GIVEN TO THE PRINCE

Part 10

With five minutes to spare, she hurried through the archway into Applewood's courtyard. Aaron saw her first and charged toward her. With chipmunk cheeks, twinkling black eyes, and soft baby-brown hair, he was everything a two-year-old boy should be. Those endearing features camouflaged his mischievous personality. The latter was evident in the gleeful sparkle in his eyes.

From experience, she knew he intended to launch himself toward her at a full run. She braced her feet on the solid pathway and caught him just before he collided with her. Swinging him around, she laughed as he pleaded, "Again, again". She assured him they would play again later and set him on his feet.

His sister, Emily, hugged him from behind. She was nine years older than Aaron and, thankfully, child welfare had not separated them. Aaron was a perfect candidate for adoption. Emily, however, was another matter. The accident claiming the lives of their parents had left Aaron, a two-month-old baby, unharmed. Though Emily had not sustained serious physical injuries, she still carried scars. Since the accident, she'd not spoken one word aloud.

The experts concluded the muteness was psychological in nature. Their consensus being, with a little time, the problem would take care of itself. Two years had passed since then. Wanting Emily to chatter and giggle as other girls her age, Victoria searched for something the little girl could get excited over.

By chance, a few months earlier, she found the very thing she'd been searching for. She'd been looking for Aaron and found both him and his sister alone on the large portico of Applewood's south wing. Aaron was sitting in a large urn planter not yet filled with potting soil or flowers. Emily was amusing him by dancing to music she composed in her head. She choreographed as she went and her natural talent was obvious.

The next day Victoria checked out several dance studios and enrolled Emily in Montclair's School of Dance. Tonight was her first recital and everyone was excited. Two little hands tugged on her dress and she reached down and picked Aaron up, settling him on her hip. A wet, smushy sensation on her cheek was his version of a kiss and a signal for her undivided attention. She swung her head so her hair fell in cascades over his face. He giggled and pleaded for more.

Breeze and Talli hurried through the courtyard toward her. "Are we going to be late, Victoria?" Breeze asked, nudging Talli who had stopped to pick a rose.

Talli lingered long enough to secure a small red bud which she presented to Victoria with a grand bow. "Did you bring the Princess Car?"

Victoria hugged them both and answered their questions. They looked pretty in their lavender dresses. Talli didn't like dresses because of her braces, but she looked very pleased with the ankle-length skirt Victoria selected for her. The girls twirled in unison so Victoria could admire them.

"You are the most beautiful princesses in the whole world," she said.

"We can't be princesses, 'cause we don't live in a castle." Talli paused and furrowed her brow "And we don't have a prince and a magic wand."

"You're my princesses," Victoria assured her.

"What about Aaron and Emily?" Talli questioned.

"They're my little prince and princess as well. Now hurry. We don't want to be late for our very special night."

Talli's eyes grew large with anticipation as Breeze leaned over and whispered to Victoria. "I wish we could always be together like this."

Victoria wrapped an arm around her little caregiver's shoulders and whispered in her ear. "I have a surprise for you later."

Breeze's lips didn't curve into a smile, but one lurked in her glistening eyes. Because of its rarity, the mere hint of a smile sparked goosebumps along Victoria's arms. Tonight was going to be a turning point in all their lives.