The Call

Margaret just entered the taxi when Fatima’s cell phone beeped. It was a message from Stan.

Call me when you arrived at Cusina.

She felt she needed to inform him that Fatima left her cellphone. So she dialed Stan’s number, and the latter accepted the call immediately.

“Do I really need to text you before you call me?” Stan asked.

Margaret smiled. “Sir, this is Margaret.”

Stan paused for a while, obviously surprised. “Where’s Tim?”

“Ma’am Tim forgot her cell phone, Sir. I’m bringing it to her now.”

She heard him let out a sigh of relief. Margaret smiled again.

“Thanks, Marga. Please text me when you see her. And, tell her to call me.”

“Yes, Sir. I will.”

As Margaret put back the cell phone in her bag, she realized that her decision to follow Fatima to give her the cell phone has been right. Never mind the dinner. There has been a lot of times that her boss has bought dinner for her. This is just one time she needs to sacrifice for her very generous boss.

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Astrid introduced Prince Samuel to everyone. The last one the prince met was Auguste, and everyone became silent as they wait if Astrid will say the real deal between her and Auguste. But no, she just introduced him like anyone else, making the mood quite awkward if only not for the amicable demeanor of the prince.

“Astrid has said a lot of things about you,” Prince Samuel told everyone as he went to his seat. Everyone waited for him to be seated before they sat down themselves. Prince Samuel noticed that. “Oh! Please don’t do that next time. I am here as Astrid’s fiancé. This is not my country, and you are not my subjects.”

“This is very surreal! To meet a real-life prince. Your Highness, it is an honor to meet you,” Iñigo said.

“The pleasure is mine,” Prince Samuel said. “Although I would like for you to address me with my name only, protocol dictates that you have to address me with the proper honorifics. Sorry, have to follow rules.”

“It’s okay, Your Highness... Majesty... What should I call you?” Iñigo asked.

That made Prince Samuel laugh. “Whatever you prefer.”

Everyone smiled at the exchange between the two, though they still remained quiet because of the issue between Auguste and the royal couple.

“So, Prince Samuel, what does Astrid call you?” That was Iñigo again. It seems that among the group, he is the most enthusiastic when it comes to dealing with the prince.

“Love.” Prince Samuel then looked at Astrid, who smiled at him.

“Uh! That is so sweet,” Iñigo said. “Isn’t it?” He looked at his friends.

Who just stared at him and remained silent. Astrid and the prince noticed that.

“If you may, I would like to address the elephant in the room,” Prince Samuel said, before looking at Auguste. “Astrid told me everything.”

Everyone was surprised at what Prince Samuel said, but they can never be as shocked as Auguste. He gaped at the prince as the royal smiled kindly and apologetically at him.

“I know your history with her. Honestly, if we will be more accurate about it, I was one of the reasons that you two broke up.”

“Sam...” Astrid held Prince Samuel’s arm.

The royal smiled as he held Astrid’s hand on his arm. “I want to apologize for that, Auguste. I'm sorry for what I have caused you in the past. I know it has been a long time already, but those kinds of pain do not leave a person immediately. I know I don’t have the right to ask your forgiveness, but I hope you can find it in your heart to do so. I am asking you this not as the crown prince of Xeglington, but as a man in love with Astrid.”

Charlotte and Stella were touched by what Prince Samuel said, making them adore him even more. Josiah and Iñigo were impressed as well, with the latter smirking as he looked at his cousin who obviously looked stunned.

And he is stunned indeed. Auguste did not expect anything that Prince Samuel just said. He didn’t expect that this will happen. What he expected was for him to be secretly sulking as he watches them become lovey-dovey with each other. But here he is now, trying to absorb in his mind the apology that the royal just recited in front of him.

And finally, Fatima. She was also shocked, yes, but eventually felt kind of distressed about the situation. She was ready to help Auguste face the enemy, be his wingman, his back up and side kick if need be. That's how much she cares about her long-time friend. But here they are listening to the apology of the good-natured prince who seems so honest and sincere. Why does the antagonist need to be this kind?

But in the end, it was Auguste’s call. He is the one being questioned. He is the one that needs to react. And, what else can he say? He was faced with an enemy that is so hard to defeat. No, it’s not because he is a prince and he has two bodyguards standing by at the hut’s entrance. Who knows, maybe more bodyguards are scattered around the restaurant.

But the real reason why the prince seems unbeatable is his humility. He is a prince, but it did not prevent him from apologizing to a commoner, whatever bloodline is circulating inside Auguste’s veins. He is still a commoner, an almost-royal who just happened to be quite affluent.

“There’s nothing to apologize about,” Auguste finally said. “You said it yourself. It was in the past now. We should move on already.”

Prince Samuel smiled. “Thank you, Auguste.”

Auguste smiled, but Fatima knows it is just skin deep. She held his hand under the table and gave it a consoling squeeze. She felt him squeeze her hand back, as if saying ‘thank you’ to her.

“Yeah! Everyone has moved on already,” Iñigo said. “Auguste has moved on. Right, Cousin?”

It was one thing to deal with the prince, and another to answer Iñigo’s tirades. Auguste suddenly felt agitated, like his temper is about to worsen. Good thing Fatima was there to speak for him.

“Of course! He actually managed to get a Cinderella of his own, remember?”

“Oh yeah!” Charlotte chimed in. “I remember that post in the Elite group.”

“But it was immediately taken down,” Stella said.

“It seems like Cousin here is quite shy about his new girl.” Iñigo looked at Auguste mockingly.

“It’s not something that needs special attention,” Auguste said. “It’s not like I'm dating a princess from a royal family.” He immediately realized what he just said. He looked at Prince Samuel and Astrid. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“It’s okay,” Prince Samuel said. “Right?” He looked at Astrid, who smiled at him. Astrid then smiled at Auguste.

Who looked down because of embarrassment. “It’s just that, she’s a very private person. And we just met, and I'm not sure if she’s ready for such attention.”

“How sweet of you!” Charlotte commented.

“So, what’s her name?” Stella asked.

“Yeah! Where is she from?” Charlotte asked with excitement.

Auguste looked at his two girl friends. “Marga. She's from Gerona.”

“You seem to know a lot about her already,” Josiah said. “I’m guessing you kind of hit it off immediately?”

“She... she’s a very interesting person.” Auguste meant that. To him Marga is really someone he wants to get to know more. That thought made him smiled unconsciously.

“That smile means something.”

Auguste looked at Prince Samuel. Again, he has that kind smile on his face.

“So, you started getting to know about her?” Iñigo asked. “What does she do? Where does she work?”

Auguste was not able to answer Iñigo. The latter might have sensed his troubles and is about to smirk mockingly at him again. If only Fatima did not speak.

“She works for me.”

Everyone looked at Fatima.

“She is my executive assistant. A very efficient one, I must say. I would totally lose it in the office it not because of her.”

Auguste gave her a grateful look, and Fatima smiled at him as if saying that she got his back.

“She seems like a very interesting person,” Prince Samuel said. “I would love to meet her some time.” He looked at Astrid.

“Of course,” the latter said. She then looked at Auguste. “You could invite her to our engagement party.”

“Yes,” Prince Samuel agreed. “She can be your date to the party.”

“But the question is, will Auguste attend the party?” Iñigo suddenly asked.

Everyone looked at Auguste as they wait for his reply.

“Excuse me!”

The group’s attention shifted to the entrance.

“Yes, who are you?” asked Iñigo.

“Marga...”

Everyone looked at Auguste who is now standing up, looking straight to the woman whose eyes are also fixated at him.