Part 12

"Well, I suppose we should start getting ready for the gala tonight," Nan said, patting Wilkes' hand then getting to her feet. She had been sitting close to him for most of the day, just as she had ever since they had brought him home the day before.

"Do we REALLY have to wear those horribly uncomfortable clothes?" Robert whined.

Clarisse, already on her feet and moving towards Nan's room where the three women were to dress, turned and raised her eyebrows at him, giving him 'the Look' which Robert and Joseph both knew well. She didn't have to say a word.

Catherine hid her grin at Robert's grumbling. The three men were going to change in Joseph's room. The rented tuxedos were hanging in the closet there, with Wilkes'. The dresses the women had bought a few days earlier had been delivered to the Plaza that morning, and they had been hurried into Nan's room before the men could see them. All three women had gone to Vincent that afternoon, and had surprised the men by reappearing with similar hairdos, making them look even more alike than they normally did.

Nan's hair had been trimmed and was up in a smooth, sleek French pleat and decorated with hairpins sparkling with diamonds and rubies. She had earrings and a necklace to match, lying in her jewellery box, all of which Wilkes had given her that year for Christmas ... an extravagant gift that still took her breath away whenever she thought of them. Clarisse and Catherine both appeared with hairpieces, adding elaborate braids and soft coils to their upswept short hair. Clarisse's accessories were diamond and amethyst, and Catherine's were pearl and sapphire.

At that moment, the doorbell rang ... a long, continuous ring.

"That has to be Eloise," Nan said, hurrying to the door. "What's she doing back so early?" Opening the door, she smiled at the child, "Hello, pet, you're back early! I thought you were away until next week!" Then her gaze sharpened at the tragic look on Eloise's face. "What is it, love? What's the matter?"

"Nanny, Weenie is terribly, terribly sick!" Eloise said. "He's throwing up and his head falls over and wobbles until it's loose, and Maman says the veterinary doctor absolutely isn't there because it's New Year's Eve-y! And we came back because Maman's friends wanted to come to the gala tonight. So I skittered over here as fast as I everly could, hoping that Dr. Catherine could look at Weenie and help him! Can you?" and she looked hopefully at Catherine. Then her eyes widened as she looked at all three women closely. "You all look absolutely DIVINE! What dresses are you wearing tonight? Pink, I hope. Pink is absolutely the bestest and prettiest colour there is! Are you wearing pink?"

All three women shook their heads regretfully. "I'm sorry, Eloise," Catherine added. "I'll look at Weenie ..." and she mouthed 'thank you' to Clarisse who had just whispered 'Eloise's dog!' in her ear, "but I'm not an animal doctor, you know."

Eloise stepped to one side and picked up Weenie who was lying on the floor where she had obviously placed him. The child carried the dog into the suite and put him on the floor in front of Catherine. The dog whined a little, then began to heave, spasms that wracked his body.

"Oh no!" Catherine cried, envisioning the mess about to come on Nan's beautiful rug. She quickly bent down and moved the dog to the hardwood floor, holding him and soothing him. "Oh, where is Sam when I need him?"

"Sam?" inquired Robert, trying to pretend he didn't care one way or another who the mysterious 'Sam' was.

"A very good friend from pre-med years," Catherine said absently, looking in Weenie's mouth and eyes and feeling his nose. "He went on to veterinary school and is practising in Iowa. We keep in touch at Christmas and birthdays ... you know." Weenie was lying limp again now, under Catherine's soothing hands. "Well, it doesn't look like Weenie is TOO bad ..."

"Weenie already threw up over absolutely everything in our living room," Eloise said, matter-of-factly. "It was all yucky and lumpy ... like smushy chocolate fudge. Here's what I like. FIRM chocolate fudge! So does Nanny. I thought Weenie would, too, so I gave him some. He kept wanting more, so I gave him lots. He ate almost the whole box that Sir Wilkes gave me!"

Catherine looked up in surprise. "You gave Weenie candy?"

"Lots and lots," nodded Eloise.

"I expect that's the problem with him, then." Catherine said, getting to her feet. "How do YOU feel when you eat a whole box of candy at once?"

"When Nanny and I did it last Christmas, we just had to lie flat on the floor and groan!" Eloise sighed. "Oh my Lord, that hurt!"

The adults laughed even as Nan flushed. "It wasn't JUST the candy we ate, Eloise!" she reminded the child, "We had had much too much turkey, too, for Lord's sake!"

"Well," Catherine said, gingerly picking up the dog and handing him back to Eloise, "I suspect that's how Weenie feels. He'll probably be better tomorrow, if you let him sleep and don't give him ANYTHING to eat until he is better. Just water to drink."

"Thank you, Dr. Catherine! I absolutely KNEW you could help! See you at the party later!" and Eloise skipped out the door.

O o O o O o

When the men were finished dressing and ready to head back to the living room, Robert said grumpily, "We look like a flock of damned penguins!"

"Three is hardly a flock. Isn't the word 'gaggle'?" asked Wilkes, absently rubbing the shoulder where the pacemaker had been implanted, and wincing a little. He was feeling so much better now, though, than he had felt for, well, quite a few months! If only he had gone to the doctor when this first started! He might not have worried Nan so much. Now she was almost over-protective of him, although he was loving all the attention she gave him. However, she was still wary of 'stimulating' him very much. Wilkes hoped to get a chance to talk to Catherine tonight, if he could find the courage, and ask if such 'stimulation' were as harmful as Nan feared! Certainly she would have an opinion on that subject! Catherine had already told Nan that alcohol wasn't a stimulant, so Wilkes COULD have a drink or two ... although, as always, IN MODERATION! Yes, he MUST ask Catherine about this other. Tonight.

"It's a gaggle of geese. I don't think it's a gaggle of penguins. Maybe it's a horde?" Joseph suggested, checking his tie in the mirror one last time.

"I wouldn't say three is a horde, except our three women! THEY can be like a bloody horde of elephants, stampeding over all of us, making us dance to their tune," Robert mumbled, running the comb through his hair one last time. Then he looked at Wilkes and Joseph standing by the door, and down at himself before sighing. "We're just ... just three damned penguins! Let's go. Did I ever mention that I hate dressing up and I'm not crazy about dancing?"

O o O o O o

Clarisse looked at the other two when they were dressed, and she smiled. "Better," she nodded. "MUCH better."

Nan's eyes were almost teary as she whispered, "I can't believe you two would do this for me ..."

"Do what?" Catherine looked puzzled. She adjusted the neckline of the royal blue dress she was wearing.

"The dresses ... your hair ..." Nan tried to smile, but it was wobbly. "You make me feel ... as beautiful as you ..."

Both Catherine and Clarisse instantly converged on her and gave her a hug, careful not to wrinkle the breathtakingly-beautiful crimson dress she had on. "You ARE as beautiful. All three of us are ... tonight, especially!"

Then, still with her left arm around Nan's waist, Clarisse turned the three of them to the mirrored doors, and indicated their reflections. Tucking an almost non-existent strand of hair behind her right ear and, after studying her dark lavender dress critically, she smiled and said, "Look at us. We're doing the men proud tonight."

"I just hope Joseph isn't too disappointed when he finds out we're not planning to go downstairs to the gala," Catherine said. "I know Robert isn't looking forward to it, so he'll be ecstatic, and Wilkes is probably just putting on a show about being willing to go, but doesn't Joseph enjoy fancy affairs? I mean, you seem to attend them often enough, from what you've said."

"He won't mind," Clarisse smiled, "especially if I promise to reward him later ..." and she laughed, her eyes sparkling every bit as much as the jewels she wore.

"They should ALL be rewarded later," Nan murmured, then turned anxious eyes to Catherine. "That is, if you are sure, sure, SURE it won't hurt Wilkes!"

"Nan, I am sure, sure, sure," Catherine said sincerely, patting her friend's hand. "Besides, the extra surge of adrenaline is a very good painkiller!"

"And Robert will be suitably rewarded too? Maybe we'll light a thousand candles ... and you'll accept his proposal? Or even do as the two of us did and ask HIM?" Clarisse asked slyly.

"Aoww, my stars, stars, stars!" Nan stared. "You STILL haven't, Catherine? But you LOVE him ... and he loves you!"

"I ... I have to wonder if love is always enough. What about my responsibilities ...?" she broke off when she saw Clarisse's expression. "All right," she said, hurriedly, "forget the responsibilities. But what about Robert's children? A second marriage for their father ... so soon after their mother dies ..."

"But she was sick for a number of years, wasn't she?"

"She became much worse just in the last few months, I understand," Catherine said. "Anyway, I hear them out in the living room. We should probably go out and break the news that we're having our own private New Year's Eve party up here in the suite." She was anxious to turn the conversation away from the subject of her possibly marrying Robert. She wanted to marry him, oh, she WANTED it ... but despite Clarisse's words about the responsibility she had to herself, she still couldn't quite get past what others might think.

"Then let's go, go, go!" Nan said.

O o O o O o

When the three women stepped out into the living room, the men who had been restlessly pacing all stopped dead and stared at them in silence. Nan flushed a little under the scrutiny, but her eyes anxiously sought Wilkes', and at his obvious admiration, she lifted her chin and almost preened.

Joseph finally broke the silence. "Beautiful," he said huskily, looking at Clarisse, then Nan, then Catherine. "Just beautiful. But," he added, "you're making us late!" Clarisse smiled and opened her mouth to speak, but Joseph anticipated her response, "And even though you think it's just everyone else that is early, there are occasionally times when you're wrong ... and LATE!"

"In this case, Joseph," Clarisse said, stepping up and touching his cheek lightly, "I am not wrong. We are not late." The doorbell rang again, and although the men looked surprised, the women did not. "In fact, I believe," Clarisse continued, looking at the clock, "that this is five minutes early."

Nan crossed to the door, saying, "You're right, Clarisse, he IS early."

"He?" the men echoed.

But Nan had opened the door, and a smiling Bill came in, steering a trolley. "Here it is, Nanny! Sorry, I know I'm a little early, but the gala's almost ready to start, and I'm working it. Good to see you back, Sir Wilkes, and looking healthier and handsomer than ever! Ladies and gentlemen, Happy New Year!"

"It WILL be a happy New Year, William, for sure, sure, sure!" Nan smiled.

Bill kissed her cheek. "And you, of all people, deserve it, Nanny! You are positively radiant, tonight! In fact, you ALL are! You're SURE you three aren't triplets?"

Clarisse and Catherine chuckled along with Nan. "We're sure, William," said Nan, and Bill left, once again wishing them all a Happy New Year.

"Er, you're not REALLY sisters, are you? TRIPLETS? I mean, it's not a possibility at all?" Robert still looked stunned as his gaze passed from one woman to the other.

"No," said Nan as all three shook their heads. "Definitely not sisters. No blood relation at all!"

"No blood relation, but sisters related by chance and by choice ... as friends," Catherine said.

"Friends and sisters forever," Clarisse added.

Wilkes stepped up to Nan, taking her hands in his, then looking at all the others in the room. "Right! We are ALL friends forever, by chance and by choice, as Catherine said. Friends of the heart. And it WILL be a happy New Year for us all." He kissed Nan's hands.

"I THOUGHT we were going to a party!" Robert spoke querulously, but his eyes danced. "I got all dressed up and EVERYTHING. Don't make me cry with all this sentiment you're flinging about! I have my makeup to think about!"

The women, who had all been blinking back their tears, began to laugh at that. "Oh, Robert," Catherine said, running her hand down his arm and thinking privately that he was incredibly handsome and irresistible dressed in a tuxedo.

"Actually," Nan said, "We talked it over and decided ..."

"To have our own party HERE instead of downstairs!" Joseph finished, a huge smile on his face. "RIGHT?"

"REALLY?" Wilkes and Robert questioned, disbelievingly. Then big smiles crossed their faces as well. "RIGHT!"

Robert's hand immediately went to his tie to rip it off, but Catherine caught it. "Ah, ah, ah. We stay dressed for THIS party, Robert!"

"Damn," he muttered, but the gladness in his face was unmistakable.

"I'm glad none of you are disappointed," Clarisse said.

"Not at all!" Wilkes sounded grateful indeed. He sat down on the couch, and Nan promptly sat beside him, clinging to his arm.

"We ordered food and drinks," she said. "That's what William brought up. And we have CDs for music so we can dance here, light the fire and some candles ..." She glanced at Catherine and winked at that. "and watch the television to see the ball drop in Times Square."

O o O o O o

At five minutes to twelve, Nan slipped out of Wilkes' arms and shut off the CD player, turning on the television in its place. Robert, Catherine, Clarisse and Joseph all stopped dancing as well and gathered around the trolley that Bill had brought up in order to get another drink. "We have to be ready to toast the New Year!" Robert explained, asking Nan and Wilkes what they would have.

He was pouring Wilkes a glass of wine when Nan suddenly cried out, "The clock is slow! The ball is falling! Quick! Kiss time!" and she lunged for Wilkes and kissed him hard.

Robert fumbled with the bottle, then dropped it, turned and grabbed the woman on his right. On the other side of the trolley, Joseph did the same thing. Catherine and Clarisse were momentarily startled, then both had to struggle not to laugh. They were kissing the wrong man! Both wanted to see how long it would take the men to realize, so neither fought to get away, but rather submitted to the kiss.

In fact, Clarisse slid her hands around Robert under his jacket, and raked her nails down his back, with as much pressure as she could manage. She had wanted to get back at him for quite a while for everything he had said to her the first few days of their time in America!

With a yell, Robert almost flung her away. "What the he ...? CLARISSE! Damn it, why'd you do that? I KNEW it was you!"

"I should hope you didn't know right from the beginning," Clarisse said calmly.

"Damn close," Robert grumbled, "God, my BACK! You CLAWED it!"

Joseph had already released Catherine within moments of touching her lips with his, his words of apology just beginning to be stammered when Robert had yelled. Now he was grinning, and Catherine had tears of laughter in her eyes. Nan and Wilkes were staring at all four of them.

Glaring at Catherine, Robert said, "If you're laughing, I swear ..."

"I told you before that I don't take joy in another's adversity," Catherine reminded him, but she smirked a little as she said it.

"You laughed that time, too!" growled Robert.

"I think you got what you deserved, old man," Joseph slapped him on the back. "That'll teach you to try to horn in on MY territory!"

"Hellcat!" Robert muttered.

"I BEG your pardon? You couldn't possibly be referring to ME, could you?" Clarisse asked, innocently.

"I call 'em like I see 'em," was Robert's response to that. He stalked over to Nan and kissed her quickly on the lips. "Thanks for everything, Nan ... especially for putting up with me for the last few days!"

"Any time, Robert, for sure, sure, sure," Nan beamed at him. Then she added seriously, "And see, Robert, sometimes it's better to follow your heart by listening to what's in other people's hearts."

Robert stared at her, nonplussed. Then Wilkes grabbed his hand. "Robert? Listen to my Nan. Your Catherine is very like her. Marry her, my friend. You'll never regret it!"

"Marry her? MARRY her? What the hell do you think I've been asking her for the last week? SHE WON'T ANSWER ME!" Robert was frustrated beyond belief. "So I'll do it PUBLICLY now!" He turned to Catherine who was watching him closely. "Catherine, please ... will you marry me?"

"Robert, about that ..."

"Dammit, Catherine, I just want you to answer my question!"

"I don't have a pocket for my money in this dress, but if I offered to bet you a thousand dollars that you couldn't guess my feelings, would you know it was just a metaphor for how I feel?" Catherine stepped a little closer to him, her love for him almost palpable.

"Catherine? What are you saying?" Robert was staggered. "Are you really saying what I THINK you're saying?"

"I've decided to live in the real world, where I think it's possible to light a thousand candles and not burn the place down, where it's possible to drive a Jaguar in the winter, AND where a woman sometimes has to take responsibility for her own happiness. So, Robert, will you marry me, to make public and official the relationship we both have wanted since our one special night?"

"Will I ... WHAT? Hell, YES!"

Clarisse, Nan, Joseph and Wilkes all cheered, but Robert and Catherine hardly heard them, wrapped in each other's arms as they were. They were pulled apart shortly, however, Joseph saying there was time for that after the rest had retired for the night. Slightly embarrassed, Robert and Catherine hugged the others, accepting their congratulations. They all toasted the newest couple, then Wilkes' new-found health, then Clarisse and Joseph's retirement, although Clarisse added when they were finished that she still DID have some responsibilities to the people of Genovia.

"And one of them is that I had said I would contact some people with regard to setting up a new Children's Hospital in Pyrus. This probably isn't the time for it, but Catherine, I DO wish you would consider coming to Genovia to organize this for me. We'd love to have you and your expertise, and I do think you'd be the best person for the job! Please think about coming."

"Come on your honeymoon and check it out," Joseph grinned, wringing Robert's hand. "Don't let Catherine even THINK about coming without you! Come and be MARRIED there! Don't think I'm going to miss your wedding ... not after we were here for the proposal and the acceptance of it!"

"You'll LOVE Genovia, for sure, sure, sure," Nan added to Catherine who was still wide-eyed at Clarisse's offer. "It's a beautiful country. And you'll get to meet everyone ... even Charlotte and Shades! Oh, my Lord, you could help Clarisse get them together!"

"IF we come," Catherine spoke a little dazedly, but firmly, "you and Wilkes have to come, too. I'm not going to a strange country only knowing three other people ... even if one IS the former queen!"

Robert looked at Wilkes and Joseph. "You'd let those three loose on an unsuspecting COUNTRY? They may not really be sisters, but they're so damn much alike it's SCARY!"

"That's why you have to be there, too. We need one man per woman to keep her in line." Joseph said solemnly.

"Excuse me? You're not speaking about US, are you?" Clarisse asked, her eyebrows raised.

Joseph put his arm around her. "I think Robert and Catherine are eager to be alone. And I was wondering if perhaps you could be persuaded to repeat your dancing and singing of a few days ago ... a private performance, you understand, wearing nothing but the tinsel you hold in your hands and wrap around your body!"

Clarisse's eyes widened in shock even as Robert and Wilkes laughed.

"I'll second that!" Wilkes said. "Especially since I missed the first time! Nan? Could I perhaps persuade YOU to do a similar private performance?"

"WILKES!" Nan gasped, horrified, her face flushing vividly. "Your HEART!"

"Catherine? We can grab some tinsel off the tree ..." Robert grinned. "We might even be agreeable to sharing some with Clarisse and Nan."

The women looked at each other, then at the men, then laughed. "Why not?" Nan said.

"We sisters have to stick together!" Clarisse agreed.

"Bonded not by blood but by heart and spirit!" added Catherine.

The three, much to the men's surprise and delight, went to pull the tinsel from the tree before Nan and Wilkes vanished into their room and locked the door, and Joseph and Clarisse disappeared into their room, also locking the door, leaving Robert and Catherine alone ... finally.

"Happy New Year ... Robin," Robert said, his arms around the woman he loved more than he had ever dreamt possible. He saw the need that turned her eyes a smokey blue, and crushed her close.

As Catherine's lips neared his, she murmured, "Happy New Year ... Charlie."

He kissed her swiftly, then deeply. The taste and scent of touch of Catherine herself eclipsed all else. Never again could he fathom mistaking another for her. Catherine's world tilted. She loved this man, and wanted him in her arms and in her heart. She wanted the white-hot need that sprang between them with a desperation that almost stunned her. Their love burned intensely as they united, celebrating a bond that could never be broken, a love that was truly the greatest of all.

O o O o O o

From the New York News – Royalty Watch ...

Queen Clarisse X 3!

Queen Clarisse of Genovia has been spending

the week between Christmas and New Year's

together with her two sisters, Lady Nan of the

Plaza Hotel here in New York City and Dr.

Catherine Howard of Connecticut, a noted

cardiologist. It has been revealed that the

mystery man the Queen was so concerned

about since their arrival in America is, in fact,

the queen's brother-in-law and Lady Nan's

husband, Sir Wilkes, who is presently in the

hospital recuperating from a massive heart

attack incurred Christmas Day. New York

City has been privileged to have welcomed

three such important personages as these

enchanting triplets, all of them distinguished

in her own right, yet all of them so much

alike that cases of mistaken identity could

potentially ...

(Article continued on Page A3)

Genovia's Next Princess?

Is the Genovian monarchy in danger of being

over-run by Americans? The possible

illegitimate great-grand-daughter of Queen

Clarisse of Genovia is living openly here in

New York City near the queen's sister,

Lady Nan, and the child calls Lady Nan

'Nanny' which, as everyone knows, is

another form of 'grandmother'. It IS

conceivable that Lady Nan IS the

grandmother, but the child refers to the

queen as Nanny as well, witnesses noted.

The present Genovian queen, Queen

Amelia, was born and raised in San

Francisco, never setting foot in Genovia

until her sixteenth year. The monarchy

could be contemplating allowing the

New York princess to be groomed as

the NEXT queen of the small European

country which ...

(article continued on Page C8)

THE END!