlessly in response. Josephine’s face broke in to a bright smile. She curtsied with a dramatic flourish much to Gwen’s ballet enthused delight.
“Nice to see you again, Daniella, you have a beautiful family.”
“Josephine! Thanks for joining us. Are you two hungry? I can get some more menus? Ricky, don't just sit there! Pull up a seat for Josie and her friend. Wait...isn't Oliver your uncle or something like that? He looks more like a bodyguard if you don't mind me saying...Sorry, Oliver.” Daniella offered up a rueful smile. Oliver narrowed his eyes at her but Josephine patted his arm in consolation.
“No, we've already eaten, thank you. And Oliver is both, really.”
“Who is this Josie person?” Oliver whispered harshly into Josephine's ears. His deep, booming voice carried nevertheless.
“Josie is her nickname. I gave it to her yesterday.” Daniella informed him, eyeing him shrewdly. Oliver looked back and forth at the two women, completely outraged at the thought.
“You will cease to address her as such, Madam.”
“Oliver, please. It's alright.” Josephine interceded in a tone that suggested she had to deal with this outburst more times than she cared for.
“No it isn't. You are addressing her highness, Princess Josephine Angela Wilhelmina Charlotte Von Hassperg, daughter of King Constantin the Eighth. Please do not attempt to shorten her name again.”
The entire table froze in shock at Oliver's words, except for Josephine, who looked mortified. Gwen broke the silence first.
“Whoa, you're a princess? Like a real live princess? Like Princess Tiana?”
“Honey, she's not really a princess. Oliver is just making a joke.” Daniella murmured, studying Josephine’s reaction.
“Oliver is correct, Gwen.” Josephine averted her gaze from Danny, who made repeated attempts to catch her eye. She’d lose her nerve and bolt out of the restaurant if she did.
“But who is Princess Tiana?” Josephine asked keeping her focus on Gwen. She was stalling for time, knowing it was time to come clean. Especially since she’d spied Daniella typing frantically into her phone from the corner of her eye. She could only assume that she was being Googled.
“She’s only the greatest Disney princess ever. I'll tell you all about her later. Can I ask you another question?” Josephine nodded. She didn't want to look at the faces of the other adults at the table, so she kept her focus on the sweet little brunette with the messy bun.
“Of course, Gwen! I’m used to being questioned.” She said keeping her tone light. Danny grimaced at the words, knowing she meant them for him.
“If you're a princess, then will you be queen one day?”
“That's a good question, Gwen. I can't wait to hear the answer.” Daniella responded, not bothering to look up from the screen she was studying intently. Danny looked around in complete shellshock, while Ricky refocused on the steak before him.
“I am fifteenth in line to the throne. Therefore, I will more than likely never become queen.”
“That’s okay being queen is probably hard. Princesses are cooler, anyway. Do you live in a castle? Where is your castle? Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“I don't live in a castle. I live in a very nice house, though, in Austria, where I was born. I'm the only child from the union of my father and his seventh and final wife, Queen Angela; however, I have fourteen siblings in total from his previous marriages.”
“Fourteen! Then why did you say you wished you had a sister?” Daniella butted in again, this time actually looking up to cast an accusing glare Josephine’s way.
“Fourteen sons. I'm his only daughter and youngest child.” Josephine explained. Her eyes wandered over to Danny's. She expected to see disbelief or even betrayal in his eyes, but instead, he looked just as enamored by her as he did the day before. He winked when he caught her gaze and she felt lighter.
“Oh wow! That's a lot of brothers. Danny, you have some work cut out for you. Better start taking some boxing classes to defend yourself. I bet they fall all over themselves trying to play your protectors whenever you bring a guy home, right?” Daniella teased, but Josephine's eyes clouded over with an unknown emotion.
“Unfortunately, we are not close. I was born long after many of them had married or were in the late stages of courtship, you see...”
But Daniella refused to see regardless of how many dirty looks her husband and brother tried to give her. She knew it was an uncomfortable conversation but since Danny was too smitten to question things, she'd have to play the bad guy for a little while longer, just until Josephine passed her test.
“That's no excuse. In fact, that should have made them more protective of you.” she insisted, looking directly into Josephine's eyes.
“Gwen baby, here's five dollars. Go play at the arcade that's near the bathrooms, where I can see you.” Her daughter didn't bat an eye as snatched the money out of her mother's hands and zigzagged her way to the back of the restaurant. Josephine waited until Gwen was out of earshot before answering.
“I wish that were the case, but I only saw them on the occasions where we needed to interact.”
“Your mother should have made them.”
“She died in childbirth. And I was the remaining byproduct of his highly controversial marriage to a commoner. Albeit, from one of Benin's oldest political and financial dynasties.” Josephine explained with the practiced ease of someone who’d had to repeat something often.
“Oh. I'm sorry.” Daniella glanced bashfully at Danny and Ricky, who shot her judging looks.
“It’s fine. In any case, my brothers are very traditional aristocrats. From the very color of my skin to my mother's death, I embody everything untraditional to them. Or so I was told in the most diplomatic terms, of course.”
“I bet your father dotes on you, especially since you’re the only girl.”
“Yes.” Josephine whispered gloomily, with a faraway look in her eyes. Danny, sensing her mood plummeting further, reached out and squeezed her hand in consolation. She smiled gratefully in return.
“Please tell me he didn't blame you for her death.”
“Oh, of course not. We were very close. Everyone said he favored me over my brothers.”
“Were? What do you mea-?” Daniella tried to inquire before her brother cut her off.
“Okay, that's enough, Daniella. I think you interrogated Josephine enough. I'm sorry I even let it go on so long.”
“Fine, I'm sorry Josephine. I adore you, okay? I even Googled you to see if you were telling the truth, which you were, but I just need to make sure my brother can trust you.”
“I understand. I appreciate your candor.”
“Good, now I'll interrogate Oliver here instead.” She announced spinning around to face the man in question.