San Sequoia International Airport
International Arrivals
Jack squinted at the frightened girl staring at him from fearfully widened eyes as the customs officers led her to him. She tried to break free, but the officers held her back, only making her more terrified. Jack’s anger flared.
After a heated exchange, they finally allowed the girl to run toward him. He caught her, and with her clinging to him, sobbing hard, he confronted the lead officer.
“Officer,” Jack drawled, “was that really necessary, scarin’ this little lady like all that and manhandlin’ her, didn’t yer parents teach ya nothin’?! Look at her, seein’ how she’s already beside ‘erself for fear and regret?! It’s a lil girl, ya fools, not some drug overlord or whatever been goin’ on in yer heads treatin’ her like this for heaven’s sake! I reckon y’all need to make a phone call. This ain’t no ordinary stowaway. She’s the princess royale of Henfordshire, bless her heart. Call that number I’ve been tryin’ to give ya, and this’ll all be sorted out. The little lady’s already in a heap of trouble, with her parents and with me, and we don’t need all y’all’s help. I can yell at a child for doin’ something she shouldn’t’ve been doin’ fine on my own, lord knows I got enough experience with that by now!”
Leaning against his truck, Jackson waited for his father at the closest international airport to Chestnut Ridge, their sleepy and rugged hometown, which was in San Sequoia, making it a 2-3 hour drive one way. He relaxed as his dad finally emerged from the automatic doors after much delay, pushing a cargo box on a wheeled cart. Jackson straightened up, his eyes growing big when he noticed his father wasn’t alone, as expected, but Princess Victoria stumbled along next to Jack, trying to cling onto him. Both looked worse for the wear.
“Welcome home, dad—and yer highness. Been standin’ here for over 2 hours now, beginnin’ to think I messed up the time and date or ya forgot. Didn’t know ya bringing company?” Jackson said, still clearly confused, after a brief greeting and hugs for both, to which Jack grimaced at him, shaking his head. The drive home was fairly quiet, occasionally the men pointed out places of interest to the traumatized teen girl, who really looked like she had been through the wringer.
After walking into Jackson’s cabin, Jack raised a finger at his son, leading the girl to the bathroom with her backpack. A while later, he returned without her.
“All FUBAR, son,” Jack drawled, rubbing his eyes in a defeated gesture. “Looks like we got ourselves a houseguest for a while, and that is the best case scenario here. The officials almost kept her in a holdin’ cell until the airports open up again. With Nick, Liam, AG, Max, and some royal whatevers on the phone, they finally released her. But she can’t go home yet. AG wanted to come right away to pick her up—but no dice, cos as if we didn’t have enough problems, now we’re also lookin’ at serious weather all around Henfordshire, ya see. They shut down all air and sea traffic towards the island, no gettin’ her home now. So, she’s stuck here a couple days, and we are stuck with her. Called Connor, since he’s at least blood-related to that kid, but he is on vacation with his family, so he was gonna have her fanged great-granpappy come pick her up, vampires don’t have to rely on decent weather, but that little royal turd threw a fit like nobody ever seen before. Sayin’ she’s wantin’ to stay with me, she clung onto me like a drownin’ kitten at high seas. Everyone at the airport starin’ at me as if I were one of them cradle robbin’ types. If I were to try and force her to go home with Blaine, she’d make his life somethin’ miserable. Connor would quit me his friendship, and that Blaine feller would come haunt me for the rest of my days with his dumb jokes, crude nonsense and his vampire gimmicks and I ain’t gon’ risk that. No Sir, no Ma’am. So, we are stuck, and I was told I am her parent for the time bein’. As soon as that lil’ brat has recovered enough, she’ll be in for an earful she won’t soon forget. I will parent her, all right, you can bet on that!”
“Hey dad, not to burst yer lil bubble, but ya kinda did yer cradle robbin’ marryin’ Izzy, considerin’ she is almost just half yer age.” Jackson snickered at his father, who was giving him a look, then playfully punched him in the arm.
“Well, now, son,” drawled Jackson’s father, sitting down with a deep groan, then leaning back in a creaky wooden chair, “I reckon ya got a point there. But lemme tell ya, Izzy ain’t no ordinary gal. She’s got the spirit of a wild mustang and the sass of a sidewinder. And them 17 years between us? Well, that’s just a number, like the miles on an old pickup truck. She’s what I needed, and I am tryin’ like all hell to be what she wants. Even after some years I still know this is the real deal, her and I.”
Jackson raised an eyebrow, his cowboy hat casting a shadow over his sun-kissed face. “Dad, you’re talkin’ like a dime-store novel.”
His father chuckled, the lines around his eyes deepening. “Maybe so, boy. But lemme tell ya ‘bout Izzy. She’s got a heart big as the Chestnut Ridge sky, and she ain’t afraid to use it. When she sets her sights on somethin’, she don’t back down. Ain’t no fence high enough to keep her out. And may I remind ya that ya got yer hands full with a spirited girlfriend yerself.”
Jackson shifted in his boots, the dust swirling around him. “Not needed, dad, I think about that all the time. But a princess, Dad? Here? She gonna be so miserable, meanin’ she’ll be makin’ our lives miserable.”
His father leaned in, his voice low.
“Well, ya think I am lovin’ this, kid?” Jack chuckled. “She snuck herself into the container with the horse gear, flew all the way over here in that, which couldn’t have been good, I am surprised and more than glad she didn’t get hurt. That must have been traumatizin’ somethin’ fierce, poor girl, especially considering her usual pampered lifestyle. After we landed, I went to fetch mah cargo and got the shock of a lifetime, armed officers escortin’ me to the back offices. Not the welcome home I been expectin’ and they didn’t let me use mah phone at all to give ya a heads up. Thankin’ da Lawd Izzy and the little one weren’t with me.”
“Why’d she do it? Jus can’t reckon it.”
“Why does any teen girl do anything?” Jack drawled, shifting on the creaky wooden floor. “Hell, I don’t even understand females of any age most the time. All I know is that sneakin’ out and sneakin’ into places she ain’t got no business in is typical for that girl. Just don’t know why she had to get me in trouble too, but reckon that wasn’t intentional, cos she is such a sweet thang normally. To be fair, she’s been in mah ear ‘bout wantin’ to come here, guess she got tired of me blowin’ her off. So much like her momma. Her momma and daddy told her to mind me like a parent now, until I can return her safely home. They’ll be sendin’ a private jet the minute air travel is open, so I’ll be goin’ back home with her all fancy-like.”
“May I ride one?” pointing at the horses, Victoria turned to Jackson, who furrowed his brow at the now somewhat recovered 14-year-old, wearing one of his shirts, paired with his Stetson and a legging from her backpack making her look unusually casual.
“Umm, I dunno. Might be better if ya didn’t, seein’ as we ain’t got no hospital nearby in case ya take a tumble or somethin’.”
“I won’t fall off, Jackson,” Victoria retorted. “I’m a right good rider. You’ve seen me, or were your eyes so fixed on Bri that you didn’t even notice I was there? Well, if you had paid proper attention, you would know I am an excellent horsewoman. All my trainers said so, even your stepmom. Ask Izzy. She will confirm, I have proper posture and seat well.”
“Nah, I KNOW ya can ride, and yeah, I have seen ya on a horse, yer highness,” Jackson drawled. “But yer horses ain’t like mine, and—”
“Call me Victoria, or Vic, if you please, like your father does. We are not at some official event, besides Jack and my parents agreed, for all intends and purposes right now it’s better if I am just a regular person. Anyway, once you understand horses properly, you can ride any of them.” the young princess informed Jackson importantly.
“Look, first of all, that ain’t quite so, and second, if ya wanna ride here, reckon ya oughta take it up with mah dad.”
“Why? Thought this was YOUR ranch now. Can’t you make decisions? I thought you were an adult.”
“I said what I said. This is my ranch, until my dad’s here, even if it’s just to visit but out of respect, he’s got the say then. Besides, yer HIS ward, not mine, so he gets to decide. If ya wanna ride, I’ll gladly saddle one up for ya—AFTER mah dad gives the nod.”
Just then, a rider arrived. A young woman, her tan skin told the tale of outdoor living, as she swung down from her horse with ease. Her bright blue eyes held curiosity, contrasting against her bronzed complexion.
“Well, well, well. Jackson, you ol’ dog,” she drawled. “Bri’s off gallivantin’, and here ya are, lockin’ onto the next young thing. Ain’t she a mite too young? That’s just a lil’ girl, right there.”
“I’m almost 15! NOT a little girl!” Victoria burst out.
“Oh, one with an accent this time,” the woman chuckled. “Jackson, what’re we gon’ do with ya? Cradlerobbin’ yerself some fancy ones, huh? Isn’t that one of yer good shirts she’s wearin’. And yer hat?! Oh boy, Jackson, may the good Lord have mercy on ya now. Ya done gone lost yer mind fer good, all right!”
“It ain’t what yer thinkin’ and she ain’t here for me, she’s my dad’s ward. He’s here with her. So, ya got any concerns, Tay, take it up with him. And good luck with that, yer gon’ need it, knowin’ mah old man.”
“I am NOT Jack’s ward! I am…” Victoria was about to spill her full name and title, but Jackson clamped a hand over her mouth.
“Taylor don’t give a hoot ‘bout all that, I reckon. This is…uh, Vicky, ummm, my dad took her on to test some horses. Her daddy’s lookin’ to buy her one, so here we are, tryin’ them on fer size. Ain’t that right, Vic?” Jackson gave her a glare, she nodded, so he released her, while she huffed at him and Taylor, crossing her arms, clearly pouting.
“Oh? Didn’t realize ya had any horses to sell.” Taylor kept investigating.
“Well, got me two stallions, and ya know how that goes. Blaze and Patches been cooperatin’ with a lil’ coaxin’, but once Patches hits proper age, there’ll be hell to pay.”
“This lil’ miss and Patches? Bless our souls. And why? Why not do like everyone else—board Patches elsewhere or fence him off with one of the mares? Ya need stallions for studs, can’t leave it all to Blaze, he’s a great horse, but what if something were to happen to him, you’d be left with no stallion at all, or didcha forget how to ranch, tryin’ to scrape up enough coin for yer fancy girlfriend? Hopin’ she’ll stick ’round a spell longer ‘til she realizes datin’ a poor ole country boy ain’t all sunshine.” Taylor mocked him, which agitated Victoria enough to chime in again, defensively.
“Take that back! Jackson loves Bri, and she loves him! She would never leave him just because he’s poor, you hear! Besides, she is wealthy already, so she doesn’t need a rich man. It’s love, passionate and real. The kind we all dream about finding some day. It’s like something straight from a Brontë novel!” her voice trailed off into a deep sigh.
Taylor just laughed, shaking her head at Jackson, patting his shoulder as she turned to leave.
“Oh, Jackson, this mess is worse than I reckoned. Feel for ya, but reckon some of us gotta learn the hard way. Ya wanted to run in those uppity circles, now look whatcha got yerself into. Oh, right, reason I came; Cookout at mah daddy’s ranch this Sunday. Bring yer chili. Leave the little girl home, please. Mah daddy ain’t runnin’ no daycare. Too much at that ranch to get an ignorant city girl in trouble, don’t want to have to fish her out of some well or the septic tank.”
Still chucklin’, she swung into her saddle and rode off with gusto.
“She is very pretty, but utterly rude! A ghastly person! I hope she falls off her horse into a big pile of manure!” Victoria huffed.
“Now ya sound just like mah Bri.” Jackson couldn’t help laugh.
“Well, she’s right. You should not fraternize with people like that. My Papa always says bitter people are bitter to one’s mind and can poison even the kindest of hearts. Have you never heard the old adage ‘tell me who your friends are, and I tell you who you are’, Jackson? I think you are very nice and sweet, but friends like that dismal girl do not shed a good light on you,” Victoria advised.
“Well, thank ya much, but this ain’t how things roll ’round here. If someone wants to come to ya, they will. Besides, she ain’t mah friend, she’s mah ex. But before ya go thinkin’ silly things, all that don’t matter none, cos she’s married now and havin’ a baby. And no, I had nothin’ to do with any of that.”
“Oh dear! Well, all I can say to that is that your taste has improved much by dating Briar Rose then. I’d still tell that terrible girl not to come here again, if this were my ranch. Put up a sign with her face crossed out on it, if you must. Or start digging a moat. Anything to keep this dreadful harpy away.”
Jackson laughed harder now.
“I am beginnin’ to see why my dad likes you so much. And why he keeps saying you are just like your mom. I don’t know AG all that well, but well enough to know he’s onto something.” he told her chuckling, but she wasn’t impressed.
“Well, of course we are like our parents to a certain degree, how could we not? We have their genes, and they are the ones raising us, but by your logic I would make sure you don’t repeat your dad’s mistakes then. If that girl is just as mean to Bri as she was to me, and you don’t set her straight–and soon—then you are not the dream prince Bri deserves. To put it in terms you might better understand: you should protect her from snakes, and not just those slithering the ground without legs. I am sure I am not speaking out of turn divulging secrets you don’t already know here, but we both know seeing pregnant girls is hard on Briar Rose, imagine how much harder it would be to see one slithering around you while aiming her poison at Bri? I might be ‘only’ fourteen, but I am not blind, Jackson, and even I can see that this awful girl who was just here is still not over you. Keep her away or the next baby might be yours and Bri would never forgive that. Nor would I.” Victoria told him sincerely, then turned and headed towards the cabin.
With a deep sigh, Jackson pulled off his hat, ruffling his hair.
“Damn! Man, them girls are gonna be the death of me. Nothing but trouble with all of them, the whole lot and now here I stand gettin’ relationship advice from a high schooler. Worst part ’bout it is she ain’t even all that wrong. I really need to do better protectin’ Bri from Taylor, I thought she’d get tired of it all on her own, but don’t look like it.”
EchoesOfLegacy 