The Princess Contract

Chapter Five

           Abby followed Vanessa out of the trailer, her mind a whirlwind of questions and speculations of the future. It was all happening so fast that the young woman was having trouble processing all of it at once. Abby caught sight of the car her rescuers had arrived in. All four doors hung open, none having taken the time to close them in their mad dash to the trailer.

          "We heard shouting," Vanessa explained, almost as though she could hear the questions Abby had yet to voice. "We're sorry we had to leave you in that situation."

          They hadn't been the only ones attracted to the shouting. Several residents were huddling in open doorways, or peering out of windows trying to figure out what was going on. Abby wanted to scream at all of them to go back to bed.

          They'd never cared before, why start now? She knew that would just add fuel to the fire. They'd find out soon enough, and after a day or two no one would care. Life, for them anyway, would resume as normal.

          Turning her gaze away from the onlookers, Abby didn't know what to say, or how to express just how grateful she was for Vanessa's intervention. She was still quite shaken by the whole ordeal. Her mother had never looked so angry before, so determined. Abby couldn't help but wonder if she would have gone through with her threats, and that made the whole episode that much more unnerving.

          As cruel and heartless as her mother had been, Abby had still loved her. It was the innocent, unconditional love of a child desperate for affection. It hurt her deeply to think that her mother hadn't loved her at all, that not even an ounce of caring existed. It was all Abby had ever really wanted after all, a little love and acceptance from the one person she desired it from the most.

          A thought dawned on her then and Abby felt sick to her stomach. The ring, it was gone. How could she have been so foolish? She could hear Adam now, telling her he told her so.

          "I sold it," she blurted out as they reached the car.

          "Pardon?" Vanessa paused, looking back at her. It was clear to Abby the woman was confused.

          "The ring... I found it and I sold it," she repeated, a bit quieter this time. As if to prove it she pulled the wad of bills from her pocket. "I just wanted to get out, to get away."

          Vanessa smiled and reached into her pocket.

          "You mean this ring?" She asked as she produced an ornate box. She opened it revealing the ring Abby had sold earlier that afternoon.

          "We were following you," Jasper explained as he joined them by the car. He had the folder of signed documents in his hand. "Ring or not, you were under our protection."

          "But... why? I don't understand," Abby replied.

          "Unfortunately we are not at liberty to say," Vanessa declared with a knowing smile. "But if you will come with us, we will take you to someone who will be more than happy to explain everything."

          "Where are we going?"

          "That is a surprise," Jasper answered with a wink. Vanessa motioned to the back seat of the car. Abby glanced back towards the trailer. Until this point, it had been all she'd known, it had been her whole life. As much as she had hated it, she found it was still difficult to leave behind.

          "She'll be alright," Vanessa said quietly, placing a hand on Abby's shoulder. "You've got a big heart, Abigail. That woman, she doesn't deserve you."