“Now, now,” Valetta said. “Neither of us needs the headache of someone realizing that the Prince of Orsino is in the States. Besides, you were the one who wanted to come with me to pick Sabrina up. I was going to send a car so she could meet us at the airport, but you insisted upon this.” He grumbled a response but she continued. “Neither of us needs the headache of someone realizing that the Prince of Orsino is in the States,” Valetta reminded him. “You don’t want that kind of attention and neither do I. Plus isn’t that part of the fun? To have a secret trip here?”
“Yes, definitely,” he said, as he rolled down the rear window and hung his arm out of it. “I’m just happy I only have to ride in this car for a little while longer.”
“An hour at most,” she said. “Once we pick up Sabrina, we’ll go straight to the airport. You’ll never have to set foot in one of these cars again, I promise.”
Marco breathed in the air. It was only mid-morning, but it was already hot and humid. As they rode along the highway, his thoughts were focused on the new maid who would be escorting him throughout the United States over the course of the next three months. He felt more nervous with each passing minute, and with each mile, that they got closer to her home.
“We’re just about there,” Valetta said, glancing up into the rear view mirror once again.
Marco sat up straight and ran his fingers through his shoulder-length black hair. Then he glanced down, making sure his white dress shirt was spotless and without wrinkles. When he looked back out the window, he was shocked by what he saw.
“Where are we?” he asked.
“Sabrina’s neighborhood,” Valetta said.
Marco was surprised to find himself being driven through a trailer park. Old trailer homes were scattered along both sides of the road, with hardly twenty feet of open space between each of them. Most had at least two cars parked in front, all of which looked just as dilapidated as the homes they were near.
It reminded Marco of an area on Orsino Island called Devil’s Elbow, sometimes referred to simply as 'The Slums'. It was a small peninsula where the lower class population lived. It also housed the highest crime rate on the island and likely the most hatred for the royal family, or at least that was what Magdalena had often told him as a child.
This is where Sabrina lives? he thought.
Marco couldn't believe that the beautiful woman he had interviewed the day before lived in a place as rough-looking as the trailer park. He had imagined her living in a nice high-rise downtown or at least a large house in a suburban cul-de-sac.
A woman of her beauty can't live here, he thought. It just doesn't make any sense.
“Are you sure we’re in the right place?” he asked.
“Yes,” Valetta said, now focused as she maneuvered the car down the dilapidated road. “This is the address Sabrina gave us.”
She drove all the way to the end of the road and pulled the car up to a small brown trailer on the right. Outside of the home was a beat up old Honda parked out front. The vehicle looked like it used to be white, but now it was more rust-colored than anything else.
Marco frowned as he took in the view.
This isn't where a girl like Sabrina belongs. She should be soaking up the sun on a beach somewhere. She should be shopping in nice stores, buying fancy purses and shoes, getting her hair done any way she wants. No girl could feel beautiful in a place like this. This doesn't seem fair.
“Well, this is it,” Valetta said.
Marco nodded and reached for the door handle to step outside.
“Hold on.” Valetta stopped him. “Let me go get her. We’re already conspicuous enough being in this neighborhood in this nice of a vehicle. Someone will surely recognize you if you get out. God knows the neighbors are peeking out of the windows as we speak. Let me run up and get Sabrina. You wait right here.”
“Good point,” Marco said with a nod. “I’ll sit tight.”
From the back seat, Marco watched as Valetta walked up to the front door of the trailer home. She looked remarkably out of place in her designer shoes as she walked up the well worn path. She knocked a few times and a moment later, the door opened up. Sabrina stood in the doorway with a smile on her face.
Sabrina followed Valetta out to the car. She carried a large black suitcase in her right hand and had a giant gray duffel bag slung over her left shoulder. She walked with eagerness and had a cute spring to her step that made Marco smile. Valetta took Sabrina's luggage and put it in the trunk, then opened the rear door of the car for her.
“Good morning,” Marco said, smiling.
“Good morning, sir,” Sabrina replied cheerfully.
“No, no, please, Sabrina. Call me Marco,” he said, as he motioned for Sabrina to take a seat. “We’re going to be spending a fair amount of time together over the next couple of months. No need for formalities.”
“Okay, sounds good,” she said, as she scooted onto the seat and buckled her seat belt.
Marco watched as Sabrina fidgeted in her seat, unable to sit still as they pulled out of her neighborhood. He could tell she was nervous, but he hoped that she’d relax a bit once they were on the plane.
“Are you okay?” he asked. His eyes were locked onto Sabrina as he spoke. The tingling feeling of attraction filled his chest as her face lit up, hanging onto every one of his words.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, tapping her fingers onto the top of her knees. “Just excited about all of this. I’m really looking forward to seeing New York.”
“Have you been before?”
“No, never,” she replied. “I’ve wanted to for so long, but never had the chance.”
“Well, that’s one thing we have in common,” he said. “I’ve seen pictures, but that’s about all.”
Sabrina smiled and then brought her gaze out of the car window, watching as the trailer homes passed by. Marco wanted to ask her more about her life, but didn’t want to come on too strong. He was curious about her, though, and looked forward to getting to know her.
I’ll have plenty of time to ask more questions on the flight to New York, he thought.
“This is your plane?” Sabrina asked, as they boarded the small jet that was parked on a private runway near the airport.
“Kind of,” Marco said, as he led the group onto the plane. “I’m able to use it right now, so it’s as good as mine.”
“I’ve never even seen a private jet before,” she said, looking around the plane with the awe of a young child. “To be honest, I've never actually been on any plane.”
The pilot greeted Marco and they shook hands, while Sabrina and Valetta continued on toward the back of the jet.
“The weather is looking excellent today, so it should make for a smooth flight to New York City,” the pilot informed him. “Shouldn’t take but a few hours.”
“Perfect,” Marco said. “How long until we take off?”
“Ten minutes. If all of your party is here, we can start taxiing to the runway now.”
Marco nodded and turned down the aisle leading away from the cockpit. The cabin of the plane was small to his eyes. He was used to his private jet back home, but he was assured this plane could comfortably sleep ten. He wasn't so sure it would be comfortable, but as this was the best way to keep a low profile, it would work well enough. Besides, the flight would be relatively short.