Majesty Castle

“I don’t get it.” Zacky pushed his plate of ham and eggs away and sat back in his chair. “She loves me. Fawn worships the ground I walk on.”

Matthew and James listened as their friend went on a tangent about his current situation. “Why would she cheat on me?” It wasn’t so much a question as it was a statement. Matthew picked up his coffee cup and took a sip before setting it back down on the table.

“Maybe there is something you aren’t seeing here.”

“Yeah,” James nodded. “You only saw them sleeping.”

Zacky nodded and stared at his coffee cup. “She loves me. I just can’t wrap my head around any of this.”

James sat up and stretched his arms over his head. “Well, did you have an argument that day?”

“No,” Zacky shook his head. “Everything was fine. We were happy and we planned to spend the night alone having a quiet dinner, but I had to leave on business for a while. I told her to save me some dessert and we would share it in front of the fireplace when I got home. She said she had something important to tell me and I remember that I was really looking forward to spending the night with her.”

Both James and Matthew looked at Zacky as if it were obvious. “Oh man, she was going to tell me she was pregnant.”

“What are you going to do?” Matthew asked.

“I don’t know. The thought of seeing my father makes my skin crawl. I need to know what happened though. How one minute everything between us was fine and the next minute I find my wife half naked on the floor asleep with my uncle. I never imagined she would cheat on me.”

Matthew picked up a piece of toast from his plate and began to butter it. When he set the knife back down he looked at Zacky contemplating what he was about to say.

“Maybe it isn’t my place to ask this question, but can you say that you have been faithful to your wife?”

Zacky lowered his eyes. “My wife and I had an understanding.”

“Do you love her?” James asked

Without hesitation Zacky answered. “Yeah, and I want to see my baby.”

Matthew rose from the table and refilled his coffee cup. “Then talk to her. Maybe there is an explanation. It’s not like you gave her a chance to tell you what happened before you kicked her out. Hear what she has to say and then decide what you want to do.”

“No offense, Matt, but you aren’t someone who should be giving marriage advice when you barely even know your own wife.”

“Touché!” Matthew replied and took his cup of coffee with him as he exited the dining area.

James was next to rise from his chair. He set his hand on Zacky’s shoulder. “Take a couple of days to think about this. If you really believe and I think you do, that Fawn deserves a chance to explain herself, then go and talk to her. Be patient with her. I’m sure this isn’t easy for her either.”

“Thanks,” Zacky answered, but never looked up.

James started to walk out of the dining area when Zacky lifted his head.

“Hey, Jim?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t you think it’s a little strange that no one saw anything happen?” He asked.

“What do you mean?” James turned back and stood beside Zacky’s chair.

“It happened right there in the study. Not exactly a private place for an affair. Someone would have had to see or hear something. Was anyone else around that night?”

James shrugged his shoulders. “Just Luke. He’s always around.”

Zacky didn’t say anything, but there were many thoughts running through his head at that moment.

“I have to go find my bride to be. If you need someone to go with you to your fathers, I’ll do it.”

“Thanks.” Zacky gave a weak smile and watched James walk away.

******

James was walking towards the stairs when Johnny came out of the kitchen carrying a breakfast tray.

They walked instep together up the stairs and James couldn’t help, but notice the rose in the vase on the tray.

“So, I guess that’s for someone special.”

Johnny just nodded and tried to hide his smile, but was unsuccessful. “Here I thought I was the romantic one. Guess you’re trying to out do me huh?”

Johnny shrugged his shoulders and James laughed. “You really like Etta.”

Johnny stopped and looked up at James. “Jeanetta.” He corrected. It was the first time he had spoken a word to his friend in years.

“Jeanetta,” he nodded. “I stand corrected.” They walked the rest of the way in silence, but James couldn’t help be happy for Johnny. It was noticeable to everyone that he was changing for the better ever since the nurse had come to Majesty.

“Well, there’s your door.” James stopped beside Johnny who was looking up at him as if he were waiting for some advice. “Just be yourself and she’ll love you.”

Johnny nodded and James started to walk away, but stopped when Johnny cleared his throat. When James walked back to the door he looked at Johnny who nodded his head towards the door. James laughed and knocked on the door for Johnny who had his hands full with the breakfast tray. He quickly walked away afterwards.

Etta opened the door and Johnny smiled warmly at her.

“John, what is this?” She smiled and opened the door wider so he could come inside. While she closed the door, he set the breakfast tray down on the bedside table.

“Breakfast?” He asked motioning to the tray. When he was around her, he spoke more and more freely. There were still days when he wouldn’t utter a single word, but most of the time Etta was finding herself having actual conversations with him.

Little by little the anger that had taken over him was starting to subside, but there were still times when he woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmares that haunted him. Etta was his only comfort. He wouldn’t open up to her about his dreams or his anger, but he did let her soothe his fear.

“I am hungry, thank you. This was very thoughtful of you.” She walked over and sat down on the bed. He picked up the tray and set it between them as he sat down on the bed.

“Welcome.” He smiled.

“Cinnamon toast? That’s my favorite.” She smiled and picked up a slice of the toast that was accompanied by fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream.

“I made it,” he said.

“Really? It’s wonderful.” She smiled and ate her toast while he buttered a slice of his own. “You like it too, I see.”

“My favorite,” he smiled.

She laughed and bit into her toast. “You made my day, John. No one has ever made breakfast for me before. Thank you.”

He set his toast down on his plate and smiled at her. “Jeanetta, you like me?”

“Of course I do.” She answered.

Johnny’s face turned very serious and he turned his gaze to the window for a moment as if he were thinking about something before finally turning back to her. “Dinner in the garden tonight?”

Etta smiled softly and he waited for her response. “Are you asking me for a date?”

He nodded shyly.

“John, I’m really not supposed to date patients.”

Defeated, he nodded and lowered his eyes. Etta reached for his hand and took it in hers, but he didn’t bother to look up at her. “But, I would love to have dinner with you tonight.”

His head snapped up and he looked at her for conformation of what she just said. “A date?” he asked.

“Sure,” she nodded. “A date. I must warn you though, I haven’t had very many dates so I don’t really know how it works.”

Johnny laughed and squeezed her hand. “Be yourself,” he said remembering the advice that James had given him in the hallway.

“Ok,” she nodded giving him a warm smile. “What time should I be ready?”

“6:00,” he answered without hesitation.

“Then 6:00 it is. Now how about we finish breakfast and then we can try some exercise. I imagine with the storm, you are itching to get outside for a while.”
Johnny was all smiles as he ate his breakfast with Etta. When they finished, he left her so she could have a bath and get dressed. What he was feeling was nothing short of excited. He practically ran down the hall to Zacky’s room and when he reached his door, he started pounding as hard as he could.

“What the hell?” Zacky asked as he walked down the hall towards his bedroom door. Johnny was standing there pounding on it like a mad man. “Why are you banging on my bedroom door?”

Johnny grabbed Zacky by the collar of his shirt and yanked hard. “Do you need help?” Zacky asked. Johnny shook his head and Zacky opened the door to his bedroom and Johnny went inside and waited very impatiently for Zacky to follow. When Zacky closed the door, he turned around to find Johnny pacing back and forth nervously. “What’s going on? What happened?”

Johnny stopped pacing and looked at Zacky like he was about to burst. “I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.” Still Johnny said nothing.

“Ok, fine.” Zacky took a writing tablet and a pencil from his desk and handed it to Johnny. “Start talking.”

Johnny wrote as quickly as he could and handed the tablet to Zacky and started pacing again. Zacky looked down at the tablet, but there was only one word. “Date.” It was hard for him not to laugh, but he kept his composure. “You have a date?”

Johnny shook his head and looked at Zacky with pleading eyes.

“With Etta?” he asked.

“Jeanetta!” Johnny shot back.

“Jeanetta.” Zacky held up his hands in silent protest repeating her name the way Johnny had said it. “So I assume, you want my help?”

Johnny winced as he nodded feeling like a teenage boy. Zacky laughed and put his arm across Johnny’s shoulders. “Ok, so what are we talking about here?”

“Dinner,” Johnny replied. Zacky looked at his friend and nearly got choked up. He was never so happy to hear the word dinner.

“Dinner, huh? Ok, you want romance or just a casual meal between two adults.”

Johnny had to stop and think about the question. “Both?” he asked.

Zacky chuckled lightly. “Ok, I am assuming you picked the garden?”

Johnny nodded and tried to hide the blush in his cheeks. “Ok, skip the garden. Rookie mistake. Take her down to the lake and have a picnic dinner there.” Johnny listened intently while Zacky spoke. “That’s the casual part. A picnic is non-threatening and won’t make her uncomfortable and the key thing here is her comfort. Now, bring some candles and only light them just at that point in the evening when the sun starts to set and the sky changes color. That’s the romance.”

Johnny nodded as if he were taking mental notes and Zacky continued on with his advice.

“Keep the food simple. Think picnic food, like fried chicken or something that wont taste bad if it gets cold from being outside. Instead of wine, have sparkling cider. That way it’s still casual and she wont think you are trying to get her drunk so you can score. Unless you want to get her drunk so you can score.”

Johnny raised his eyebrow and elbowed Zacky in the side.

“Ok, ok. I was kidding. The dessert is the most important part. It has to be chocolate. Ask Pippa if she’ll make you her chocolate soufflé. Give Jeanetta a fork, but offer her the first taste from your fingers. It’s just romantic enough to get her hooked and not just on the soufflé.”

Johnny let out a long steady breath and nodded after taking it all in. “Hey, don’t be nervous. You’ll be fine.”

“Thanks.” Johnny nodded and hugged his friend before leaving. Zacky sat down on his bed and let out the tear he was holding back. Johnny was talking again. Maybe this was a sign that better days were coming.