Anything For Rachel – Episode 23

Episode_23

 

 

Calvin was back at my side in an instant, putting the plates in his hands down on the table with a thud and then stepping slightly in front of me protectively. “Don’t listen to him.” He whispered, but I felt sick to my stomach.

 

The room was deadly silent as Marco cleared his throat, pulling the attention back to him. “Now,” He began again, looking annoyed that his moment was being messed up. “We are not only here to welcome back our current queen.” He said emphasizing the word current. “We are also here to make a fantastic announcement. Some of you may know, but our late King Gordo was quite the skilled entertainer, and one of his best feats was the competition for queen.” He said, pausing to let some people take in what he was saying. “Our dear Queen Rachel has been away for quite some time, so to ensure her fitness to still rule not only us, but our dear King Calvin’s heart, I am here to announce that there will be a new competition!”

 

There were shocked gasps from some, and confused looks from others. “One of our last competitions crowd favorites is back to try again at winning over not only all of you fine ladies and gentlemen, but our king as well.” He smiled a big fake grin and I wanted to roll my eyes but I knew my face was still being blasted on the screens and I didn’t want anyone to see my unhappiness. “Without further ado, let’s give a hand for Miss Lexton!” He called out and the doors opened again and there she was.

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She smiled shyly and waived slightly to the people who called out her name. She was wearing a beaded black and white gown that accentuated her tall thin frame, and her jet black hair was up in a knotted bun on top of her head. Marco held out the mic to her and she leaned in. “Hello.” She smiled. “So happy to be given this chance.” She said simply, then leaned away from the mic and clasped her hands in front of her.

 

 

“Thank you, Miss Lexton.” Marco smiled to her then turned back to the crowd. “In two days the competition is set to begin, but until then, let us celebrate our queen’s homecoming.” He said. Just like Octavia had said, tonight was a backhanded honor for me. Welcome back to our queen who we intend to replace in three weeks.

 

Calvin turned to me as the crowd went back to their partying, and Lexton began her decent down the stairs towards us. “I’m sorry, Rachel.” He sighed. “Are you ok?”

 

“I’m fine, Cal.” I sighed.

 

Lexton approached the table apprehensively and stepped up to walk over to the chair on the other side of Calvin’s. Calvin turned to pull out her seat for her. “Lexton.” He smiled at her. “How are you?” He asked, making sure to smile for the cameras.

 

“I’m as good as can be expected.” She replied as she took her seat.

 

I leaned around Calvin. “Hello, Lexton.” I smiled at her and she grinned up at me timidly.

 

“Nice to see you again, Rachel.” She replied courtly.

 

Calvin put his hand on the back of his chair, pulling it back, but I put my hand on top of his and shook my head, tilting it over to the side. He followed me off to the side of the room away from Lexton and he reached out to hold my hand..”I’m so sorry about all of this, Rachel, I can’t imagine how difficult this is fo-.” He was saying until I reached up to put my finger to his lips.Enjoy more interesting stories

 

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“Don’t.” I whispered. “Don’t ruin it.” Calvin’s lips turned up at the edges and he tilted his head to me questioningly. “I’m not letting anything ruin our night.” I told him. “You’re here, I’m here, and there is a table covered with food, and a huge dance floor.” I laughed. “Can you do something for me?” I asked. “Can we please just pretend, even if it is just for tonight, that we are just two normal people? You’re just Calvin and I’m just Rachel. Can we just enjoy our night together?”

 

 

His eyes were warm as he looked down at me and cupped my face. “Anything for you.” He whispered. “Now come on, just Rachel, I want to spin you around this dancefloor.” He laughed and he did as he promised. We ran to the dancefloor and with his arms around me, I ignored everyone else around us for tonight.

 

Just Calvin, and just Rachel.

 

Just in love.

 

We stayed at the ball until the servers began cleaning everything up and Cal and I were the only two still spinning around the dancefloor. We got strange looks from the people on the council, but they were the ones that said we should give the people a good show, so that’s what we are doing. I was elated, on cloud nine and more just being in his arms.

 

I’d kicked off my shoes hours ago and when the last plate was cleared and they began turning out all of the lights I thought we’d have to leave, but Calvin had other ideas.

 

“Leave this one lit.” He’d called out when a man came to put out the candles on the chandelier over the dancefloor. The man bowed his head to Calvin and exited the room, leaving us all alone in the cleared out ballroom. Calvin took my hand, kissing it again before he spun me around again, my dress fanning out around me and my hair swirling around my shoulders. I felt carefree and light as a feather. The light happy song played out and I was out of breath when he released me and gave me a look. “Don’t dare move.” He whispered.

 

“Never.” I smiled.

 

He disappeared into a back room and when he came back a nice slow romantic song began to play out over the speakers and he walked to me slowly, stopping to bow to me before offering me his hand. “May I have this dance?” He asked, his charm on high.

 

I curtsied to him and took his hand, and then gasped when he yanked me over, pressing our bodies close together. He put his hands on my hips and lifted me slightly, placing my bare feet on top of his shoes as he began to waltz us around

 

 

the dancefloor in the lingering candlelight. I leaned my head against his shoulder and breathed him in. “I missed you.” I sighed and he stopped moving.

 

I glanced up at him and his eyes were watching mine carefully as he snaked his hand up from my waist to the side of my neck. “I missed you.” He breathed, leaning down slowly. I closed my eyes and parted my lips, expectant, but instead he sighed, brushing his fingers across my lips. “Later.” He whispered and I opened my eyes in time to see him turn towards the large double doors as they opened and Octavia rushed in, already changed into a much more casual outfit, her hair unbraided and wavy around her shoulders.

 

“Sorry to interrupt,” She grinned as she came to me. “I’ve got a call for you.”

 

She passed me the phone and I couldn’t stop from smiling.

 

“Hello?” I said happily.

 

“Momma!” Rose’s warm voice filled my ear. Octavia bowed her head to us and excused herself. “What are you doing?” Rose asked.

 

Calvin sat down on the marbled floor and tugged my wrist, pulling me down to sit in his lap. “I was just dancing.” I told her and I could hear her smile in her giggle.

 

“But you don’t know how to dance.” She laughed and Calvin chuckled beneath me.

 

“That’s not true at all, missy.” I protested. “I’m a great dancer.”

 

Rose laughed a little more. “Ok, momma.” She said then she paused just a second.

 

“Pigheaded.” She giggled and Calvin widened his eyes at me.

 

I mouthed ‘Pedro’ to him and he nodded with a wide smile in understanding. “What are you doing beautiful?” I asked her.

 

“Petting my puppy.” She said happily. “I named him Prince.”

 

“Prince?” I repeated her.

 

“Yep.” She said quickly. “I love Prince.”

 

 

I smiled, shaking my head. “What does Prince look like?”

 

“He’s brown, but he has one white foot and one white ear.” She told me. “Papa Pedro said he was goofy looking, but I think he’s cute.”

 

“I’m sure that he is very cute.” I told her, already dreading having to start puppy training a dog when she and I are back together. I heard her yawn loudly into the phone and I pictured her sleepy eyes in my mind, wishing I could brush her hair out before bed like she loved so much. “Are you sleepy, baby?”

 

“Yeah.” She said softly. “I’ve been very busy.” She said like she was an adult who has just finished working a 40 hour week and did the laundry too.

 

“I have heard that.” I told her. “Are you still having a lot of fun?”

 

“Yeah.” She said. “Papa Pedro bought me a lot of new toys.” She said, her energy coming back a little. “I got a pretty fairy Barbie that can fly!”

 

“Wow!” I said. “That’s so cool, I can’t wait to see it.”

 

“I miss you, momma.”

 

“I miss you, angel.” I sighed. “So much, and I love you up to the sky the moon the sun and the stars.”

 

“Love you to the sky, moon, sun, and stars.” She repeated. “I’ve got to go to sleep now.”

 

“Alright, honey, sweet dreams.”

 

“Bye, Momma.”

 

The line went dead and I handed the phone over to Calvin, some of the buzz of my perfect night deflating in me.

 

 

“She sounds smart.” Calvin whispered, pulling me back to the present. “Like her mom.”

 

I smiled at his compliment, but then I leaned into his chest, letting him hold me closer. “I miss her so much it hurts.” I told him. “Even knowing she’s having fun, it is still hard to not be near her.”

 

“I know what you mean.” Calvin whispered and I gazed up at him as he sighed. “What’s she like, Rachel?”

 

I sat up and held his face in my hands. “She is very bright, and tough as nails, and funny, my god, that kid is funny. She has such a big heart, and I sometimes look at her and have to ask myself what on earth I could have done in my life to have deserved such a perfect little girl. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body, but at the same time she can be a little sensitive. Sometimes she is shy, but after she warms up she opens up more.”

 

“What does she like to do?” He asked, the genuine curiosity about her warming my heart.

 

I shook my head smiling. “Everything.” I sighed. “She is always excited to do anything. She loves school, reading, playing with dolls, she loves swinging at the park, and movies. She has a very extensive collection of movies.”

 

Calvin smiled, pulling one of my hands into his and rubbing the top of it with his fingers. “How does she eat?”

 

“Hates Brussel sprouts.” I said, making a face.

 

Calvin chuckled lightly. “Are you sure she hates them, and not just you?” He quipped and I smacked his arm lightly.

 

“You hush.” I scolded him. “She doesn’t like them, but literally anything else she is good with. She loves to snack on humus and veggie chips, but she also loves pizza. She is a pretty well rounded eater, always has been.”

 

 

Calvin grabbed my hand back, putting it back on the side of his face and leaning into it. “What’s her favorite color?”

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“That would depend on when you ask her.” I told him. “She goes back and forth between yellow, purple, and pink.”

 

Calvin widened his eyes and brought a hand up to his chest and faked shock and horror. “Not pink!” He exclaimed. “Does she not know how much her mother detests the color?” He laughed, teasing me about the first time we talked and I had a crying fit about my pink room. His smile faded after a moment and he looked at me more seriously. “I’m so proud of you, Rachel.”

 

“Thank you.” I nodded.

 

“I mean it, you’ve done such an amazing job with her, and I hope to meet her one day.” He sighed.

 

“I want that.” I told him and he looked at me carefully, like he wasn’t sure if I did or not. “I want you to know her, and her to know you.” I said honestly. “When she is old enough to understand I want her to know the full truth. I want her to know that you are her father.” Calvin ducked his face slightly so that I couldn’t see him well, but I repositioned in his lap and leaned down to look into his guarded eyes that were trying to hold back tears. “She’ll love you.” I whispered to him. “Just like I do.”

 

He smiled at me, sadness still hanging over him, but he was trying to push through it. “I hope to deserve the love of you both.” He said. “My first priority right now is to keep her safe, and get you out of here.”

 

“I know that.” I told him. “I know you’ll be successful too.”

 

“I hope you’re right.” He sighed. “But, I honestly don’t know what to do. Not anymore.” He added.

 

“You’ll do what you have to do, and I’ll do what I have to do.” I told him.

 

 

 

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