The Royal Contract

It was their turn to clean the mess after eating their breakfast while the men went outside to check the horses at the stables. They were planning to do some exploring of the land.

“We did not take that long?” Dani felt her cheeks turn red. Until now, she could not help but feel a little embarrassed. But she knew her friend was just teasing her as usual.

Sometimes, she thought Jacky could use some filters with that mouth of hers. But she loved her friend for all her good traits and her faults. It is what had made her special.

Eventually, she glared at her friend and threw a napkin at her. The cloth hitting Jacky in the back effectively stopped her from taunting her. But they did end up laughing at their situation.

“I was just teasing. But I am happy that you two are catching up with your honeymoon. Both of you deserve to be happy.” Jacky turned a bit serious this time.

She was glad that things between her friends were going well despite their circumstances. She hoped that eventually, she would feel the same way.

.....

She still felt the sting of what happened yesterday, but she believed everything happened for a reason. She just had to wait for the right time.

Maybe she should be thankful that Marcus did not propose to her yesterday. She did sense that he was still not ready for such a commitment.

“True. I feel like Alex has done so many things for me, but I barely did anything for him.” Dani confided her insecurities.

Since the abduction, she had been drowning in her own trauma. She barely even acknowledged that Alex also had experienced the same thing. Maybe even worse, yet he was the one always there to support her.

She was thankful that Alex had been patient with her and supportive, but she had to play catch up and return the favor. She believed she also had to do something special for him.

“We all know that is not true. And Alex understands that you both went into a difficult situation.” Jacky dropped the towel she was holding and moved closer to her friend, wiping the table.

She held her by the shoulders and looked her directly in the eye. “You did what you have to do to survive. Now, you will be just fine. And Alex, me, and even Marcus will always be here for you.” Then, she pulled her friend for a warm hug.

“Thanks. I am so lucky to have you guys.” Dani hugged her friend back, tighter this time.

“What is that?” Jacky said, feeling the cold liquid running down the skin on her back. She quickly released her friend from the hug, checking her back for the source of her discomfort.

“Opps,” Dani quickly said. “I am sorry!” She realized she had placed the wet, dirty rag on her friend’s back when she hugged her tightly. It soaked her dress with the moisture in it. “Let me help you with that.”

Dani immediately dropped the rag she was holding and grabbed the dry tissues on the kitchen counter. Then, she started dabbing the wet portion on her back.

It barely made a difference on Jacky’s dress. Then, the smell of the spilled wine earlier also drifted in her clothes, which did not make the situation any better.

“That is ok. I think it is not working. I stink.” Jacky said to her friend, still feeling the icky feeling of the dampness in her back. “I think I better shower and change to something else.”

She checked her back through the reflection in the windows, but she could barely see much from the glares of the bright sun. She knew she had no more choice but to find something else to wear.

“I am sorry.” She kept saying to her friend, holding her hand together as she continued to apologize. “Just go shower, and I will finish up here.”

She did not mean to put the rag on her back. She was carried away by their moment, not realizing that her hand was still holding on to the icky cloth.

“Oh, don’t you worry. Cleaning this mess is payment enough.” Jacky pointed to the sink before proceeding to the bedroom, leaving her to deal with the remaining mess.

Well, she guessed this was punishment enough as she continued to clean the kitchen by herself as Jacky changed and fixed herself. In fairness, there were only a few things left to clean.

“Hey, are you ready to go?” Alex walked back to the kitchen coming from the back door, pulling her into a hug. Luckily, she was almost through with everything.

“Where are we going anyway?” She asked, just putting the last glass on the shelf.

Just in time, Jacky came out of the bedroom, just as Marcus also entered the room. “Are we all ready to go?” Marcus strode to Jacky, standing by her side as he looked at the other couple.

“You mean.” She stopped in her tracks. “We are going riding with you?” Jacky was surprised by this news. She had never been on a horse before. “I thought it was just the two of you.”

She looked at the three, slightly terrified, unsure if she could join them on this trip. The only thing she trusted with her life was a machine that would take her from point A to point B.

But entrusting an animal that could have some kind of temperament was another matter she still had to consider. She had heard many incidents where horses went wild, and the riders ended up in a ditch.

“Don’t worry. One thing I am good at is riding a horse.” Marcus winked at her, thinking that it was funny. But it only earned him a jab on his ribs, courtesy of the woman at her side.

The funny thing was, it did sound different in his mind, and Jacky might have misinterpreted his words for something else involving his past.

“Hey, what is that for?” Marcus asked, holding on to his injured ribs, but it was more an act since the jab barely hurt him. “I am serious.”

“I assure you that Marcus knows more about horses than any one of us,” Alex assured Jacky, knowing that Marcus was an expert in horses.

His friend used to play for the polo team during their college years. He could even ride the horse backward. But work and other obligations did stop them from doing most of the things they loved.

“I guess. I can try.” Jacky said, finally feeling more comfortable about the idea. But, she still had to see the horse up close.

She was not a coward who would easily back out from a challenge. Maybe she could do this. She did see some horses in Central Park, and they seemed friendly enough.

“That is my girl.” Marcus proudly said, glad that she finally agreed.

He turned to her, pulling Jacky into a hug. Then, kissing her on her forehead to assure her that it was ok. He really wanted her to come and join them in this expedition.

He wanted to share with her everything about him. Things that made him who he was. He wanted her to know more about him before his big reveal.