The Royal Contract

Her eyes feasted at the scene before her. She loved staring at the smiles on the kids' faces as she watched them run all over the place.

She had no idea why she wanted to come here. But she guessed, deep inside her, she probably wished to remember her childhood.

"Isn't he adorable?" Rosella could not stop the grin from showing on her face.

She was genuinely enjoying herself while her eyes followed one child after another. She never felt more alive than at that moment.

Suddenly, she could not help but wonder. What was her life when she was young? What were her happy memories growing up?

"I guess." David unconvincingly responded as his eyes roamed around the spacious space.

However, she noticed that, unlike her, he was not exactly having fun. His smile did not reach his eyes. But what did she expect?

"I know this must not be your cup of tea, but I am glad you granted my request." She spoke to the man sitting with her on a bench at the park by the playground.

She could tell that a man like him would avoid getting caught in a place like this. He probably would not hang around kids if he had a choice.

She pictured him as the typical bachelor who could have everything he wanted. Therefore, why would he want to settle down with her?

"Honestly, you have a point. I never saw myself in this situation. But it is not as bad as I thought." He leaned comfortably on the wooden panel of the bench, making himself more comfortable.

He could barely recollect the last time he had been in a playground like this, maybe because it was such a long time ago. And he never saw a reason to visit such a place at his current age.

However, sitting under the shaded tree, overlooking the swings, slides, and the other children's recreational activities, he realized he was missing out on many things.

He had never felt more relaxed in his life. And the sound of birds chirping up in the trees and the cool breeze seemed to free his mind from his problems.

"Are you sure you are not just saying that?" She asked, looking at him with wary eyes.

The last thing she wanted was to abuse his kindness. She might have lost her memories, but she was numb and stupid.

She knew he was only doing this to gain her trust. And she guessed he was hoping she would remember him and their past.

"No." He confidently replied. "I am not just saying that." He placed his hand on top of hers, gently tapping her before he pulled away reluctantly.

He could honestly say he did not find the children's laughter annoying. On the other hand, he felt something that he could not explain.

Then, he turned his attention to the different food stands scattered in the nearby vicinity. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind.

"Ok." She eventually answered, taking his answer with a grain of salt.

She pondered what could be going through his mind as they both seemed lost for words. However, he had not given her any reason to doubt him. So far, he had been a total gentleman who seemed to enjoy spending time with her.

Still, she appreciated that he accompanied her as she watched a toddler struggle to run after the other kids, smiling and laughing.

"Can you wait here?" David abruptly stood, waving to her to stay put.

He had thought of many plans to surprise and impress her. But none of them was the trip to the park. However, he would not let this moment go to waste.

If he could not make her remember, he could create new memories with her instead. How? By making this day special.

"Where are you going?" She asked, watching David smile and walk away, but he only signaled for her to wait.

She supposed she had no choice but to follow his suggestion. It was not like she had anywhere else to go. He was her ride back home.

Nevertheless, she was curious about his plans, following him with her eyes. She observed that he walked toward the food stands he was checking out earlier.

"Is he hungry again?" She whispered, wondering when he stopped before a hotdog cart, checking out their menu on the board and briefly saying something to the vendor. Discover exclusive tales on m,v l'e|m-p| y r

However, he did not linger or buy anything. Instead, he walked over to another one, doing the same thing. He just chatted for a second before moving to the next one.

Once again, she had no clue what he had in mind. All she could do was speculate, watch, and wait. But nothing made sense to her as he halted on an ice cream stand.

"Miss, is this yours?" A young boy suddenly appeared before her, which slightly startled her.

Her hands automatically moved toward her chest, feeling her heartbeat quicken. Her attention was on David, not noticing the boy as he approached her side.

"I saw this on the ground." He pointed to the spot not far from her left foot.

Then, she shifted her sight to the object in the boy's tiny hand. She recognized the keys on a beautiful keychain, remembering they belonged to David.

She concluded that he must have accidentally dropped it on the grassy ground before he stood and walked away.

"Yeah, that belongs to my friend." She pointed to David, still standing in the last spot she saw him.

The boy handed the keys to her but did not leave right away. He seemed to be looking at her face. But she could not determine what he was staring at.

"Is there something wrong with my face?" She finally asked when he suddenly smiled.

She could not read his expression. It was like he was solving a puzzle but could not find the answer. Still, she found him adorable, with his chubby cheeks and two missing front teeth.

"Where is your baby?" The boy asked him, turning around to search the play area.

"I don't have one yet." She answered him. "What about you? Where is your mother or father?" She stared at the child, waiting for him to pinpoint his parent.

"That is my mother." He pointed to a woman, busy chatting with the other mothers in the area. "Why are you here if you don't have a baby?"

He must be tired of standing because he took the seat right next to her. Then, he wiped the sweat off his forehead with the sleeves of his shirt.

She could only guess that he had been running before he decided to join her. But compared to the other kids, he still looked less messier.

"Does everybody needs to have a baby to come here?" She asked him, finding the little boy fascinating.

He seemed wise for his age, but how would she know when she could not remember her childhood? And, of course, she never raised one yet.

"I guess not." The boy shrugged his shoulder. "You are pretty. I think you will have many beautiful babies." He innocently said, which caused her to laugh.

Again, she wondered if she ever thought of having kids. Did it ever occur to her mind? Did she and David ever discuss children?

"Thanks. You are handsome as well." Roseann appreciated the compliment.

But before she could ask the boy a question, he excused himself. Her mother was beckoning him, asking the boy to come to her.

"I am sorry, but I have to go." The boy smiled and waved his hand before running away from her.

Then, she witnessed the mother whisper something in the little man's ears, making the boy look at her while nodding.

She guessed the mother had warned the boy about her, probably thinking she was a stranger. She could not blame the mother. They said that the world was a dangerous place.

"Surprise!" This time, it was David who suddenly showed up before her.

Again, she was not paying attention since she had her eyes on the young boy and the other kids in the park. She had lost track of David.

Of course, she recognized his voice but could not see his face. Several colorful balloons floated around him while a set of flowers covered his face.

"Where did you get those?" She asked, truly surprised, feeling giddy and excited. "Are those for me?" She asked, even if she already knew he had bought them for her.

"This is for you." David bent forward, handing her the beautiful assorted flowers.

She could not help but smell the delicious fresh scent, enjoying the refreshing aroma. But she also waited for the balloons, finding their colors stimulating to the eyes.

However, he kept holding them with his fingers. "What about those?" She asked, pointing to the round objects floating in the air.

"Oh, this!" He pulled the balloons down. "They are not for you." He turned away from her and walked towards the parents.

He spoke to the group before handing the kiddie stuff to them. Then, she watched the group of mothers smile at him before one of them took the balloons off his hand.

Soon, she saw the smiles on the children's faces as each received a balloon. She could not believe that he had done that. But she liked what he did for the kids.

"That is a nice thing to do." She said when he returned to her side. "Oh, that looks refreshing." She commented, noticing the cold treat in his hand that the ice cream vendor handed to him.

"This one is for you." He passed the pink one with a yellow combination toward her while he kept the chocolate flavor in his hand. "I hope that is still your favorite."

She did not know, staring at the ice cream cone in her hands. But she guessed she would find out soon enough.

Did she still like the same things, or did her taste change since the accident? Was she still the same person or a new one?