Chapter 21

After the celebration, Dei got too busy preparing for her transfer to Manila, as busy as she could only communicate with Richard when she gets home.

"Hello my queen. How was your day?" Richard greeted her via skype in his office at home.

"I'm so tired, and I just got home from a very long discussion with the Marketing Division. Apparently a new Marketing Group Head will be on board anytime within this month, which is why, they are bugging my team for the delays." Dei said.

"Would you like me to go there, your highness?" Richard asked grinning.

"Stop it, Richard, as if we are not flying to Manila this weekend. You are so impatient." Dei said, giggling.

"I missed you!" Richard said pouting.

"I missed you too, my king. So please stop pouting as I might take the first flight tomorrow morning going to Manila." She teased.

"I would love that!" Richard exclaimed.

"Brute, I am just kidding. I barely have less than a week for my turn-over." Dei giggles.

"Are you excited?" Richard asked.

"I am, though it will be tougher at work. But I know I can manage. The important thing is, we will be together with Charmaine and Athena." Dei Replied.

"And finally be one happy family, again. I'm excited too. And if ever your work gets tougher than you expected, you have the option to resign and work for me instead." Richard said.

"We've talked about this already, your highness. I already made my decision. But thanks for the offer. That was sweet." Dei replied.

"How is my princess? Is she still unhappy with your decision to transfer here in Manila?" Richard said.

"She is still a bit sad. According to her, she will miss her friends here. But, I think, the inter-collegiate competition next semester plays a big factor on her hesitation to leave. That is one of her dream competition." Dei sadly said. "But don't worry. I know she will be fine, once she gets a slot in the junior varsity team in her new school." Dei assured Richard.

The decision to stay in Manila was a hard one for Richard and Dei because of Charmaine. They know their eldest daughter is just starting in fulfilling her dream of becoming a champion swimmer. Dei even considered leaving Charmaine in Cebu to continue her studies there but Richard opposes because he does not want Charmaine to live all by herself. He does not want to bother Dei's siblings to look after their eldest daughter since Dei's parents already migrated to Canada. So even with a heavy heart Charmaine agreed to transfer to her parent's college Alma mater.

"By the way, the renovation is almost complete. I have to use one guest room to expand the study room. A part of it is for Charmaine and Athena's library, and the other is for our mini-office, you will share the office with me. I hope that's alright with you." Richard said.

"I don't mind sharing the office with you. We will be sharing one bedroom anyway." Dei giggles.

"I can't wait to share my room with you again my queen." Richard mischievously said, beaming

"Me, too." Dei teased.

"Is it possible in the mini office to do stuffs we do in the bedroom?" Richard teased back

"Of course not, if we do that, we might renovate the room con mini office and expand the princesses' library." Dei said.

"I am just teasing, and I know we cannot flirt in the mini office because of that thin wall dividing the office and the study room." Richard replied laughing.

"Anyway, I already asked Ms. Fely to put some of your stuff in your closet. I have the door locks replaced with keyless locks, I find it more convenient. Is there anything else that you want to add your highness?" Richard asked.

"No more, that would be enough. I guess we are all set." Dei said "You haven't change when it comes to taking care of everything, your highness." She further commented.

"I was planning to have a swimming pool, too. But the architect finds the vacant lot, too small to have the pool, Charmaine will be happy if I were able to push that." Richard said

"That's alright. She can always use the swimming pool in Laguna. I'm sure Daddy will prefer that set-up more." Dei replied

"By the way, don't forget packing Charmaine's books. I'm sure it will cheer her up and lessen her sadness once she sees our surprise for her." Richard reminded Dei.

"I already have it all packed. She thought we would leave all her books with her Tita Coleen. I asked my sister to have it shifted after we leave. I'm certain she will be very happy with the new study room con library." Dei said.

"Athena is more excited about the new library." Richard said.

"You have to remind her to get hold of herself. She might spill the surprise to Charmaine. I do not want our efforts to go to waste, just because the second princess got too excited about it." Dei warned.

"Don't worry my queen. I made it clear to her that the library is a surprise for Charmaine so that her sister will not miss her friends in Cebu. Another reason she is excited is because she'll get studying now with her sister." Richard replied.

"I'm sure Charmaine will like our little surprise." Dei said

"One more thing, I had a short meeting with the wedding coördinator this morning, but I hasn't closed the deal yet. She seems nice and organized. I think we will not have a problem working with her." Richard said.

Dei frowned and said, "Seems nice, really huh? Then why don't you have a meeting with her again, tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow, then again the next day after the day after tomorrow."

"Whhooaaa …. where does the rant come from? You were the one who asked me to meet her." Richard said defending himself.

"I haven't checked her website when I arranged your meeting with her. I never thought she was that pretty and charming. She was just recommended by one of my staff." Dei said.

"Not my type of beauty, she has a very Latina look. I like the morena beauty like my fiancée." Richard said.

"Whatever Richard, as if I don't know, you are just saying that because you want to appease me." Dei said. Even Dei tried so hard to hide her smile Richard still sees it.

"Of course not, you know me better than that." He firmly said. "Seriously my queen, are you sure you are ready to do this?" Richard asked.

"When you proposed, I asked you if we are getting married immediately, and you said it was my call. Why do I have this feeling that you are backing out now after meeting that pretty wedding coördinator?" Dei exclaimed.

"Who gave you that idea? Can we be serious here please? I don't want you to think I am backing out on the wedding because it will not happen. I just want to spare you with so much stress. You will be starting your new assignment at work in a few days. Are your sure you can handle your work and the wedding preparations at the same time? I can see you are having a hard time at work this early, what more if we go all-out in the wedding preparations?" Richard asked, worriedly.

"I know I can handle both at the same time. Don't worry I can do this, your highness." Dei replied.

"If you say so, my queen, it is your call." Richard said.

"So we agree on pushing through with the wedding?" Dei declared.

"Yes we are, and I can't wait for it to happen. I'm sorry, my queen if it took seventeen years for me to give you, your dream wedding." Richard said.

"It will be happening soon, so let's not worry about having it seventeen years late." Dei replied beaming.

"I can't wait to see you and Charmaine back at home." Richard said.

"Same here, we are excited to go back home, your highness." Dei said smiling.

"I love you." Richard said.

"I love you too my king." Dei replied. "Hmmmm ... can I ask you a favor, your highness?" Dei asked.

"Yes, what is it, your highness?" Richard asked.

"Is it too late to change our wedding coördinator?" Dei seriously asked but Richard burst into laughter.

"It is not yet too late my queen. Whatever you want your highness, I will faithfully abide. We will look for another wedding coordinator at once." Richard said.