Free Princess Thief: Stealing Your Heart by Jennifer Enander Page A

down
shyly.
    “Is
your hand clean?”
    The
girl shoved her hands out, palms first, for Juliette to inspect.  “Uh huh!”
    “Well,
OK, then.”
    The
little girl ran her hand over the tiara and commented, “So pretty. 
Thank you, princess!”  She promptly ran away before Juliette could say, “You’re
welcome.”
    Juliette
stood and smiled contentedly for a moment, but as she surveyed the crowd
slowly, her expression fell.  Soon, she was frowning.
    She
turned to Guillermo.  “You
know what?  I can’t do this.  I’m sorry.  I just can’t.”  She stormed off
towards the First Aid Tent leaving a dumbfounded prince behind her.
     
    Juliette
flipped open the tent flap and marched inside.  She was alone.  There were two
cots on her left and a medicine cabinet at the back of the tent.  As soon as
she plopped down in one of the metal folding chairs, Guillermo burst in.
    “What
happened?” he demanded.  “You were doing so well.”
    “I
can’t pretend any more, Guillermo.  This is wrong.”
    “If
it’s the reporters, they’re packing up now-”
    “No,”
she shook her head.  “It’s not that.  It’s these children.”  She glared at him
in anger.  “I can’t help but notice that none of the children at this
children’s hospital charity event are actually in need of any charity or any
hospital!  Their clothes appear to be brand new and I haven’t heard so much as
a single sniffle.”
    Guillermo
sighed, grabbed a nearly stool, and sat down facing her.  “So, you noticed
it, too.”  His eyes were sad; he suddenly seemed very tired.  “How do you think
I feel?  I’m a pediatrician for God’s sake!”  He ran a hand through his black
hair.
    Juliette
felt the blood drain from her face.  She was expecting a fight, not this.
    Oh,
Juliette, you can be such an idiot sometimes!
    “I’m
sorry,” she said, “I accused you without thinking.” 
    She
paused.  No response.
    “Guillermo,
look at me.”  She kept her eyes on him until he met her gaze.  Once he did, she
apologized again, “I really am sorry.  I shouldn’t have accused you.”
    He
nodded.
    “Look,
I’m not blaming the kids,” she continued.  “Every child deserves to have a good
time regardless of their parents’ economic status.  But why are we throwing a
party for children who are well fed and in perfect health?”
    Guillermo
exhaled slowly.  “The
board of trustees claims that kids like this make for better photo ops; and
better photo ops lead to higher donations.”
    “Donations? 
From whom?  Aren’t people supposed to sponsor a sick or underprivileged child
to an event like this?  How does this picnic raise money, exactly?”
    Guillermo
got a faraway look in his eyes.  “You know, Juliette, that’s a really
good question.”
    “Excuse
me?” a woman’s voice called from the entrance.  “Is anyone in there?”  The tent
flap opened and a stout woman in her early 40s entered the tent holding her
son’s hand.  “My son isn’t feeling well.  Oh!” she stopped when she saw
Guillermo and Juliette.  “I’m so sorry!  I thought this was the first aid
tent.”
    “It
is,” Guillermo immediately switched emotional gears and smiled, “please, come
in.  I’m a doctor.”
    “Oh? 
Oh!  Yes, well,” she pushed her child forward, “my little Miguel says he has an
upset stomach.”
    “Well,
let’s have a look.”  Guillermo hopped off of his stool.
    The
nervous mother continued, “The flu is going around his school.  Do you think
it’s the flu?”
    “Hmm…” 
Guillermo felt Miguel’s forehead, then walked to the medicine cabinet and
retrieved a flashlight and tongue depressor.  “Say ahhhh.”
    “Ahhhhhhhhhh,”
Miguel said.  Guillermo pressed down on Miguel’s tongue and peeked into his
throat.
    “Well,
so far, so good,” Guillermo said.  He pressed on Miguel’s belly with 2
fingers.  “Oh, I think I see the problem.”
    Guillermo
spun Miguel around and patted him gently