The Royal Contract

Her face did show an element of surprise worn in her expression. The delight in Jacky's face and the rest of the guests were an indication that they were satisfied with their efforts.

"How did you manage to gather all of our friends in one place?" She questioned her maid of honor, impressed with her skills at organizing.

She walked further inside the room, with Jacky at her side. She greeted, one at a time, the people that she had met who became close to over the years. 

Most of them had been very dear to her heart, making a big dent in her heart and molding what she was today. Some of them were acquaintances that had a significant impact on her life.

"You know me. It is just a piece of cake." Jacky whispered near her ears as she acknowledged what she had done with pride. If there was one thing she was extremely good at, it was her skill to manage a social gathering.

It would have been difficult, but since Dani was well-loved by their friends, it was not hard to convince them to set aside time for their friend. They immediately came to celebrate a momentous occasion in their friend's life.

After the greetings, the crowd went back to their designated seats and waited for the commentator to begin the short program Jacky had planned.

"Welcome every one of you, friends of the bride, I assume." The host began announcing over the mike to the men and women gathered around the enormous space.

The crowd cheered, agreeing with the host's assumption. Most of them were honored to be considered a friend of the bride. She was indeed a great person.

"Can I ask Ms. Daniella Hamilton, also known as Dani by all her friends, to come and join me?" The host beckoned the bride to the stage prepared for them for this particular event.

"What is this?" She asked Jacky, confused with the occasion. It was certainly not what she expected from a bachelorette's party.

Although, her idea of such only came from what she had seen in the movies. She never really attended one, always excusing that she had been busy.

Jacky held both of her hands in hers, facing her and looking through her eyes. "I only want you to have fun and share this moment with the people that have been a part of your past."

"Soon, you will be building new memories and a great future, most probably meeting new friends along the way. I want you to remember that no matter what, you are loved by many." Jacky continued before releasing her hands to shove her towards the few steps up the stage.

Jacky could feel a tear was about to drop down on her cheeks, but she stopped them. It was not the time for any dramatics. It was a day of celebration for her friend.

"Most of you told me that it had been a while since you last saw your friend. But you had been witnessed for a portion of her life, contributing to what she is today." The host continued as he looked at the bride by her side.

Dani was impressed with what Jacky had done. She could only wonder what would happen next as she stood silently on the stage, looking over the people that she had been friends with at some point in her life.

Her guests came from various social standings. Some came from her social circles. Some she met at school. The rest she met through her work, but all had become a significant part of her life, one way or the other. She was amazed at how Jacky had managed to gather them in one event. 

"Why don't you take the hot seat as we continue with our surprise." The host guided her to a lone chair at the center. "Now, to go on with the program."

The host took out what would seem to be an eye patch to use to cover her eyes. She moved towards Dani and signaled for her to close her eyes.

The piece of cloth covered her eyes, and then the darkness consumed her sight. There was a tiny slit of light coming from the bottom portion of the covering but still not enough to reveal the surprise that was waiting for her.

"Excuse me, what is happening?" She asked, a bit wary as she could not see anything.

She could hear her friends shouting with excitement, but she had no idea what could be causing the commotion. Despite straining her ears to gather some information, she still had no clue.

"Be patient, my dear." The host whispered near her ears as the clapping and shouting intensified. There were several who also hollered and whistled their excitement.

"Are we all ready to reveal our surprise?" The host asked the guests, who simultaneously shouted yes.

She clapped her hand, and the music changed into something more upbeat and exciting. It was as if she was about to unravel a mystery.

Then, the host instructed the guests to shout. "Take it off." Everybody cooperated and followed her direction, yelling the words.

Dani could only anticipate what the surprise would be as she remained seated silently on her chair. Could it be a male dancer, which was about to do a lap dance for her?

She was unsure if she should be excited by the idea or repulsed by it. Well, she knew that she should appreciate what Jacky had prepared for her. But could she sit quietly and allow a man to perform a malicious dance in front of her.

Finally, she felt a finger working its way to removing the cloth that blinded her. She was anxious to know what the surprise was but also fearsome that she might not like it.

Then, her eyes were free to see what was in front of her. But it took her a few seconds to adjust her eyes to the bright light directed at them. 

"Hi! Surprise!" The man spoke up in an excited voice. He sounded genuinely happy to see her.

"What is going on?" She anxiously asked, suddenly freezing in her place. A surprise was not the way she would describe how she felt.

Shocked was more like it, for lack of a better word.