“What about your people. When I left they were pretty dead set on me not being their Queen?” I questioned trying not to grimace. He kissed my slightly sweaty forehead.
“Don’t worry sweetheart. My parents are clearing things up. And I know once they meet you, they will love you.” That settled my mind a little but I still had my reservations. I wanted them to like me.
I moved myself closer to him as I snuggled into his chest. I felt so safe with him. Like nothing could happen to us in our own little world.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t make this more special for you.” I heard Zach say. I lifted my head and rested my chin on his chest with a puzzled look.
“What do you mean?” I asked. He sighed and played with my hair,
“I was so caught up in the heat of the moment that I forgot I wanted to propose to you to be something special. A nice restaurant, maybe? And roses, something better than asking to marry you in the airport.” He grimaced. I laughed at him and he looked confused. Taping his nose I spoke.
“I don’t care about that. It isn’t about where you have you’re proposing. It’s about whom you’re with. And I can say proudly I was with the one I love with all my heart.” He smiled and kissed my nose. I laid my head back down on his chest.
I can’t believe that this has all happened in less than a four-month period. It seems insane but if I could go back and change anything I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, maybe the ‘me running back home’ part. I believed everything happened for a purpose. And I’d go through the heartbreak all again if it meant I could be in Zach’s arms like this forever. And because of the ring on my finger I will be.
Epilogue
5 years later….
Anna
“Your majesty? Your husband the King would like to see you.” Lisa, my personal maid told me. She was more like a friend than anything. I rolled my eyes at her.
“Lisa, how many times do I have to tell you? Call me Anna or Red. No one else calls me ‘your majesty’.” I shuddered at the thought. It was just too formal for me, and I can barely cope with it at social functions let alone in my own home. She smiled at me.
“I was brought up to say such things. I’ll continue to try…Anna.” When she said my name it looked like she ate something bad. I chuckled at her and walked out of the bedroom. Lisa told me he was in the staff kitchen. I wonder what he’s doing there.
Oh, you may be wondering what happened to Jasmine and Carol. Once I found out Carol was also behind everything I was livid to say the least and did punch her in the face before they both got convicted for treason to the crown.
“Oh! And Lisa? Could you send over the flight plans to my mom? She wants to come visit.” She nodded and instantly took out her phone to put in a memo. She was so serious sometimes I wonder if she ever had fun as a teenager. She was stout and was slightly plump but beautiful with her long black hair and green cat like eyes.
I walked into the staff kitchen and tried to I stifle a laugh. There was my husband with his arms crossed, covered in what looked like chocolate, staring sternly and a little angry with our son Charlie. When we found out he was a boy Zach insisted we named him Charlie.
Charlie was absolutely covered in chocolate and had a sheepish smile on his face. He had Zach’s brown hair but my hazel eyes and my troublemaker attitude. There were days where he looked like a miniature double of Zach though.
“What’s going on here?” I asked, trying desperately not to laugh and failing. Zach huffed, annoyed.
“Why do you always find these situations funny?” He asked. I giggled and walked over to him taking a finger and wiping it across his cheek, making it covered in gooey chocolate and licked it off. I would have done something a little more promiscuous but we did have a four-year-old present. Yes, I had gotten pregnant pretty quick after the wedding.
“Mmmm, because it’s funny. I mean look at you two! My two chocolate monsters.” I cooed at them. Suddenly Zach got a mischievous look on his face.
“Hey son, how about we go give mummy a hug!” I squeaked in surprise and tried to run off but couldn’t.
“No fair! I’m as big as a house! I can’t run!” I laughed as they made their way towards me. I was seven months pregnant for crying out loud! They both gave me a sloppy hug and we were all laughing.
Charlie was hugging my legs while Zach was rubbing his face against mine chuckling the whole time. I broke away laughing and Charlie giggled. I bent over as far as I could, which wasn’t much, so I could get to Charlie’s level.
“Now honey, what did you do?” I asked with one eye narrowed. He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly reminding me of Zach.
“Um…I wanted to see if chocolate could float in da air. Like in the movie!” I sighed and shook my head. That was the last time I let him watch the third remake of Charlie in the Chocolate Factory.
“Charlie. That’s just a movie. Now go to your room and I’ll be in there shortly to clean you up.” Some people would have their maids do it for them, but they didn’t give birth to him. I did. He nodded and kissed my tummy.
“I’ll be back brother or sissy.” He scampered off. Zach and I had decided to not find out if it was a boy or girl. Although Zach swears it’s going to be a girl. He’s so weird sometimes, but I loved him. I stood back up slowly and turned to face Zach.
“You have to be the worst husband in history!” I scolded as I wiped chocolate off of me in vain as it kept spreading. He laughed and walked over to me taking me in his arms.
“You have to be the most wonderful wife in history. So we cancel each other out.” I shook my head at him with a wry smile as he bent down to kiss me softly on the lips. I moved my face from his to lick off the chocolate from his cheek. He smirked against me and I giggled.
Suddenly I could feel the baby kick. I jumped for a moment.
“Oh! The baby is kicking! Hurry, quickly, and feel!” I grabbed his hand and placed it on my stomach while the baby was still moving. Zach smiled the softest smile I had ever seen.
“She’ll be great at football.” He murmured. I rolled my eyes.
“And how do you know that the baby is a girl?” I asked him. He winked.
“I have my ways Mrs. Christamos.” I laughed at his attempt to be mysterious.
“How about you take me up to our room and show me?” I asked in a low voice. He gulped and his eyes darkened.
“As much as I would love to Rose you said to our very dirty son that you would be with him in a moment. Plus we’re having dinner with Danny, Missy, Caidius, and Demetrius later.” I nodded with a pout. Dang pregnancy hormones!
I left him to clean up the mess as I went to Charlie’s room where he had his little bathroom. He was already stripped down and running around like a maniac.
“Charlie, bathroom now!” I ordered pointing to the bathroom. He sighed and took off the towel around his head walking begrudgingly to the awaiting bath. I shook my head at him with a loving smile. He jumped into the bubbles causing some to spill over. I pulled up a chair so I wouldn’t have to bend down so much.
“Mummy? When is the baby coming?” He blew some bubbles out of his hands. I grabbed a washcloth and began cleaning him off. He took it from me and whined.
“Mummy! I’m a big boy! I can wash myself!” I chuckled and nodded while he washed himself.
“Well to answer your question, the baby should be coming in three months.” His mouth gaped.
“Three months?! That’s too long!” He then scooted over and pointed at my stomach.
“Baby! As your big brother I command you to come out!” I laughed at his eagerness and kissed his wet head.
“Sweetheart he or she can’t come out right now.” I said. He pouted looking down at the bubbles.
“Why not?” He asked. I poked his nose with a wry smile.
“Because she or he isn’t done growing yet. Think of it as if the baby is cooking, and the baby isn’t done yet.” He nodded thoughtfully.
“Okay, but maybe you sho
uld turn up the oven mummy. That way the baby can come out faster.” I laughed at his suggestion and finished his bath wrapping a towel tightly around him and kissed his cheek.
“Now if you promise to be good, you can pick your clothes.” His eyes shown with happiness and he nodded quickly. He took off into his room and while I cleaned up a little he got dressed. After a few minutes he ran back in and I held back a laugh.
“You look really cute sweetheart.” He had one of his coats on like a cape with his batman pajama pants and a t-shirt that had ‘I’m too cute for my shirt’ on it. He also had his bright yellow rain boots on. He pouted.
“I am not cute! Girls don’t like cute.” He crossed his arms. I smirked at him.
“Girls or, Miley?” I swear he blushed! Awww! Miley was Dem and Missy’s three-year-old girl. She was such a sweetheart and Dem was super protective of her. Any boy besides Charlie who tries to get close to her he scares them off.
Cade and Danny just adopted a little baby girl who was two. They brought her from India. Her name is Naomi. The public was pretty shocked when they finally found out Cade was gay, and besides some narrow-minded people they took it really well.
Speaking of the public, Zach’s parents smoothed over the whole ‘I’m not fit to be Queen’ thing. Soon they got to know me and changed their minds. I had long since forgiven the whole thing.
“Mummy! I heard the doorbell! That means Miley is here! I mean, Uncle Dem and Aunt Missy is here!” I tried not to laugh at his failed attempt. He was just too cute for words. He raced out into the hall and into the front room where the front door was. He passed Zach in a blur and he chuckled at our son because he knew why he was racing.
“Must be Miley.” I nodded at him as we opened the door. There stood Cade and Danny. I guess Miley will have to wait. I could see the disappointment in Charlie. Danny mussed up his hair.
“Good to see you too little buddy.” He said sarcastically. Charlie sighed and hugged him. I then saw Missy and Dem coming up the drive.
“Oh Charlie?” He looked over at me and then to where I was pointing. He began jumping up and down smiling so big it probably hurt his face. Once Miley and he saw each other they ran into one another’s arms.
“Hi Miley!” Charlie shouted. Miley blushed and said a quiet ‘hello’. She took after her mother. I went up to hug Missy.
“Hey! How are you guys doing?” She smiled and kissed my cheek.
“We’re great. Miley has been so excited today, knowing we were coming here.” I laughed knowing Miley equally likes Charlie. We chatted for a little while before I looked around to see Charlie and Miley was nowhere in sight,
“Charlie?! Miley?!” I called out. No answer. My motherly instincts kicked in and I began to worry.
“C’mon let’s go look for them.” Zach suggested. We nodded and headed around the front yard until we rounded into the training yard. We kept calling out for them but got no response. I began to really worry until I heard screaming and saw both of them running towards us.
“I’m sorry mummy!” I gave him a questioning look before I saw why he was apologizing. Coming over the hill towards us were a flock of chickens. Everyone groaned while I was cracking up and I ran, more like waddled while Zach grabbed up Charlie and Dem with Miley and we ran away.
“Only your son!” Zach called out over the clucking. I smiled proudly.
“Dang straight!”
Here is a sample from another story you may enjoy:
PROLOGUE
My Best Friend’s Brother
Hope
My name is Hope and I am seventeen years old but I’m turning eighteen in a few weeks. I live with my parents and my older brother Ricky. I have a much older sister Kira too, but she is married and lives a few towns over.
I would often spend most of my time and holidays at Kira's house because my parents traveled a lot and never wanted their kids around spoiling their fun.
My brother would spend time here too, that is when he is not at his college buddies’ place or at college.
I sometimes wonder why our parents even had us.
I don't think I've ever had a conversation with more than four words that wasn't about them going away or me and Ricky going to Kira's house.
Ricky was three years older than me and was off at college studying electronics or something.
He said he wanted to be an inventor ha! Yeah right.
Kira was thirty and happily married with no children but one on the way.
Mum and dad had Kira while in high school, that is why there is such a big age gap.
Kira always said she wished we were around when she was growing up, because it was very lonely and would have liked to have a sibling to hang out and play with.
Today was the day my parents were going away again and they weren't coming back for two months.
Come on, I mean who leaves their children for two months?
So yet again I was going to Kira's house.
But I didn't mind though because my best friend Heather lived near her.
We have been friends since we were little kids.
Until recently she was staying at her aunts so she could go to a good school.
But her parents decided she would be better finishing her last couple of years closer to home before she 'flew the coup' so to speak.
This was going to be the first time I had seen her in several weeks, which is surprising because one, my parents never usually spend so much time at home without a break at my sister and two, me and Heather haven't really spend more than a week apart since we met.
Even when she went to visit her parents she would either come back after a short time to visit me or when I was younger I used to go to her parents a lot.
But for the last few years I had been avoiding her parents’ house.
Usually when I knew her older brothers weren't there.
Heather had two older brothers and one younger.
The younger one was nice enough and didn't really bother us, spending most of his time with his friends or video games.
But her older brothers loved to tease and bully the two of us.
Heather used to take it in jest, but I would take it more to heart, not that it even stopped them though.
But it was lucky the last couple of years that I haven't seen them since they were both away at college.
And when they visited I made sure I wasn't around.
Heather always told me the reason they do it so much is because I reacted and that if I didn't they wouldn't bother with me so much.
But try not reacting when someone pours a bucket of hot sauce over your head.
I swear I couldn't open my eyes and my skin burned.
I had to go to the hospital to get them seen to.
Their parents punished them for that, but it didn't stop them. They just became better at hiding them.
My brother had spoken to the two about it and for a few weeks it seemed to work and the three would hang out together.
But when my brother wasn't around they would strike.
In the end I just avoided the house when they were around.
Heather would often say that they were asking after me and asking why I didn't go around anymore, but I just ignored it.
This year would be my final year and I managed to convince my parents to let me transfer to the same school as Heather so I didn't have to take time off from school every time they went away.
I was often forced to take a long bus or car ride back and forth, which I didn't want this year.
You would have thought at my age I would be OK to stay at home alone, but no, my parents wouldn't let their 'little baby' alone.
Oh well, at least my sister and her husband are great and I get to see Heather a lot when I'm there.
Robbie (Kira's husband) was a great guy too and he was like a much older brother or a second dad, whom I love since my own wasn't around much.
I knew this year would be different, but I didn't mind.
&
nbsp; I had met most of Heather's school friends and we got on pretty well, so I didn't have to worry so much about school.
The only thing I had to worry about now was her brothers who were returning from college.
It would be impossible to avoid them now I was living in the same town.
If you enjoyed this sample then look for My Best Friend’s Brother.