“Nicholas… are you.. really The Unknown?” Vivian drawled.
Nicholas was covered with sweat. He turned his head, looking around before he finally nodded.
Vivian couldn’t resist showing how shocked she was. Her mouth was wide open on her seat there. “Nick!” She exclaimed.
“That’s a story for another day, Vivian. But how have you been all these years? How are you?” He walked to her side and held her hand.
“Nicholas, I have not been good. I have been wondering about you all these years. My parents disowned me when they found out about the pregnancy, but thank God.”
Nicholas sighed. “I’m deeply sorry, Vivian. So, you never married since then?” He asked.
Vivian nodded. “I couldn’t afford any man maltreat my son.” She replied.
Nicholas scratched his head. “That’s profound.”
Vivian stared at him. “Nicholas, what of you?” She asked.
Nicholas laughed. “Since we missed our paths, I have promised myself I would not betray you until I find you again, I never knew you were pregnant then, Vivian. You should have waited for me!”
“I really had to leave, Nick.”
Nicholas was quiet for a moment and gave a long breath. “Let me get going now, I’ll come to take you and Anthony out tomorrow.” He brushed to his feet.
“Don’t go yet.” Vivian rushed up. She didn’t want him to leave again, it felt as if he was leaving her totally again.
Nicholas smiled. “It’s getting late, Vivian.” He held her hands again and stared at her for a moment before hugging her. “Vivian.” He called her name and smiled.
“I really missed you, Nick.” Vivian grinned.
Nicholas chuckled. “I miss us.”
“Are you promising me you will come tomorrow?”
Nicholas nodded. “Of course!”
She followed him to the gate before she returned inside again.
** ** **
Nicholas smiled into the house. He was really fulfilled to have met Vivian again that day. He couldn’t wait till the next day so he could take his son out too. He saw Doris, Stella and Henry in the living room and waved at them as if he wasn’t concerned with them until Doris shouted his name.
He motioned to her side and plopped down. “What’s happening?” He asked.
“Can you believe the Prince is not the King’s son?” She questioned Nick.
He chuckled. “How did you guys get to know?” He asked.
“It’s the truth, Nick.” Stella added.
“I know it’s the truth, I’m just shocked that you guys have gotten to the bottom of the truth. But really, is the Kong’s brother mad? If you know all what he did in the past! He was crazy when he was a Prince.” Nicholas rested his back.
Stella was shocked. “How did you get to know all these?”
He smiled. “My Dad wrote a diary, and that’s what I have been reading on them for a while. It’s just like a story. The Queen then was banished with her pregnancy and my parents were the ones who helped her, but the woman died at childbirth.” He stopped for a while. “I stopped there, I’m not through with the diary.” He replied.
“Why are you not? For years?” Doris wondered.
“I haven’t been able to figure out how it concerns me, so, whenever I just carry it, I drop it.” He replied.
Doris drifted closer to him. “The Queen gave your parents a child?” She asked him again.
Nicholas nodded.
“In the diary, was it written that your parents already gave birth to you then?” Doris asked.
He began to think. “No.” He replied, trying to link all what he already read together.
“Really? You’ve not being born? Then if that child given to your parents is not you, where is the child?”
Nicholas sprung to his feet. “No! Henry, I have to get the diary.” He rushed out of the house, heading to his place to get the diary.
He had never thought of something like that before, so he never read the diary with all seriousness since he’s been reading it. He would always wondered how all that were written there concerned him and just drop it.
Soon, he came back with the diary and opened it to where he stopped and they all began to read. It was there they say that after his parents had buried Margaret, they took the child and named him Nicholas.
Nicholas was in total shock. He had never thought of it for a minutes, he had never reasoned that his parents never had a child when they helped the Queen, he was just reading it as if he was reading a story line unseriously.
“The evidence of this is the mark behind you, Nicholas.” Doris said.
He looked at Doris for a moment. “That birthmark?” He asked.
“Yes, did your father have it.”
He shook his head. “No. I asked him severally then, he told me not to worry, I would know when the time comes.” He replied still in shock.
“That’s the mark of anyone from the Royal Family.” Doris replied him.
Nicholas fell on his knees. “Prince? The King is my father?” He constricted his eyes. “No!” He exclaimed.
“Stop shouting, Nicholas.” Henry rushed up with smile. He was already over filled with happiness. “I’m now the Prince’s friend!” He jumped for joy.
“How come you’ve not been able to know this all the while?” Stella asked him.
“I have never imagined it, I have never for once thought something like that might have happened.. I don’t know…”
Stella hugged Doris. The two were grinning, filled with happiness. “At least, you are the Prince and you’re claiming the throne someday!” Stella was really happy.
Nicholas was lost in thought, trying to remember all he read again. He never kept them to mind, he would always wonder what concerned him and the things in the diary. “The Prince?” He repeated as he opened the diary again.
“So you know Edward is not the Prince and you didn’t tell us.” Doris said.
“I have just been reading for reading sake! I’ve never remembered it even once! This is still a great shock.”
“Congrats, Nick.” Henry grinned before him as he began to move closer.
“What’s the congrats about?” He stared at him with grimace. “Should I be happy? Why’s everything this way? Why? Why do people keep hurting me, why? Why did they kill my parents? Why was my real mother also murdered?” He was downcast.
Doris and Stella that have been happy all sat down too. It seemed it wasn’t time to rejoice yet.
** ** **
