Princess Love - Chapter 15
 
        Valerie and Howie got home a little while later.  They had just been out on a date to the movies and a dinner and they were in good spirits when they got back to the house.  They opened the door and were surprised to see the lights out and no one up.
         "Where is everyone?" Howie whispered as they turned the lights on.  The house was clean and felt empty.
         "I don't know." Valerie said as she walked upstairs and looked around.  Everyone's doors were shut, including the guest room.  Valerie quietly opened it and saw Elizabeth sleeping there, she quickly shut the door.  She walked back downstairs where Howie was sitting on the couch.
         "They are all asleep and Elizabeth is in the guest room." Valerie said as she sat next to Howie.  "I don't think Kevin and Kim are home yet though."
         "Oh... I wonder what Elizabeth is doing here..." Howie smiled and Valerie shrugged her shoulders.
         "I don't know." Valerie said and switched on the television, but turned it off because there was nothing on.
         "Why in the world did they go to bed so late?" Howie asked as he looked at his watch, it was only 9:30 and they usually all stayed up late.
         "Maybe they had a party while we weren't here..." Valerie laughed.
         "Not really." AJ said as he came down the stairs; wearing the same outfit as before.
         "What happened?" Howie stood up and looked at AJ.
         "Jasmine left, I nearly hit her and Elizabeth gave me a speech and now I am feeling a tiny bit better." AJ yawned and sat down.
         "What!?" Valerie looked at him in surprise.
         "I am so tired, I didn't mean to just blurt it out like that." AJ sighed and stretched his arms over his head.
         "Well, today Jasmine said she wanted to go out.  I asked her where she wanted to go, because I didn't think she needed to go anywhere. She said she didn't know where and then I saw she had a backpack with her, then I realized that she meant she was going to leave me."
         "What, where did that come from?!" Howie asked, looking at AJ and then at Valerie.
         "Let him finish." Valerie shot Howie a glance and Howie nodded.
         "I told her that she couldn't just leave me," AJ continued, "but she did.  She just got up and left, I ran after her and we fell on the grass. I told her that she couldn't leave me, I wouldn't be able to live.  She said she had to, she couldn't just stay with me until..." AJ trailed off and paused, then continued.  "I wanted her to listen, I was about to slap her when Brian came home with Elizabeth.  I don't know what I would have done if I hit her, I would never have forgiven myself, I know that for sure.  I talked to Elizabeth and she helped me a lot, now I am just going to take it
one day at a time and hopefully the pain won't be so bad..." AJ said and rubbed his eyes and stood up.  "I should go to sleep, or at least try to.  I woke up when I heard you guys come in."
         "I am glad that you are feeling better." Valerie said and patted him on the back and he nodded and went upstairs.
         "He will get better, I know it.  The tour should help." Howie said and sat back down on the couch.
         "What tour?" Valerie asked, her hands on her hips as she stood across from him.
         "The tour we are going on in a couple of months... I didn't tell you?" He asked and she nodded.
         "No, actually you didn't." She spoke with annoyance in her voice.
         "Oh, I am sorry.  There must have been to much going on." Howie looked up at Valerie and wondered what the big deal was.
        "Like what!?" She asked and went upstairs and Howie sat on the couch and looked at the stairs and wondered what that was all about.
         Valerie went into the bathroom that was adjoining to the bedroom that she shared with Howie.  She put on a white nightgown and went under the covers and tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't. She felt bare without Howie at her side.  She sat up in the dark and waited for him to come in.  Five minutes later she heard the door open and she sat back down.  She heard him open his bureau and get dressed and then he got under the covers next to her.
         They were silent for a long moment and Howie thought she was asleep so he spoke.
         "I am sorry Valerie.  I don't know why I do somethings that I do.  I think I know what you want from me, but I can't do it.  I am not ready to get married." He softly whispered behind her, her back was turned towards him.  She turned around and looked at him in the dark,
         "But why?" She asked quietly.
         "I am young and I am not ready." He said and she wanted to ask why again.  She wanted to stand up and turn the light on and yell at him, but she knew the last thing she should do was yell at him.
         "Oh." She said and turned her back on him again.  She cried quietly to herself.  It just made her mad, maybe he really didn't love her.  Maybe the problem was that he didn't want to marry HER, maybe he would rather be with someone else.
         "I love you Val." He said and she didn't say anything, and he knew it.
 
         Nick sat next to Jen in the big room, facing the judge.  She wore a black dress and heels, her hair in a french twist.  Nick wore a black suit and his blonde hair was slicked back and he was wearing his glasses, he was going for a more mature look that day.  The couple looked like they were on their way to a funeral.
         "I just wanted to speak to you before the trial starts, which is tomorrow as you know." The older man said.  He was wearing his robes and his grey hair was almost non-existant.
         "Thank you Judge Taylor." Jen said, politely.
         "I know it will be a difficult week or two for you.  But you have to remember, that your testimony won't hurt you, just tell the truth and you will be fine.  Don't be embarrassed and don't feel ashamed, just answer the questions as truthfully as possible." The judge said and Jen nodded.
         "May I ask a question?" Nick asked, his hands sitting on top of his knees.
         "Of course Mr. Carter."
         "Well, is this for the murder of the prince or her mother?" He asked, he really didn't even know.
         "Both, her father is on trial for two counts of murder one."  They all knew what that meant, he would probably get life in prison.
         "Then when is Elizabeth going to testify?" Nick asked.
         "Next week, we have contacted her and everything will go well." The judge said.
         The talked for a few more minutes and then Jen and Nick went back to the hotel to relax before their big day.
         "I am going to call home." Nick said as he walked in the door and put his glasses down on the desk and shook his hair, but it didn't really help.
         "Okay." Jen said and went into the bathroom.
         Nick sat down on the bed with the phone in his hand and dialed the number.  The phone rang for nearly ten rings; but finally someone picked up.
         "Hello?" An unfamiliar female voice asked.
         "Uh... hi, who is this? This is Nick." Nick asked, wondering if he had dialed the wrong number.
         "Elizabeth, do you want me to get one of the guys for you?" She asked and Nick was surprised to hear that Elizabeth was at the house.  He knew that Brian and Elizabeth were getting friendly, but not friendly enough for her to stay over.
         "Yeah, get Brian." He said and Elizabeth ran upstairs and found Brian.
         "Phone." She said and he went down stairs.
         "Hello?" Brian said, he sounded tired.
         "Hi Brian, it's Nick." Nick said as Jen walked out and he smiled up at her.  He had begun to feel things that he hadn't imagined he would feel for anyone, but he knew he shouldn't express the feelings until the trial was over.
         "Hi Nick." Brian said as he sat down on a stool in the kitchen.
         "Is there something wrong?" Nick asked, curiously.  Brian sounded exhausted.
         "I'd rather not talk about it now, so why did you call?" Brian asked.
         "Come on, why can't you tell me?" Nick whined, not sure if it was serious or not.
         "Well, Jasmine left and Elizabeth stayed over and she talked with AJ and he seems to be doing a little bit better." Brian yawned.
         "Hey, I have an idea!" Nick said and looked up at Jen. "Wait a sec." He said to Brian and put his hand over the phone.  "Would you mind if the guys and their girlfriends came? I mean, it might be overwhelming for you so just say no if you don't want them to."
         "Sure they can." She said, but she didn't know that Brian was friends with Elizabeth.
         "Okay... hey Brian.  Do you think there is anyway that everyone can come here, to London, by tomorrow? The trial starts tomorrow and we would like for you guys to be here." Nick said.
         "Okay, I will ask and call you back in a few." They hung up and Brian went around and asked everyone and they all said they could come.  Even Elizabeth, but Brian was surprised to hear it.  He didn't even know that the trial was starting the next day and he was a little disappointed that she
hadn't mentioned it.
         Three hours later they were all sitting on the plane and where on their way to London, maybe it would help all of them in someway.