The Royal Contract

Was that a good sign? It meant that Edison truly liked Zach as he called out his name and looked behind her as if he would find him there. But she asked Zach not to visit tonight since she knew she would need some rest.

Moreover, she wanted to take their relationship at a slower pace. This last week had been a roller coaster ride for her. And she needed her equilibrium back before she lost sight of her focus.

She knew she was falling fast into the comfort of his embrace. She was afraid she might be unable to let go when he decided he had more than enough of this.

“I am sorry, my baby. Zach is not coming tonight.” She tried to explain to her son, who pulled a long face.

She could not help it if she still had some skepticism about their blooming relationship. Experience had taught her not to hope too high because it was hard when eventually, she had to fall back to the ground.

Besides, it was not just her who was starting to hope. She could already see it in Edison’s eyes. He was falling in love with him, just like she was, but what about Zach? Was he falling madly in love with them?

More importantly, was he willing to give up everything for them when the time came that he had to choose? Yes, she looked him up on the internet. She was curious.

She could not help but wonder if he was rich enough to land on the social network’s radar. And indeed, his face and body were all over the net. The first article she saw said he was one of the most eligible bachelors in the country.

.....

She quickly closed her phone, not wanting to see more. She was afraid if she read more, she would be afraid to continue with this relationship. It did not seem fair to Zach when she promised to give him a chance.

“He promised we play...” He mumbled as if he was about to cry.

She had seen how the two had bonded. Of course, she would love to see more of those. But what if, just what if, Zach changed his mind? And he realized this scenario was just too much for him. What then?

She would be left to pick up the pieces of her heart again. But also try to fix her son at the same time. Maybe they could bounce back again, or maybe not. Who knew what the future held? But she would try to be careful this time.

She could not simply abandon reason for love. She was not closing her heart to him, just taking extra precautions this time.

“He promised the next time you will.” She said instead. It was hard to see her son disappointed. But it was better he realized while it was still early that Zach was not yet a permanent part of their family.

Quickly, she picked up her son and carried her to the kitchen. “Would you like to help me cook dinner?” She asked him, using that as their playtime.

She worked on cutting some vegetables, knowing that he liked them, while he played around with the pan and a plastic spatula. He was not helping, but she could watch him while she cooked.

Finally, she had finished putting Edison to bed after their meal, a short movie, his bath, and reading his favorite book. It was time to clean the remaining dishes in the kitchen and tidy up the place.

Afterward, she wondered if she should still do the laundry, but she was already exhausted. Eventually, she gave up on the idea, slumping on the couch, and rested.

She debated whether she should call him or wait for him to call. But she said that she was retiring early tonight. Therefore, he might not want to disturb her.

“Just call him.” She told herself, finding herself missing him. She thought it would be nice to hear his voice.

But he might suddenly drive over if she told him how much she missed him already. Then, it would have beaten the purpose of slowing their pace. She might as well go down on her knees and ask him to marry her.

“Ooohhh!” She hated this feeling. She wanted him very much but was unsure if she deserved a man like him.

She grabbed the tv remote before she ran to get her phone and called him. She decided to entertain herself with a movie so she would not have to think about him. Maybe she would finally fall asleep on the couch in a few minutes.

However, half an hour later, a buzzing sound reverberated in the other room just when her eyes were getting droopy. The constant ringing alerted her, making her move to her feet and grab the phone that she had left on the kitchen counter.

“Yes!” She quickly answered, her voice sounding a little raspy, thinking it was Zach. Well, she was not expecting any calls. And her mind was wishing it was him.

“Ria.” Somebody said her name. “I hope I did not wake you up, but I think it is still early.” The man on the line seemed to hesitate, probably checking the time.

Suddenly, she was awake, wondering who was on the other line. She was confident the man was not Zach. But it did sound familiar. “Who is this?” She finally asked, unable to match the voice with a face.

She also looked at her clock, and it indicated that she must have dozed off for almost an hour on the couch. But the man was right. It was still not that late for a phone call.

“Elias James.” He introduced himself. “Fine, I think you still need some jogging of your memories. It’s Tabby.” He finally announced after a few seconds of her being silent.

“Tabby?” Suddenly, she remembered, of course. “I am sorry. I am still getting used to having you around again.” She tried to reason. “And your voice had changed.” She realized it thickened compared to his original tone that she recalled.

But she was glad that he called. It is nice to hear a friendly voice.