A/N: okay so this is the sequel to Love is Blind. I thought I'd give it a go and see what happens, if this chapter goes well then I'll continue with a chapter two etc :) so we shall see what happens.
If you are taking the time to read this chapter, I can't thank you enough and would really appreciate it if you could let me know your thoughts once you have finished reading ;) thank you.
x-X-x-X-x
Sunday 30th May 1999.
Walking up the pathway in the churchyard, Jasmine spotted one of the palace guards up ahead before seeing the Queen, dressed all in black, standing beside her sons grave. Coming to a stop she watched her a moment, wondering whether she should stay back and give her time but knew deep down that she wouldn't mind her being there, placing flowers on Philippe's grave so approached her slowly.
Hearing footsteps on the pathway, Clarisse turned her head to see Jasmine walking towards her "Jasmine? What are you doing here?" She asked, turning to face her.
"Hello aunt Clarisse," she said and stepped closer, kissing her cheek before looking down at the flowers she held in her arm. "I came to lay flowers on Philippe's grave," she said and looked back up at her "I done it last year too."
"That was you?" Clarisse asked.
"Yes," Jasmine nodded "I hope that was okay?"
"Of course it's okay, don't be silly," she said and watched as Jasmine crouched down, carefully placing the flowers down beside the ones that Clarisse had placed there a short while ago.
"You know, even though we weren't together when he passed away I still loved him, he was still my best friend," Jasmine said, looking at the headstone a long moment.
"I know," Clarisse said softly and watched as Jasmine looked up at her "he still loved you too."
"I can't believe it's been two years already," Jasmine said sadly and slowly stood back up beside Clarisse as they both looked down at the flowers "it only feels like yesterday."
"It feels like a lifetime to me," Clarisse nodded and looked up across the churchyard towards her parents graves.
"I can't imagine what you go through everyday," Jasmine said as Clarisse looked at her.
"It's been a long road but I'm learning to cope, I have to, I have a country to run," Clarisse said and looked back down at her sons grave "anyway, I will go now and sit over on the bench, let you have your time here."
"You don't have to leave, I didn't want to intrude on your time," Jasmine said as Clarisse looked back up at her.
"I know and you're not, I've had my time so take as long as you need," Clarisse said and turned, slowly walking away from her and over to the bench. Reaching it, she sat and looked over at Jasmine a moment before looking down at her hands as she clasped them together on her lap.
"Your Majesty," Shades said as he stood behind her sitting on the bench and watched as she turned her head to the side.
"Yes?" She said and looked back towards Jasmine.
"I just wanted to make sure that you were okay, Your Majesty?"
Nodding, she turned her head to the side once again "I'm fine Shades, thank you," she said and looked back down at her hands.
A short time later Jasmine sat down beside Clarisse "Thank you for that," Jasmine said.
"It's me who should be thanking you," Clarisse said and looked at her sitting beside her.
"For what?" Jasmine asked and watched as she looked back across the churchyard.
"For coming here today to lay flowers on Philippe's grave and for doing it last year too, you have no idea how much that means to me," Clarisse said as Jasmine studied her a moment before looking across the churchyard too.
"We were best friends, if it was the other way around he would do the same thing for me," Jasmine said as they both looked at each other.
"Yes he would," Clarisse nodded and looked away.
"I just wish I had more time to spend here, to spend with you but unfortunately due to work it's only a twenty four hour visit."
"That's okay, I can relate to that," Clarisse asked and looked back at her "do you have to leave now?"
"No, I have a few hours before I have to catch my flight home." Answered Jasmine.
"In that case would you like to come back to the palace for some tea, we can catch up properly?" Clarisse asked.
"I would like that," Jasmine nodded, smiling at her.
Smiling, Clarisse nodded slightly and the two women stood to their feet and began walking slowly to the car as Jasmine looped her arm with Clarisse's. Arriving back at the palace a short time later they made their way up to her suite to have tea out on the Queens balcony.
"So tell me," Clarisse said, sitting down "how is everyone?"
"We are good," nodded Jasmine "mom and Nicolai are still as happy as ever."
"That's good, what about your brother and sister?"
"They are good too, oh you heard that Marco Jr is getting married next summer and that Aida is having a baby right?"
"I did, your mother told me in the last phone call a while back," smiled Clarisse "I bet she's over the moon now that the shock has worn off?"
"She is, she's really excited about becoming a grandmother now, or nonna as we say in Italy," Jasmine beamed "and I'm excited about becoming an aunt."
"That's understandable, it's a wonderful feeling being an aunt," smiled Clarisse as she studied her a moment before looking down at her cup of tea "so tell me, how are you and that business of yours?" She asked and looked back up at her.
"I'm okay, and yeah it's going really well," Jasmine smiled "really busy at the moment, hence why this is such a short visit."
"Well that's good that it's going well and that your busy," Clarisse smiled "your mom told me that you were thinking of opening a branch here too?"
"Yes, I'm thinking about it, but it's still a long way off yet." Answered Jasmine.
"Well if you ever do open a shop here, please let me know and I will have you do the flowers for the palace." Smiled Clarisse.
"Really?" Jasmine asked in surprise.
"Of course, your work is amazing,"
"Wow thank you, I will keep that in mind," Jasmine beamed.
"You're welcome," Clarisse said before looking out at the view for a moment "and how is Joseph?" She asked, looking back at her.
"He's okay, have you not heard from him lately then?"
"Lately? I haven't heard from him at all since we, well since he left."
"Oh, he wrote to you about a month after returning to Italy and I know that he posted it as I was with him when he sent it." Jasmine said as Clarisse stared at her a long moment before slowly shaking her head.
"I never received a letter from him,"
"Oh, I will have to tell him that when I see him and I'm sure he will be relieved to find that you never received his letter because everyday he prayed he would get a reply." Jasmine said as Clarisse looked down at the table.
"A reply that never came." She said sadly and looked back up at the young lady as she slowly shook her head "besides that is he keeping well?" Clarisse asked.
"Yes, he's doing good, keeping busy too helping Gino at his restaurant."
"That's good, I'm pleased he's doing okay and keeping busy," nodded Clarisse as she looked back out at the view.
"He misses you though," she said without thinking as Clarisse looked back at her, studying her a moment before looking back down at the table.
"If I'm honest, I miss him too but I needed time."
"I know, and he knows that too," Jasmine said softly and watched as Clarisse slowly shook her head.
"And now I feel that I have left it too late," she said sadly and once again looked out at the view.
Sensing that her aunt didn't want to talk about it, Jasmine asked "may I please use your bathroom?"
Looking back at her, Clarisse nodded "Of course you can, you know where it is don't you?" She said and watched as she stood to her feet.
"I do," she smiled and made her way over to the door as Clarisse picked up her cup of tea and took a sip "be right back."
Later That Evening.
Sitting in her suite with a book in her hands, Clarisse tried to concentrate on the words on the page but she started thinking about the letter Jasmine had told her Joseph had sent her but never received instead and she began to wonder if she had in fact received it but didn't realise. Since her sons passing she had, many times, put her mail in the bottom drawer of her desk to sort out another time but never actually got around to it. So closing her book she placed it on the sofa beside her and stood to her feet, making her way down to her office where she began pulling out a handful of letters to get towards the bottom of the drawer and placed them on her desk.
Eventually she found an envelope in Joseph's hand writing and seeing the stamp was dated 30th July 1997 she let out a sigh and slumped back in her chair. Placing the envelope on the desk in front of her she stared at it for several moments before picking it up to go somewhere a bit more private, a bit more comfortable and reaching her suite moments later she locked the main door after her and made her way through to her bedroom.
Grabbing the box of tissues from her bedside table, she climbed onto her bed and piled the pillows up against the headboard. Sitting back against them she slowly opened the letter and started to read it quietly to herself, tears filling her eyes after only a few lines but she managed to read it until the end. Lowering her hand, she placed the letter on her lap and reached for a tissue to wipe her eyes.
She knew it was going to be a hard letter to read and she was right, but his words, what he wrote made her miss him even more and she began to wonder if she was ready to see him yet or not. Stepping off her bed she made her way across to her bathroom to wash her tear stained face when something caught her eye, stopping she looked over at her dressing table a moment before walking over. There on her desk was a folded piece of paper propped up against a bottle of perfume with her name on it.
Opening it she found a note from Jasmine and an address, shaking her head she sat down in the chair at her dressing table and looked up at herself in the mirror a moment before looking back down at the note in her hand to read it to herself once again.
'Aunt Clarisse, it's never to late so here is the address where uncle Joseph is working at the moment. Please go and see him, I know he would love to see you. I love you, Jasmine.'
TBC.