Chapter 16: It's Okay To Ask For Help

                                    

                                          
The next morning was almost as uneventful as the night before. Not. Everyone was awoken by the loud banging on the door. Once everyone had grumbled and moaned about who was waking them up at such an ungodly hour, bearing in mind it was 7 in the morning, Mason finally opened the door and shouted, "Teddy, get down here now." She didn't appreciate the almost deafening shout that escaped his mouth but had complied with his command. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs she was surprised by whom she saw. "Andrew. Can you come down here please?" Teddy asked politely, shooting a glare at Mason. "What are you doing here Joseph?" Teddy said crossing her arms as Andrew's sleepy figure came up behind her. Andrew tensed when he heard his father's name but grabbed Teddy and pulled her to him so her back against his chest. "I was wondering if Andrew's offer for help still stood." That surprised her again but whether he liked her or not she would help. Not only is it in her nature but they are also family, or soon to be. "Tanya doesn't know does she?" She already knew the answer but the king confirmed when he held guilt I his eyes. "Mum didn't want our help did she?" Joseph dropped his eyes.  He knew what needed to be done but Tanya was just as stubborn as Teddy's mother was. "I struggled to come up with a suitable option beforehand. What information can you provide so that we can try and find a better one?" Joseph was stunned at how she turned into a business professional in the space of a few seconds. "What happened to you Theodora?" Joseph was genuinely curious, "I got sent away." Was the final thing she said before she beckoned him into her home office with Andrew in tow, while Mason continued to eat his cereal.

                          
They spent the next few hours in her office trying to create a plan that wouldn't take away from the people of Aderelle and keep Tanya away from her excessive spending sprees. John had taken over control of the shop for a while so that when the aftershocks of any plan that was conducted would arise no one, mainly The Royal Court, would be suspicious of any illegal action that Teddy was involved with. John was constantly ringing wishing to be involved but his brother would deny him of being involved when he tied to tell him something. That made Teddy extremely frustrated. She knew John was only trying to help and as much as she hated help she knew that Joseph should at least let him try, but that for him was a no go, he didn't want his brother involved. Tanya was already causing trouble and she hated John. She hated him because it took time away from her husband focusing on her, which he rarely ever did anyway. Their planning it a stop, they soon went from a few hours to a few days. They were stuck. 
                          
**
                          
"Get out Andrew." Teddy said, placing her head in her hands. She couldn't find a suitable solution. They'd been trying for days. She was so lost. She'd normally bring people in to help, but with The King there she couldn't risk it, nor could she risk losing Andrew. Not again. Andrew refused to move from the spot his feet were planted in. He didn't know what to do, all he could think about was how Arthur would have probably cracked a joke, if he'd grown up, like he was supposed to. "I said get out Andrew." He still didn't move. "GET OUT NOW." She was close to tears. "Please." She said meekly. That was when he moved towards the door. He wanted to comfort her but knew he'd be no help. 
                          
John noticed Andrew's stoic expression as he bypassed him when he headed towards Teddy's office. John saw the slow trickle of tears that landed on her desk and quickly move towards her. As soon as he touched her arm she flipped, tossing everything across the room. "This is such a fucking mess. First I make a promise, a promise to help and I cannot keep it." She took a deep breath. "I cannot fix this John. There is nothing. Fucking nothing. What am I meant to do?" before john even had the chance to answer she continued; "I've tried everything and short of stealing everyone's money there is nothing! How can there be fucking nothing? What the fuck did Tanya do with it all? Give it to every guy she wanted to fuck in a ten mile radius? Fuck!" Teddy was Angry. At her parents, at her job, at John, at the King, and at the Queen. She was even angry at Andrew. But most of all, she was angry at herself. She got herself into this situation and she couldn't escape. She wanted to escape. "My love, you are just a child. I don't want to sound rude, but you are. You take so much on and tell everyone else it's okay to ask for help but you never seem to want it. It's okay for you to ask for it as well. And don't give me that bull crap about asking the guys for help on your stupidly thought out illegal challenges, but to ask someone you trust and love for something that is rarely returned. Don't be scared of it." John stated pulling her into a hug. "Babe you give out help in the handful. You pretend to hate people to protect them. You lie to people to protect them. Let me help you, trust me enough to let me help you." John said softly and pulled her closer to him as she fell to the floor, tucking her in his arms, head under his chin, just like a father should and let her millionth break down continue to destroy her from the inside out. Soon she was falling asleep in his soft rocking, and as she slowly let the darkness consume her, john said; "Shh, it's okay my sweet Teddy Bear, I have a plan. I have a plan."