When The Rain Falls - Book 1, N, Y. [read book txt] 📗

resemble her very much."

 

I smiled. "Thank you and can I say, what really is the story of the lost princess of Mumbai?"

 

She smiles. "Very good question, follow me."

 

 

Me and Adam follow the waitress towards a little hallway filled with pictures, gifts, statues and sculptures.

 

She leads us towards the end of the hall, where a big picture hangs, and on the top it read small letters.

 

Princess of Mumbai b

 

But around the words was written in red, lost.

 

 

She points at the picture.

 

"Look upon the face of the lost princess for the prophecy said, she will return in good hands to Mumbai. The legend story says that on one day, on a lonely night, a young women on her exploring voyage was visiting Mumbai searching for a new fashion inspiration she could design."

 

She continues.

 

"But little did the young women know, was found by the prince soon to be King, if he marries in time before he is crowned as King. For that the former King was dying and needed one of his sons to take his place on the throne, as soon as he found his queen. The prince found the young woman and in despair asked her to be his queen, but she replied that she wouldn’t marry to be queen, if it meant him becoming king."

 

She points to a glass window, with a sill holding a gifted box with jewelry. Rhinestones, even.

 

 

"After a year of dating or so she calls, she finally decided to get married to the prince after knowing that she loved him for all the right reasons and not for the fortune. She then married, he became King and she his Queen, they ruled Mumbai with greatness and integrity. They were known to be the happiest king and queen during that time of 20 years ago. Later in that time, Princess Elle was born."

 

I was startled at the mention of my name, I spoke suddenly.

 

"Did you say Elle? That’s my name!"

 

 

She looks at me in surprise.

 

"Many people here have the same name as the princess. She went missing with the queen not long after, many mothers named their daughters Elle to honor the lost princess."

 

She continued.

 

"During a big storm that came in, the queen left with the princess and they were never seen again. The King wanted to give up his palace and work a job living like his people after losing his daughter and wife, and he was never seen again too after."

 

"The story lives on, that the lost princess and queen were never found. It was destined, that the princess be the next queen, but as far as we know we have the king and queen next in line as rulers of Mumbai. The king and queen are as humble as the previous, and they wanted a painting of the once 'queen to be' to be hung in every restaurant as an offering and to celebrate and hope that our princess will come back."

 

She finshes then looks at us, I stare at the big painting of her.

 

 

"So the princess needs to return to become queen?" I asked.

 

"Those are only rumors, we come up with a big storyline for people to keep the excitement in our city. You know, to bring the customers in. The real story is that about a decade ago or so, a prince married the girl who came here, they had a baby and the girl disappears with the baby, who supposedly was destined to be the next queen after."

 

"Was that her or someone else? Because i’m confused." i said pointing to the portrait.

 

The waitress explains.

 

"No, they painted this years ago in honor of the baby who's probably grown up now. Hoping she'll come back and claim the throne, but only if the current king and queen step down."

 

She left us to look at it, I examined the painting more than Adam did.

 

 

Looking at the painting, I realized it looked familiar like it was allctually my face.

 

"Maybe, I have a doppleganger. Huh?" I asked Adam.

 

"What?" he says turning back to me.

 

"Nothing," I try to whisper.

 

 

I questioned it for a minute, Adam and I went back to our table.

 

Maybe I am the doppleganger of the princess, it's no wonder people keep saying they recognize me.

 

 

"So do you think that the princess will return?" I asked looking at Adam.

 

"Yep, we need her back now." he says urgently.

 

"Why now?"

 

"Because the king and queen are planning to change the rules in Mumbai and we need a blood heir to the throne to take the queen's place, if the current king and queen get sent off the throne."

 

"So the princess needs to return in order to make things right, if the current king and queen get kicked off the throne?" i said looking down at my plate.

 

"Exactly." Adam said.

 

 

I can't believe it, what kind of story  are you going to tell if you're gonna exaggerate it, when really the designer left with the baby princess.

 

 

"Well, tonday was amazing. I hope that we can meet up and do it again." he says.

 

"Yeah sure." I say nonchalant.

 

 

I could tell he wouldn’t stop staring at me, and I snapped him out of it.

 

"Bye Adam, it was nice to meet you!" I say, wiping my mouth with a napkin.

 

 

I ran up towards the doors of the hotel, I finally escaped myself out of that situation.

 

I hear someone call out for me, I turn left abruptly.

 

 

"Do not be afraid, come closer."

 

I'm not sure if I should.

 

 

I went towards the tree, where an old man sat under.

 

I saw him there, 2 days ago.

 

"Hello, you're looking very well. Tell me something, do you feel like you're missing a part of your life?"

 

How could you tell?

 

I look at him confused.

 

"Not really, I feel like half my heart is missing since I left Paris."

 

 

He looks at me, as if I had something more to say, but I don’t.

 

"Come here my child, it’s alright. I know how you feel, but leaving isn’t the answer. And even though you left Paris, you came to the right place, because I have something to tell you."

 

"What?" I ask.

 

He looks around to see if anyone is looking, I look too.

 

Is anyone around?

 

 

"I’ll tell you tomorrow, but let’s just say it will blow your mind and a hint. I know who your real father is."

 

My eyes widen and he shushes me.

 

"Don’t tell anyone." 

 

He tells me to towards the Hotel.

 

 

I walk to elevator inside and then to my room.

 

I was thinking all night about what he meant 'he knows me real father.'

 

I know my father, he’s dead because of me.

 

 --

 

The next morning I ate a big buffet of breakfast, which filled me up.

 

I walked outside to find the same old guy waiting under the tree.

 

Was he there all night?

 

 

I knew he was waiting for me because he had a big smile on his face.

 

 

He looks at me as I walk down.

 

"How are you today Elle?"

 

 

I stopped in my tracks towards him, then I fast walked to him.

 

"How do you know my name?! Who told you!!"

 

 

He laughs.

 

"Simple, don’t be scared. I know everyone’s name here, that I know of from my past."

 

He sips some water from a jug, then gets up.

 

"So I was gonna tell you about your real father, let's get to it!" he says.

 

 

I stop him. "Wait, you don’t know my real dad, he’s dead for all I know."

 

He looks up at me in surprise.

 

 

"The man you call dad, is in fact not your real dad."

 

I give him a look, then question him.

 

"And how do you know that he’s not my dad, tell me." I start.

 

 

He laughs as we walk towards a fountain.

 

"Because he’s just the substitute dad, I put in place for your mom."

 

"How do you know my mom? Huh. And what else do you know about me!" I said.

 

 

He gives me a innocent look, like I was crazy.

 

"Calm down Elle, I am known as the guy who tells crazy people about their future and past."

 

 

I look at him weird, as if he were crazy.

 

"Listen my dear Elle, you have a past you didn’t know that you had. You should understand now...i’m your father."

 

He puts his hands on my hands in despair.

 

 

"What!!" I say.

 

"How do you mean, what?" I reply in curiosity.

 

"What do you mean you're my father, my father’s dead okay. You can’t come up these kinds of things like your right,"

 

 

He shushes me.

 

"Calm down my dear, I can prove you're my daughter if you want me to."

 

 

I freak out, i’m going crazy. I begin pacing around in circles.

 

 

"Oh, don’t you call me daughter. What is the meaning of this, I don’t believe you one bit. Tell me what’s going on."

 

He motions his hands to me, letting me know he wanted me to sit down.

 

I sit down and calmly listened to what he had to say.

 

He clears his throat and begins.

 

 

"Years ago your mother came to Mumbai, in search of a new, she said fashion trend. This was before you were born, when your mom was traveling the world."

 

"I caught her along the palace one day when I was having a fight with my father, he was dying. He was sick for too long, I knew it was my turn to take place as king. And to be King, I had to be married and I knew an arranged marriage would be ithe other option. I quickly ran out the palace to find your mother on the castle bridge looking upon the view, she was beautiful like the sun and had the greatness of omani."

 

 

He looks up at the sun then back at me.

 

"I asked your mother if she would be my queen, but she refused."

 

That moment made me feel better, knowing my mom was still the same as she was before.

 

He continued.

 

 

"She wanted to have an experience in mumbau and get to know me better, before deciding if she truly wanted to marry me for all the right or wrong reasons. And hey, ho, one year's past by and itwas official. We get married."

 

 

 

Chapter Fourteen: Fury Love

 

"Your mother looked absolutely perfect on our wedding day, she glowed with flawless skin and wore a beautiful dress. That day was the happiest day of my life."

 

I continued to listen.

 

"We got married, we spent a weekend on our honeymoon in Paris. Where she found the exact country, she needed to start her fashion line in, she was inspired and had a lot to designs. But of course, she did take a break to spend the rest of the week with me."

 

 

I smiled at the thought of my mom, falling in love.

 

I wonder what it was like.

 

I cleared my thoughts and continued listening to the old guy.

 

 

"Your mother, was as lovely as a lily pad, on a joyful riding pond."

 

I give the old man who claims is my father, a look.

 

"Your mother was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to me, she was the love of my life and I will never forget her."

 

 

India iis one of the the most romantic countries on the planet, next to America of course.

 

"Was my…mom the most, amazing…beautiful person you ever met?" I asked finally.

 

 

I stopped in-between words and continued talking.

 

"Was she the person you’ve always hoped for, to love forever?"

 

He smiles.

 

"Yes, she was and I was lucky. If I hadn’t stormed out of the palace or found your mother on the bridge you wouldn’t have existed."

 

 

I stop him before he could speak again.

 

"So