Bad Temptations

Marketplace Mingle

I wake up in a positioning I definitely did not fall asleep in. Which, currently, has been happening too often.

I roll over on my side and expect to feel an arm or leg or at least some kind of blockage. What I find is empty space. I open my eyes to the bright sun and forget where I am once again.

What in the... oh yeah. I'm in that one stranger's house. Alex must be in the kitchen

I replace my sleeping clothes with a plain pair of shorts a t-shirt. I walk out of our room and into the kitchen in search of breakfast.

"He's alive!" The husband exclaims.

I awkwardly laugh with everyone else, but take a seat at the table.

"Good morning dear, I hope you like eggs and toast." Alex says, holding up a piece of toast.

I face heats up and I nod. I almost forgot that Alex and I are "married".

"Good mornin' sugar. Breakfast is done do come up and pick out your food." Margaret beams.

I say a quick thanks and grab myself a plate and then pile a bunch of food onto it.

"I have the whole day planned out for us! Finnish up your food so we can go out to and start the mornin' right, darling."

I look at Alex, as if asking him if he was also hearing this. I can see him tense his shoulders and pausing whatever he was doing. He slowly turns his head and looks at me and my almost desperate look.

"Actually Miss Margaret, we were planning on leaving this morning. We can't be late!" Alex says, somehow keeping a straight face.

"Well we just needed some help, since we have two able bodies here. Our children all left home and we haven't heard from any of them since."

Geez. You gotta love old people.

I look at Alex and give him a shrug. He returns it with a hard look. I go against my better judgement and accept her offer.

"Great! Oh, I'm so happy to hear that! David, you're with me. And Alexander, you're with my William. Oh I just can't wait!"

The woman bounces on the balls of her feet and starts grabbing baskets from around the kitchen.

"You and I will be working our farmers stand. Don't worry, I'll give you whatever you want for your trip. Our treat." She says, still running around grabbing her hat and grabbing a metal box.

"Not that I don't love this," I start, while putting my dish in the sink, "but wouldn't I get recognized?" The woman stands still for a moment, still harboring that smile on her face that I've grown to understand she wears too often.

"Of course not! We'll get you a disguise! No one will suspect a thing! If someone asks, I'll just say you're a distant relative that stayed for the night. It will be fine."

I eye her suspiciously, but give in to her creepy, stranger charm.

"What will I be doing?" Alex asks, also setting down his plate into the sink.

"You will be workin' in the fields with William. Hey, this is the price you have to pay for a good nights rest, am I right?" She starts laughing and starts nudging me.

I awkwardly laugh and try to keep from shoving the woman out a window.

******

Later that day, I was in a small canopy looking tent in the marketplace. I was stuck with that obnoxious woman and all her 'girlfriends' would come over, talk for at least half an hour, then they would drag her off to go talk more.

And even through all that torture, I could only think of how much worse Alex had gotten it.

Even under the shade, the heat was blistering. Alex was stuck in the fields with a poor little tank top and a straw hat William had in the back of his closet. When this is over and we are back at the castle, I totally owe Alex one. Big time.

When it was finally time to close up shop, we (more like I) sold everything but a basket of potatoes. Well, better than nothing. Not to mention the sun was about to go down in an hour and we haven't even had time to pack.

We take all the supplies back to the house and Margaret tells me to 'fetch the boys'.

I go outside to the barn,  walking through it to get a clear view of the small field they own. I can clearly see William and Alex with baskets at their hips and sweat dripping down. I can't help but stare at Alex as I've only occasionally seen his six pack. With the sweat making his shirt stick to his stomach, I barely have enough will power to stop myself.

"Margaret says to come inside!" Like I said, barely.

I see their heads pop up in relief before I leave the barn to go back into the cooler house.

I take off my hat and sit on Alex and I's bed, pulling out our trunk and suitcases to start packing.

I hear Alex enter the house, but I continue packing.

"Hey, how was your day?" I look up and see him walk into the room, still dripping with sweat.

"Probably a lot better than yours. How was yours?"

"Ah, not too bad, just got really tired and really hot really quick." We laugh and he sits on the bed with me.

"Well, how about we get everything packed, take showers, get some food in our tummies, then leave? You know we can't stay in the same place twice. Plus you said your friend's house is not that far away."

He brings up some valid points, and I wasn't going to argue with him. I do not want to spend another night with this creepy couple. I am going to miss their bed though.

"Fine with me."

And with that, we continued packing, hoping this journey wasn't going to take too much longer.