Me and AJ

The other day I had a lengthy conversation with my son, AJ.
AJ is my oldest biological child.  I adopted 2 children from Egypt before I married my husband. 
AJ has had some issues, a lot of which are my doing, because when I had him I wasn't at all ready to be a mom.  And I froze.  I had no clue what to do.  Thankfully, Andy is a far better father than I ever was as a mother. 
But I digress.
The reason I had this conversation in the first place was because I'd heard some interesting things about his involvement with a certain princess.
A quick recap:  Prince Consort Renauld, Queen Catarina's husband and the father of her twin daughters, died suddenly of a massive heart attack while he was getting dressed.  Somehow AJ ended up at the palace during his funeral dinner. When AJ was there, he met a girl who called herself Alex.  Later I found out that Alex was actually Princess Alexandra Vanderburg, one of the twin daughters of Queen Catarina and Prince Renauld.
Alexandra had enlisted in the military reserves and enrolled in the royal flight academy to undergo flight training. 
I found out later that Alexandra was in AJ's regiment and his class at the flight academy.  I've also found out that they're spending a lot of time together, both in training and doing outside activities.  I've found out that she's invited him to the castle on multiple occasions. 
Hence, my reason (or one of them) for our talk that evening.
"AJ, do you take your medicine every morning?"  AJ has to take a prescribed elixir to regulate his moods every morning before going to work.  It was given to him at the hospital.
"Yes, mom," he replied between bites of homemade spaghetti.
"AJ -- I know about Alexandra.  You like her, don't you?"

"Mom!"
"AJ, it's not a crime if you like her. It's just that -- you know, she's a member of the royal family.  Just be careful, that's all."
"Mom, we're just associates.  We have to work together."
"AJ, she took you to her favorite hangout spot up in the mountains."
AJ's eyes widened.  "Mom, how'd you know THAT???"
I smiled.  "A mother knows these things, son." 

After I pressed him a bit, he admitted his mountain trip with Alexandra did in fact happen.

"It was a training exercise, we were doing a run to increase stamina.  She decided to take a detour.
"Come on, I've got a place I want to show you."
"Are you sure it's okay?" I asked.
"Sure," she said, and she kept running while I was huffing and puffing behind her. 

"My dad used to take me here all the time to go fishing and camping and whatever.  I often came here on my own whenever I had an argument with my mom."
"What happened to him?"
"He passed away in October.  I still miss him like crazy."

"Alex!" I called.  "Alex, this is crazy!"
"Come on, valley boy," she teased, "tired already?  Us mountain folk, we're used to climbing and such."
When I finally reached the top, I collapsed.  She stood over me, fanning me with the vest she took off, and I woke up a few moments later. 
"When I'm done with you, you're going to be a better climber than me." 

When AJ finished telling his story, I couldn't do anything but laugh, for they sounded exactly like his father and me.  Except I was the polished suburban slicker and HE was the outdoorsy fisherman.  Trying to climb hills in heels... well, let's just say... I got a few blisters from all that. 
I took in a few more bites of spaghetti.  "Did I ever tell you how on our first date, your father took me to Crystal Springs, his favorite fishing spot up near the stadium here?"
He shook his head no.
"I told him that I'd never been there before, and I hadn't even though I grew up here.  Now, I know Alexandra took you to that fishing spot up there in the mountains, and the two of you went fishing together.  Tell me honestly, AJ, are you attracted to her?"
"We're just friends.  Our birthday is the same, almost, she has the same favorite color and she likes the same things I do."
"AJ, I have no problems with you being friends with her, I like the idea that you are making friends.  I just, you know, want you to be careful." 
I kind of think Alexandra wants to be more than friends... but I couldn't tell AJ that just yet. 

I have to admit that I'm tickled to death at the irony. My son was a juvenile delinquent, sentenced to Fort Starch Military Academy, and now he's hanging out with a princess.
My baby, you know, he's all grown up now... how time flies.