Just Breathe
Chapter One
*Flashback July 2012*
The present's just a pleasant
Interruption to the past
And you don't want to look much closer
'Cause you're afraid to find out all the hope
That you had sent into the sky by now had... crashed
And it did because of me
“I’m sorry,” He told her, his head down, never once looking at her face. The tears that flowed down her cheeks were burning hot as if they were lava or steaming hot water. She shook her head still trying to grasp the information she was just given. “It didn’t mean anything; she didn’t mean anything to me. I promise you on everything that I am that she didn’t.”
“Then why did you do it?” She asked enraged by his ‘it didn’t mean anything’ excuse he offered her. Leaning her body forward she gripped her hair as she came to terms that this was his second chance. The second chance he always promised her if given he wouldn’t fuck up, yet he had. Once again he had managed to crush her as another one of his ‘promises’ were broken by him. She couldn’t do this again. She couldn’t forgive him to only have him hurt her for the third time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
But still the emotions that were boiling around inside her were driving her crazy. Every feeling she had for him came fighting through all the hurt and confusion that she was currently battling. She shook her head, ‘No, if he care for you…NO! If he loves you he wouldn’t have done this, not once, twice.’
She turned to him her emotions still mirroring how she was feeling. Every inch of pain that was etched on her face was caused by him.
“I’m done. I can’t do this anymore,” She told him causing his head to shoot up and turn to her.
“What?! Ellie, no please. I love you; I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. Please don’t do this to me, to us!” He cried to her getting on his knees while she sat still. He grabbed her hands but she refused to look at him. She slowly took her hands out of his and stood up.
“People that love other people don’t cheat, Henry. I’ve given you another chance to make everything better and instead you did it again,” She said looking at him in the eyes knowing that it was killing her to do this. 4 1/2 years they were together and she seriously thought they were completely in love. As quickly as she could she made her way to her car, the callings of her name following her from behind. Her hands gripped the steering wheel before her as the bravado she had so bravely held onto till this moment slipped away and she was left sobbing.
“I’m so sorry, so, so, so, so sorry,” She said placing her hands onto her still flat stomach. “It’s just you and I now. I’m so sorry.”
She took a minute to steady her nerves; with calming breaths in and out she started the engine to her car. Her eyes looking into the rear-view mirror for just a moment taking in the hunched over figure of the man she had just broken up with. With her hand moving the car into gear, she pulled away never looking back, never taking in the man who now held a small box that held a very important piece of what he had hoped would be their future. Anger rose into him as he stood with tears slipping down his cheeks, and with one strong arm, he sent the box and ring flying into the air not caring where it landed.
It took just a quick motion of his hand before a car and security personnel escorted him into the black Land Rover that sat just feet from him. Wiping the tears that had caused red streaked paths on his cheeks away with his hand he asked that the radio be turned on. It took just a second for him to realize what the song was and whose favorite song it was, it was as if something was purposely taunting him. And he hated every minute of it, but he never spoke up for the driver to change the station not even when the words hit him like a ton of bricks.
And if this is what it takes
Just to lie in my mistakes
And live with what I did to you
And all the hell I put you through
*Present Day April 2013*
Harry noticed the way people were staring at him, it was as if they were harboring a secret that he had yet to know, but he just kept pushing forward with his head nodding at certain staff as he walked to his office.
“Good morning, Harry.”
“Pa? What are you doing here? I thought you had an engagement to attend,” Harry responded greeting the older gentleman with a kiss on his cheeks. That’s when he noticed the others in the room; his private secretary, his fathers, the family lawyers and a petite female seated in chairs surrounding his desk. “Good morning, everyone, what do I owe this please? I’m sorry; I don’t believe I know you. I’m Harry.”
The young woman took his extended hand in hers curtsying, her brown hair falling into her face just a bit.
“Your Royal Highness,” She said her voice strong but sweet. “My name is Noelle Clarke. I work for-“
“Son, why don’t we just sit down and we will discuss everything,” Charles stated, his arm held out in the area where his desk sat.
“Sir, Ms. Clarke is here from Child Services,” Thomas Walker, a family attorney, stated once everyone had taken a seat. Harry turned his confused gaze upon his father.
“Okay, so…are they in need of a visit or something? My apologies, but I am not understanding why Ms. Clarke is here.”
“Harry, Ms. Clarke is here because it has come to our attention that you are a father.”
The present's just a pleasant
Interruption to the past
And you don't want to look much closer
'Cause you're afraid to find out all the hope
That you had sent into the sky by now had... crashed
And it did because of me
“I’m sorry,” He told her, his head down, never once looking at her face. The tears that flowed down her cheeks were burning hot as if they were lava or steaming hot water. She shook her head still trying to grasp the information she was just given. “It didn’t mean anything; she didn’t mean anything to me. I promise you on everything that I am that she didn’t.”
“Then why did you do it?” She asked enraged by his ‘it didn’t mean anything’ excuse he offered her. Leaning her body forward she gripped her hair as she came to terms that this was his second chance. The second chance he always promised her if given he wouldn’t fuck up, yet he had. Once again he had managed to crush her as another one of his ‘promises’ were broken by him. She couldn’t do this again. She couldn’t forgive him to only have him hurt her for the third time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
But still the emotions that were boiling around inside her were driving her crazy. Every feeling she had for him came fighting through all the hurt and confusion that she was currently battling. She shook her head, ‘No, if he care for you…NO! If he loves you he wouldn’t have done this, not once, twice.’
She turned to him her emotions still mirroring how she was feeling. Every inch of pain that was etched on her face was caused by him.
“I’m done. I can’t do this anymore,” She told him causing his head to shoot up and turn to her.
“What?! Ellie, no please. I love you; I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. Please don’t do this to me, to us!” He cried to her getting on his knees while she sat still. He grabbed her hands but she refused to look at him. She slowly took her hands out of his and stood up.
“People that love other people don’t cheat, Henry. I’ve given you another chance to make everything better and instead you did it again,” She said looking at him in the eyes knowing that it was killing her to do this. 4 1/2 years they were together and she seriously thought they were completely in love. As quickly as she could she made her way to her car, the callings of her name following her from behind. Her hands gripped the steering wheel before her as the bravado she had so bravely held onto till this moment slipped away and she was left sobbing.
“I’m so sorry, so, so, so, so sorry,” She said placing her hands onto her still flat stomach. “It’s just you and I now. I’m so sorry.”
She took a minute to steady her nerves; with calming breaths in and out she started the engine to her car. Her eyes looking into the rear-view mirror for just a moment taking in the hunched over figure of the man she had just broken up with. With her hand moving the car into gear, she pulled away never looking back, never taking in the man who now held a small box that held a very important piece of what he had hoped would be their future. Anger rose into him as he stood with tears slipping down his cheeks, and with one strong arm, he sent the box and ring flying into the air not caring where it landed.
It took just a quick motion of his hand before a car and security personnel escorted him into the black Land Rover that sat just feet from him. Wiping the tears that had caused red streaked paths on his cheeks away with his hand he asked that the radio be turned on. It took just a second for him to realize what the song was and whose favorite song it was, it was as if something was purposely taunting him. And he hated every minute of it, but he never spoke up for the driver to change the station not even when the words hit him like a ton of bricks.
And if this is what it takes
Just to lie in my mistakes
And live with what I did to you
And all the hell I put you through
*Present Day April 2013*
Harry noticed the way people were staring at him, it was as if they were harboring a secret that he had yet to know, but he just kept pushing forward with his head nodding at certain staff as he walked to his office.
“Good morning, Harry.”
“Pa? What are you doing here? I thought you had an engagement to attend,” Harry responded greeting the older gentleman with a kiss on his cheeks. That’s when he noticed the others in the room; his private secretary, his fathers, the family lawyers and a petite female seated in chairs surrounding his desk. “Good morning, everyone, what do I owe this please? I’m sorry; I don’t believe I know you. I’m Harry.”
The young woman took his extended hand in hers curtsying, her brown hair falling into her face just a bit.
“Your Royal Highness,” She said her voice strong but sweet. “My name is Noelle Clarke. I work for-“
“Son, why don’t we just sit down and we will discuss everything,” Charles stated, his arm held out in the area where his desk sat.
“Sir, Ms. Clarke is here from Child Services,” Thomas Walker, a family attorney, stated once everyone had taken a seat. Harry turned his confused gaze upon his father.
“Okay, so…are they in need of a visit or something? My apologies, but I am not understanding why Ms. Clarke is here.”
“Harry, Ms. Clarke is here because it has come to our attention that you are a father.”