CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 32

“You know you don’t have to take me with you, right?” Ingrid asked.

“Well, I think now is a good time to formally introduce you to them as my girlfriend. It should also help my father understand that it would be a very good time for him to stop trying to set me up with other people,” Elin told her. “Plus, my mom asked to meet you.”

“Your mom has met me,” Ingrid pointed out.

“Not as the woman who’s dating her daughter,” Elin replied. “Sorry, but in my world, the whole meet-the-parents thing happens pretty early in relationships. Usually, you’d even be introduced by the parents.”

“Elin, I don’t mind meeting your parents. I just know you wanted to talk to your dad tonight.”

“And I will.” Elin took her hand. “I just have that formal reception for the ambassadors tomorrow night, so I won’t be able to see you. Then, I’m back in St. Rais for that charity thing for Palmer’s organization.”

Ingrid nodded solemnly, and Elin kissed Ingrid’s palm.

“You know I’d take you with me if I could.”

“I do.” Ingrid smiled softly. “I have to work anyway.”

“Once we tell people about us, you’ll be my official escort to everything I have to attend.”

“Oh, I guess I will be,” Ingrid said, seemingly realizing it at the same time.

“You hadn’t thought about that?”

“No, I was your secretary, so I got used to either not being there at all or being behind the scenes. Will I have to dress up?”

Elin laughed, kissed her cheek, and said, “Yes, but we’ll take care of that.”

“I hate formal wear.”

“You think I like it?”

“You look so good in it, though,” Ingrid replied.

“I do?”

“You always looked like a Disney princess to me,” Ingrid admitted. “I also really like when you’re comfortable, though. I’ve loved sleeping next to you, getting to see you in your pajamas and when you wake up in the morning with messy hair.”

“Shut up,” Elin said through her laughter.

The car pulled up to her parents’ new residence, and the door was opened for them. Elin got out first and held her hand there for Ingrid to take. She did, and Elin smiled as Ingrid stepped out of the car, looking gorgeous in a plain-black dress. Of course, she had a coat on over it, but Elin knew what that dress looked like on her underneath, and Ingrid looked beautiful.

“Hi, honey,” her mother greeted when she opened the door.

“Hi, Mom,” Elin replied, letting go of Ingrid’s hand to hug her mother.

“Hello, Ingrid,” her mother addressed Ingrid next.

“Your Royal Highness,” Ingrid replied with a bow of her head.

“You didn’t tell her?”

“No, I honestly didn’t think about it,” Elin said and turned to Ingrid. “You can call her Sigrid tonight. You’re here as my girlfriend. My dad is just Hans.”

“Oh, I don’t know if I can do that,” Ingrid replied, smiling shyly.

“You’ll get used to it,” Elin’s mother told her, pulling Ingrid in for a hug. “It’s good to see you, dear.”

“You too, Ma’am.”

Elin rolled her eyes at Ingrid.

“What? You have to at least let me say, ‘Ma’am’ and ‘Sir.’ They’re still your parents, Elin,” Ingrid replied.

“Speaking of your father – he’s in the living room. Let me get your coats.”

“Mom, where’s the staff?” Elin asked.

“We gave them the night off,” she replied. “Security is here, obviously, but they’re all outside. We don’t know the staff here all that well yet, since many of them are new, so we thought it might be safer to not have them here for tonight, just in case. I hope you’ll be okay with my cooking; I’ve been practicing. I’m a little nervous, Ingrid. Your sister is a chef. I’m sure you’re accustomed to good food.”

Elin loved her mother. Sure, they’d had their disagreements and troubles over the years, but how her mother was trying to make Ingrid feel totally at home right now made up for everything. Elin helped Ingrid with her coat and then took off her own.

“I’ll take care of them, Mom,” Elin offered. “You two, go ahead. I’ll be right there.”

Ingrid’s eyes went wide, telling Elin that she shouldn’t take too long. Elin smiled at her in reply, hung up their coats, and followed quickly.

“Hello, Ingrid,” Elin’s father said.

“Hello, Sir,” Ingrid replied.

Elin walked up behind her and placed her hand on the small of Ingrid’s back.

“Dad.”

“Elin, how are you?”

“I’m okay,” Elin said stiffly.

“Very good,” he replied.

“What can I get you two to drink?” her mother asked.

“Bourbon,” her father stated.

“Before dinner?”

“Yes, before dinner,” he said rather gruffly.

“Dad…” Elin warned.

“I’m allowed one drink a day, remember?”

“Yes, but you don’t have to be rude to Mom. I’ll get it, Mom,” she offered, moving to the small wet bar that was set up in the corner. “Ingrid?” she asked.

“Whatever you’re having is fine,” Ingrid replied.

Elin poured her father a bourbon and then a glass of wine each for herself and Ingrid.

“Mom?”

“Just wine for me, please,” she said.

Elin poured another glass of wine before carrying the drinks to Ingrid and her mother. After that, she returned for the other two glasses, handing the one with the bourbon to her father as he sat in his wheelchair. Elin then nodded to Ingrid for her to join her on the sofa, and her mother sat in her usual chair next to her father.

“So, Ingrid, I understand you and Elin are courting.”

“Dad, it’s not called that anymore,” Elin said.

“What would you call it, then?”

“We’re together,” Elin replied.

“You’re not technically together until you come out as a couple,” he argued. “An official royal couple.”

“I know how it works, but it doesn’t change the fact that Ingrid is my girlfriend,” Elin said calmly.

“How about we talk about Ingrid’s new job,” her mother suggested. “Elin tells us you’re working for your father?”

“My stepfather,” Ingrid said.

“Your stepfather?” the former King asked.

“Yes, Sir. My mother remarried when I was very young, so he’s the only father I’ve ever known.”

“And are you enjoying it?” Elin’s mother asked.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“You’d have to quit,” he stated.

“I’m sorry. Sir?” Ingrid took a drink of her wine.

“When you and Elin make it official, you’d have to quit. Royals don’t work in the public sector.”

“Dad…” Elin said.

“Well, it’s the truth.”

“Dad, Ingrid can work whenever and wherever she wants.”

“Eventually, she will have to quit. You’re Queen, Elin. She’d be your Queen Consort. That means she can’t legally work.”

“We’re not married, Dad. This is a moot point.”

“What’s the point of being a couple if you don’t plan on getting married, Elin?”

“Okay… I’m going to go grab the appetizers. Ingrid, would you maybe care to join me in the kitchen?” Elin’s mother said.

“Um…” Ingrid looked over at Elin.

“It’s okay,” Elin told her, smiling.

“We need to discuss these things, Elin. Markus informed me you weren’t interested in talking about what happens if Mari and Erik marry and their children inherit both thrones. He said you were more concerned about Lillian receiving a new title than the future of the–”

“Sir, excuse me for saying so, but you do not need to discuss these things,” Ingrid interrupted.

Elin’s eyes went wide in shock as she looked at her girlfriend.

“Elin is the Queen of Norway. She is under no obligation to discuss matters of state with you. And for you to presume that by talking to Markus, you know what’s on Elin’s mind is… Well, Sir, it’s foolish of you.”

No one said anything for a moment. Elin looked from Ingrid to her mother to her father and then back to Ingrid, who appeared more than frustrated and maybe bordering on anger. Then, Elin’s mother stood up.

“Maybe we should give them a minute alone, after all, Ingrid. Would you join me in the kitchen?”

“Of course, Ma’am,” Ingrid replied, seeming to lose some of her anger and standing up.

Elin loved her. She had loved Ingrid for a long time now, but just hearing her put herself out there with Elin’s father, who was a former King and someone Ingrid had worked with for years, made Elin love her more. Ingrid had said all of that not just to the former monarch but also to her girlfriend’s father. That might even mean more to Elin. She watched as Ingrid followed her mother into the kitchen and realized that Ingrid was right about what she’d said. And she’d just given Elin the confidence she needed to say these things to her father.

“Dad, you’re being rude to Mom, rude to me, and rude to Ingrid,” Elin told him.

“I am not.”

“You don’t think I know you’d rather still be King? You don’t think I know that while you say you’re proud of Christian and proud of me, you’d still rather it be him instead of me right now? I know that, Dad. And I also know that you’re okay with me being gay until we start talking about the world knowing. You’re okay with me being married until we discuss the fact that I don’t want children. You’re worried about the stability of the monarchy with me at the head of it, but here I am, and I am who I am. I won’t change for you or for anyone. You keep talking to Markus, feeding him policy and information you expect me to listen to, but you’re not in charge anymore, Dad. You could come to me with your thoughts, but you don’t. You told me you’d mentor me, and you don’t. You just sit here and sulk. You’re angry at the situation, and you’re taking it out on the rest of us, but I won’t sit here and let you talk to me or to Ingrid like planning for some event far off into the future is more important than you meeting the first woman I’ve ever brought home to my parents.” Elin paused to catch her breath. “Dad, I love her. I want all those things you mentioned with her. I brought her here as your daughter, not as the sovereign. But I am the sovereign. I’ll leave with her right now, too, if you can’t agree to at least be civil. Act like a normal father tonight, please. Just ask her about growing up or places she wants to travel to someday, not about quitting her job because she’s in a relationship with me. Can you do that just for one night? For me, Dad?”

He considered this for a moment, took a drink of his bourbon, and nodded.

“Good. I love you. You’re going to get through this, okay?”

“This is harder than I thought it would be, Elin,” he admitted.

“I know, Dad.”

“No, honey, you can’t know. And I hope you never know what this is like. I was supposed to die. My son was supposed to assume the throne. You were supposed to have whatever life you wanted. None of that has happened, and it’s my fault.”

“Dad, I do have the life I wanted,” Elin replied, smiling softly at him.

He looked at her, confused.

“I don’t think I knew it until after it all happened, but I like being Queen. I can make a difference. I want to make a difference. I want Christian to have the life he wants. I know this won’t make sense to most people, but I am his twin. I can feel his happiness, Dad. He’s doing what he loves, and he’s fallen in love with Amalie. I’m going to make Lillian The Princess Royal because she deserves the title. She’s taken on more work recently, and she’s prepared to take over for me. She’s accepted her responsibility. Even Mari is happier. She’s in love, and she’s going to business school next year, which is what she’s always wanted.” Elin looked toward the closed kitchen door. “Dad, I’m in love. I don’t know how it happened, but Ingrid wants to be with me – Queen and all – and I am happy.”

Her father’s eyes welled with tears.

“You didn’t mess anything up,” Elin told him. “Don’t start now, okay? Mom loves you. Don’t push her away. I love you. Stop interfering, and I’ll come here. We can talk about this stuff like two adults with the same goal: a successful and happy Norway.”

“I love you, too,” he replied. “And I am proud of you.”

She nodded and said, “Thank you.”

“I think I’ll save the rest of this bourbon for after dinner.”

Elin laughed and watched as Ingrid and her mother walked hesitantly back into the room carrying two trays of food.

“Well? Were we gone long enough?” her mother asked.

“Yes,” her father replied. “I owe you both an apology.”

Ingrid set the tray she’d been carrying down on the table. Elin placed one hand on the small of Ingrid’s back and the other on Ingrid’s thigh, making sure Ingrid knew she could sit as close as she wanted or needed to.

“I’m sorry, Sir. I–”

“No, Ingrid, you were right. Elin and I talked, and tonight, she’s my daughter first, and I’m her father. You’re her girlfriend, and I apologize to you.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Ingrid said, taking Elin’s hand on her thigh and squeezing it.

“So, where are some places you’d like to travel one day?” he asked.

Elin just burst into laughter.