The Life and Times of Bonnie Chance

Answering

Bonnie relaxed on the bed in her room in the Hittite palace while she went through her bag to check which supplies she needed to refill. She sighed.

"Is something the matter?" Mula asked. She and the three maids were sitting quietly in Bonnie's room with her in case she needed anything and to help keep an eye on her.

"No. I was just wondering what Carol is up to," Bonnie said. "Surely she must have reached Egypt by now?"

"I'm sure the prince will get news of her arrival there as soon as it happens," Mula said. There was a knock at the door. Nini got up and answered it, revealing the visitor was Izmir when she opened the door. Bonnie sat up.

"I have some news I know you'll be interested in," Izmir said, entering the room.

"Is it about Carol?" Bonnie asked, standing up and walking over to meet him.

"Yes. She has returned safely to Egypt," Izmir said. "She traveled by ship and is in Lower Egypt at the moment."

"Oh, thank goodness," Bonnie said, sighing in relief. 'There's nothing to worry about now... I should give Izmir an answer to his proposal. I shouldn't lead him on anymore than I already have...' "Can I talk to you alone? About your marriage proposal..." Izmir sighed when he saw the expression on her face, disappointed even though he had been expecting it.

"I think I already know what you're going to say," Izmir said. He closed the distance between them and caressed the side of her face. "Even if you reject me, I'm not letting you go." It was Bonnie's turn to sigh.

"I didn't think you would," she said, taking his hand and removing it from her face. But instead of letting go right away, she held it. At that moment, Mira arrived and froze in the doorway when she saw them together. "Please understand. I have to get back to Carol. And you already have someone else, so—" Izmir pulled Bonnie to him and kissed her. Bonnie pushed him away. "Stop that! If Mira saw that, it'd break her heart—Mira!" Bonnie gasped when she noticed Mira standing in the doorway with a shocked expression on her face. Izmir turned to look at her, too. Mira gasped when she saw the complete lack of shame and regret on his face. She turned and ran. "Mira!" Bonnie said, breaking free from Izmir to go after her. Izmir grabbed Bonnie again.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"I'm going after Mira!" Bonnie said, frowning at him. "One of has to!" Izmir let Bonnie go and followed her, motioning for the guards to let her pass. Mira sobbed as she ran, tripped, and fell. "Are you all right?" Bonnie asked, kneeling down next to her.

"Don't touch me!" Mira cried, but Bonnie gently took Mira's hand in hers to inspect it. Like she had thought, Mira's hand had been hurt when she braced herself as she fell. The skin was broken.

"Don't worry. I won't marry him," Bonnie said. "Now, we need to get this cleaned and bandaged."

"Do as she says, Mira," Izmir said, coming over to them. "You don't want it to get infected."

"What do you care?" Mira said with tears in her eyes. "First the daughter of the Nile, now the doctor... You don't want me at all, do you?"

"Mira..." Izmir said.

"I've seen the way you look at her, and the way you kissed her... You've never kissed me like that!" Mira said with tears streaming down her face. "You love her, don't you? I love you, but to you I'm just...." Mira started sobbing. Bonnie held her to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, Mira... but Bonnie has already said that she wouldn't want to share her husband," Izmir said.

"Which is one of the reasons why I can't marry you!" Bonnie said. "What's going to happen to Mira if you abandon her?"