The Royal Contract

He looked around the place, finding the resort quite captivating. If he had come here for a vacation, he would probably stay in this place, finding it relaxing and calming.

But he was only here for a few hours until the airline could rebook his flight home. Until now, the airline would not discuss the issue with the passengers, only telling everyone that it was getting resolved.

"I hope the room is to your liking." One of the people in charge settled him in a beautiful hotel room with a nice view of the beach from his balcony. "Rest assured, Mr. Mason, that we are working around the clock to resolve the matter."

He guessed he understood their situation. They did not want their passengers to worry, panic and cause more problems, not more than they already had. It was better to play safe and give generic reasons until they determined a better solution.

"But there is a slight problem with your luggage." The man told him as he walked further into the room. "Again, we hope to resolve that as soon as possible."

The man explained that many passengers' luggage had issues during transport to their designated planes. Now, they were trying to sort out the mishap.

"Please inform me of the soonest available flight." He reminded the airline representative, not caring much about a few of his things before he left him alone to rest inside his complimentary room.

But would he consider staying overnight or more than a day in this place? No. All he wanted to do was take the earlier flight out of here and be home soon.

He had no business lingering a minute longer in this place, especially when he had no more reason to stay. The last thing he wanted was for Sabrina to discover he was here. He did not want to put them in an awkward spot.

Quickly, he sent a text message to his assistant about his situation. But, of course, he left out a few details and lied about the rest. He could not tell anybody what he was doing here and what had happened.

"Now, what?" He asked as he stood outside the balcony of his room, appreciating the natural loveliness of his surrounding.

He had seldom gone on a vacation, being busy all the time. Therefore, he barely saw any sites or tourist destinations. It was not in his vocabulary to waste his time on frivolous activities.

But then again, it might not be terrible to unwind, once in a while, from the pressure and stress of his job. But it was hard to go on vacation alone, without someone to share the memories with. Honestly, he did not wish to do it alone, like today.

"You need some stuff." He told himself, at least a change of clothes. He had a few toiletries he could use, freely given by the hotel. Therefore, he only needed a few things that he could probably buy at the gift shop downstairs.

He looked outside again at the slowly darkening sky, thinking that it might be impossible to book a flight home tonight. But he hoped he would have an early plane ride out of here as soon as the sun rose from the east.

"I am hungry." That was another issue he had to address. He had forgotten to eat earlier due to his excitement. Then he lost his appetite afterward.

But now, he could not ignore the growling of his stomach as it demanded sustenance. He would probably eat anything available in this place to fill his belly.

He decided to stroll downstairs instead of ordering food into his room. He believed he could find more options in the lobby or outside, offering delicious food. At the same time, he could check out their stores for some clothes he could wear.

"What do you recommend?" He asked the elevator operator for a list of choices as he took the lift down.

The young man quickly rattled some names of restaurants around the area that he could check. But he highly recommended the seafood house a few minutes on the beachfront.

"I swear they serve the best food in town. But don't tell my boss about it." The man quickly added the last part. He guessed his boss would not take it kindly that he was recommending a competitor.

"Thanks. Your secret is safe with me." He smiled at the young man as he exited the small box to join the other guests wandering in the lobby.

He quickly exited the establishment, following the path that the boy had told him. The boy said that they also served as a souvenir shop where he could buy affordable and cheap clothes.

Who needed designer labels at a time like this? Well, he did not. He just required it to be comfortable and presentable. Being less pricey was just a bonus he would take advantage of.

He decided to scout the different stores he passed by since it was still early for dinner. He found a shirt that he liked. He even bought a small souvenir he would like to give to his assistant.

"Would you need anything else?" The woman at the counter asked as she packed the items he had picked and paid for.

He shook his head, believing he would not need anything else. But before he could get the items from the counter, an unknown young boy suddenly stood before him.

"Sir, can you help me?" The boy politely asked, but he could see a slight fear in his eyes and a hint of anxiousness in his trembling voice.

Suddenly, he was on high alert, wondering what the boy needed. But usually, in cases like this, the boy was either lost or had run away. In that short moment, his mind reminded him of that young boy who recently asked for help.

"What is it? Are you lost?" He quickly asked as he knelt before him so he could look into his eyes at eye level. He knew that it would not be easy for the boy to walk toward him and ask a stranger.

He could see that the young boy was afraid. The little man must be around six to ten years old. He wondered where his parents could be. Why was he alone?

The boy nodded, alarming him of the situation. The boy was lucky that he found him and not a stranger who could have harmed him and taken advantage of his young age.

He had handled a few cases where he had to send an adult to jail because of what they did to young kids like this boy. As much as he wanted to clean the streets of people like that, they were just too many.

"Come on, let us talk." He knew he had to gain the boy's trust. So he would tell him more about himself. He grabbed his things and gently dragged the boy onto an available seat inside the store.

He could call the police. However,  he believed it would be better to talk to the child before involving the authorities. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding that they could resolve without complicating the situation.

"Are your parents with you?" He asked as he looked around the small store and outside the window, checking if there were people who seemed to look for him. But he could not find one as the people moved without giving them a second glance.

"No, but I think they are missing." The boy said that made him smile. He believed the boy had it the other way around.

"Well, do you want me to help you look for them?" He did not wish to argue with the logic of a child. Usually, it was hard to win against them. They just had a way with words and reasoning that he would never beat, no matter how good he was.

"Ok. That would be great." The child said, looking more at ease than earlier. "But are you sure you know where you are going?" The boy said to him as if doubting his ability.

"I think I can manage to navigate around." He confidently told the young boy as he guided him to the exit. "Have you eaten already?" Thinking the boy might be hungry.

He found several food stalls that the boy might like. Therefore, he offered to buy him dinner while they looked for his parents. At any rate, if they never saw the boy's parents, it would be time to call the authorities.

"I can eat a hotdog and a soda." The kid pointed to a food stand that was near them.

Quickly, he ordered two, giving one to the kid and eating one for himself. But they still had no luck with his parents as he finished his share while the boy continued eating.

He asked the boy to sit on the public bench, hoping one of his family members would see him while he went to the trash bin a few feet away.

But they were still not in luck

Until.

A relieved voice echoed behind him, passing him by as a woman rushed to the boy's side. "Where have you been?" The woman spoke continuously, happy and slightly nervous, as she faced the boy.

"You were lost, so I asked the nice man to help me find you. Then, he bought me a hotdog." The boy narrated to the woman who had her body turned away from him.

Damn? Was that her? He asked as he stared at her back.

He hoped not because if it was, fate just played another cruel encounter on him.