Two Princes and a choice

Chapter Fourteen

Hayley had just finished taking her medicine when the doorbell rang. ‘I’ll get it,’ she told him pushing the stool back and running to the door. Darryl was the one standing there. ‘Oh, you’ve come.’

‘Are you ok? You are not hurt are you?’

She shook her head. ‘No, come in.’

He entered and darted glances about. Will supressed his laughter; he looked like a dog that came into a lion’s den to rescue his beloved. ‘Hi Darryl,’ he approached him. ‘Nice to meet you,’ he held out his hand. He was a foot taller than Darryl. The boy took his hands.

‘Darryl, wait a little. I’ll go change.’ She hurried off into the bedroom.

‘Is she ok?’ Darryl asked, turning to face him.

‘She will be as long as she follows the doctor’s instructions.’

‘That’ll be difficult since she’s very stubborn.’ He told him. ‘

‘Will you like a drink?’

‘Sure, thanks.’ He looked around. ‘You have a lovely home,’ he commented.

‘Thanks,’ he handed him a glass.

‘What is this?’ he asked.

‘Root beer, I figured a guy like you only drinks that,’ he told him with a teasing smile.

Darryl merely nodded. ‘Are you really Prince William?’ he asked taking a sampling sip of the drink it was good.

Will shrugged. ‘You said it.’ he handed him the bag of Hayley’s medications. ‘They are for her, make sure she uses it according to instructions.’

Darryl took it ‘thanks, I’ll make sure of that. I’ve never seen you before though I’ve seen your brother a lot. I saw you once in newspaper six years ago that’s how I recognized you.’

‘I’m not as popular as my brother is.’

‘Are you going somewhere?’ he was looking down at the bags.

‘Yes.’

Darryl was about to ask where when Hayley came out still in the night shirt but her jeans under, the baseball cap on her head turned to the back a shirt in her hand. She was smiling at them both.

‘You’re set?’ Darryl asked.

She nodded and to both boys surprise threw her arms around Will’s neck. ‘Thanks a lot,’ she whispered into his ears, released him and drew back. ‘Bye,’ she waved. ‘Darryl let’s go.’

‘Goodbye, see you around.’ He said to her.

Darryl opened the door and they both went out. He closed the door behind them, leaned against it. He closed his eyes and sighed.

‘Why did you hug him?’ that was the first thing Darryl said to her since they got out of Will’s flat and rode down the elevator. They were walking to his car.

‘To say thank you,’ she answered.

‘Must you hug him? A sentence would be okay.’

‘I want to appear sincere and show that I’m really grateful. He did help me.’

‘I help you every day yet you never hug me.’ He complained.

She stopped and turned to face him. ‘I hug you every time you do something for me. That is till you got Melissa and you still want me to hug you? You know she suspects us of having an affair and if she sees us hugging she’s going to rip my throat out.’

‘Ah, can’t we do it secretly.’

‘I’ll kill you myself if you try it.’ She told him and opened the passenger door of the car and got in.

Darryl smiled and got in after her; he shut the door and gave the driver directions.

‘I have something for you,’ he told her digging into his pockets. He brought out a couple of tickets and flourished it in the air grinning.

‘Tickets,’ she simply said.

‘Ahh,’ he waged a finger. ‘Not just any tickets,’ he corrected. ‘Tickets to front row seats of the cultural institute musical concert coming up next week Saturday’ he informed her.

‘OMG!’ she shrieked in joy and flung herself against him. ‘You are the best friend ever.’ She said against his chest. ‘Your heart is larger than Africa.’

‘You are not worried about Melissa ripping out your throat again?’ he teased.

She got off him quickly. ‘Of course I am who will want to die?’ he chuckled. ‘Wipe that smug look off your face.’ She told him.

‘There are four tickets so you will have to invite someone it’ll be a double date.’

‘Do I have to?’

‘Of course, unless you want Lisa to rip both our throats out,’ he told her with a shrug.

‘Ok, I will.’

‘Who will you invite? I’m eager to know.’

‘What’s it to you?’

‘I’m eager to know who my best friend is bringing. Is it Will?’

‘Just give me the tickets.’ She held out her hand.

He looked at the outstretched hand and sighed. ‘Ok,’ he placed two tickets in her hand.

‘Thank you.’

‘So who are you going to give? Will?’

‘My mum and dad, they need to have a break and have time to boost their romance.’

‘I thought your genre was melodrama and tragedy.’

‘That doesn’t mean I can’t include romance.’ She argued.

‘You sound just like Lisa.’ His cell rang he looked down. ‘Speaking of the devil,’ he muttered. ‘Hello,’

‘Darryl, where are you?’ the sharp whining voice of Melissa filled his ears. ‘Are you with that girl again?’ she demanded. Darryl winced and before he could reply she continued. ‘You are with her abi? Don’t bother to deny it, I can hear her breathing.’

Darryl took the phone away from his ears and they both giggled.

‘Are you making fun of me?’ she demanded, her voice shrill with petulance. Darryl could imagine her seething. ‘Put that b***h on!’

‘The b***h is taking to you,’ he said. ‘Hayley says hi. Where are you now?’

She appeared to have calmed down slightly. ‘At your house, with your mum, why are you with her? You are not cheating on me with her are you?’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it. Hayley is far too pretty too fashionable to look twice at me,’ he slid a glance and saw Hayley fuming. He smiled.

‘You are sure nothing is going on?’ Lisa demanded her voice low soft.

‘Cross my heart,’ he made a cross sigh on his heart with his finger as he spoke.

‘When will you be back?’

‘Soon,’ he said.

‘Soon as in now?’ she asked.

‘Soon,’ he repeated. ‘Gotta go, I miss ya’ he made a kissing sound that made Hayley gag.

She hit him on the elbow as soon as he put the phone away.

‘Ouch, what was that for?’

‘You want your girlfriend to have my heart on a silver platter?’ she demanded and punched in on the chest. ‘How dare you tell her that I’m very pretty? Do you want her to rage?’

‘Well she didn’t and stop hitting me,’ he rubbed on his arm. ‘You are skinny and yet your blows are like that of boxer.’

She held up a fisted arm. ‘This had been trained by hard work and hardship. You should give it a try, it’ll strengthen your puny self,’ she advised.

‘I’ll pass,’ he waved away the advice.

‘Oh my,’ she said eyeing him. ‘You are the laziest man I’ve ever had the ill luck and good luck to come in contact with.’

‘That’s fine,’ he shrugged. ‘I am still your good luck, aren’t I?’ he smiled at her.

Hayley smiled back. He knew what he was.