Loving Henry

We’d been stuck in this freaking elevator for six hours.

“I don’t think I’ve ever talked this much in my life,” I said to him.

“Me neither. I could really go for something to drink. In a few hours, I’m going to be completely dehydrated.”

“I know what you mean. I can barely swallow as it is.”

We chuckled and fell into a comfortable silence.

After a half an hour, he asked, “So, where were you going when you climbed onto this dreadful lift?”

“I was actually on my way to have lunch with my father. He’s going to be so pissed with me…”

“He can hardly blame you for a faulty lift…”

“Knowing my father, he’ll do it anyway. He would probably blame it on my weight or something.”

“That’s fucked up! You barely weigh a thing,” he said, outraged.

“My father thinks all women are too fat. He likes those anorexic runway model types. It was actually a major problem for me, growing up. I saw the stick-figure women that he slept with and thought that maybe if I looked like them, he might want to spend some time with me. He never even noticed how skinny I got. I was wasting away in front of his eyes and he couldn’t give a shit. A friend finally noticed what was going on and knocked some sense into me. I’ve actually always liked the way I look. I am a woman, so of coarse I see the flaws in my body, but I simply refuse to ever change again for someone else. If my father or anyone else for that matter doesn’t like the way I look, then they shouldn’t look at me. It’s that simple.” I gave him a smile, blushing at revealing so much of myself. I know I’ve said it before, but there was just something about his eyes, that told me he would never judge me.

“No offence, but you’re father sounds like a bastard to me.”

I laughed, “Oh, trust me, he definitely is. I’ve actually never told anyone that story before. I mean my friend knew, but he was there. I’ve never wanted to tell anyone of my secret shame. I just know that people will treat me differently.”

“I’m glad that you told me. I’ll take it to the grave.”

“Thanks Henry. And thank you for listening. I didn’t mean to dump all of this on you.”

“It’s perfectly fine, really, I don’t know why, but I want to know everything about you,” he said earnestly. “And Gabrielli, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as beautiful as you. It’s not just your body, it’s the way you carry yourself and your attitude towards life. I like your insight and your intelligence.” He actually started blushing. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t. And thank you. No one has ever said such lovely things before.”

“I meant them. There’s just something about you…”

“I feel the same about you.”

“Really?” he asked and I nodded my head.

“Listen, I hope this isn’t too forward of me, but I’m going to be in town for another three weeks and I’d really like to get to know you.”

“I’d like that. I’m staying in this hotel - my father wanted me to stay in the same hotel as him, but there is no way on earth that I’m subjecting myself to that kind of torture. Anyway, my point is that it’d be easy for us to get together, since we’re staying in the same hotel. Do you want my phone number, or do you want me to just knock on your door?”

He laughed, “I’m in the Presidential suite - it’s the entire top floor, so kind of hard to miss - but give me your number in any case,” he took out his phone and I recited the number twice. I was not letting this hunk out of my grasp, just because I couldn’t remember my own phone number properly. I was unable to put his number in my phone because the battery had died, somewhere in the time that we’d been in here.

“When we finally get out of this receptionless box, I’ll miss call you, so that you have my number,” he said.

“You do know, that ‘receptionless’ is not a word, right?”

“I’m a prince, I get to make things up,” he said, winking.

“One of the many perks, I’m guessing. Right up there with being allowed to throw popcorn at the palace guards.”

“Are you kidding? That’s the best part.”

We both started laughing. I really like him. And it’s not because he’s a prince. I actually wish that he wasn’t royalty. Any relationship that we might have together, is only going to be complicated by his blue blood.