The Royal Contract

Frankly, someone else’s face popped into her mind when she thought of the name. But, of course, she knew he was not referring to the man in her head. Still, she could not help but wonder about the coincidence.

“What is so funny?” He innocently asked, staring at the top of her head, under the dim radiance of the moonlight. But he still did not let go of her, enjoying the feeling of her cradled in his arms.

Since she woke up, he had ignored all his calls, proving that he could devote all his time to her. They watched movies, ate a lot, drank expensive wine, and discussed varying topics.

He discovered that she might not be a lawyer, but she could argue her case convincingly. Other than that, she also had an adorable sense of humor.

“I think Tony here...” She patted the dog that had been lying next to her. “... seems to be a wonderful dog. How long have you had him?”

She could not see herself caring for a dog because of her schedule, but she always liked having one around. It was a responsibility that would require a steady owner who stays in one place.

.....

Her living situation had not been permanent since leaving her father’s estate. Her work in the different foundations she organized had her moving around from one place to another.

“Actually...” He also played with the dog’s ears. “He just landed on my lap recently. His last owner, who lives just a few floors below my apartment, had died.”

He had known the dog for some time, having played with him in the past. When he learned that the dog would go to the shelter, he quickly acted on adopting him.

“That is a nice thing to do. Tony seems to be happy here.” She commented as she looked at him. “Honestly, I never thought of you as someone who would want a responsibility.”

It was why she was surprised to see him with a dog. She could not picture him caring for another life with his current lifestyle, not that she was judging him, but unlike her excuse, he had a busier workload.

“I thought so too. I always shied away from a responsibility that I thought I could not do it. But after having Tony around, caring for him, I learned that I like it.” It was the truth.

He had enjoyed having to think of someone else besides himself. He had lived alone for so long that he believed depending on someone or having someone need him would be a hassle in his life. But he was happy he was proven wrong.

“So, you plan to have him around permanently.” She asked, finding the new Evan before her intriguing.

The only place she could call home was when she stayed with Amelia and Angela. They welcomed her into their lives and treated her like family. If not for them, she would still be traveling, trying to find her place in the world.

Anyway, it would be nice if Tony could have a permanent home. She had seen many dogs who lost their initial owner and had difficulty finding a new home.

“I am. I wish to keep Tony. Besides, I think he likes it here.” Evan answered her, moving to the small table to refill their drinks.

But instead of sitting down, he handed her glass to her and started pacing around the small space as if he had some troubling thoughts. It took him more or less a minute before he returned to his seat.

“Then, what is stopping you?” She could not see any reason why he could not keep the dog. Tony seemed to like him.

From her observation, it seemed he had taken good care of Tony since he had stayed with him. Therefore, she could not see why he would hesitate to help this poor homeless dog.

“You.” He said almost in a whisper that she barely picked up. She wondered if he even said it to her.

But if she heard him right, what did she have to do with the dog staying with him? It just did not make any sense to her. “What?” She wanted some clarification on what he said.

“I said, Tony...” But he did not finish when the dog reacted to hearing his name and jumped into his lap without warning.

Imagine a seventy-pound dog with its golden hair forcefully wanting to hug and lick its owner. It was an adorable sight. However, it also created a lot of mess.

“Tony,” Evan exasperatedly said as the wine he held in his hand spilled all over his shirt. He held his glass up in the air, avoiding spilling the few remaining contents. But the dog only barked and continued to give Evan his full attention.

Amelia could not help as she laughed loudly at the slightly comical scene she had witnessed. But she quickly stifled her laughter, seeing the admonishing look in Evan’s expression.

“You think this is funny.” He said with a frown on his forehead and a gleam in his eyes. But when his scowl turned into a sinister smile, it was too late to realize what he had planned in his mind.

Her hair was suddenly dripping with red liquid as he poured his wine on her head. “Oops! It is Tony’s fault.” She heard him say, blaming the dog that had not stopped playing with him.

“Oh!” She wiped her face with her hands of the few wines that dripped down her face. “You two are going to pay for that.” She declared but before she could react.

“Run, Tony, before she catches with us.” Evan jumped out of his seat while Tony followed him as if he was still playing with him. She ended up spilling her drink on the floor instead of him.

She followed them inside the room with wine-soaked hair and clothes. At least it was not her dress, or the stain would have ruined it. However, she could not run on the smooth tiled floors with her slippery bare feet.

By the time she made it to the living room, the two had hidden somewhere in the apartment. But she could see a few droplets of the wine, giving her a hint of where they could have gone.

She shook her head at the absurdity of their situation. They were acting like kids, which was not bad at all. Frankly, she was enjoying it. She had missed her childhood, and it was nice to play hide and seek again.