The Marriage Contract

A Private Jet..?

It was silent for the majority of the ride there, not really the awkward kind, more of the lost-in-your-own-thoughts kind. We sat on opposite sides of the seat and stared out of our perspective windows. As I did, I found myself staring up at the stars again. They seemed to stretch to infinity, but the closer that we got to the city, the less and less that I could see them, and that depressed me. I found myself almost wanting to call out to them, begging them not to go, but also finding an excitement inside myself of them slowly disappearing and finding out where I was going next.

I sort of felt like the stars – or absence there of – reflected me. I found comfort in them. I found comfort in the same old things that I would do, staying safely behind the mile high walls that I have built that seem almost impenetrable. But on the other side of them is a man that I am now married to. I wanted nothing to do with him, but something on the inside of me kept pulling me in his direction.

There was no denying that something inside of me wanted him. It was evident in the way my heart jumped when he would smile at me, or more obviously when I kissed him without any prompting from him or anyone. But he was guarded too.

He keeps that same annoying mask up all the damned time and I cannot seem to get past it...other than today. I didn't see much of that mask today. When I looked at him, I seemed to be able to see all of his emotions as they swam around his soft grey eyes.

Looking over at him, he was staring out of his window at the bright lights of New York City as we passed through, heading to the airport. The chiseled outline of his jaw stood out as the lights cast haunting shadows over his face. His eyes reflected in the window shone brightly, almost a silver color. He was beautiful. I was married to him.

As I looked at him, he caught my eyes in the reflection of the window and turned around to face me, "Yes?"

I looked at him blankly for a second before shaking my head, "It's nothing," I said and looked back out my window, but then right back at him, "Do you know where we are going?"

"Unfortunately, I do not. I overheard your friend Hayley saying something along the lines of 'tropical paradise' but that literally could mean anything," he said, with a small chuckle. A small smile came to my lips as I nodded, but then turned back to the window.

Within about half an hour, we arrived at the airport. Stepping out of the back of the limo, Ryland closed the door behind me and went to grab our things from the back of the car. Refusing to let him carry everything for me, I made a grab for the purple suitcase with a large "A" on the front of it, but he easily deflected me.

"No. This is my job as the husband," he said with a half-smile on his face. Rolling my eyes, I let him drag our luggage along and followed him inside as the limo driver pulled off.

Instead of walking towards the normal boarding lane as everyone else, Ryland veers to the right and starts heading towards where the private planes and jets were kept for their owners. I gaped as he nodded at the attendant and he let us through, but I'm not sure why I was shocked at all. I mean Ryland and his family are literally in the top richest people in the country, not that my dad wasn't extremely wealthy in his own right, but we still didn't have a private jet.

Waking down a hallway for a moment, we made a right and came to a garage type of door with the name Steel printed across it and a guard standing on the outside of it. "Hello, Jeffery," Ryland greeted nodding at the man, Jeffery, with a polite and detached smile.

Jeffrey nodded back, "Good evening, Mr. Steel. And you must be Aurora, the newest Mrs. Steel I've heard about from Miss Roxy," he said with a smile.

"Just Rory, "I said in reply, was a small smile.

Nodding at me, he pulled a paper from his pocket and handed it to Ryland, "From Miss Roxy and her friend Miss Haley."

Taking the paper from him, Ryland pocketed it and smiled once again, nodding, "Thank you," he said once again as Jeffrey opened the door, allowing us access.

Walking inside the door, we came into a carport like area, and just passed that, a single steel jet it sat on the runway, lights on, doors open and engine roaring. Walking the short distance to the jet, Ryland handed over our luggage - keeping our carry -ons that Roxy and Hayley had packed for us - and led me up the stairs, inside the cabin.

The inside of the jet was absolutely amazing and fit Ryland's style perfectly. Hardwood floors stained gray and instead of typical plane seats, two plush white couches sat on either side of the isle against the walls of the jet. A small television was attached to a wall that partially separated the seating area from a small room that held a queen sized bed, fully made with white pillows and blankets.

"Wow," I whispered mostly to myself, but by the way that Ryland's lip quirked up at the end, I could tell that he had heard me, although he refrained from commenting.

After a brief greeting to the captain, Ryland took a seat on one of the couches and I followed suit, glancing out of the window as we quickly took of down the runway, and eventually took off into the air.

After dealing with minimal amounts of turbulence, I finally relaxed into the cushions and glanced over to Ryland, only to see him watching me already. Blushing lightly, I looked around, trying to break the awkward silence that had ensued since the limo ride between us. "So..." I said trailing off, attempting to find some subject to talk about, eventually the note handed to us by the guard, Jeffery came to mind. "What did the note from Roxy and Hayley say?"

Raiding his eyebrows as he remembered the not himself, he reached into his pocket, pulled out the note and began reading it aloud:

"Ryland and Rory-

If you guys are reading this, then you have made it down the isle without any major complications and neither of you have killed the other yet! You both are probably wondering where exactly it is that we are sending you, and we are here to tell you....You guys are on your way to a small island just twenty minutes off of the main island of Tahiti, called Tetiaroa... Otherwise known as BoraBora!

You both will be staying at the lovely Brando Resort, all expenses paid! Which just so you know, is a popular sea turtle hang out - just for you Rory!

You guys will be here for two weeks, so live it up and RELAX! Both of you need it. Don't worry about the business or the flat, it's all taken care of! And Ryland, all of your employees have been strictly prohibited from taking or making any calls to you. So, you really have no choice.

You guys are married! Enjoy each other!

Love,

Hayley and Roxy"

As Ryland finished reading the note, I stared at him in shock. They were sending us to Bora Bora...and SEA TURLES! Yes, that is something very few people knew about me, I absolutely adored turtles of all kinds, especially sea turtles. No particular reason, they were just amazing.

"So you like sea turtles, then," Ryland said with a smile, humor clear in his bright gray eyes.

I nodded with a smile, "Not just sea turtles, just turtles in general."

Ryland chucked lightly, "Any particular reason?"

"No, not really. They have always just fascinated me."

Ryland nodded, taking in what I had said. We lapsed into silence for a moment before Ryland broke it, "So, have you ever visited French Polynesia or Tahiti before," he asked lightly, sitting back in his seat, looking over at me.

Shaking my head, I looked up at him, "No. I haven't been much outside of the United States before. I went with my dad on a business trip to Germany once, but I was barely fourteen at the time so, it was more museums and art galleries, never five star honeymoon spots," I said with a laugh, thinking about listening to my dad speak fluent German, and listening to the people in the streets as we had walked through the town we were staying in on our last day there. I also distinctly remembered attempting to repeat a word that I had heard on the street which turned out to be a very strongly offensive curse word.

Ryland chucked, "Touché. Although, I have been to Europe at least five times in my adult life and Japan once for my senior trip in High School," he said smiling and looking off into space, no doubt reminiscing on those said times.

I raised my eyebrows in awe of how many times that he had been out of the country. I loved to travel, but like I said, I have only made it out of the country once, but that never bothered me much.

We lapsed into silence again as we both looked out the windows at the night sky. Even this high up, the stars seemed so far away, and for whatever reason that made me sad. Looking away from the window, I decided that it was time to get out of my reception dress.

Standing up, I grabbed my bag and turned towards the small bedroom area when Ryland's attention turned back to me, a questioning look on his face. "I'm just going to go change clothes back here. Is that ok?"

He nodded, "Of course. I'll just be out here," he said with an almost awkward smile.

I smiled slightly back, trying not to laugh at his expression. Walking into the back of the plane, I closed the little curtain and placed the bag on the bed, thinking over the little interaction Ryland and I had just had.

I'm not sure what triggered Ryland to lose his calm cool and collected attitude, but whatever the reason, the consequences were funny. Shaking my head at the thought, I unzipped my bag, only to see a small yellow paper folded on top on a pair of white sandals:

Rory-

This outfit is to get you started off right in your new role as the "Wifey".

Love,

Hayley

Putting the note aside, I reached further into the bag to see just what outfit she was talking about and how much damage she has done. After pulling out the admittedly cute sandals, I put the to the side to discover pair of white washed denim, cut-off shorts. Not too bad. So far so good.

Next, I pulled out a soft, charcoal gray t-shirt. On it in black cursive writing, the word "Wifey" was printed. I rolled my eyes, "Well, at least I know what she was talking about now," I muttered to myself going back into the bag. As I did, I saw a little red Michael Kors purse with a tag hanging from it that read:

To: Rory

From: Roxy

So excited to finally have

a sister! I hope you like the

purse!

A small smile came to my lips at the sweet gesture from my now sister in law. I had a feeling we were going to be close over this next year.

Slipping into the outfit, I ran my fingers through my hair and made my way back out to where Ryland was, to find that he had changed too, and hadn't escaped Hayley and his sisters wrath, seeing as he wore simple, dark jeans and a shirt that had "Hubby" written across it.

"They got you too, I see," he said with an amused smile on his face.

Laughing I nodded as he looked over me, lingering on my legs, before looking away. Blushing slightly, I rolled my eyes and went to sit in my previous seat on one of the couches.

The flight continued on quietly. Ryland and I would make small talk, but it never went much passed that, both of us seeming to be more lost in our own thoughts and worlds than anything. I don't remember exactly when it happened, but at some point I must've gone to sleep, because the next thing I remember is Ryland gently nudging my shoulder, telling me to wake up because we were landing.