“Do we really need to do this?” Bonnie asked David as they got into the car.
Finally, she was going to visit her parents for the first time since she ran out on her wedding, and no matter how much she tried to stay positive about it, there was this nagging pit in her stomach.
She also had this horrible headache that just wouldn’t go away.
David sent her a heart warming look. “Yes, we do,” he replied, then he tried to make her feel better by saying, “I’m sure they would love to see you. When your father hired me to find you, all I could see was a man who was really worried about his daughter and her safety. Whatever you might be thinking, nothing is going to go wrong. You called and told them that you were coming, right?”
Bonnie sighed.” Yes, I did.”
“And what did they say?”
“They said they’d be thrilled to see me”
David raised an eyebrow. “So what’s the problem? I’m sorry, but I fail to see it.”
Bonnie shook her head at him. “You seem to have forgotten, but I ran out on my wedding”
“I haven’t forgotten about that. How could I ever?”
“Well, It was a wedding they really wanted for me. And not only did I not get married, but I ran away from home. And it was so bad, to the extent that they had to hire you to find me. I’m seeing them for the first time after all of that drama, and you don’t think things are going to be awkward? Do you see the problem now?”
“Yes I do, but I’m just trying to stay positive. I think that they are going to be very happy to see you. Who wouldn’t? You’re their daughter for god’s sake. In fact I think that if there’s anyone who should be nervous here, it’s me?”
Bonnie gave him a confused look. “Why?”
“Because Bonnie, I was the guy who was supposed to find you and protect you… not get romantically involved with you. It’s…. Unethical… and they might just think I’m the reason why you refused to come home….”
“Hmmmm…. Well, you sort of are” Bonnie said as she grinned at him.
“Not funny,” David replied. “Not funny at all.”
Bonnie laughed, then she reached out to him and cupped his cheeks so he’d look in her eyes. “I’m sure they won’t mind that,” she said. “You did your job and did it great. You found me and you made my life have some sort of meaning again. It doesn’t matter if we’re together.. I’m sure they will just be grateful to you for bringing him home….” She hesitated before she added. “Maybe we should also skip the kidnapping and shooting story”
“You don’t want them to know?”
“I’ll tell them someday, but now is not the time. I want them to really warm up to you and bringing up that story isn’t going to help.” She kissed him softly on the lips before she withdrew.
David nodded. “Alright, so let’s go then. How’s the headache?” he asked.
It goes and comes but I’m sure it’s because I’m nervous. “It’ll go away once we’re done with this”
“Alright, but we’ll get something at the drug store just in case”
—————
Despite what her parents said on the phone, Bonnie expected some judgment from them, and when she didn’t get it she was surprised. What exactly had happened to her parents, she kept wondering. She had run away from home. She had walked away from a wedding she knew her parents wanted so much for her…. And she had refused to contact them for a long time, but yet here they were, welcoming her back home with hugs and kisses, and was that a tear she saw drop from her mother’s eyes? It definitely was, and Bonnie wondered if she was dreaming.
She cast a gaze in David’s direction and he winked at her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking. They welcomed David with open arms, although they were surprised at first to see them together, but they seemed to accept his presence almost immediately. Robert Rimmer seemed to respect David a lot, and Bonnie suspected that it had to do with the fact that he’d found her when she left home.
After they had dinner that evening, Bonnie and her father went for a walk. It was very awkward at first as they were both silent in the beginning. Bonnie could feel her headache slowly returning as she wondered what her father had to say. She was so ready to be scolded and yelled at, but when he turned to face her and pulled her into his arms for a hug she broke down in tears as she clung onto him. Robert did nothing except hold her until she’d let it all out. He was different, Bonnie noticed… so much more understanding than he usually was, and she couldn’t help but wonder what had caused the change in him.
“I’m sorry” she said when she finally pulled back and began to dry her eyes. “I’ve been such an emotional mess lately. A lot has happened, Dad and I want to let you know that I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for the worry that I put you and mom through. I honestly thought that you’d be mad at her. Why are you not? It’s really confusing”
Robert Rimmer stopped in his tracks.”Why would I be mad, you’re home and you’re well. Aren’t you?”
“You know what I mean dad” Bonnie replied with a shaky voice. She couldn’t look at him in the face. “I’m sorry that I left the way I did, but I felt like I had no choice. I didn’t love Prince Marcus, and I didn’t think that there was any way I would have grown to love him. I know that things worked out well for you and mom, but that doesn’t mean that it would be the same for me. I couldn’t stand being in an arranged marriage and I know that I should have talked to you about it, but I didn’t think you’d listen to me…. And just so you know, I didn’t plan to run until my wedding day. I was sitting in front of the mirror, looking at myself all dressed up, and that’s when I decided that I just couldn’t do it, so I made the decision to leave…. “