Ricky And Jackie

27. Ricky

**
"MC? How did you get here?"
"With a plane, duh!"
I groan. I'm not here for the sarcasm.
"Does Mom and Dad know?"
"Of course not! I did texted them by accident saying I got here safe though."
"In French?"
She nods apologetically.
"The last thing I need is them in this room", I whine.
"Why?"
She sounds cold, hurt even.
"Doesn't matter, really. I'm glad to see you."
She smiles and draws a chair to the side of the bed.
"How long are you staying?"
"Truth being told, I didn't buy a ticket back home."
"Really? Where are you staying?"
"I just texted..."
Her phone rings. She answers it promptly.
"Hey, did you get my message?... Really? He won't mind?... No, no, he won't mind either... I'm with him right now...
"Give me the phone!" I whispered while motioning her to toss it to me.
She reluctantly hands me her cellphone but manages to put it on hands free beforehand.
"MC?" Jackie calls out. "Hello?"
"Hey," I answer softly, laying down with the phone on my side.
She stammers a little, disoriented.
"...Ricky?"
"The one and only."
I can almost hear her smile.
"How are you?"
"Better I guess." I can't help to add: "How about you?"
"A lot better too... Er, when can you leave? The hospital, I mean, not Los Angeles."
I chuckle. "I got it, Jackie. I should be set free in 2 days."
"With how many casts?"
"Only two. I'm fine, Jackie. Don't I sound fine to you?"
She giggles.
"Yeah, alright. Tell MC I'll come pick her up at the hospital."
"Might stop by my room while you're at it?"
"Anything your Majesty wants."
We hang up. MC grabs her phone with a knowing smile.
"Aw, you still like her!" she gushes.
"Why do you think I abdicated?"
"Wait, you did it for her?"
"Well, yes. Cuz now there's no one to stop her from coming here."
I close my eyes, a lopsided smile stretching my lips.
She's coming.

When I wake up, MC is nowhere to be found. I growl, suspecting she left with Jackie instead of waking me up.

I spot my phone on the night shelf next to my bed and reach out a hand to grab it. My little sister is about to get a piece of my mind. I decide to call her rather than text, just to give my brain a break.
"Yo, t'es où?" I ask in French as soon as she picks up the phone.
"Dans ma voiture, pourquoi?" 
"Parce que... Attends, c'est qui, là?"
"It's Jackie your Majesty."
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Her voice itself was breathtaking.
"I can almost see you hold in a laugh with Marie-Claire."
As if on cue, I hear the both of them burst out laughing.
"Well well, didn't I tell you Jackie? He doesn't like us, you just saw his true colors."
"MC I swear you will pay me for this. You made her pick up so I wouldn't get mad at you."
"Touché!"
"I'm sorry, Jackie, I truly didn't mean..."
"Don't worry about it, it's fine."
"Alright, thank you. Where are you girls going?"
"Shopping of course. We need to catch face to face. Then we'll come and see you with Alex."
"Alex? She's coming again ?"
" Yeah, I think the accident really took a toll on her. Plus she misses you."
"Okay then. I'll go back to sleep. Have fun!"
"See you later, majesty!"

"MC it's awkward to wake up your ex at the hospital, don't make me do it"
"You're the one who wanted to make sure  he's fine, if he's able to flirt with you on the phone, he definitely..."
I pretend to wake up, squinting my eyes.
"Bien dormi?" I hear my older sister ask.
"Yeah, thanks for coming."
I turn my head in search of Jackie but can't see her anywhere.
"He's looking for you, go talk to him!"
I hear steps coming from the side then a slim hand grabbing mine.
"I can't see you..."
She giggles and moves around the bed.
"Come on, sit down."
She does so and nervously smoothens my sheets.
"So, hum, how are you? Honestly."
My hand finds hers this time.
"I'm kinda shocked, honestly? I mean, I wasn't expecting that at all. Like..."
"No, keep going, it's alright."
"It seemed planned."
"...Like the collision?" says MC.
"Yeah. The other car crashed into us on purpose. I don't know how to feel about that."
"Who would?" says Alex. "Listen, I'll get in touch with the cops, once you feel better, they investigate on this one, ight?"
"Sure, thanks."
"So, hum, Alex, you still have everybody's phone number?"
My sister laughs at Jackie's inquiry.
"Of course, or else I am not the heiress of Hispaniola. But you, my dear... You're the queen of interviews. The press praises  you, Twitter loves you...I need to be seen next to you so your aura of perfection rubs off on me!"
"Oh your Highness, I'm sure some people hate me out there."
"And nobody cares, because you handle criticism and hate very well," peeps in MC.
"Well, thank you girls, and thank God for His unlimited source of wisdom cuz y'all, I can't count all the times I've had to turn off my cellphone so I don't drag a stranger on IG!"
We all laugh at her confession.
"So anyway, how are your parents doing?"
Both me and Alex turn to MC.
"I can call them right now to ask cuz they weren't fans of my solo trip to say the least."
"But you told me they were fine..."
"Yes, they were fine when an escadron of bodyguard was supposed to follow my every move. I feel safer alone than with a bunch of men."
"Amen sister," sings Alex.
"What about you? How is Janet and Jackson?"
"You remember their names?"
"Of course, I watch Jax's show every week, it's dope!"
"No way! Can't wait to tell him that!"
"He already knows, girl, we met at an event last year."
"And obviously, he didn't say a thing. Did you know he had met John Legend and never told me about it?"
"We're guys, we don't brag about those type of stuff."
"Ya right!" They all yell at the same time.
I scoff it off and chuckle softly.
"What about Janet?"
"Oh! She's in a relationship!"
We all congratulate her family and ask for details on her brother-in-law.
"It was love at first sight for him. He's a really good guy with a nice job as a university professor, and he hit it like that with my nephew. He actually ask to him first if he could date his mom. I'm really happy for Janet."
"I'll have to start going to church too, if all the nice boys at."
"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that Alex," giggles Jackie.
We're interrupted by Jackie's ringtone. She answers quickly and smiles at us.
"Jax! Guess who's with me right now?... How'd you know?... You have them on Snapchat?"
My sisters start laughing hysterically while I rest my head and neck in the meantime.
"Yeah, we've come to see him... he seems okay, glory to God. Wanna talk to him?... Alright I'll tell him... Love you bye."
She hangs up and pats my arm.
"Hey, your Highness? Jackson says hi, and that he'll come tomorrow to see you."
"Sounds like a plan."
"I'll get going then. Happy to see you alive."
"My pleasure."
She hugs me like she can with one arm, praying a secret wish against my ear and then hugs my sisters properly.
"Bye y'all! MC, I'll text when I'm back home alright?"
"Pozé, bye!"
"So? How awkward was that reunion?"
"I don't know. I found it heartbreaking."
"Really?"
"We seem too far in life right now to make it work... I mean I'm happy she's where she is and staying together back then would've been toxic for us but now... I guess we'll have to just be good friends."
But the air is thick from disappointment, even on Alex's side.
"So now are... are you gonna come..."
"I'm not taking back my title, no. I can't put myself back in that position anymore. Not with our parents current position on my faith and my life."
"I know it's... too late to say that, but I feel like she could've helped us reconcile with Mom and Dad. I don't know... it just hit me yesterday."
"Maybe... It's whatever though. Need to rest."
My sisters nod and peck me on the cheek before leaving me to my sleep. Or rather,  to my thoughts.

I can't believe I'm already friendzoning Jackie, especially looking at how gorgeous she looks after those two years, but we're both ambitious and busy people. I barely make it at church on Sundays. Actually... we are Sunday!

I quickly look at the time: 1h30. Is it possible that she actually left to go to church? How does she find time? If it wasn't for YouTube, I'd be on spiritual arrest.

I finally ooze off to sleep, then play a sermon in the afternoon - which I listen to twice . Nurses come to check on me, assuring me the doctor could let me go tomorrow morning.

I learn that I have a second time for visits, and reluctantly make myself presentable. When my parents walk in my hospital room, I come close to an anxiety attack.

"What are you going here?" I blurt out in Creole.
"You are still our son, Richard. How are you?"
"I'm good, mom don't worry."
"Don't lie to me,  child, you have bruises all over your..."
"Miguelina, leave the kid alone."
I look over to my dad.
"What happened?"
"Car accident?"
"No, what happened with the commoner?"
I roll my eyes and close them without a reply.
"So you were with her all this time?"
"Father."
I look sternly at my dad.
"I'm stuck in bed, could've lowkey died and yet you're only worried about a girl that clearly said we were over!"
"I will not tolerate you talking to..."
"Alexandre, ça suffit!"
My mom just snapped like I never saw her do so before. She is facing my father and says lowly:
"I miss my children, okay? I've  missed my baby boy!"
"Aw mom, I love you too..."
She starts crying and throws herself on me to hold my face in her hands.
"How life has been lately, what do you do?"
"Well you know, doing business here and there. More of charity work. I'm in LA for a project in Hispaniola actually. Wanted to open equitable workshops there, using resources from there too. Just making the change I want to see down here."
"That's awesome, baby. That's great."
"Is it safe now?"
"Safer anyway. We make ourselves forgotten and try to get a hold of Marie-Claire but she grew up too fast. She wants to be here with her siblings."
"We'd take care of her, Mom."
"Well, you would. Alex..."
"Hahaha. But yeah, think about it. She's so smart and creative, she could do so much in the US."
"I know, I know. It's not that simple, though."
"Yeah, I figured."
We both eye my father. He stubbornly avoids our gaze.
"Call me on my number okay?"
"You're leaving?"
"Yes, I have two other children to chase in that monstrous city. I'll come tomorrow, love you."
"Okay, love you too. Bye your Highness."
"Bye son." Says my dad without a look for me.

Aaaaaaaand there it is at last! I changed a few things from the last three chapters but I'll try to correct the previous chapters to fit this one :) enjoyed? Tell me in the comments!