Ari's New Life

A Rose Called Miracle Book #4, Part 5

Author's Note: This is the fourth and final Book of 'A Rose Called Miracle'. This is fiction. All characters in intimate situations are over 18. Any resemblance to real people, organizations, or businesses is simply coincidence. As with the first three books, it is made much more interesting by people of different races, religions, and sexual preferences...And I still believe the world would be a better place if Douravia really existed.

Finally, thanks to Scottsride11 for finding and letting me know about a careless continuity error where I got my heroes mixed up.

KARI'S NEW LIFE

"When all else is lost, the future still remains."- Christian Nestell Bovee *****

"So," Robert asked, "What are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean 'do'? This is your problem!" I challenged...while still softly stroking him. I had just enough time to think 'What the...!' and Robert had turned himself in my arms, flipped me onto my back, spread my legs, and his lovely cock was poised to dive into my pussy.

"What do you have to say now?" It was his turn to challenge me. I figured I'd have some fun...before I had some fun.

"Please Sir!" I pleaded, "Not that. I'm just a simple, virgin serving wench promised to the Prince. Please Sir, don't ruin me."

"A virgin, eh? Have you ever been kissed, girl?"

"Oh No Sir! Not by man nor boy, Sir." I was impressed by Robert's strength as he hovered just above me. He leaned down and kissed me hard. He shoved his tongue between my lips. I forgot to struggle.

"There ye be, wench, now ye've been kissed." Robert whispered as we tried to catch our breath.

"Oh Sir! I am ruined. Nothing but a trollop...a strumpet. You may have your way with me, Sir." I covered my eyes in feigned dismay as Robert slowly and deliciously penetrated me.

"There girl, you are no longer a virgin." He thrust himself slowly, but powerfully, into me several more times. I began to lose interest in the game. "I'm sure when I'm finished, that you will serve the prince well." Robert teased as he rolled us over so that I was astride him. I began bouncing quite vigorously. Robert grasped my hips firmly and forced me to slow down.

"Kari?" Robert said quietly, "Is your clit piercing okay?" Amazing. Even in the throes of intercourse, he still remembered my well-being.

I tried to stay in character, "'Tis nothing Sir. Hardly stings at all." I started to ride him with more energy. I gasped as Robert let go of my hips and reached up and pinched my nipples. "Oh Sir! What am I feeling? Oh! It's so strange...my poor belly!" I climaxed with a vengeance. I buried my face in Robert's hairy chest to muffle my voice. I took just a minute to regain control, "Sir, did you spill your seed?" I asked.

"No. I'm very disappointed that you neglected my needs, wench."

"I am sorry Sir." I slid down the bed and wrapped my lips around his cock. I enjoyed the flavor of our mingled juices. It did not take me long to make him climax.

"Thank you wench." Robert stroked my hair as I crawled up beside him. "His Highness will be well pleased now that you've been trained to give him pleasure."

I burst out laughing. "God Robert that was so much fun." I kissed him, then retreated. "Sorry, let me go brush my teeth and rinse my mouth. I'll be right back." I hurried to the bathroom, relieved myself, and brushed my teeth. As I swirled around the mouthwash Robert came up behind me and asked for a facecloth to clean himself. I soaked a cloth in hot water and put on a little soap. I slapped away Robert's hand as he reached for the cloth. I insisted on cleaning and rinsing him myself before I went back to bed and waited for him to join me.

Ten minutes later as I lay in bed in Robert's arms, I had an epiphany. "Son of a bitch!" I exclaimed.

"What? What's wrong Sweetheart?"

"Our kids."

"What?"

"Haven't you realized it? Our kids set us up."

"I don't understand." Robert looked puzzled.

"Okay. Think back...that first day. Ask yourself, 'Why was Stephen at the door alone?'"

"That's easy. He forgot his phone in the car and asked if I'd go back and get it."

"Uh huh. And when is the last time Stephen ever forgot his phone anywhere; or more importantly when did he ever voluntarily let you touch his phone?"

"Umm. Never."

"Right. Now, let's talk about my daughter's role in this conspiracy. That morning, I was dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a comfortable sweater. Valerie pulled me aside and asked me to dress to the nines to meet Stephen. As soon as he was in the door he barely said hello before they disappeared...leaving me there, alone and all dressed up, so that I could answer the door when you knocked."

I couldn't see Robert in the dark, but I could sense him trying to stifle a laugh. "Those little devils. They decided to play matchmaker." This time he didn't suppress the laugh. "So?" He chuckled again, "Do we thank them or spank them?"

"I think I'll just stay silent and let them think they're smarter than us." We were quiet for a second before I laughed. "Then again maybe they are." With that, I rolled over and fell asleep.

I thought I woke up pretty early the next morning. Robert muttered something and started moving around. After I'd had a minute to come to life I smelled coffee and something cooking. "Do I smell coffee?" I asked.

"I think so. I guess we're not the first to wake up." So far he only had one eye open. "Come here." He pulled me to him for a kiss. We didn't let morning breath bother us. Then the unthinkable happened.

The bedroom door popped open and in walked Valerie. "Hey Mom, come on, breakfast is...Oh my God! Shit!" She jumped back and slammed the door shut. I could hear her running back down the hall.

"We'd better get dressed." Robert said as he let me out of his arms and started to climb out of bed. "Valerie's probably going to need your reassurances that you're not angry."

I almost made a joke that I was angry because my daughter had interrupted what was going to be great sex; however, the serious look on Robert's face convinced me to keep my mouth shut. We got out of bed and took turns in the bathroom and shower. I got dressed for work, did my makeup, and combed my hair. Then I remembered Dora telling me I had showings scheduled so I changed into my pink suit and white blouse that I'd started to think of as my 'good luck' charm.

When Robert came out of the bathroom he got dressed in his clothes from the day before; all his clean things were still in the jet. While he sat, tying his shoes, I went out to find Valerie.

I found her sitting at the kitchen table with Stephen. Nick and Nora circled their ankles looking for a snack.

Valerie saw me, blushed bright red, and dropped her eyes. "Hey Sweetie, are you alright?" I rested my hand on her shoulder.

"Mom. I am so sorry...I didn't mean...I like totally forgot...Crap! Mom I'm sorry for barging in like that. I just wanted to let you know breakfast was ready."

"It's okay Sweetie. Honestly, I'm not angry at all. Things like this happen when the routine changes."

"Really?" Her relief was obvious.

"Really. But from now on, please remember to knock. Okay?"

"Okay."

I rubbed her shoulder before I went to get a cup of coffee and a toasted bagel. When everyone had eaten, Valerie and Stephen undid and folded the bedding on the couch. When that was done Valerie gathered her school things, I picked up my briefcase and we went out to the Defender.

We drove to the general aviation side of the airport where Robert's jet waited. We all hugged and kissed and said our goodbyes. Robert made sure he had my phone number and e-mail addresses. We promised to keep in touch. Valerie and I waved one last time as Robert and Stephen climbed the stairs and the jet door closed behind them.

Back in the Defender, we headed for Valerie's school. "I think that was my best Thanksgiving...ever." Valerie said.

"No worse than top two." I agreed.

"Hey Mom, again, I'm really sorry for walking in on you this morning."

"Don't worry about it Val. It's forgotten."

"No, it's not. You two looked beautiful together. I won't forget that."

"What?"

Valerie blushed furiously as she realized she'd spoken out loud. "Sorry. I was thinking out loud. But I won't take it back; you and Prince Edwin are a beautiful couple."

"A couple?"

"Don't be ridiculous Mom, of course you two are a couple. You and Prince Edwin were des...it just took time for you and him to figure it out. Crap! I said too much." Valerie turned away and stayed silent for the rest of the drive to school. After I dropped her off I put one of my zydeco CDs into the in-dash player and let my bottom do the dancing until I arrived at the office. I wondered what Val meant. Oh well, I'd figure it out later; anyway, I had to get serious and sell some houses.

I started the coffee pot brewing before I sat down to sort my mail from Dora's. Just like always, she came in just as the coffee was ready; I wondered if she had hidden a camera so that she'd know when the coffee was ready. She poured a cup and shuffled through her pile. "Don't forget you have the two showings today and another tomorrow." She reminded me before she topped off her coffee cup and turned for her office. "Hey Noonan, give me 15 minutes to go through my mail. Then we'll talk about our plans for the day."

"Okay." I went to start on my mail just as my phone pinged.

'Good Morning Beautiful: Just landed in D.C. Hope you have a wonderful day. Love, Robert.'

'Good Morning Handsome: Glad you're safe. Thank you for the beautiful weekend. Love, Kari.'

"Yo, Noonan! Let's get to work." Dora yelled from the inner office. I wondered how long I'd been staring at the message on my phone.

We quickly discussed the two properties I was showing that day. Dora reviewed the photos I'd taken a couple weeks before and pointed out a couple features to emphasize; not to mention another couple to skip over if possible. After that we attended the Monday morning managers' meeting, followed closely by the Monday morning sales staff meeting. My sales stats were okay; not #1, but not at the bottom.

I mentioned the stats as Dora and I returned to the office. She told me to relax, that I was doing just fine. She also reminded me that my primary job was still as her assistant and any sales I made were a bonus. I went back to my desk and started making callbacks to a few prospective clients who'd contacted my office phone while I was gone. I set up three initial interviews for later that week, and several more for the next week. After that I did the same for Dora's call list; hers was much longer than mine.

My phone pinged again. This time it was e-mail.

Hello again My Love. Just a warning, I gave your e-mail address to my chief of protocol, Mrs. Watkins. She will be in contact about 'suggested' apparel for your visit to Douravia, meeting my mother and father, and David's wedding. She can seem a bit stiff, but she is a pro. Trust her. All My Love—Robert. P.S. I think the dark green cocktail dress I saw in your closet would be perfect for the wedding.

I answered immediately:

Dear Robert, Are you sure about the green dress? I was thinking of something a little more conservative—perhaps the yellow button-down shirt dress? Love, Kari.

"Hey Noonan!" Dora yelled, "If you're still at your desk, don't forget you have that showing in 45 minutes. You'd better get your ass in gear."

I put on my coat and hat and went over to her door, "On my way. Wish me luck."

"Selling the house or catching the prince?"

"Dora!" I gasped as she laughed.

"Well?"

"Both, I guess." I left; but I could still hear her laughing from halfway down the hall.

I felt pretty good when I got home that evening. Valerie had stayed late at school for another drama club rehearsal. I had time to stop and make an appointment for a trim with Alicia. Afterwards, still with no word from Val, I did our grocery shopping for the next week. With excellent timing, Valerie texted that she was ready for pickup just as I paid for the groceries.

"So Mom, how many messages did you receive from your prince today?" Valerie asked casually as we drove home from the school.

"Um...four...I think." I'm sure I smiled. "He suggested that for the wedding I wear the long green dress I got for the trip to New Orleans. I was reluctant; wasn't sure it was appropriate. He said his Mrs. Watkins would be in touch."

We lugged in our groceries and quickly stuffed a frozen lasagna into the oven before we put everything else away. I changed clothes and put on Zenovia's yoga DVD.

"Namaste." I whispered as I finished the routine. Then I heard my e-mail pinging. I wrapped my towel around my neck and rolled up and put away my mat before I got my phone to check my messages. The first was from Dora; she apologized for not being in the office when I returned—it seems her showing lasted far longer than she'd expected. She asked how my two showings had gone.

I responded immediately that I'd received offers on both properties and had sent her copies. Also, I'd notified the sellers of the offers, both of which were slightly below asking. The seller of the smaller property told me to accept the offer before the buyer could change their mind. The owner of the larger place wanted to wait and see if a better offer came along—they were quite willing to wait a while.

My next message was from Mrs. Watkins. She told me that Prince Edwin had mentioned my green dress. She applauded me for questioning its appropriateness. She suggested that I put on the dress and have Valerie take a couple pictures so that she could see. I nodded to myself; it seemed like a reasonable solution. After the dress question Mrs. Watkins 'suggested' it might be time for me to start studying the etiquette and protocol guide that Valerie possessed. Mrs. Watkins stressed that she would answer any questions I had—especially questions I didn't feel comfortable asking Prince Edwin.

I noted her e-mail address and closed my mail app just as the oven timer beeped. I pulled the lasagna out of the oven while Val prepared salads. As we ate Val chatted about the drama club. They had voted, against their advisor's advice, to try and do Sondheim's 'Into the Woods' as their next project. Val wanted to audition for the role of the witch. I wished her luck. I forgot to ask her who/what a Sondheim was.

We chopped up the lasagna and ate dinner. In between bites I asked Valerie if I could borrow her etiquette study guide. She said she'd be happy to be rid of it. Then after a few more bites I told her about Mrs. Watkins wanting photos of the dress.

After eating I washed the dishes while Valerie went to do her homework. I cut the leftover pasta into four squares: two for tomorrow or the next day, and two for the freezer and the inevitable night when neither Val nor I felt like cooking.

I showered and donned clean underwear and a robe until Val was finished with her schoolwork. In between subjects, Val came out and handed me her "Douravian Manual of Protocol and Etiquette: A Comprehensive Guide". Cripes! The thing was as thick as one of those old-fashioned phone books.

"You look panicked Mom." Val laughed, "Relax. This book covers every conceivable situation. Just find the situation in the index and it will tell you exactly what you need to know: what to do, what to say, and what to wear."

I set the book aside, "Why don't we do the pictures so I can send them to Mrs. Watkins?" I went back to my bedroom. I sniffed the air; I thought I could still smell Robert. I donned the long, green dress and matching heels, combed my hair, and checked my makeup.

When I got back to the living room Val whistled, "God Mom! You are so beautiful. Okay, stand over there." She pointed to the bare wall that divided the kitchen from the living room. She proceeded to take pictures of me from the front, back, and side.

We looked over the shots and selected three to forward to Mrs. Watkins. "Okay Mom, one more pose." Val demanded. She stood me by the wall again, "Okay...turn your body to the right...more...a little more...good. Now turn your head...just your head...toward me. Nice. Now put your left hand on your hip and smile like Prince Edwin is standing right behind me. Perfect!" The camera flashed three times in succession. I relaxed a bit. The camera flashed a couple more times.

"Okay Mom, that does it. Wow!" Valerie looked up from the camera. "Damn Mom, you should be a model, look at these." She hurried over and showed me the shots. The first three looked stiff; but the second three, taken as I started to relax, looked very nice.

"This one." I indicated the second shot in the second group. "I'd like to send it to Robert."

"I agree." Val said. "I'll send it and the three for Mrs. Watkins over to you. You can send them off."

I dispatched the photos and went back to the bedroom to change back into leisure clothes. I was carefully pulling my tank top away from a snagged nipple bar when my phone pinged. "Kari. Got the photo. My God you are perfection! That smile! You look amazing. If Mrs. Watkins doesn't think that dress is appropriate for the wedding, we'll have to find some other excuse to dress up and go out to show it off. Love, Robert."

I replied quickly, "Dear Robert. I'm glad you like the dress. I haven't got a response from Mrs. Watkins yet. I'll let you know when I do. Love, Kari."

Val and I did a little housekeeping—I vacuumed, Val dusted—and watched TV for a while. Afterwards I showered and was asleep by 10:00 PM. I woke up right around 6:00 AM. I reached across the bed for Robert. I was disappointed to remember that he was back in DC.

I went out to the kitchen and started coffee before I went back and knocked on Valerie's door to wake her up. She grumbled a bit but I could hear her moving.

Dressed, and back in the kitchen, my phone started pinging as soon as I turned it on. I read Robert's message first. "Good morning Beautiful. Again, I love that photo. Going to have it printed and framed for my desk...or my wall...or both? I was heartbroken to wake up this morning and not find you in bed with me. Have you heard from Mrs. Watkins yet? Love, Robert."

I also had a message from Mrs. Watkins, but I let it wait while I responded to my prince. "Dear Robert. Good morning. I was equally upset to wake up to an empty bed. I must have looked funny as I felt around the bed trying to find you. You can thank Valerie for that photo. She insisted on posing me. Haven't heard from Mrs. Watkins yet. I'll let you know as soon as I do. Love Always, Kari."

I settled at the kitchen table with some coffee and steeled myself to read Mrs. Watkins' message. "My Dear Ms. Noonan..." She began, "Thank you for the quick response. I have reviewed your photos. I can state, with certainty, that the green cocktail dress would be quite appropriate for a wedding involving a non-titled member of the Devereaux family to a commoner. I would strongly suggest a fashionable hat to accompany that dress. I have attached links that show samples. Should you have any questions about your visit to Douravia, please feel free to contact me. Please give my best to Miss Valerie. Sincerely, Mrs. Andrea Watkins."

Valerie sat down with her cup of coffee. Nick and Nora hurried in to check their food bowls. "You hear from Mrs. Watkins yet?" She asked as she poured milk into her cup.

I nodded. "Yeah. She said the green dress is perfectly fine. I just need to accessorize with a hat."

"Good. That means you'll have time to help me find a dress."

"I guess we can try the place where I got the green one. Maybe they'll have hats...or at least point us in the right direction."

"Okay. Stevie, I mean Stephen, kind of hinted that he thinks I'd look good in blue.

"Yeah. I can see that. So, we'll go and check out the store. I have an appointment with Alicia for a trim tonight after work; how about shopping tomorrow after I pick you up from school?" We chopped up some apples, oranges, and bananas for breakfast. While we ate, Valerie opened up her copy of the etiquette guide. She ran her finger down the index until she found the chapter for "Weddings" and sub-section "non-titled royal family member to commoner." It was followed by separate sections for when the King or Crown Prince got married.