Alan and his best friend Ellie are enjoying being able to hang out on their summer break. Ellie has known about Alan's desire to be Allie for several years, and they plan one of their many shopping trips to the mall while their parents are at work. Little does Allie know that her simple day of secretly being out with her best friend would suddenly spiral into a whole new life!

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The Legal Stuff: Suddenly Royal © 2020 By Tiffany Shar
 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2020 By Tiffany Shar. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
 
 
Preface

I saw the announcement for Erin's Reluctant Princess Contest and immediately had an idea, but with everything going on in the world couldn't get much energy to write it. Since my last book that I posted on here it's been a really busy time in my life, but I really wanted to get a chance to put this story out there! Since I've procrastinated beginning to post there will be some days I'll throw another chapter up in order to make my goal of having it all completed by the deadline for the contest. I have twelve chapters written and plan on two more for this part of the tale. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 12:

“LET’S TALK TO your mother Allie and see what she thinks before we even think about it,” she told me soothingly.

The detective looked a bit awkward standing there. When I looked up, he told Grandma, “If she is leaving the country you might just let us know. For now, I’m guessing your embassy has enough security. My chief has a couple of officers stationed outside her mom’s room right now. If she’s going to stay somewhere else it’d probably be a good idea to add some more protection there.”

“Do you know who attacked my mom yet? Or who tried to kill me last night?”

The detective shook his head, “The FBI are looking over surveillance from near the courthouse, but so far they haven’t managed to find a picture of the shooter. The FBI is assuming it was the same person last night…”

“They’re assuming? You think it was someone else?” I asked.

He shrugged, “There’s no evidence saying it was the same person, and there’s no evidence saying it wasn’t. Until we know I would never assume anything.”

I nodded, “You’ll find them though, right?”

He smiled, “With as angry as everyone is right now? Yes we’ll find them!” He looked over at Giuseppe, “May I speak with you outside Mr. Russo?”

“Certainly,” he told him.

“I hope you feel better soon Princess,” the detective told me.

I blushed, “Thanks…”

When they were both gone Grandma and I just looked at each other. “Do I have to come with you?” I asked her.

She shook her head, “No, and I think everyone would understand if you decided you wanted to stay to help your mother.”

“But…?” I could always tell when adults were going to add that.

“But, if they are after you it’d be safest for you and everyone else if you came to Osané.”

“I’m still learning how to be a girl; how can I ever be a princess…” I looked at her, “Or a queen! I’ll make a total fool out of myself!”

I started crying more and she hugged me tightly. A knock on the door came and Giuseppe peeked his head in, “Doctor Ramirez is here?”

I wiped my eyes, “Send her in…” I said shakily.

Doctor Ramirez had a concerned look as she entered and saw me. She noticed Grandma beside me, “Hi, I’m Jillian Ramirez,” she told Grandma. “I saw Allie with her mother last week,” she told her.

“Nice to meet you,” she told her, “I’m Maria Alessi.”

‘I can tell when Grandma likes a first impression or not of someone just by her introductions,’ I thought to myself.

“The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty,” she told her. She looked at me and said, “Well I should have known that anyone connected to your mother would be trouble…” she shook her head with a smile. “How is she doing?”

I shrugged, “I’m supposed to go see her after I get out of here? She’s going to make it, but she was still asleep when I was there last night.”

“I’m glad to hear she’s going to recover. What’s going on with you now?”

“Someone set our house on fire last night and tried to kill us,” I said with yet more tears coming out of my eyes.

“I saw something about a house fire on the news, but didn’t watch it closely. That was your house?”

I nodded, “I think we lost everything…”

“Not everything,” Doctor Ramirez said and moved a chair next to my bed. “Everyone is still alive, right?”

I nodded.

“So, you only lost things… trust me those can be replaced.” She squeezed my hand gently, “Tell you what, I don’t think you could possibly have more on your plate than you do right now. How about we talk about everything that’s happened since I saw you before?”

I nodded, looking nervously at Grandma for a moment.

She noticed the look and said, “Why don’t I leave you two to talk, I’ll wait just outside?”

“Thank you, Grandma,” I told her.

When she was gone, Doctor Ramirez asked, “How are you two getting along?”

I shrugged, “Good for her being a complete stranger?”

She nodded, “So tell me what’s happened…”

I spent the next thirty minutes talking with her about everything that had happened. The pressures off of me for my Mom knowing about me, but the crazy amount of stress from finding out I was a princess expected to be a queen someday… For her part Doctor Ramirez was a really good listener for everything.

“Allie I honestly believe you’re holding up better than I would expect you to at this point. It sounds like you are going to be moving over to Osané for the summer at least?”

I shrugged, “Mom wanted me to go before… and it’s not like I have a house to stay in now anyway?”

“I’m sure your other grandparents would take you in?”

I nodded, “Probably, but as much as I love them I don’t think I could take a full summer living with them…”

“Maybe stay with Ellie and her parents?”

I shook my head, “No, as much as I love Ellie dearly, if we were constantly together for an entire summer, we might not be friends anymore…”

She laughed at that, “I had a friend like that growing up. She was my best friend, but if we didn’t have at least a day apart every couple of days we’d start sniping at each other.”

I nodded, “We’d be way too much like the big sister and little sister relationship we have…”

She smiled, “It sounds like you’ve already made a choice about what you need to do?”

“But what about Mom?!?” I whined.

“Well, if I had to guess she’ll be in the hospital at least another week. Probably some therapy afterwards too. If she moves in with your grandparents I’m sure they can help her?”

I shrugged, “I guess…”

“Only you can make that decision though Allie.” She told me.

I nodded as she looked at her watch, “I’m over time and need to get going to my office. Let me pass on my information to your grandmother so we can talk with another therapist that can see you wherever you end up for the summer.”

“I can’t just see you from a distance or something?” I asked.

“I think it’s best that you be seen in person unless it’s a really exceptional circumstance like we had a few years ago,” she told me.

I nodded and sat up, “Thank you,” I told her.

“You’re very welcome. Tell your mom to give me a call when she gets out of the hospital!”

With that she was gone and Grandma came in with Doctor Haskill along with a Hispanic woman in a doctor’s coat.

“Hi Doctor Haskill,” I said to him.

“How are you doing Allie?” He asked.

I shrugged, “Can we just not ask that question? My shrink just asked all of that?”

He laughed, “I bet she did. Doctor Ramirez always liked to talk!”

I nodded.

“Allie this is Doctor Canales, she’s the endocrinologist that I suggested to your mom you should work with.”

“Hi, nice to meet you,” I told her as the two of them found seats on one side of my bed with some chairs they’d brought in. Grandma sat back down in the one she’d been sitting in.

“So Doctor Haskill was just informing me of everything going on with you,” Doctor Canales said, “I’m so sorry you’ve had a rough couple days here!”

“Umm… thanks,” I said.

“How are you doing with your breathing now?” Doctor Haskill asked. “The physician who saw you thought you were doing okay?”

I shrugged, “I’m not coughing as much now?”

“If you keep coughing over the next couple of days please get back in for a check-up!” he told me.

I nodded. “I will…”

“Gentlemen I appreciate you coming out here to see Alexandria. It’s imperative that we keep this discreet, but I think we need to get her treatments at least started before considering taking her overseas?”

My stomach knotted a bit at that. “Normally I wouldn’t want to even discuss this without her mom here,” Doctor Haskill said, “But given her condition and everything going on I can understand that she can’t be here. I’ll be doing my best to confirm with her before we order any treatment officially. If she’s still incapacitated in a couple days we can look at deferring the big decisions to you or her other grandparents?”

Grandma looked like she was a bit annoyed with that, but nodded. “Very well, I understand and agree that Karen should be able to make the decisions for her there. In the meantime, what can you get set up for the prescription, and she can just approve?”

Doctor Canales pulled a small laptop out and logged in. “Well I’ve looked over the data that Doctor Haskill’s lab sent over. Allie you have a very low testosterone level that seems to indicate just the beginnings of a male puberty. For a fifteen-year-old it is low, but it’s not unheard of. It seems likely that you should be starting to see that ramp up in production very soon if left to time.”

I blanched, “I don’t want to be a boy…”

She smiled at me, “That’s what Doctor Haskill said. I also checked with Doctor Ramirez and he thinks that his initial diagnosis of gender dysphoria will probably be confirmed over time. Per their suggestions I’m willing to put you on spironolactone for the next six to twelve months while we determine a firm diagnosis.”

“What does that do?” Grandma asked.

“It blocks testosterone,” I said with a smile.

“Not surprised you’ve done your homework here,” she smiled at me. “Allie is essentially correct here. Spironolactone will essentially put a stop to puberty for her and block testosterone production. It’ll give us the time we need to determine if the best course is to put her on an estrogen-based therapy or not.”

“With that therapy she would develop as a natural looking young woman?” Grandma asked.

“Yes, she would. Especially since she is so early in puberty I believe she’d develop normally as a young woman.” She looked at me, “Spironolactone does have some minor side-effects you need to know about. One is that you’re probably going to have to urinate a lot more. You definitely will need to drink more to stay hydrated, at least initially as you start it. Your body will most likely adjust and you won’t notice it with time.”

I nodded, “If that’s all, I’m happy to take it!” I had tears in my eyes thinking of avoiding puberty as a boy.

“You also need to know it’ll at least temporarily keep you from growing more… Looking at your chart you’re not exactly a tall kid… this may keep you from growing to whatever your natural height would be?”

I shrugged, “I’m taller than my mom already, that’s all I care about. When can I start?”

She laughed, “Well like Doctor Haskill said, we want your mom to sign off on this. I’m guessing she’ll be fine with it, but you are a minor and from what I understand the emergency paperwork only lists your other grandparents as backups. I believe they have their own health concerns right now?”

I nodded and noticed that Grandma looked a bit hurt by that. “Don’t worry, Mom will probably get that fixed I would think soon?”

She nodded, “How do we get you her mother's authorization?”

“I’ll try and stop by this afternoon,” Doctor Canales said. “If she’s alert and lucid I’ll ask her then. If not, it may be a day or two? It sounded like her injury was pretty serious…”

“Okay, thank you,” Grandma told them. “Please remember the NDAs that we are asking for you to sign.”

“You realize everything is already covered by the patient's privacy laws here, correct?” Doctor Haskill asked.

“I do, but you also have to understand the enormous risk we are running if someone discovers her secret here.”

He nodded, “Don’t worry, you won’t hear about it from our offices. Allie, I hope you get some rest. Your mom will be fine! Tell her I said ‘hi’ please.”

I nodded, “Thanks for coming to see me.”

“You’re welcome, stay out of this hospital though!” he smiled.

“Okay, let’s see about getting you out here now,” Grandma said once they were gone.

“Please!” I replied.

.

IT TOOK ANOTHER hour for the paperwork to be signed and I was released to get out of there. I was still wearing the patient wristband as I was pushed in a wheelchair out to Grandma’s limo. Fortunately Geneva was like the most awesome person ever, having managed to at least get me a pair of yoga pants, a sports bra, and a comfy shirt to wear out of there. I was especially grateful as Giuseppe helped me into Grandma’s limo and camera flashes and shutters were going nuts!

When the door closed and the driver started pushing his way through photographers, I looked at Grandma, “Those are going to be everywhere, huh?”

She nodded, “I thought about having her bring a nicer set of clothes, but honestly right now it was expected you wouldn’t look like you were dressed up.”

I looked down at my clothes and squirmed, “Those are going to be terrible pictures.”

She grabbed my hand and squeezed, “It’s going to take a little while to get to the hospital your mom is in, why don’t you close your eyes and see if you can take a nap?”

I squirmed in the seat for a moment and then took her advice to take a nap!

.

IT WAS SOMETIME later that I was roused by Grandma, “Allie we’re here,” she told me.

“Huh?” I thought and groggily opened my eyes up. I was so tired that I really just wanted to go to bed!

Needing to see that Grandma Becky and Grandpa were okay was more important though and I felt myself waking up a little bit. Grandma and Giuseppe led me out of the limo and past the gawkers into the hospital. At the reception desk directions were given to Grandpa’s room and Mom’s current room.

“Let’s check in on your grandparents first,” she told me, “I’m sure you won’t want to leave your mom as quickly…”

I nodded and walked alongside her as we navigated the hallways and elevator. We found ourselves at the door of a room that I knocked on. The TV was on and Grandpa was sitting up on the bed, while Grandma sat in the chair. I couldn’t help but run over and hug Grandpa, “Grandpa!!!” I began crying again.

“Shh… it’s okay Allie,” he told me as he hugged me. He began coughing a moment later and I hugged Grandma too.

Just as I was about to say something, I realized they were watching the news and I watched footage of our house on fire. I choked back another sob and listened to the news anchor.

“We lead this morning’s news with a bizarre story surrounding the newly announced princess and named successor to the throne of Osané, a small island nation in the Mediterranean. Just yesterday young Princess Alexandria was being formally introduced at a news conference. Apparently she has been raised in the United States unaware of her royal status. Reports of a shooting at the Federal Courthouse had made it to reporters at the end of the conference, and in a tragic twist the princesses’ mother was one of two victims. While the other victim tragically died, her mother was rushed to a hospital, but fortunately after surgery is expected to survive.”

I felt my tears streaming faster then as my gut felt like it had been stabbed with a knife.

“Princess Alexandria had returned to her home with her grandparents, and unfortunately there a fire broke out in her house early this morning. She was treated and released not long ago, while her grandfather remains hospitalized in stable condition. Police have not named a cause for the fire, but an anonymous source within the fire department said the preliminary evidence suggest the cause to be arson.”

I took a deep breath and tried not to collapse while hearing about everything.

“Our prayers go out to the princess and her family! The police are currently seeking this man,” they showed a picture, “for questioning in connection to the courthouse shooting yesterday. If you have any information please call…”

Grandma Maria turned off the TV and said, “I’m sorry you saw that Allie.”

I shrugged, “It sounds like they at least might know who shot Mom?”

Grandpa got my attention, “How are you doing? The paramedics said they took you to get evaluated for smoke inhalation too?”

I nodded, “I’m okay, I’m coughing every now and then, but not too bad. You?”

“Smoke and I burned my leg,” he told me. “Not too bad though they say,” he added when I gasped.

“Grandma, you’re okay?” I asked.

She nodded, “Giuseppe walked by our room on the way to you and alerted us. Your grandfather got me out while Giuseppe went for you.”

“No smoke problems?” I was kind of surprised.

She shook her head, “I coughed a bit, but I somehow didn’t get as much as you two must have.”

“I’m glad…”

“So, have you been up to see your mom yet?” Grandma asked.

“Not yet, has she woken up?”

“They were getting ready to try and wake her up last time I was up there. Go see her, don’t worry about us!” she told me.

I hugged her tightly, then Grandpa, and said, “I love you both.”

With that I turned and walked out of the room. “How do we get there?” I asked Giuseppe who had stayed outside the room.

“This way, Your Highness,” he told me.

A passing nurse stopped in her tracks and turned to look at me. I blushed but tried to ignore the stare I could feel on my backside. I recognized the hallways as we approached the ICU and a nurse stopped us.

“I’m sorry, you have to be fifteen or older to visit patients here.”

I sighed and looked at my wrist, “I am fifteen, if you don’t believe me look at the band I got this morning at the children’s hospital.”

She stared at me but grabbed my wrist. “Oh… You’re here to see who?”

“My mom, Karen Nelson,” I tried to stay polite. I was so tired though and stressed I really just felt like lashing out.

“Oh, in that case you came at a good time. She woke up not long ago!”

“So I can see her?”

“Come on,” she said, “It’ll only be one at a time right now though,” she told Grandma.

“That’s fine,” Grandma said, “We’ll wait for you Allie.”

We walked further in, “What were you in the hospital for this morning?”

“Our house caught fire last night,” I told her. “I breathed some smoke so they had to check my lungs.”

“Oh my…” she said in shock as she held open the door for me.

Mom was sitting up on her bed covered in bandages on her shoulder and down. She’d been shot once in her arm, and once in her shoulder on that side. Her hair was pulled back, and she looked terribly pale compared to normal. IVs ran into her arms, but at least the ventilator was gone.

“Mommy!” I found myself saying and rushed to gently hug her. “I love you!”

“Allie, I love you too!” she said quietly.

I found my eyes were filled with tears for a long time before I stood up and looked at her. She caught sight of my wristband.

“What were you in the hospital for?” She asked. Her voice was raspy, and made me nervous.

I looked at her and knew lying wasn’t worth it. “I’m guessing you haven’t turned on the TV?”

“I just woke up a little bit ago,” she told me. “What should I have seen on TV?”

I felt more tears, “Someone burned down our house last night…”

“What?!?” A lot of devices began beeping quickly right then as her heart rate went racing and I grabbed her hand.

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Thank you to all of you have clicked the kudos button and/or left a comment! I'm hoping to have the next chapter or two done by tomorrow. I got distracted for much of this day so I'm not where I planned to be! Really want the full thing up by the end of the contest time, but I know the entry is valid without that. Thanks for reading and joining me!