Jo was in her California apartment. The phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hello?" a British accent returned.
"Wills, why are you calling? Annie and I will be in London again in a month. Can't you wait?" she laughed, pleased that he couldn't.
"Billy wanted to talk to you," Wills replied.
"Oh," Jo said, slightly saddened. Is that all? "Well, put him on."
"I learned something today!" Billy announced.
"Really what?" Jo tried to act surprised.
"The eensy weensy spider..." Billy sang.
Jo laughed. She wonder how big he had gotten since she left. Did he still remember her face or was she just a voice on the phone to him now? Did his father think about her?
"...went up the spout again." Billy finished. "You wanna hear it with the arm actions?"
Over the phone? But try to explain that to a three year old. "Sure," Jo agreed. She listened to the whole song over again.
"You've taken enough of her time now. Give me the phone," she could here Wills say. "I'm sorry you have to keep doing that."
"It's no problem really, Wills," Jo told him.
Annie rushed into the door. She stayed at Jo's till her mother picked her up from work. "Who's that on the phone?" All she had to do was see the look on Jo's face. "Wills, again? What time is it over there? And isn't that the fifty second time in the last two months?"
Jo put her hand over the mouthpiece. "I'm not counting,," she lied.
"Is Annie there? I can hear her voice," Wills said. "Chris is there anything you want to say to Annie?"
Anne could here him even though she was on the other side of the room and the phone wasn't on speaker mode. "Rematch!"

The phone rang while Jo was making breakfast. "Hello?"
"Hi," Billy's voice greeted.
"Does your Papa know you're using the phone?" Jo asked worriedly. Billy had recently learned to use the auto dial and had called her three times without Wills's knowledge till Wills saw the tab.
"No. He's right beside me. We have a surprise for you?"
"Really what is it? A song?"
Billy giggled. "No better."
"Well, what is it?"
"We're here?"
Jo turned off the stove. The pancakes were burning.
"In Cawifowrnya," Billy said. "In front of your hawse."
Jo peeked outside the window and laughed. She got out the front door. "You guys. Turn around. You're standing in front of the wrong house!"
The Windsor family turned around. (The bodyguards were hanging nearby somewhere)
Jo crossed the street. "What are you doing here?"
Billy lept into her arms.
"They kids wanted to go to Disneyland," Wills explained through the phone as he walked to her.
"Papa! You said you couldn't wait another day. You just HAD to see her again," Di giggled.
"I thought you were going to Canada. It was printed in a magazine somewhere."
"Well, were here," Wills said, with a smile, getting off the cellular.
Jo tried to take a moment to think. She got off the cordless phone. "Okay, I was fixing breakfast. I burned it. the house is a mess. I'm leaving for to London tonight if you didn't know!" she teased. "But if you and your group want to come in your welcome Your Highness. Or may I call you William?"
Chris gave his father a look.
"Did I say something wrong?" Jo asked.
Billy held her head and gave her a wet, long, kiss on the cheek.
"I think breakfast would be good." was all Wills said.

Chapter Eight
"...God save the queen..." Craig burped out the national anthem triumphantly.
"That is so gross," Di laughed admiringly.
"You're just jealous," Craig told her.
"I can do it!" Di said. She had taken on the motto: anything boys can do girls can do better. She took taking the cola can out of his hand and took a huge gulp. "Send her victorious..." she began burping.
It was Chris's twelfth birthday on HRM Britannia. Wills leaned against the railing and watched the party, not really participating. He was waiting for the moment Jo would arrive.
Two twin girls were running after Tom.
"Get away from me!" Tom screamed.
The eight year olds paid no heed. They each grabbed him by the arm and screamed at the top of their lungs. "Tom's got the cooties! Tom's got the cooties!"
Chris stood next to his father. "Annie's coming with Jo, right?" he asked suddenly as he finished his glass of punch.
"Jo promised Annie would come," Wills informed. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason."

"I hate this dress. I hate this dress!" Annie whined to Jo as they walked the plank connecting the dock to the ship.
"I think it looks cute. Besides Wills told me this would be a formal affair."
"Chris is going to laugh at me. Not that I care what he thinks," she added quickly. The thought of the day at Disneyland she spent with him made her blush. She hated to admit it but he gained her respect that day. Riding every ride even the rollercoasters. Holding his arms up when they went on that dip in Splash Mountain. She shot Jo a worried look." I hope he likes the gift a brought him."
"He'll love it." Jo assured. Her face lit up as Wills walked over to them. Chris was with him.
Annie immediately hid the gift behind her back.
"I'm glad you made it," Wills expressed.
"So am I." Jo smiled back.
Chris and Annie looked at each other.
Jo nudged Annie. "Annie your present!" she whispered.
"I got you something." Annie muttered.
Chris eyed her suspiciously. "What is it?"
Annie took out the Japanese spitz puppy.
Chris looked at the face of the sleeping pup. It yawned.
Wills smiled at Chris.
"I hate it!" Chris said.
Annie's face fell. "But I though you could use- use something to love." She stammered.
Chris shook his head. "Don't give a Windsor something to love. Eventually it will-" The puppy licked his face.
Annie giggled. "He likes you."
"Well, I don't like-" The puppy wiggled away from Annie's arms and lept into Chris's.
"Arf! Arf Arf!" he barked excitedly.
Chris looked into those big warm brown eyes.
Several of the other children gathered around them.
"What's his name?" Di asked.
"I thought I'd leave it up to you guys." Annie said.
"Cubby," Di decided. "He looks like a Cubby."
"Chris, let me hold him," Craig chided.
"He's my dog," Chris held him possessively.
"Puppy!" Billy crowed, running over to play.
Unexpected., the kids backed away from the prince.
Cubby just peed on him.
Chris looked at the yellow wet stain on his white shirt. He laughed. He whispered in the puppy's ear. "So you don't care if I'm a Prince, huh?" Yes, This was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
Jo and Wills stood side by side as the children got acquainted with their new pet.
"Annie was right," Wills said softly. "The kids need something to love."
Jo looked at him. "The same thing could be said about their father."
He just smiled, kissed her on the cheek and went back to mingle in the party.

Chapter Nine
Jo and Annie came to dinner on Friday night which was almost like a ritual for them. They no longer needed an invitation it was just assumed that Friday night they were there. The only excusable reason for canceling was either sickness or when the Windsors were out of town. Jo was still waiting for Wills to expound on the situation about 'a date' but he never did.
"Annie!" Di squealed greeting her at the door. "Come to my room. I just got the latest edition of HeartStopper magazine."
"Aaron Cutely?" Annie asked, naming the movie star both girls were crazy about.
"Yes!" Di took her by the arm.
"What do you like about the guy?" Chris asked. "His face is immediate breeding ground for zit culture."
Annie pointed out to the door. "Chris, you have your own fans. I just have to say it doesn't include me."
The girls closed the room on him.
"C'mon Cubby," Chris called the dog and they went into his room.
Billy was taking a nap.
Wills and Jo looked at each other.
He shrugged his shoulders. "So..."
Jo smiled in return. "So..."
"Papa," Tom came through the front door.
"You're late," Wills told him.
"I know," he stammered. "Teacher kept me after school. She told me to give you this." He handed his father a note.
"Can this wait till after dinner?"
"Papa..." it was a plea.
Wills took the note.
Tom looked at his feet. "She wants to meet with you. Next Wednesday."
Wills thought of his out of the country venture at that day. "You know I can't."
"That's what I told her. But she said it was important."
Wills looked over the note again. "Jo?" he asked. "You told me you were free. Can you go?"
"This is really something a parent should do," Jo pointed out, not wanting to intrude.
"Oh, Jo could you?" Tom asked. "I don't want Paula to come. Everyone teases me about it. I mean only babies have their nannies over. But since you're more of Papa's girlfriend-"
"I guess, I can do it," Jo immediately said before the child could finish the sentence. "If it's perfectly all right with you Wills. And you Tom."
Tom hugged her. "Thank you."
Jo looked at Wills questioningly.
"It's fine by me. You're like a second mother to them anyway." Wills said.
Chris who had been listening by the door, closed it. He came to the bed and hugged Cubby. "I did not just hear that." he whispered.

Tom greeted Jo as she stepped out of the car that Wednesday afternoon.
"She's in her office," he told her as he showed her the room down the hall.
They sat in the bench outside the room.
Tom dangled his feet and looked at the floor.
"Don't be nervous," Jo told him. "Just because she wants to see your father doesn't mean its going to be bad."
The eight year old wasn't convinced.
"Mrs. Charmer's will be with you in a moment." the secretary informed.
Jo nodded.
Tom sighed. He got out his bookbag and some papers spilled on the floor. He tried to collect them quickly but the red F's didn't escape Jo's notice. She pretended she didn't see them.
"C-Can you check my homework?" he asked, handing her a paper that hadn't been corrected yet.
Jo took it from him kindly. "Of course."
"We're supposed to write a short essay on one of the members of the family." he said looking over her shoulder as she read.

MuM's
MuMS Ar kinD. They Mak pEEple Hapi. Papa smyls when she wulks in the rom. My brothers and sIsteR luv her Alot. I ThinK she is Very pretty.

"I think its nice," Jo told him, forgiving the spelling mistakes. Helen must be so special if Tom could remember this much about her.
"It's about you," Tom told her.
"I'm not a member of your family," Jo pointed out.
Tom was crestfallen. "To me you are. Papa didn't come to this meeting. Chris, Di, and Billy are so perfect some times I hate them so much. I wanted tow rite about you." He looked for her approval." I did something wrong again?"
"No. No You didn't. It's just that- Your teacher might not think of it that way."
"She doesn't like me anyway," Tom muttered under his breath.
"Teachers are supposed to like everybody."
"She doesn't like me," Tom repeated. "I try so hard in her class and I still can't get a dumb A. Papa says I'm not trying but I am! I am!" he started to sob.
The door creaked open.
Tom quickly dried his tears. He didn't want his father to hear that he had been crying.
"Mrs. Charmers will you see you right now."
"In a minute," Jo said. She waited for the secretary to leave. To Tom she said," No matter what she tells me? I'll still think you're brilliant." She kissed him atop his head and entered the office

"Wills," Jo greeted him when he came through the front door, back from his trip. they found this arrangement more convenient than going to the airports where the media will be to take note of the event. The rest of the family was in the living room.
Wills gave her the usual kiss on the cheek. His eyes went to Tom who was hiding behind Jo's leg. "How did the meeting go?" he asked. they went to his office so the three of them could be alone.
"Do you want me to tell him or should I?" Jo asked Tom.
"You," Tom mumbled.
"Well," Jo began slowly. "The teacher told me that Tom is good in math. Doesn't have the snobby 'I'm a prince' attitude she had to deal with Chris and Di..."
"That's good so far," Wills noted.
Jo sighed, getting to the bad news. "He's failing reading and spelling."
"What!" William screamed.
At the sound of his father yelling, Tom clung closer to Jo.
"It's not his fault." Jo quickly defended.
"How can it be anyone else's!"
"He has dyslexia." Jo shot out.
"What?"
"Dyslexia," Jo repeated. "It's when you confuse the directions of the letters.." Jo expounded.
Wills sat behind his desk. "I know what it is." he snapped. What he couldn't believe was that his son had it. "H-How-"
"He has it Wills." she took a deep breath. "The teacher suggested that he take private schooling at home."
"What did you tell her?"
"I told her it was your decision." Jo said.
Wills shook her head. "No."
"Wills," Jo tried to reason.
"No. Once this gets out the tabloids will attack him like nothing you've ever seen. They will label him as stupid. Maybe imply some brain damage. You don't know how cruel they can be."
"I may not know that Wills," Jo treaded lightly. " But I know it will be worse when they find out about it and found out you've hidden it. They' will not only attack Tom but attack you as well claiming you're ashamed of your son and... they will find out."
Wills tried to digest what Jo was saying. "What do you suggest?" he asked softly.
"Tom's teacher suggested a home study coarse. Private tutoring so he can be taught at his own pace. Get special attention."
"I want my son to be with other children his age." Wills said. 'It was one of the reasons my Mum sent me to public school. Instead of what you said- private tutoring."
"What might be good for you might not be good for Tom." Jo reasoned. Her eyes went to the boy hiding behind her. "Can you at least ask him what he thinks?"
"What would you want, son?" Wills asked.
Tom looked at Jo then back to his father. Then back again. And so forth. He didn't give his opinions often. Never taking sides. Always wanting to be the submissive party. But he knew he had to answer. "I like being with the other kids. They're nice to me at recess and math," he began. "But-" he looked at Jo who smiled encouragingly. " I hate learning reading in school. All the other kids make fun of me then."
"But-"
"They call me 'The royal dummy', Papa," the tears came which he failed to stop. "I-I" he looked at his siblings.
"You shouldn't listen to what they say."
"I know-" he sighed.
"Son..." Wills looked at the tears.
"It's true, Papa," Tom was soon sobbing in his lap.
Wills looked at the figure clinging to him. His eyes met Jo. "I'll talk with the school about taking him out as soon as possible. We'll see how things work out."

Chapter Ten
The arrangement was Tom still stayed in school. To keep contact with other children and for math which Tom loved. As for reading and writing he was taught privately at home. This decision seemed satisfactory to everyone. Tom seemed happy. That was what mattered most of all to Wills.
Jo was always happy to help with the children anyway she could. But she couldn't deny her feelings for Wills. She wondered if he only thought of her as the second nanny. Or did he think of her as something more? Were those smiled and soft looks he gave her from across the room only real? Or were they only part of her imagination?
One day Wills dropped Billy off so the others could see movie which didn't allow little kids to come. Jo thought nothing of it. There was the usual drill which was: guard outside her front door and a special phone number to reach him. And Billy was always well-behaved in the past.
Then a call came that her meeting with the investors was moved up the next day she was straining her nerves.
And well-behaved Billy wasn't behaving so well afterall.
"No. No. No." Jo chanted her phrase for the night as she called to Billy from the dining room table, trying to control him and work on her designs at the same time.
Billy ran around toilet-papering the place. When he lost interest, he left the activity and went to Jo. "Whatcha you doin?"
"I told you before Billy," JO tried to keep remain calm. "I'm working." She put on a bright voice. "Hey, why don't you watch TV?" anything to keep him in one place.
Billy shook his head.
"You could take a nap," Jo suggested hopefully.
"No!" Billy screamed.
Jo sighed, putting her pen down. "Then what do you want to do?"
"I want to go to Disneyland!" Billy announced.
Jo arched an eyebrow at this unreasonable demand. "Disneyland?"
"Yes."
"It's on the other side of the world kiddo. I can't take you there."
"Then take me home," Billy whined. "I wanna go home. I wanna play with Cubby."
"I can't take you home," Jo said. As much as I would like to. It would be too complicated alerting everyone of the change of venue.
"You're boring Jo," Billy yelled. "You're supposed to be playing with me but you're not!"
Jo was too tired to fight him. "Eat your dinner." she pointed to the cold spaghetti and meatballs.
Billy looked at the food.
Jo was making changes on a wedding gown design.
Billy threw a meatball in her face.
Jo felt the sauce on her cheek. The meatball landed right in the middle of the design ruining hours of work. She glared at Billy.
The prince giggled.
Jo wiped the sauce off her face with her hand. She hadn't bothered William until know, thinking she could still control Billy. But the child had gone too far. "All right that does it. I'm calling Papa." Jo reached for her cellphone with the automatic dial.
Billy grabbed the phone from the table. He ran away.
Jo ran after him. "Billy, what are you doing? Billy!"
He ran for the bathroom.
Jo cleared the doorway just in time to see him dangle the tiny cellular over the toilet bowl.
"No!" she screamed.
Billy dropped it in. And flushed. He smiled at Jo.
Jo looked at the swirling water. All her business numbers were there. And Wills's private phone number. She could call the company to re-release the info she had in the phone. But it would take time. Not to mention that she needed Wills's phone number now. A number she couldn't memorize since, for security purposes, he changed it every week.
She grabbed Billy by the arm.
"Ow, you're hurting me," Billy complained as she dragged. He kicked her.
Jo let go and made him face her. "You do that one more time and I'm going to spank you." she threatened.
Billy stood still for a moment. "You wouldn't spank me."
"Why not?"
"I'm a prince. No one spanks me," he informed.
"Maybe it's about time someone did."
Billy thought for a moment. "If you spank me I'm going to send my knights to behead you."
"Go ahead!" Jo told him. "I don't care!"
Billy was silent for a while.
"So?" Jo asked in a gentler tone. Kneeling down to his level. "Are we going to behave now?"
Billy looked down. When he raised his head he spat in her face!
Jo brought him to the bed. Threw his body across her lap then slapped him hard three times on his royal tush.
When Billy looked up at her his eyes were brimming with tears. His lower lip quivered.
Jo's heart tore. Her mouth formed the words, "I warned you."
Billy nodded, his mouth gaping open.
"You'll behave for the rest of the night?" Jo asked.
Billy nodded.
"Okay, sit on the couch till Papa comes," she pointed.
Billy did as he was told. "Jo?" he managed to say hoarsely. "Can I watch TV still?"
Jo shook her head. "No." she said firmly. She went back to her designs. But didn't get much done.

Daddy: Chapters 10-11