Ricky And Jackie

9. Ricky

So sorry for the wait! Im at my church union youth meeting, so Ive been pretty busy :( Hope you enjoy

"Where have you been all this time?" My mom yells when I show up in the hotel lobby.
"Hum... just chilling with some friends." I reply.

I catch Jackie's colleagues staring and I smirk. I know they understood who the "friends" were.

"Hurry, your dad's waiting!" Hisses Mother.
She rushes outside while my siblings and I take our time.
"You were with hotel girl, right?" guesses Alex.
"Yeah, I got to meet her niece and nephew." I confirm.

Jackie's sister also has a kid named Joni, but he's still a baby. We spent the entire morning recounting our family fights, me, Jackie and Janet. I actually left because Jackson called home to tell he was on his way. "You'll have to meet him someday!" laughed Jackie.

I really had to go anyway...

"You're really fond of that girl, right? says Marie-Claire as we get out of the hotel.
"No, I just like to chill with hotel employees." I deadpan.
She shoves me with her shoulder.

The Danfords house isn't exactly a house. A mansion, perhaps? Anyway, it's huge.

Not that I don't live in a mansion myself, but my place also has the parliament in it, so you know...

We are greeted by Mrs. Danford in the main entrance.
"How are your Majesties doing this afternoon?"
"We are well, thank you." answers my dad politely. What about you?"
"I'm well and so is my family." They are waiting for us in the dining room, follow me."

We walk through a long corridor with paintings on both walls to the last door to the left. Mrs. Danford pushes it open and we all walk in the dining room.

The first thing I notice is the huge bronze chandelier above the long wooden table. Three persons were already sat down: A bald man who is probably Mr. Danford, a blonde girl with thick eyebrows and a piercing stare and a redhaired girl who seems more sympathetic than the blonde.

Let's just hope the latter is Ella.

The man gets up and shakes my father's hand.
"It is an honor, your Majesty."
"The honor is ours, sir."

Cue the meaningless formalities.

A maid sits us down to our places. I am next to the blonde and Marie-Claire is to my right. Alexandra is between the two sisters.

The lunch starts with Mr. Danford saying the grace. Then, two house employees bring the food on the table. I practically jump on the chicken plate but I catch mom's severe look and I calm down a bit.

"So, Prince, calls me out Mr. Danford, what brings you here?"

Is it just me or I never got my part of the script for this meal?

"As a matter of fact, sir, I have no idea wh-"
"Richard is here to get to know miss Ella Danford." My dad cuts me out.
I spit out my wine. I didn't expect him to be so staightforward about this whole thing. Mr. Danford eyes me suspiciously.
"How come your son couldn't answer this by myself? Isn't he 22?"
I like where this conversation is going.
"Hum... He didn't know the reason of our visit here." admits my mom.
"Well, I suppose it'll take some time for him to digest this information instead of actually get to know Ella, so that was a waste of time. I hope you had other things you had planned to do here today?"
Marie-Claire and I both stare at each other silently. Akward, we mouth at the same time.

"Well this didn't go well", I say once we're back in the limousine.
My mom scowls me with a glance but Dad is not having it.
"You better impress them, son, we can't have him backing out of our contract now because of your ignorance."
"No offense Father, but I believe it is because of your choice to not tell me why we are even here in the first place that caused this situation."
"I had my reasons." simply states my father.

I roll my eyes and turn my head to the window.

"She looks just like her father." I say, referring to Ella.
"You talked to her twice!" retorts my mother.
"I asked her for the salt the first time and the second one I genuinely tried to have a conversation with her."
"And what happened?" wonders Alexandra.
"She told me I was 'okay' for a black guy but that we didn't look like royals to her. 'My butler is more crown-potential than you guys, you look like you came from Brooklyn.' Needless to say, I abhorr her since." I recount, fuming.

A long and akward silence fell between us.
"Are you sure about this, Richie?" asks my mom.
"Why would I lie to you?"
She nods, content.
"You have a meeting with Ella Danford in three days, son, so make sure she changes her mind about us. Either way, you will marry that girl whether you like it or not."
"As in a date?"
"Call it what you want." he shrugs.
I loudly growl. "Alone?"
"Honey just relax! She will fall for you, it's just a matter of time!"
"I don't care how she feels about me, the problem is how I perceive her. And right now, she is a spoiled uptight blonde brat with prejudice about pretty much everything. She is not 'princess material' to borrow from her own vocabulary."
"It's not like you're going to rule or anything." brings out my older sister.
I give her a death stare.
"Exactly, and I am the one who is being forced into a wedding!"
"Remind yourself your country is counting on you. We are doing this for our country."
"Why don't you ask him to sign you a check, Mr. Danford seems so fond of us!" I deadpan.
"Enough is enough, Richard! Get yourself to work this out or else..." threatens my father.

I slam the door open and walk out of the car.

I don't have much to walk to the hotel, so I dial a number while returning to the hotel.
"Ricky?" she answered on the second ring. The sound of her voice automatically brings a smile to my face.
"Bonjour Jackie", I greet her in French.
"Arrête, ce n'est pas drôle [Stop, it isn't funny]", she answers with a bored tone.
"We have to speak French more often. Unless you rather talk in Spanish?"
"Càllate", she grins, telling me to shut up in Spanish. "I hope you didn't call to make me practice all these languages?"
"You are right, I didn't." I sigh when the dinner comes back in my mind.
"Something's wrong?" she worries.
"You know the dinner I told you about earlier..."
"Huhum..."
"It didn't go well."
"How come?"
"The girl is low key racist, saying we didn't look like royalty and idioties like that."
"Is idioties even an English word?"
I growl, making her laugh.
"I'm just messing with cha! So, your parents ran out of her house before she kicked you out?"
I first shake my head then realize she can't see me.
"Nope. They want it to happen no matter what. I'm doomed."
"Oh." She pauses, probably shifting her weight uncomfortably. "I-i guess we can stay friends."
"Heck no! We're a thing, bèl grimèl, that is the way it will be."
"Bèl what?"
"Grimèl. It's a Creole word for light-skinned black woman in Hispaniola. And bèl is the same from French [belle: pretty, beautiful]." I proudly explain.
"What about your parents? Don't they want you to date Ella? I don't think you should give up on her for me. I really don't mind just staying friends. We don't even know each other for a long time." she assures me in a small voice.

I was almost in the hotel lobby hall.
"Jackie?"
"What?"
"I'll see you soon."
"Wh-"
I press End call and walk in the building.