The Royal Bodyguard

3

        "Say whaaaat!?" Mama exclaimed, wide eyed. Her food longed forgotten.

       "All right, I have a reason for that!" I yelled out without thinking.

       "Ow, then let's hear it then!" Brother Roy said in glea, his hands folded together under his chin as he rest his head on it and his elbow on top of the table for support.

       "It's...its..." I sweated, looking for an excuse.

      "It's what Lorry?" Brother Roy said, satisfied with my nervous state. Mama was of no help as she seems to enjoy everything as it unfolds.

          "It's because I wanted to warm up so I took the longer path!" I said. 'Yeah, that sounds reasonable.'

       Mother seems to think of the likelihood while Brother Roy doesn't seem to budge.

       "Yea right, continue to deceive yourself." He said.

       "Aigo, I'm just going to go binge watch before the banquet arrives." I said, relenting.

      "Oh no your not young lady!" Mama said right after. "We don't have enough time to prepare. Get up. We're going to buy you some new cloths!"

       "But Mama, I all ready have a gown for the banquet!" I whined.

       "You call that a gown? Sheesh sometimes you act like I wasn't the one that birthed you!" Mama stood up and held my arm.

      "Come on, let's go! I all ready talkex things over with Mr Leam's and he said his mall is always welcome to have us." She pulled me despite all my protest. "Glad I told him on time." She muttered, finally yanking me off the chair.

       I looked over at Brother Roy with pleading eyes, "Sorry, can't help. But don't worry I'll tell you all that happened on TV when you come back." He smiled at me as I opened my mouth, speechless by him.

...

      "Sheesh shopping most be the most tiring thing to do in the world!" I said, falling on the couch backward next to Brother Roy.

     We spent so much time just to choose outfit for the banquet, a four to five hour max event.

      "Oh you shut up child." Mama said smiling widely looking at her new set of clothes. I sighed tiredly.

       "Hahaha! Don't worry Lor, your favourite anime is on." Brother Roy said handing me his bowl of popcorn with a smile.

        "Ohhh! That's so nice of--- WAIT!" I said happily and about to grab the bowl, then stopped, realisation hitting me.

       I looked at his smiling face wide eyed then exclaimed, "your trying to make me forget what happened earlier, aren't you!?"

       "Hahaha, you caught me!" Brother Roy laughed, raising his arms in surrender.

     "I knew it! Humph!" I snorted then grabbed the popcorn, then sat down properly to watch the anime on the crystal TV.

      Just then, "Honey, are you back? Is Lorry with you?"

     I heard Papa's voice that was trying hard to be quite. I swiftly turned around to see Mama face palming herself and Papa standing behind the wall closest to us with his head peeking out, surveying his surroundings.

     "PAPA!" I yelled out, startling everyone but mostly him. Brother Roy covered his ear using his hands, Mama stared at me reprimandingly with regards to my abrupt behaviour while Papa gave up hiding seeing that he had all ready been caught.

        I jumped off the couch and stormed to where Papa was.

     "Lorry dear, I know you might be angry but hear me out." Papa started avoiding eye contact with me and looking behind me, probably looking at Mama.

         "No need for any excuses Papa!" I straight up told him, cutting off any chance of escape.

         "Let me get what I want to say out first." I said, everyone's eyes were now on me.

         I exhaled loudly to calm myself, "I just wanted to say,..." I paused, making sure that Papa was listening. Somehow everyone looked anxious, more so when I paused.

      "Thank you for always being there for me Papa, I'm truly lucky to have such a father like you."

One second,

Two seconds,

Three seconds.

    Silence, absolutely silence. No sounds could be heard. Papa was just standing there looking stunned. 'OK, strange.'

     I turned around to see the rest with similar expressions. It's like time had stopped. More so for Brother Roy who's mouth was open with unchewed popcorn. Its comical if you ask me.

     I looked at them confusedly and was about to talk when,...

    "Ahhhhhhhhhh! My baby girl has finally grown!" Mama screeched at the top if her voice. That seem to get everyone back.

     "Wait, did you just,..." Brother Roy started, looking at me with a 'This is unbelievable' expression.

      "What?" I asked, confused, looking at all of them. Papa was smiling while Mama looked like she was about to explode from joy.

     "We all thought that you were going to nag and complain all day." Brother Roy who was now back to himself, explained.

        "What?! Why?" I asked oblivious.

      "Hahaha, coz that's how your always like!" Brother Roy further inserted.

        "Seriously?" I asked and they all nodded. 'Is that really how I am?' I thought to myself.

      "Forget that! I'm just happy everything is sorted out now." Mama said then came and gave me a hug, tight bear hug.

          Papa also joined after a while. Brother Roy seems like he was trying to play invisible to avoid it but Mama would definitely not allow that. So he had no choice but to join when Mama gave him the look.

       "But Papa, make sure to at least give me a heads up next time, ok?" I requested.

        "OK, baby girl!" He said in agreement, his voice muffled. I smiled.

          I wasn't angry to begin with, just shocked by what happened. And for the Prince, we'll cross the bridge when we get there.