Risteard’s Unwilling Empress

Chapter 3-2

"Mom, why do I have yellow hair when you and Daddy both have brown hair," she remembered asking. "Star and Jo look like their parents, yet I don't look anything like you and Dad."

Her mother had looked at her dad for several long seconds before she had gently taken her hand and sat her down. Ricki remembered how her mom had told her about finding her on the steps of their trailer. She had listened carefully, nodding as both of her parents told her that she was a wonderful gift to them and they loved her very, very much.

“Do you think they will come back for me?” she had asked, afraid. “If we keep moving, they won’t be able to find me, right? I don’t want them to take me away from you and Dad.”

“Oh, Ricki,” Nema had responded, pulling her into her arms and holding her trembling body. “No, Ricki, we would never let them take you away from us. You are our little girl, isn’t that right, Walter? You are ours!”

“Damn right,” Walter assured her in a gruff voice. “We are your parents, Ricki. And let me tell you, every single member of this circus would fight to keep you with us, too. You are our little girl forever, no matter what!” he declared, throwing his arms out wide.

“You’re damn right, Dad,” Ricki declared passionately with a stubborn tilt to her chin. “I never want to leave you, Mom, or the circus!”

Ricki chuckled softly as she remembered her fierce response. It had taken both her and her parents by surprise, but it had been the moment she knew she would never leave the circus. Every single member accepted her as she was, just plain, ordinary Ricki. They didn’t care that she couldn’t do all the wonderful, magical things they could. They just loved her for being her… shy, logical, organized, practical Ricki.

“Ricki!” Jo called out, snapping her out of her reverie.

“Hi, Jo,” Ricki responded, chuckling when she heard a low snarl from Manota as Marvin pulled a long scarf out of his ear. “I hope Manota doesn’t kill them.”

Jo snorted and glanced over at Manota with a loving gaze. “Are you kidding me? After what those two turned into a few weeks ago? I don’t think anything could kill them.”

Ricki smiled when Martin turned to look at her. Her gaze softened at his intense, questioning look. It was as if he were trying to see her reaction. She bowed her head slightly to let him know that she was okay with his and Marvin’s new status as resident aliens of the circus.

“How is Thea doing?” Ricki asked quietly. “She was very upset. Has she forgiven them yet?”

Jo shook her head. “I don’t think so. She isn’t saying much, but I don’t think finding out the two men that she loves are something much different than she thought is what has her upset. I think it is the fact they didn’t tell her that is bothering her the most,” she replied with a sigh.

Ricki nodded, watching as the two brothers turned and silently walked out of the huge tent. “I think they are finished teasing your husband,” Ricki chuckled.

“I asked them to hold him off if he came after me,” Jo admitted with an amused twinkle in her eye. “Ever since he found out I was pregnant, he has been trying to keep me under lock and key. He is terrified of me doing anything.”

“Go to him,” Ricki murmured with a slightly sad smile. “He only wants to protect you. It is obvious he loves you very deeply.”

She watched as Jo turned to look at where Manota stood staring at them, worry and love in his eyes as he ran them over Jo’s slightly rounded figure. She nodded when Jo murmured she would see her later. Something told Ricki that Jo probably would be very occupied. Just thinking about that brought another faint blush to Ricki’s cheeks. She wondered what it would feel like to be loved so totally.

“You are as beautiful as ever, Ricki,” Stan commented, walking up to her. “When are you going to give in and let me take you to dinner?”

Ricki turned in surprise. She studied Stan for several long seconds before deciding that she needed to make a decision. She was no longer on Earth. If she was going to have a relationship, wasn’t it better to be with someone she knew, trusted, and respected? Stan was all of those things. While he did not make her pulse speed up like…

“How about tonight?” Ricki suddenly responded, jerking her thoughts away from where they were going. “That is if… “

“Tonight is great,” Stan immediately agreed with an easy grin. “I’ll come by your trailer just before dark. There is this great place in town that I’ve found.”

Ricki tilted her head in agreement and pushed her glasses up. “That sounds lovely,” she said with a nervous smile. “I look forward to seeing you later this evening. If you’ll excuse me, I have a few things to discuss with my father. Until later.”

Ricki nodded and gave Stan a shy smile, watching as he turned and walked over to where one of the clowns was working on some of the rigging and needed some help. She refused to acknowledge the flutter in her stomach. It was past time that she made a decision on what she wanted to do with her life. Stan had proven he was dependable, nice, caring, and now it didn’t matter about her parents' wealth; she highly doubted Earth currency was accepted here.

“Dad, I need to talk to you about a few things if you have a moment,” Ricki called, turning back to her father.