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After an exciting evening, the night before in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Anne was ready to support her beloved Six Nations team, Scotland, at the Six Nations in Rome. For Anne, watching Rugby was one of her many enjoyable pastimes. She rocked up with no flashy lights or much media attention, met a few people behind the scenes and took her seat as usual. She was almost entirely undetected until a couple of the television cameras spotted her in the stands. A large eruption of laughter, cheering and clapping soon followed as her face, slightly hidden behind a railing, showed up on the big screen. At first she suspected that they must have been cheering for somebody else until she glanced up at the big screen only to see herself staring back at her.
She looked side to side with eyebrows raised, “they aren’t clapping at me, are they?” She pushed out a laugh or two before the camera switched away from her face and towards another part of the stands. “It’s the simple things, isn’t it? Imagine clapping for me when the only bloody thing I’m doing is sitting here!”
She enjoyed the rest of the match regardless, and was keen to check her phone as soon as she was in private. Tim had texted her, “they filmed you on the big screen. I hope Scotland wins x.” Zara texted her too, “they put you on the big screen, mum!”
Anne quickly texted them back and told Tim she’d be returning to Milan soon. After they reunited that evening he ran her a warm bath.
“….the energy was good out there. It’s just a shame Scotland didn’t win.” She laid almost totally flat in the bath with only her face out of the water. Tim sat on the floor on a rug beside the bath, but not close enough to peek at her.
“It was close, though. 18-15 isn’t bad.”
“Yes. I just wish they got a wiggle on a little bit more. They missed a few passes that could have easily changed the game…”
“I suppose so, but it can’t be changed now. How was the weather there? It looked cold, but…”
“It was slightly too chilly by Italian standards but it is February after all. Having said that, I am very glad to be in this bath now.”
“I can tell. Your little nose has turned pink!” This made Tim chuckle. As a retaliation Anne submerged her whole face into the water, only for a few moments before she pulled her head out and Tim complained, “don’t kid around about that, dear!”
“Is my nose less pink now?”
“Slightly. I wasn’t teasing you about it! I like pink.”
“I know… I just wanted to see you panic for a moment.” She stared across at him while he rested his chin on his knees. “Did you miss me today?”
“I always miss you, Anne. Did you miss me?”
“Of course. Some of those men I sat with went on and on about every little thing that crossed their minds… I missed having you beside me.”
“I know how to be silent when a calculated princess is in the area.”
“You’re very well trained, dear. Tragically not all men are these days.”
“Well, famously, I am one of a kind. You’d struggle to find another man such as I.”
“Good! I’m glad I made the right choice of a husband and an even better choice of a fellow rugby watcher.”
“The pleasure is all mine, dear. Anyway, do you want help getting out?”
“I can do it. I’ll meet you in the bedroom.”
“Great!”
Once on the opposite side of the bathroom door Tim thought he’d be able to squeeze in one cheeky compliment, “you looked pretty good on the big screen earlier…”
“Pretty good?”
“Yeah, you looked hot.” Tim instantly covered his mouth and backed away from the door in case Anne felt the need to cave it in after hearing his comment. Instead, she calmly opened the bathroom door in her dressing gown, “I have never once in my life ‘looked hot’ and I certainly didn’t today!”
“I thought you did.”
She didn’t like his smug little face at times like this, “don’t make me regret picking you as my husband and silent rugby watcher!” She warned jokingly.
“Sorry, but a man can’t help but tell the truth when he sees something… hot.”
She rolled her eyes, “yeah yeah, Mr Smooth. Get those pyjamas on and let’s catch up on Eastenders!”