Marco managed a half smile, happy to see that his dad hadn’t lost his sense of humor.
“When do you see the doctor again?” Marco asked.
“They haven’t made an appointment yet.” His father sighed, sounding more tired than Marco remembered. “It will be soon, though. They tell me that the earlier they do the surgery, the better the prognosis.”
“I will come home, Papa,” Marco said. “I don’t need to stay in the States for this vacation. I should be there for you. I should speak to the doctors.”
“Nonsense,” King Carlo said. “I’m excited for you to get away from the island for a while. It’ll be good for you to do some traveling and have some fun before you take the crown. I don’t want you to worry about me or my meeting with the doctors to discuss surgery. I will be fine. You needn't worry.”
“I am worried, though. I can’t help it,” Marco said. “You are my father.”
“I appreciate the concern, my son,” he said gently. “But even if you came home, there’s nothing you can do. You are not a doctor, Marco. I don’t want this disease to end up a burden for both of us. Let’s not give the cancer that kind of power over our lives. You’ve been wanting to take this trip for a long time and there’s no way that I’m letting my illness effect your plans.”
“Are you sure?” Marco said. He stood from the bed and began to pace across the plush carpet. “I feel like I should be there, even if there’s nothing that I can do.”
“Marco, you’d be doing both of us a disservice for coming home early. You’d ruin your trip and I’d be angry at you for doing so,” King Carlo replied. “Just stay in the states and enjoy yourself.”
Marco sighed. He knew that there was nothing he could do, but he hated being an ocean away from his father during this. He knew being in the room with the doctors wouldn't change the outcome, but he couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.
“I know you are thinking of coming home,” Carlo said, as if reading Marco's mind. “If you do, I will be quite angry. You must go on this trip. That's a royal command, Marco.” For a moment, Marco felt the old strength that his father once had creep into his voice.
Marco sighed. His father only ever said that if he was serious. “I want you to know that I’m only a phone call away. If you need me back at the palace, I’ll drop everything and get on a plane immediately.”
“You are a good son,” Marco's father told him. Marco's chest swelled with pride at his father's compliment.
“Thank you, Father,” Marco said. He stopped pacing and instead gazed out the large window at the city below.
King Carlo cleared his throat. “So tell me, Marco, how did the interviews go today? Did you find someone to help you while on your sabbatical?”
“I did,” Marco said. Sabrina’s face flashed into Marco’s mind.
“And...?”
“Her name is Sabrina. She’s from Memphis, Tennessee, born and raised. In fact, she lives just a few miles from the hotel where I’m staying now.” Marco couldn’t hide the excitement in his voice and his father recognized it immediately.
“She’s
attractive, I take it,” the old man said.
“Did I give it away?” Marco asked. He ran a hand through his hair and chuckled slightly.
“You always do.”
“Well, you’re right. She is very attractive,” he told his father. He couldn't stop the smile as she pictured her face. “There’s something about her that intrigues me. She’s not flashy and vain like most of the women I encounter. She seems simple, but a good kind of simple. There’s an innocence in her that I find myself drawn to.”
The king chuckled. “She sounds lovely, Marco. But don’t let your stepmother hear of your attraction to her. Magdalena would not be pleased to hear you’ve taken a liking to someone who is not royal blood. You know how she feels about commoners.”
“I don't plan on marrying her after just hiring her, but I wouldn’t tell Magdalena anything of the sort regardless,” Marco said. “This conversation is between you and I, and hopefully it will stay that way.”
“Of course, son. You can have confidence that our conversations our private. I just wanted to tell you to not mention anything about Sabrina to your stepmother, that’s all.”
“Understood, Father,” Marco said, with genuine respect in his response. “I always appreciate your council.”
“And I always appreciate yours as well,” King Carlo said.
Marco opened his mouth to tell his father more about his plans, but it was then that his father began to cough. Long, deep and bone-shaking coughs that worried Marco more than he cared to say. The specter of death rattled through these coughs and it terrified the prince.
“I hate to end our conversation, but I’m a level of exhausted that I haven’t felt in a long time,” King Carlo said once he caught his breath. “I’m going to go take a bath and try to get some sleep tonight. I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow.”