Fireworks Ruin My Wonderful Life

The circus flopped upside down when Kayden crossed the line separating the golden lights of the main stage and the white tube-lights of back stage. Gustav's thin mustache was under threat of disappearing with the wind as he ran at top speed to the Circus Master's room and knocked frantically. Rick flung open the door and registered Gustav's panting words.

"You dimwit!" Rick bellowed, rushing toward the stage with the useless assistant at his heels, "Oh for Zyka's sake, the bastard is already on the damned stage!" he stomped on the floor, his cheekbones burning with rage.

He could almost see the Prince in front of his eyes now, standing still and his mouth moving, 'Your license is rejected.' And he would turn around and walk away rudely. Rick shuddered despite the anger. No, no, he couldn't ruin this. World tours! He was supposed to get that license!

"Bob!" He called out to the big man twice as tall and thrice as plump as him, "Get that worm out of the stage!"

Bob bounced over to Rick, "The show will be a mess sir."

Rick didn't say anything. Bob was painfully right. Dragging Kayden off the stage would result in an even bigger disaster. He had to wait until it was over now. He stood next to the curtains with hands folded and stared at Kayden.

His eyes twinkled, I could say, and his feet tapped around with the grace of a hummingbird. But what was most mesmerizing were the two hundred monkeys all around him in formation, swaying with the music. Rick looked over at how badly the audience was reacting, but to his surprise all the little kids and even the old ones were smiling. Even the ones without any teeth.

This is why Rick started the circus. To make people smile. But this time the joy was wry with the hate towards his son's 'friend'. He refused to breath until Kayden's act was over. He had to get that license…or else, he would run out of money and the circus….would come to an end. There would be no living for him and Samuel anymore. He might just have to send Sam to work in the factories to afford their food and maybe even sell their house. Then they'd be homeless too.

Everything depended on this night. On the Prince who was going to save Rick's skin. He didn't care what the others said about Prince Atlas. Right now, he was Rick's source of life. His elixir.

"He can't protect the country."

"Fatherless, motherless, spoiled brat! We will all die from those Rakens if that orphan rules!"

Rick had never seen a live Raken before. He had only heard rumors. He would like to train one one day. And he would show it to the world. He would be praised across the seas for the first person ever to control those dreadful Raken infesting the city.

"When is your son's act coming in?" a sweet saccharine voice asked from behind Rick. Rick raised his thick bushy eyebrows to look down at the lady. An automatic smile crept across his face, "Miss Jofy, what a pleasure!"

She bowed slightly, "The pleasure's mine."

He showed her to a seat backstage and dragged another chair to sit across her, "Aren't you seeing the show?"

She waved him off, "Oh I see those same animals every day, Mr Richard. I came to see you."

Rick smiled and nodded, his fingers tapping against his chair. He hadn't experience nervousness like this since he first encountered a Bengal Tiger from his childhood trip to India. No, he hadn't felt like this even when he put a ring on his late wife's frail white finger.

"How's the canteen going?"

"Good! The crowd's large. The Prince is here!Did you meet him?" she asked before continuing, "Of course you would have! I'm sure you are fast friends by now!" Jofy assumed, a tentative hand on Rick's large ones. Jofy was like Rick in most ways, be it their love for good food or their ignorance toward the world.

He didn't bother correcting her. He was about to say something when a dead blast sounded from the stage. Not surprised, Rick didn't even flinch. But he did forget all about Jofy and run towards the main stage. The only word in his mind being, my license, license, my sweet license. Oh dear, my license.

He stood agape at the big hole in the ceiling. He could see the night's little stars from inside the hall now, twinkling and mocking him, "Teeheehee," the stars snickered, "Oh no, Ricky, Kayden spoiled the day again."

And the stars so pretty and beautiful, called the clouds in and gradually, it started raining.

Kayden stood in the center of the stage looking up at the ceiling along with the other kids and elderly. Many were starting to file out disappointingly. Rick whipped his head toward the VIP compartment. It was empty. His heart dropped in his chest as he locked his glare at Kayden who slowly took his eyes from the ceiling and turned around to meet Rick's square, stuffed up face. Kayden's mouth dropped and his face painted itself with fear. He stepped back a few inches. "I-I'm sorry, Rick. The firework had a malfunction…I'm sorry, I'll fix it…"

Kayden was at loss now, he didn't know what to do. Rick was going to slit his throat today for sure. Rain enveloped them drowning the entire hall and turning it into a wet mess.

Sam heard a few mimes talking, he never got used to that. Mimes talking…how absurd! When Sam heard Kayden's and Rick's name in the same sentence, he flashed faster than light. He couldn't stop his father, but he could protect Kayden.

"Fix it my arse!" Rick grunted and grabbed the boy by his arms and slapped him across his face, "You have been ruining our lives since the day you came!" he looked at his stupid eyes and wanted to carve them out and throw them to the wolves. But at the end all he could say was, "Get out!"

He pushed Kayden and he almost fell. His legs stiffened and he refused to look up at Rick. "I said get the hell out!" Rick yelled again.

Kayden stepped back and turned around. Some careless had stopped to see the drama and they were even recording it and posting it live on Starpage. Sam tried to stop him from retreating but Kayden shook him off.

Rick called out to Sam and pointed at his feet, "You come here right now."

Sam didn't move. "No, Abba. I'm not a little kid anymore. Why can't you just accept what makes me happy?"

"What makes you happy? That hooligan makes you happy?" Rick asked, now genuinely hurt. His own son was turning against him too?

"Mr Rick," a stone male voice sounded an Rick turned to look at the Prince standing before him. Ryoko held an umbrella above his head, careful to not even let one drop of unroyal rain touch his carefully crafted shirt. He was clearly shorter than the 6' 7''Rick but the vibe was as different as the roar of a cat and that of a lion.

Atlas looked at Ryoko and she nodded encouragingly, "Thank you for the performance," Atlas managed to say, every word a mile long.

Rick tried to smile. What did this mean?

"So sorry I had to see it end so soon," Atlas continued and Ryoko smiled nodding, keeping his eyes on Rick. Of course, the Prince had hated it! He had walked out of the VIP compartment leaving behind a stream of curses. It took Ryoko what seemed like eternity to get his kindness mask on.

"I wish you all the best for next year's license program," Atlas finished up and turned around. Sam walked forward as Rick stared into oblivion, stuck in time at Atlas's cutting words.

"What do you mean, your highness? We didn't get the license?" Sam questioned. Atlas stopped bur didn't turn around, so Ryoko turned to answer, "I'm really sorry, but we can't give it you. You had violated the safety category in our contract. The firework could have killed someone today."

"But nobody was killed! Oh come on! Our lives depend on this! Your highness, everything else was perfect!" Sam didn't like begging like this…but his and Abba's lives were on stake.

"I already lost my mom!" Sam screamed, not knowing what he was saying with the desperation to get the money the license offered, "I can't lose my dad to insanity now! Please, your highness, one chance, just to keep us going."

Atlas had stopped in his tracks at that and Ryoko looked up at him tentatively. "Atlas…"

Atlas turned around and blinked his eyes, "Fine," he found himself saying, "but I can't give you the license," Sam's hope fluttered out and dropped back again, "In other terms, I can offer you a job at the palace. I need a strong boy my age. And the money you earn can go to your father."

Ryoko gulped, clearly surprised. What was Atlas doing?

Sam beamed and looked at Rick, who was hanging on to every word the Prince was uttering. No license. No world tours. Just the monthly wages of a palace errand boy. He sighed. He had no choice.

"Yes, your highness, thank you very much your highness," Rick blurted out in gratitude.

Ryoko continued thinking. They didn't need any new recruits and if they did, 14 was under age. What work had the prince planned to give this boy?

Atlas spoke again out of his own conviction, "And the boy can't leave the palace unless I say so."

Sam's eyebrows knotted, "What? Why? What job is this?"

Ryoko asked the same question to herself. He was supposed to discuss everything with her before making any decisions. If the Outer Palace came to know about the Palace indulging in child labor...the hate would only grow.

"Do you want the money or not?" Atlas asked coolly. His eyes flitted over to Kayden who was walking back to the Prince now. He stood beside Sam and intertwined his hands with Sam's, "Take me too."

Sam tried to push him away, "No, Kayden, you should stay with your dad…"

"I don't like it Sam, a live in job at the palace, especially for a fourteen year old. I'm coming too." Kayden reasoned, he was already standing on the tower of bad judgement against Zyka's prince. If you would look at the entire Zyka population, Kayden was one of the many who hated the prince to the core.

"You're fourteen too," Sam protested.

"By age. By wits, I'm a hundred," Kayden proclaimed and he looked at the Prince for confirmation.

The Prince only waited ten seconds before answering to show that he was thinking about it. But actually he wasn't. Two boys his age, perfect, perfect, perfect! He didn't dare show that excitement on his face. He simple nodded and turned around to get back to his limousine.

Rick didn't say a thing. So Sam and Kayden decided they weren't welcome at the place anymore. Without waiting another minute, the couple packed their few stuff.

Ms Jofy and Mr Rick watched them go in a little taxi the secretary had called for them which would follow the limousine to the palace.

"I'd have to sell my house to cope for this month before Sam's wages come in," Rick mused out loud. Half admitting it to himself and half to the night air. How strange. Rich one day, broke that very night. "I'll have to live in this Jowamen Hall."

Ms Jofy looked up at him. "Richard," she said, for the first time omitting the mandatory 'mister'.

"Hmm," Rick voiced, still looking out at the road Sam had disappeared into.

"Stay at my place," Jofy said quietly.

Rick's eyes went wide and looked at the lady beside him. She had pretty cheeks, he thought. But he had fallen for her smile. Now he fell again for those cheeks.

"Ms Jofy, but I—" he started, shaking his head and trying to hear something other than the sound of his own racing heartbeat. He was 50! What stupidity was this?

"Say yes."

Rick didn't tear his gaze and the words simply fell out, like his heart had when he had first become friends with Jofy to cater for his circus. Rick said his answer and they both walked towards Jofy's house that night even though Rick's wasn't sold yet. They both had been silently and secretly waiting for this moment for eight years, why wait one more day?

The taxi had unfortunately broken down right after their journey had started so that Kayden and Sam were on the opposite side of catering lady Jofy's house waiting for the next taxi to come in.

Kayden and Sam didn't miss it. The two black silhouettes of a big tall man and a small lady with pretty cheeks who entered the lady's house and clicked the wooden door close.

Kayden looked at Sam to see his reaction. Sam closed his eyes and looked the other way, is jaw tensing. And they both knew this was not to be talked about again.