The Royalties

It was almost 4:00 in the afternoon when Dei decided to wake up the girls for the planned grocery time. Before Dei went out of the family room, she had instructed Charmaine to wake up her Dad, but since Charmaine was still too sleepy she just went straight to her room to freshen up. After a few minutes, Charmaine and Athena went down to eat the snack which Ms. Fely has cooked for them.

Dei noticed that Richard hadn't joined them for the snack yet, so she asked the girls if Richard is aware that Ms. Fely makes some snack for them.

"Daddy is still asleep in the family room Mom." Athena answered.

Dei looked at Charmaine who is busy munching the pasta

"Charmaine, didn't I tell you to wake him up before you come here?" Dei said reprimanding her eldest daughter

"I did not hear you Mom." Charmaine replied.

Dei rolled her eyes in surrender and told Charmaine to go back to the family room to wake up her Dad. "Later Mom, I'll finish my food first, I am so hungry to death and I could eat a whole cow now." Charmaine said then she continued eating her snack.

Realizing that Charmaine is determined to finish her food before she do what has her Mom instructed her to do, Dei looked at Athena and give her the same instruction "Athena, will you please go to the family room and wake up your Dad." Dei calmly said.

"I'm sorry Mom. I can't do that." Athena moaned. "I never dare to wake him up … ever, it is a mortal sin to wake him up. I don't want him to scold me." She added.

"Then who should wake him up?" Dei exclaimed.

"We all know that you are the only one who could do that. Richard never complains when you do that." Ms. Fely butts in.

"But Ms. Fely now is different." Dei protested.

"Very well, then let's just wait for Charmaine to finish eating her food then let her wake up her Dad, but look at how she eats her food, there is no guarantee that you can leave immediately after you guys take your snack." Ms. Fely said.

Dei looked at her two girls who are now enjoying their snack, a part of her mind decided to just let Richard get some sleep while the three of them goes to the grocery. But on second thought, she knows that Richard will not like the idea, he will be very upset once he found out that his girls left him behind just that, and she does not want it to happen. She knows that once he is upset, he tends to do things opposite of what the people around him expected of him. Dei does not like to see this side of Richard especially now that she'll be staying in his territory for two weeks.

Without a word, Dei walks to the family room to wake up Richard. She smiles upon seeing Richard on the couch still asleep.She tried to call his name several times to wake him up but to no avail. She knows that Athena and Ms. Fely were right; only she can wake him up, Richard has insomnia so she knows how important sleep is to him.

She didn't know that Richard was already awake. He was about to leave the family room when he saw Dei approaching. He and his naughty mind went back inside the room, laid again on the couch and pretend sleeping. Waking up with Dei on his side was one of his favorite moments with her.

Dei hesitantly goes closer to Richard and once again calls out his name but Richard remained asleep (and obviously the people who are most difficult to wake up are those who are already awake.) So she had no choice but to do what she does best. Slowly, she strokes a small strand of his hair and softly calls his name; she did this repeatedly until she felt a hand hold hers then she heard "I am already awake your highness."

Dei saw how Richard slowly opened his eyes with a sweet smile on his face, the sweet smile which until now has had the same effect on her until now. Though she quickly pulls back her hand and stands upon coming back to her senses.

"Ms. Fely made some snacks, go freshen up, then eat before we leave for that impromptu grocery time" She said then immediately walks out of the room. Before she reached the door Richard said. "Thank you for waking me up my queen, you have no idea how much I missed that."

"Hurry up Richard, I wanted to leave immediately." were the only words she uttered then left.

Charmaine and Athena obviously had fun doing the grocery stuff. Besides, this is one of the bonding moments Richard, Charmaine and Athena usually do when Charmaine is in Manila. But today was extra special because Dei was able to join them. Dei knows that Richard loves going to the grocery, when they were still together, it was Richard who volunteered to do this chore.

They only buy stuff that they need for their dinner plus more chips and cookies for their movie marathon time. When they arrived home, Charmaine and Athena helped in the kitchen while Richard checks on his emails. After almost two hours, the four enjoyed their simple dinner; they talked about a lot of things about Charmaine and Athena. The two girls were very careful to touch the topic of having their parent's get back together, as they do not want to ruin this moment.

After dinner, the girls continued their chat with their Mom, in Dei's room while Richard checked on the paper works he needs for the next day. This time he lets his daughters take advantage of the time with their Mom. He knew how much Athena misses her Mom and sister.

"I will have my time with my queen. I will make sure of that, for now I will let my princesses enjoy their time with her." He said to himself.