The Royal Contract

Chapter 1203  In the right place

He stood by the gates of what appeared to be an old structure. He wondered if he was at the correct address. But that was what David gave him. He doubted his friend had given him bogus information. His friend would never do that to him.

Still, he stared at the aging signage and the wide open gate that probably squeaked at the hinges based on its dilapidated state. He still could not picture finding the person he sought in this place.

"Damnit, Adam. What are you thinking?" He asked himself as his eyes scanned the place from what he could see outside the fence.

Nonetheless, nothing stopped him from seeing the person he had traveled all this way to visit, but he remained rooted on the ground, unable to move forward.

Was he right to come here and see her without giving her prior notice? Would she welcome his unexpected visit when all she asked from him was time and space? Now, he questioned his decision, thinking he had made a mistake.

He was about to turn around and return to where he came from when an old raspy voice caught his attention, stopping him from taking another step. "Hello, there." The unknown person greeted him.

A woman in a pure white dress came into his view as she was about to exit the vicinity. Of course, he immediately recognized a nun when he saw one. He concluded she was staying in the old building and might know if he was in the right place.

"Hi!" He greeted back. "I am Adam Mason." He quickly introduced himself and offered his hand for a handshake.

The woman took his hand and shook them while giving him a friendly smile. He assumed that the woman would be kind enough to answer his questions.

"Hi, Adam. I am sister, Margaret. Are you asking for directions or here to see someone?" The woman explained that many mistook their organization for something else.

"I am not sure." He honestly answered as he looked at the sign. "The Safe Haven." It said. "What sort of place is this?" He could not tell since he never bothered to search for details. Now, he felt dumb for not checking for backgrounds.

He could not directly ask her if the person he sought stayed under their roof. He did not want to sound foolish before this holy woman. Besides, he doubted a famous, wealthy actress would be hiding in this shabby place.

He did not mean any disrespect to the people living in this establishment. He once lived in this kind of place before. However, he was not Serena. She always locked herself in her ivory tower.

Well, he guessed not always, remembering that she rented the apartment across from him. But still, he thought she was vacationing in a secluded high-end resort where the paparazzi could not find her, not this place.

"Unfortunately, many mistook our place as a motel or a bed and breakfast." The woman told her, slightly chuckling, finding it ridiculous. "But we are..." Suddenly, she paused and looked left and right before signaling him to bend forward and come closer to her.

She was small but slightly stout with adorable rosy cheeks and a wrinkly face. But her smile was contagious that Adam could not help but smile too as he scooped lower until he was at her level.

"Yes?" He finally asked, encouraging her to continue as he patiently waited for whatever secret she was about to share with him.

"We are havens for those who seek shelter. But in truth, we are harboring fugitives." In the last part, the nun whispered so softly and conspiratorially that he almost thought he heard her wrong. That could not be right.

But his mind assured him that was what she said. This place was a hideout for fugitives. But what kind of fugitives? He did not want to jump to conclusions.

But his first instinct indicated that she was talking about those men and women who ran away from the law and those criminals who did not want to face justice. But in his experience, his gut could be wrong.

"Excuse me?" He finally asked, mildly confused and intrigued. Why would an old, adorable lady harbor criminals? "Fugitives?" He wanted confirmation that he had heard her correctly.

But then again, he remembered that their faith prevented them from judging people for their mistakes. Their beliefs encouraged forgiveness and mercy, especially for those who had chosen the wrong path but were willing to correct the error of their ways.

Although the intention was noble, he could not condone such an act. Criminals should face the consequences of their actions and pay for their crimes.

"Hmmm." She hummed to him. But immediately burst into loud laughter.

He looked at her, turning more confused by her odd behavior. He could not think of a reason for her hilarious outburst. He could not think of anything he said that was remotely funny.

"You should see your face, Mr. Adam. You look like you are about to call the police and tell on me." The woman finally expressed, still displaying her sense of humor, after she had toned down her hysterics.

"I almost peed on my pants." She laughed again, but not as hard as before. "I was only joking." She added.

"Well, you sounded convincing." He told the nun while she straightened her body and stood before him. "And I thought you guys..." Then he stopped realizing he had made a mistake. "I meant ladies. You are not supposed to tell lies."

He had learned many things about their faith, although he was not a devotee. He sometimes prayed, but unfortunately, he forgot most of the time. Of course, he did not follow all the rules.

"We are still human. We can tell jokes as long as it would not hurt anyone." Sister Margaret justified her action with a friendly smile. How could he be mad at that?

"Ok. I understand." He nodded his head, finding nothing wrong with a little prank. But she was right. "You got me there." He acknowledged that she managed to fool him.

"Come on, let me show you around the garden while I explain what this place is all about." The older nun ushered him through the gates and urged him to walk with her.

As he had suspected, the gates squeaked like a girl as the woman forced it open. Then, they entered the vicinity that was clean and orderly but needed repairs and trimming here and there.

The imposing structure inside the spacious ground looked like it had seen its better days. At present, it was just an old place that might soon find itself with a foreclosure order.

"This is a large place." He commented as he followed her further inside the open area. It was rare to find places like this anymore. Many probably would want to buy a property like this, especially with its location.

He believed the area alone would get a hefty sum, but he could not say the same about the existing structures.

The building appeared to need complete renovation and upkeep before it could be declared liveable again. But Adam did not doubt that the place had some colorful history.

"It was built long before any of us were born." The woman commented as she toured him on the grounds leading to the garden.

Then, he saw the playground full of kids of different sized and shapes. Many ran around through the old seesaw, slides, and swings. Some just stood on the side, doing some other activities.

He could barely count them all as some moved in a frenzy. But he could assume they were a lot. He doubted this was a school, but the name finally clicked in his mind.

"I see." He finally understood what the woman was telling him. He did not need words to see what was happening in this place.

Of course, he doubted that this was a school. The children were not wearing any fancy clothes. He connected the dots, discovering why it was a "safe" haven.

They were not harboring criminal fugitives. But those who were running away from a terrible past. They help those who seek shelter for the present and hope for the future.

"Nobody else wanted them." Sister Margaret said while her eyes looked at each child, happily laughing and screaming while they played. "But they are all wonderful kids."

Suddenly, he remembered his youth. He imagined himself as one of those little ones, running around, oblivious of the thought of a bright future. Then, nobody would come along to help. Sadly, the child must find a way to survive in the harsh conditions of the real world.

"What you do here is wonderful," Adam said, realizing the devotion of these people to help all these children.

Suddenly, he felt that what he did to help was never enough, as more people needed help. But one person could only do so much. But then again, any assistance could go a long way, no matter how small.

"We try our best." She patted one child on the head when she came to greet her before sending her off again to play with the other kids. "So, I ask again. Are you here to ask for direction, or are you looking for someone?"

He guessed he was here for the latter as his eyes searched the place for her. He was here, without a doubt, to see someone. And he guessed he was in the right place.

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