The Selection

Chapter 3

"Hi, my darling." Maxon smiles and gently kisses me on my forehead. This is such a relief. I take his head in my hands and kiss him lightly on the mouth. We stay there for what seems forever, then I embrace him fully in my arms. I love it when Maxon comes home, because everything seems secure and safe.

Suddenly remembering my important news, I say to him, "Hey, Maxon, I need to tell you something extremely important. Nobody else knows yet, but I want this to be between us before it spreads." I give him a nervous look, and in return, Maxon gives me an extremely concerned and caring face.

"What is it, Mer?" I love it when he does anything to keep me out of harm's way. "You know you can tell me anything."

"Well, promise me we won't tell anybody for a little while longer? this is very personal and once it leaks out everybody will be in our business." I tell him straightforward, certain he will say yes anyway.

"Of course, my dear. I promise." Now I know he's serious.

"Well, a maid caught me in the hallway and told me that a nurse needed to see me in the infirmary. I immediately headed there because I didn't have any idea what it could be."

Maxon nods in understanding and comprehension. "Go on, America."

I begin telling the story I had experienced earlier that day. "When I got to the infirmary, the nurse pulled me over and said she had to talk to me. She pulled me into the supply room in the back and claimed she had very important news to tell me.

"The nurse was very nervous when she told me this but..." I also begin to stutter. "She told me that... I'm pregnant." I smile as I let out the last two words, looking with joy at Maxon.

At first, Maxon is in shock, and I can tell. Then, a huge grin spreads out on his face and he hugs me so tight I can't breathe. "Oh, Mer, this is great! I can't believe it! Is it a boy or a girl? Or do we know yet?" He has gotten so excited I can barely contain myself.

"Well, they're boys." Darn it! I accidentally gave it away!

"They?" he asks inquisitively.

"We're having twins. And they're both boys." I have no idea how he will respond to this.

"America, this is wonderful! Two little boys! I can just imagine us, a beautiful family of four, us both holding a little baby and sitting by a fireplace in the middle of winter." His grin is so wide that I can't help but smile back.

"What about the next ruler of the throne?" Of course I was the person to bring up the most obvious problem.

"Dear, we don't have time to worry about that now. We can't stress about this or else we can't be focused on anything else in our children's lives. I mean, think about it, we're going to be parents!" Hmmmm. He's reacting to this better than I thought he would.

After talking a little more about the issue, we decide to go for an afternoon stroll in the gardens. Walking on the paths by all of the plants and flowers has become a ritual for the two of us, and it's starting to become my favorite kind of day with Maxon.

We walk through the double doors leading outside and nod to two of the guards at their posts. Their golden colored armor shines brightly, despite the approaching clouds in the sky. As Maxon and I start conversing down the gray cobblestone path, my mind once again wanders to the possible issues cause by giving birth to two baby boys.

"Mer, there's no need to worry about this. There is still a long way to go, and there isn't even something to worry about." Maxon knew exactly what I was thinking about. This is why he knows me best.

We find a cozy bench to sit on, away from all of the guards and people that work at the palace. This is one of the only private places in the kingdom, excluding the places made for the rebel attacks. I take Maxon's hand and put it in mine, then rest both of our hands on our legs. Today is the perfect kind of day.

"So how long ago did you get back?" I ask him.

"About fifteen minutes before I came to see you in the library. Our belongings had to be checked, you know. Anybody could sneak into the palace otherwise." We are silent for a few moments after that, then he resumes speaking. "Mer, do you know how lucky I am to have you?"

"How lucky?" I ask him slyly. I give him a shy and playful grin. He makes me feel like the most perfect girl alive.

"I am so lucky, you know. Every time I look at you, my heart flutters. My eyes can't stop looking at your perfect face." He pauses when we both hear thunder overhead. I think it's about to storm. "I want to kiss you every night and spoil you. Start a family, have the arguments, and most of all, love you unlike any man is able to. I am the king, you know." He's acting playful yet pompous. And I can't get enough.

Rain starts to pour overhead as thunder can be heard from miles away. I smile at him and pull him up on his feet. "May I have this dance?" I ask him, knowing in a real dance he would always ask me.

"Of course my lady." Maxon smiles and takes my hands. We begin twirling and running in the rain rather than dancing. The stressful duties of the palace get to us, too.

As the clouds part and a ray of sunshine glows through the downpour, I kiss Maxon and pour my soul into him. He is my everything, my world, my universe. He is my light, my sun, and my flame. He is inside me and outside me, next to me and around me. As our kiss stays put, the rain pours on our backs and soaks us, to where we both pull back, lean our foreheads together, and smile. I can feel the weight of my dress now, the warm rain, and the early spring breeze. The pour of water on our heads doesn't stop us from being young and free. Nothing could be better.

Thank you so much for reading this!

|Disclaimer: I do not own the Selection series or any of the characters; Kiera Cass does|