They walked through the large wrought-iron arch marking the entrance of the park, their hands swinging lightly between them. Khizar steered their walk to a path on the left, around a slight bend, and then to a small pavilion. Jacqui gave him a puzzled look, but Khizar only grinned, and putting his fingers to his lips, blew a loud, sharp whistle.
From the other side of the pavilion, they heard a clop clop clop and then saw a dappled grey-and-white horse come around the corner. The horse was pulling a dark grey carriage with large red wheels. There were flowers and ribbons intertwined around every free spot on the carriage, and the horse had ribbons braided in its mane.
Khizar stepped toward the carriage as it stopped in front of them, pulling Jacqui with him.
“We’re going for a carriage ride?!” Jacqui’s voice was incredulous, but unmistakably happy.
“This sheikh has done enough walking for the day,” he said, teasing her with her words.
Jacqui laughed and Khizar felt something he hadn’t planned on. He liked making her happy. Not just spoiling her, but making her truly happy.
Khizar helped Jacqui into the carriage and then followed her, settling next to her on the seat.
Jacqui leaned into Khizar’s side, giddy with excitement as the coachman clucked to the horse and they pulled away. She narrated different parts of the park as they drove through it.
“Over there, they set up an ice skating rink every winter. But sometimes, it gets cold enough that the lake freezes, and everyone goes skating there, too.”
She pointed toward a large area with grills and picnic tables.
“The orphanage does a big cookout party here every year with all the kids and prospective parents. It’s a chance for them to have fun and get to know each other.”
“Do you attend?”
Jacqui nodded.
“I volunteer, usually putting the food together. I remember what it was like to have all these adults coming in to look you over, and I want to make that process better for these kids.”
Khizar hesitated, because he didn’t want to make her sad, but he was curious.
“You were in an orphanage for how long after your parents died?”
“I actually lived there for about three months. I was in different foster homes the rest of the time, bouncing around. I lived in four different towns during that time, with six different families.”
“That’s… I don’t even know what that must have been like,” Khizar said.
“It was tough. But at least all my families were good people. Some of these kids have it much harder than I did.” She sighed. “I got really lucky when I found Mom and Dad, though. They made me a part of their family, but they never wanted me to forget my parents.”
“Did you always call them Mom and Dad?” Khizar asked.
“I didn’t, for the first two years after they adopted me. I called them by the first names, but as I got more comfortable, I realized that they weren’t trying to replace my parents. It got easier to wrap my head around the idea of having two sets of parents, and I just started thinking of them that way.”
Khizar hesitated again. He hadn’t planned on bringing up other family members yet, but it seemed like a natural time to ask.
“I’m surprised you didn’t go to live with your grandparents or other family members.”
Jacqui shook her head. “Didn’t have any. Both my parents were only children. My mother’s parents died before I was born, and both my Grandpa Jack and Grandma Evelyn died when I was young. I remember them, but just barely.”
Khizar could hear the hitch in her voice and realized that talking about her lost family was making her sad.
He nudged her arm and said, “I think you are an amazing woman.”
Jacqui tilted her head to look up at him. “I am?”
He nodded. “Not everyone would triumph over adversity the way you have.”
Khizar thought for a moment that he might kiss her; he was certain Jacqui would welcome that. The look on her face was soft and inviting, and she leaned into him.
Instead of acting on that impulse, he looked away, deflecting the intense feeling of wanting to get closer to her. He nodded toward a large amphitheater set into the hillside. The carriage was on the road at the top of the hill looking down, and Khizar could see people working on the stage there.