Lady of the Ravendale

James looked at me when he spotted me leaving the apartment complex and smiled, I smiled back to him.

“Finally you are here I missed you.” James hugged me and I hugged him back.

“I missed you too.”

We stood like that for few seconds, then James opened the door of his car and gestured for me to sit. I sat in the front seat.

“So where do you need to go?” James asked.

“To the toy store.” I answered.

“Toy store?” James looked at me with confused look on his face.

“Yes, my step daughter birthday is coming up.” I told him and he seemed relieved when he heard my answer.

Did he thought I was pregnant?

“So your husband already have a daughter, he must be like in his thirties then.” I just shrugged because I didn’t want to say anything about my husbands. I didn’t want him to feel the need to be compared to my husbands.

My husbands are in mid twenties and they adopted Elizabeth. I just didn’t feel the need to correct James.

I had to admit that my husbands to exceed James in many ways. Like they hired me a driver who drives flying car, but James car is a land car. Flying cars are faster, but I do enjoy ridding the land cars because it’s gives me more time to think.

My husbands unfortunately are more handsome than James, but it because they were groomed to be handsome. Discipline schools would usually choose the best work out based on genetics of the students and style them according to their features. Besides, I bet James’s body is more comfortable to cuddle than my husband’s, even though I never cuddled with James.

Besides I never wanted to have relationship like Ravendalian people have.

“Penny, for your thoughts?” James asked.

“Oh nothing, just think how Ravendale is different from Etria.” I told James. I wish I could tell how the actually Ravendale is different from Etria, so he could understand me more.

“Yeah, if Ravendale wasn’t private country its be a lot easier.”

“Well enough about Ravendale, how is your internship going?” I asked James to focus topic on him.

" Alright, I got internship under the best surgeon. ” He continued to say more about this surgeon and I just listened to him talking about his idol.

Soon we arrived at the toy store. I got out from the car and waited for James. When we entered the store, I started carefully inspecting the toys, so I wouldn’t get a weird gift for Elizabeth. James noticed how attentively choosing gift for Elizabeth and decided to help.

“Maybe you should get a toy tea set?” Elizabeth probably already have a tea set that is made of porcelain, so the plastic tea set will be no use for her.

“I think she already has it.” I told James.

“Then maybe you should get this doll, I heard those dolls are popular in Etria.” I looked at the plastic dolls that wearing Etrian clothes.

“I don’t think she will like that doll.” I told James. In Ravendale there is still trend for porcelain dolls.

“Anna, your step-daughter won’t be your forever daughter. You only going to live with her for 6 months, you don’t need to give a gift that would impress her.” James said and I just sighed. I understand that James is trying to comfort me.

But giving “indecent to Ravendalians” doll to Elizabeth, can get me killed.

Well, maybe was exaggerating but the worst thing that can happen that Alexander and Nathaniel would lecture me about getting a indecent doll that is teaching to wear girls it’s okay to wear Etrian clothes.

I don’t know for sure what are they going to do with me, but I know I can’t risk it.

“I know I don’t have to impress her, but if I get a present that my step-daughter will completely disliked it. I would be in trouble.” I explained to him.

I remembered when they asked to get a gift for Elizabeth’s birthdays, their look on their face was so cautious as if this favor could kill me or would make me angry.

I don’t know why I care about this stuff. Maybe I just want them to prove them that I’m a reliable partner, but the thing is why I need to prove them anything, if I don’t plan to stay married to them.

James sighed and said ” At least you don’t have to stay with them forever.”

James like always imagined the worse things.

After walking for about an hour I found a perfect present for Elizabeth. I decided to buy a soft bunny plush toy for Elizabeth.

Then I paid for they and we left the store.

“Where you need to go next?” James asked me.

“Next I need to do grocery shopping .” I told James.

James took me to the grocery store and then he suggested that we should cook pasta at my place. I agreed to his suggestion.

We bought all ingredient that needed for pasta and I bought enough groceries that will last for the week.

Then we returned at my place. James surprised that I live in the penthouse, but he didn’t say a word about anything, but I still assured him .

“Don’t worry my husband might be rich, but it’s doesn’t mean I will love my husband. Besides you can’t buy anything with money.” I assured James. I placed my card on the card reader and we entered the apartment.

“You can buy anything with money, if you are willing to sell your love.” James said. He put the groceries on the table.

“That is why I’m telling you that I will never love my husband.” I answered. James turned to look at me, so he can figure it out if I’m saying the truth or not.

“Do you mean it?” James asked. He came close to me and I looked at his brown eyes.

“I do.”

We looked at each other and hesitantly moved our heads to each other. Then I stood on tippy toes and kissed him. As soon as I kissed him James wrapped his arms around my waist.

Suddenly, the image of Nathaniel kissing me popped in to my head. My instincts were to move away from the kiss, because of that day Nathaniel forced me to the medicine. I ended up moving my head away from the kiss.

“What wrong?” James asked me.

“Nothing, I just needed to breathe.” I lied to him. What is wrong with me?

Why did the image of Nathaniel kissing me popped in my head out of nowhere? Heck, it’s wasn’t really considered a kiss, just a gentle peck, so Nathaniel could easily make me drink the medicine.

Then we began making the pasta and during the cooking process we became playful taking a finger of tomato sauce and wiping on each other faces.

Later we ate we decided to watch a movie. We lied on the sofa and starting watching movie while we cuddled.

Then the image of me cuddling with Alexander popped in my head. My body became tense and couldn’t relax during the movie.

“I wish I could go to Ravendale, so I could understand you more.” James said and I look at his face.

“You can apply for visa, but it’s will take a very long time to get visa approved.” I told him. I didn’t want him to go to the Ravendale, because I don’t think he will like being in the Ravendale.

“Perhaps, I should apply.” James said. Then I sat up and looked at him.

“Are sure you want to go there? Ravendale is really different from Etria.” I warned him and he just smiled and kissed my forehead.

“I don’t mind going there, if that way I can understand you more.” James said. I knew I wouldn’t able to convince otherwise, so I lied and watched a movie with him.