The Cop and the Princess - Chapter two -Home

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Chapter two :-Home

Golden morning sunlight spilled through the wooden window, replacing the flashing blue police lights that had haunted sara dreams only hours earlier.

For a long moment...

She simply stared at the ceiling.

It wasn't white.

It wasn't decorated with expensive chandeliers.

Just old wooden beams.

Comfortable.

Warm.

Real.

She closed her eyes again.

The farmhouse smelled faintly of coffee...

Fresh pancakes...

And rain-soaked wood.

For the first time in months...

She had slept without waking every hour.

Then...

Something caught her attention.

On the chair beside the bed...

Someone had neatly folded an oversized black hoodie.

A small yellow sticky note rested on top.

Sara reached for it.

It read:

You'll freeze walking around in yesterday's dress.

Borrow this.

Just don't judge my terrible fashion sense.

— Hope

Sara couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"...Terrible fashion sense?"

She looked at the hoodie.

It was ridiculously oversized.

The sleeves looked long enough to fit two people.

She quietly slipped it over her head.

It immediately swallowed her whole.

The sleeves completely covered her hands.

She tried rolling them up.

Once...

Twice...

Three times...

Still too long.

She laughed softly.

"So..."

"This is what wearing Hope's clothes feels like."

The hoodie still carried the faint scent of laundry detergent...

Mixed with coffee...

And just enough rain to remind her of last night.

Without realizing it...

Sara gently wrapped the sleeves around herself.

It felt...

Safe.

She looked back at the note one more time.

A tiny smile appeared.

"...Thank you."

Sara quietly folded the little yellow note…

Then slipped it carefully into the pocket of Hope’s oversized hoodie.

She didn’t know why.

It simply felt too precious to throw away.

After adjusting the sleeves for what felt like the tenth time, she slowly stepped out of the bedroom.

The farmhouse was nothing like the royal palace.

The hallway was narrow.

Wooden floors creaked beneath every step.

Sunlight poured through the old windows, filling the house with a warm golden glow.

It wasn’t luxurious…

It felt lived in.

Loved.

Sara’s eyes wandered across the walls.

Family photographs covered nearly every empty space.

One picture immediately caught her attention.

Three little girls stood proudly beside a muddy river.

All three were completely soaked.

The smallest girl—who Sara immediately recognized as a much younger Hope—was holding a fish nearly as big as her arm.

She was grinning like she’d just conquered the world.

Standing beside her…

An older teenage girl had one hand on Hope’s shoulder, smiling proudly despite being covered in mud herself.

On Hope’s other side…

Another little girl was laughing so hard she could barely stand.

Sara smiled.

“So…”

“You’ve always been trouble.”

She continued walking.

Another photograph.

Hope stood proudly in her police academy uniform.

Perfect posture.

Completely serious.

Behind her…

The same two sisters were making rabbit ears over her head while trying—and failing—not to laugh.

Sara covered her mouth.

“So even heroes get bullied.”

A warm voice answered from downstairs.

“Oh, sweetheart…”

“Every single day.”

Sara jumped.

She looked down toward the kitchen.

Standing beside the stove was a woman in her early thirties.

Dark brown hair tied into a loose ponytail.

An apron covered in flour.

One hand held a spatula.

The other rested on her hip.

She wore the calm smile of someone who had spent years taking care of an entire household.

The moment she noticed Sara’s startled expression…

She laughed softly.

“I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Sara let out an embarrassed laugh.

“No…”

“I just wasn’t expecting anyone to answer.”

The woman smiled warmly.

“You’ll get used to us.”

She set another pancake onto a growing stack.

“I’m Rose.”

“Hope’s sister-in-law.”

Sara immediately smiled.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Rose looked Sara up and down…

Then her eyes landed on the oversized hoodie.

Her smile widened.

“Oh…”

“So she gave you the famous hoodie.”

Sara looked down.

“It was cold.”

Rose nodded dramatically.

“I’ve spent five years trying to convince Hope to throw that thing away.”

Hope’s voice immediately echoed from the kitchen.

“I can hear you!”

Rose shouted back without missing a beat.

“Good.”

“Maybe you’ll finally listen.”

Sara couldn’t stop laughing.

As she stepped into the kitchen…

The peaceful atmosphere immediately disappeared.

Chaos.

Pure chaos.

A woman sat calmly at the dining table reading the morning newspaper while drinking coffee.

Perfect posture.

Perfect hair.

Completely composed.

Without even looking up…

She casually slapped someone’s hand away from the pancake plate.

SMACK.

“No.”

A younger woman dramatically clutched her wounded hand.

“I was starving!”

The older woman calmly turned another page of the newspaper.

Rachel: “You’ve already eaten four.”

The younger woman gasped dramatically.

Casey: “That sounds like a personal opinion.”

Rachel finally lowered the newspaper.

She looked directly at her.

“It sounds like mathematics.”

Sara blinked.

“…”

Before she could react…

The younger woman suddenly reached across the table…

Grabbed another pancake…

And sprinted three steps backward like she’d stolen priceless treasure.

Casey proudly held it over her head.

“Finders keepers!”

Rachel slowly closed the newspaper.

Without raising her voice…

Without moving…

She simply said,

“Casey.”

“You have exactly three seconds.”

Casey immediately started eating faster.

“Too late.”

Sara burst into laughter.

Hope leaned casually against the coffee machine, holding a steaming mug.

Her dark hair was completely messy from sleep.

She looked as though she’d simply rolled out of bed five minutes ago.

The moment she noticed Sara…

The teasing smile she’d been wearing softened.

“There you are.”

Sara smiled back.

“I think I overslept.”

Hope shrugged.

“You earned it.”

Rose placed a fresh plate in front of Sara.

“Sit.”

“Before these three finish breakfast.”

Hope immediately reached toward Sara’s pancake.

Rose didn’t even look.

She simply smacked Hope’s hand with the wooden spoon.

SMACK.

Hope pulled her hand back dramatically.

“Ouch!”

Hope: “I was inspecting it.”

Rose folded her arms.

“With your mouth?”

Hope nodded confidently.

“Best inspection method.”

Rachel sighed into her coffee.

“I genuinely don’t know how you became a detective.”

Hope looked offended.

“Natural talent.”

Casey pointed toward Hope.

“Lies.”

“She once lost her own motorcycle.”

Hope immediately defended herself.

“It was parked somewhere else!”

Rachel raised an eyebrow.

“You parked it.”

Hope thought for a moment.

“…That explains a lot.”

Even Rose couldn’t stop laughing.

Sara looked around the table…

Only a few hours ago…

She had watched people die.

Now…

She was sitting with strangers who argued over pancakes as if the entire world was perfectly normal.

And somehow…

For the very first time since the attack…

She felt safe.

Breakfast passed with constant teasing.

Hope somehow managed to steal exactly one pancake.

She held it triumphantly above her head like she'd just won an Olympic medal.

Hope: "Victory."

Rachel looked over the rim of her coffee cup.

Rachel: "You stole one pancake."

Hope took a dramatic bite.

Hope: "A victory is a victory."

Casey immediately pointed her fork at Hope.

Casey: "I taught her that."

Rachel: "And that's why you're both impossible."

The kitchen erupted into laughter.

Sara couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed over something so unbelievably ridiculous.

For the first time in a very long time...

Breakfast didn't feel like another formal obligation.

It simply felt...

Like breakfast.

Then...

Hope's phone vibrated.

The cheerful expression disappeared almost instantly.

She glanced at the screen.

The name displayed only one word.

Captain.

Hope quietly sighed.

Hope: "Work never sleeps."

She pushed her chair back.

Before leaving...

She lightly tapped the edge of Sara's plate.

Hope: "I'll be back before they convince you I'm the problem."

Casey didn't even wait.

Casey: "Too late!"

Hope looked over her shoulder with mock offense.

Hope: "Traitor."

Casey proudly saluted.

Rachel simply shook her head.

Rose smiled to herself as Hope disappeared onto the porch.

Inside...

The farmhouse became quieter.

Rose gathered the empty plates and carried them to the sink.

Sara hesitated for only a second before standing.

Rose: "You don't have to."

Sara gently took a towel from beside the sink.

Sara: "I want to help."

Rose looked at her for a moment...

Then smiled.

A genuine smile.

Rose: "I was hoping you'd say that."

Sara looked surprised.

Rose handed her another plate.

Rose: "Hope always says you can learn everything you need to know about a person..."

"...by seeing what they do after breakfast."

Sara laughed.

Sara: "That's... oddly specific."

Rose grinned.

"You'll learn."

"Hope has a strange philosophy about almost everything."

For a while...

Neither of them spoke.

Only the soft sound of running water...

Plates gently touching...

And distant birds outside filled the silence.

Sara found herself stealing small glances through the kitchen window.

Hope stood on the porch with one hand in her pocket.

The other lazily gestured as she spoke on the phone.

Even during a work call...

She somehow looked completely relaxed.

Finally...

Sara broke the silence.

Sara: "So..."

"What was Hope like before she became a police officer?"

Rose didn't answer immediately.

Instead...

She slowly turned toward Sara.

A mischievous smile spread across her face.

Rose: "Oh?"

"So we're asking about Hope now?"

Sara immediately looked away.

Sara: "I was just curious."

Rose laughed.

Rose: "Of course."

"The famous 'just curious.'"

Sara rolled her eyes.

Sara: "I'm serious."

Rose: "So am I."

Rose leaned comfortably against the counter.

She looked toward Hope outside...

Her smile softened.

Rose: "When I first met Hope..."

She paused dramatically.

Sara unconsciously leaned forward.

Rose: "...I almost fell for her."

Sara blinked.

Sara: "...What?"

Rose nodded with a perfectly straight face.

Rose: "I really did."

Sara stared at her in complete disbelief.

Rose lasted exactly three seconds before bursting into laughter.

Rose: "I'm serious!"

Sara couldn't help laughing too.

Sara: "What happened?"

Rose smiled warmly.

The teasing disappeared from her eyes.

Rose: "Then I met Din."

"I fell in love with him."

"And Hope became the annoying little sister I never asked for."

Both women laughed.

Rose glanced outside again.

Hope had somehow finished her phone call...

And was now trying to repair a crooked fence post.

Unfortunately...

The fence looked even more crooked.

Rachel calmly walked over...

Took the hammer from Hope's hand...

Tapped the post twice...

And walked away without saying a word.

Hope looked at the perfectly straight fence...

Then quietly looked at the hammer in her own hand.

Hope: "...I loosened it for her."

Casey nearly fell over laughing.

Sara laughed so hard she almost dropped the plate she was drying.

Rose smiled.

Rose: "You know..."

"Hope has always had that effect."

Sara tilted her head.

Sara: "What effect?"

Rose pointed toward the porch.

Rose: "People naturally notice her."

"She doesn't even try."

Sara quietly watched Hope again.

Hope laughed with Casey.

Thanked Rachel for fixing the fence.

Then casually patted the old wooden post like it had personally helped.

Even standing still...

She somehow drew everyone's attention.

Sara nodded before she even realized she'd answered.

Sara: "...I noticed."

Rose caught that instantly.

A slow smile appeared.

Rose: "Oh..."

"You noticed?"

Sara immediately looked embarrassed.

Sara: "I meant..."

"People respect her."

Rose simply hummed.

Rose: "Mmm-hmm."

She clearly wasn't convinced.

Sara sighed.

She knew Rose wasn't going to let it go.

Finally...

She quietly asked the question that had been bothering her since breakfast.

Sara: "So..."

"Has Hope ever..."

"...dated anyone?"

Rose nearly dropped the plate in her hands.

She slowly looked toward Sara...

Then smiled so widely Sara instantly regretted asking.

Rose: "Now THAT'S the real question."

Sara immediately covered her face with both hands.

Sara: “I knew you’d say that.”

Rose laughed.

Rose: “I’ve been waiting ten minutes.”

Sara sighed dramatically.

Sara: “Can you please just answer?”

Rose pretended to think.

She tapped her chin with one finger.

Rose: “Hmm…”

“One…”

“No…”

“Three…”

Sara frowned.

Sara: “Rose.”

Rose continued counting on her fingers.

“Nine…”

“Twelve…”

She deliberately paused.

“…Sixteen…”

Sara folded her arms.

Sara: “You’re enjoying this far too much.”

Rose smiled innocently.

Rose: “A little.”

Sara let out a defeated sigh.

Sara: “How many?”

Rose finally looked her straight in the eyes.

A tiny grin appeared.

Rose: “The last time I counted…”

“…seventeen.”

Silence.

Sara blinked.

Once.

Twice.

She slowly looked toward the porch where Hope was now laughing with Casey over something completely ridiculous.

Then she looked back at Rose.

Sara: “…Seventeen?”

Rose nodded.

Sara: “…Seventeen?”

Rose burst into laughter.

She had to put the plate down before she dropped it.

Rose: “The look on your face!”

Sara groaned.

Sara: “You’re impossible.”

Rose finally calmed herself.

She gently leaned against the counter.

Her smile became softer.

Rose: “Relax.”

“They’re all ancient history.”

Sara looked outside again.

Hope was now absent-mindedly scratching behind the old farmhouse dog’s ears while still listening to Casey ramble about something.

She looked…

So normal.

So genuine.

It was almost impossible to imagine seventeen different women falling for the same person.

Sara quietly asked,

Sara: “She…”

“…broke up with all of them?”

Rose nodded.

Not proudly…

Just honestly.

Rose: “Every single one.”

Sara looked surprised.

Sara: “Really?”

Rose smiled.

Rose: “Hope has one rule.”

“If she realizes someone isn’t the person she’s meant to spend her life with…”

“…she refuses to waste their time.”

Sara lowered her eyes.

Sara: “What does she say?”

Rose laughed softly.

Rose: “Exactly the same thing.”

“Every.”

“Single.”

“Time.”

She straightened her posture…

Crossed her arms…

And, to Sara’s surprise…

Imitated Hope perfectly.

Even Hope’s calm voice.

Rose (imitating Hope): “You’re amazing.”

“You deserve someone who’ll love you the way you deserve.”

“I’m just not that person.”

Sara couldn’t help smiling.

Sara: “She really says that?”

Rose nodded.

Rose: “Word for word.”

Sara was quiet for a long moment.

Then…

Sara: “That’s…”

“…actually really kind.”

Rose looked toward the porch.

Hope had just helped Casey up after she’d somehow managed to trip over absolutely nothing.

Instead of laughing…

Hope simply brushed the dirt off Casey’s shoulder.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Rose smiled.

Rose: “That’s Hope.”

“She’d rather break her own heart…”

“…than lie to someone else’s.”

A comfortable silence settled between them.

Sara quietly watched Hope.

The more she learned about her…

The less those seventeen relationships bothered her.

Instead…

A different question appeared.

Sara: “…Did any of them hate her?”

Rose laughed.

Rose: “Not one.”

Sara looked surprised.

Rose: “They still invite her to birthdays.”

“They still ask her for advice.”

“One of them sends homemade cookies every Christmas.”

Sara stared.

Then burst into laughter.

Sara: “You’re joking.”

Rose shook her head.

Rose: “I’m not.”

“Hope always shares the cookies.”

“Although Casey usually steals half the tin before anyone else gets one.”

From outside…

Almost as if on cue…

Casey shouted,

Casey: “I HEARD THAT!”

Rose called back without missing a beat.

Rose: “Good.”

“Bring my cookies back.”

Casey’s dramatic gasp echoed through the yard.

Sara laughed so hard she had to lean against the counter.

When she finally looked outside again…

Hope happened to glance toward the kitchen window.

She caught Sara looking.

Without saying a word…

Hope smiled.

Then gave the smallest little wave.

Almost shy.

Sara smiled before she even realized she was doing it.

She lifted her hand…

And waved back.

Rose watched the entire exchange from the corner of her eye.

She didn’t say a word.

She simply smiled to herself.

Maybe…

Just maybe…

Hope had finally met someone who wasn’t going to become number eighteen.

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