Author's Note: sorry I took so long to update, but I've been busy with work and life... but I'll try to be more regular!
Thanks to all my readers and reviewers- you all rock!
The Princess Diaries doesn't belong to me!
Clarisse remained in her happy bubble of reflection for the rest of the car trip back to the palace, secretly relieved that her schedule was clear for the rest of the day as she suspected she probably wouldn't be able to think of anything else but this wonderful news.
She spent much of the trip reliving the appointment, especially the moment Dr Bangs had shown her the first frozen image of the unborn twins and, while sad Joseph hadn't been there for that moment, she was confident that, once he knew they were having twins, he would try to attend most of her appointments or, at the very least, the appointment where they discovered the sex of the twins.
She hadn't been inclined to do that the last two times, wanting to be surprised, but now... she was Queen, with very limited time and a full schedule, two babies on the way as well as caring for her other two children and she wanted to be prepared well in advance.
She also spent a few minutes wondering about Joseph's reaction- knowing him as well as she did, she suspected he would be over the moon at the news, loving their children (and children in general) as much as she did, having burst with pride every time she had told him she was expecting AND having insisted, rather fervently, when her mother had tried to cause trouble, that she wasn't 'a baby machine'...
But there was a tiny, tiny part of her that was worried that, with everything else that was going on in their lives, he would say that two more babies would be too much ("how on earth will we managed with four?"she could almost hear him saying), a very irrational fear as she knew he would be very excited and would say so.
When she arrived back at the palace, a brief glance at her watch informed her that she had a little time before lunch with Alexandra, so she decided to call into the nursery to see the boys but, to her surprise, neither child nor their nanny were there but Alexandra was quick to reassure her when Clarisse stepped into her suite, looking confused but immediately blushing when she realized Alexandra was hosting a bridge game. Alexandra, however, motioned her in with a warm smile and, noting her confused expression, quickly answered her silent question.
"Henrik and several of his friends decided to take the boys down to the stables... I believe there's a surprise waiting for them..." she paused before, seeing Clarisse's curious expression, continued, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Don't be upset or annoyed, but Henrik and I bought the boys small ponies."
"You bought the boys ponies?" Clarisse looked stunned- she had had no idea her in laws had been planning this, but it was a very, very sweet gesture and, while she and Joseph had agreed on no serious riding until the boys were five, she couldn't wait to see them on the ponies.
"I told Henrik to wait until you and Joseph were together," Alexandra added with a sigh. "But Henrik..." she shrugged, embarrassed, but Clarisse smiled as she reached over and squeezed her mother in law's hand.
"It's fine, and thank you so much... it's never too early for the boys to start learning about horses..." but she refrained from adding that she loved horse riding with her husband but wouldn't be able to ride for quite a while!
The five women were just sitting down to a light lunch prepared by the kitchen, Clarisse knowing the other three women fairly well, when they heard sounds and voices from outside Alexandra's suite doors before one of the doors burst open and in strode Henrik and his three friends, all of whom Clarisse recognized as members of parliament and all loyal supporters of her husband.
"Hello all... Clarisse, I didn't realize you were here!" he added as he gently squeezed her hand and she blushed modestly- the man had always been very kind to her since she had met him, and was very fond of her, but she couldn't help but blush anyway at his sincere greeting. "I imagine Alexandra has informed you of our little surprise to the boys?"
"Yes, and thank you..." she began gratefully and he waved his hand casually, looking nonchalant.
"What are grandparents for?Anyway, they had a good time, loved the ponies and wanted to see their grandmother but their nanny decided they were too dirty to see her so she's taken them away for their baths and lunch."
"I'll see them later, then," Clarisse said with a smile, nodding politely to the three other gentlemen before Henrik turned to his wife and informed her that they were going to play golf.
"I'll be back later this afternoon..."
"Have fun," Alexandra said sanguinely before turning back to her lunch companions, the men leaving soon afterwards.
It was well over two hours later when lunch finally broke up and the ladies finally left- Clarisse was about to quietly creep out after them when Alexandra, still sitting comfortably on the sofa, patted the seat beside her with a significant smile and Clarisse knew she wanted her to join her.
"So, we're finally alone... how are you? How was your doctor's appointment? Is everything going well?"
These were questions her own mother was supposed to ask, Clarisse reflected bitterly to herself (her mother's indifference, despite Joseph's reassurances that she did care about her in her own way, still pained her) before she realized that she DID have a mother in law who was clearly interested so she brought her thoughts back to the present.
"Well, I'm fine- the doctor says I'm able to travel with Joseph around Europe, taking the normal precautions..."
"And the baby?" Alexandra probed gently and Clarisse blushed slightly- she had wanted to tell Joseph first, but she was so happy about the twins that she had to tell someone, anyone before she burst!
"Well," she began, looking at her hands for a moment, her cheeks feeling incredibly hot, before she looked up to meet Alexandra's eyes again. "I don't know how everyone is going to react to this..." she paused again, feeling nervous yet excited.
"It turns out that Joseph and I... will be welcoming twins into our family in October," she finished with a smile, feeling a lot better now that someone else knew about this...
There was a small silence while Alexandra digested the news, Clarisse beginning to wonder if she had done the right thing, wondering if her silence was her reaction (which then made her wonder if Joseph would react as she hoped he would) before the older woman slid over and wrapped her arms around her daughter in law's shoulders.
"Congratulations, this is wonderful news! We've never had twins in the family before!"
"I think there were twins several generations back in my family, but I never imagined that WE would have twins!" Clarisse admitted ruefully with a laugh when Alexandra finally pulled away. "It's completely unexpected...I'm just not sure what Joseph is going to say..."
"I know Joseph will be thrilled with the news," his mother said firmly, eyeing Clarisse shrewdly. "We both know he loves children and he definitely loves yours... you and the children are all he ever wanted, even more than being King, although he's doing a wonderful job as you knew he would... But how do YOU feel about this? Twins is very different to one baby..."
"It's very unexpected, as I've said before, but I am VERY happy... I always wanted a big family," she admitted shyly, still slightly surprised at the turn of events.
Her mother in law had been very kind to her, and Clarisse had felt comfortable sharing things with her that she often couldn't share with Joseph, especially during her pregnancies when it seemed that Alexandra was the only person who could understand (aside from Lisa and Marion as well as her other female friends) but there were times when she remembered that the woman sitting opposite her was her husband's mother and a former Queen. She had been much loved and well respected during her reign, and Clarisse felt somewhat daunted at the shoes she had to feel, something she hadn't even told her husband...
"I'm sure Joseph will want at least one daughter, but I think we're both happy if they're healthy and happy..."
"Which is what we all want... so, when are you planning on telling him?"
"He won't be home until later this evening, I'm not quite sure when, and I DO want him to know as soon as possible, but I don't think he will find out until tomorrow."
"Don't worry, my dear," Alexandra patted her hand sympathetically. "He will find out soon enough and then you will be enjoying the news together."
"Do we need to tell the entire country about this?" she asked- it was the only thought that had trouble her during the car trip home- and the former Queen smiled understandingly at her.
"Only if you and Joseph want to... this news is so personal, I would understand if you kept it to yourselves until they were born... They are YOUR children, after all, and I'm sure Joseph would agree."
"He would indeed," Clarisse smiled in relief- she had been afraid that her mother in law would want the news broadcast to the entire country, but she was pleased to discover that Alexandra felt as she did.
Alexandra smiled at the look of relief on her face- she knew the young woman was still rather daunted around her at times, particularly now that she was Queen and felt that she had quite a job filling her shoes, but Alexandra knew that she would be fine- she set Joseph back on the straight and narrow (something she would always be grateful for) with a solid, loving marriage and two healthy sons (which would soon be extended to four children, and her constant support whenever things got tough, and Alexandra was very, very fond of the young woman who was Joseph's wife and the mother of her grandchildren and she was certain that she knew it.
"What are your plans for the rest of the afternoon?" Alexandra inquired gently and Clarisse sighed, looking thoughtful.
"I want to see the boys for a little while, then I was planning on having a sleep..."
"Before having dinner with Henrik and myself," Alexandra finished with a smile.
"That's not necessary..." Clarisse began hesitantly- although she hoped Joseph would be back by then, she realized it probably wouldn't be likely and, while she didn't want to be a imposition, the thought of dinner with her in laws was very appealing.
"Nonsense," Alexandra stopped her protests with a smile. "We like having dinner with you, Henrik will certainly enjoy it... and Henrik will NOT tell Joseph anything before you do!" she added with a laugh and Clarisse couldn't help but smile as she gracefully acquiesced to her request.
000
It was well after ten that night when Joseph finally crept into the darkened suite, careful not to disturb Clarisse, upon discovering her curled up in bed, sound asleep.
He stood and watched her sleep for a moment, longing to run his hand down her cheek, her peaceful expression illuminated by the moonlight seeping through the crack in the curtains, again wondering what had happened at her doctor's appointment.
The thought had been preying on his mind most of the day and he had been tempted to call her during his lunch break, but he hadn't had the chance to and he had concluded that it would be best to wait until he was home.
Now, however, as he watched Clarisse sleep a moment longer before hurrying to change and slip into bed beside her, he realized he would have to wait until morning...
He could bring her her usual cup of tea in bed, he decided with a smile, before he suddenly remembered, with a groan, that he had an early breakfast meeting with the Prime Minister, followed by a full morning of meetings and preparation for the final session of parliament before he left for Europe, and he probably wouldn't see Clarisse until well after lunch, if not dinner time, which, for him would not do... until he had a flash of inspiration...if the fates conspired to keep them apart (or, in their case, their respective workloads), he would schedule some free time for them so they could see each other!
0
The next morning, Clarisse awoke earlier than usual, eager to tell her husband their news, but was disappointed to discover, when she rolled over to greet him, that his side of the bed was empty, his rumpled sheets and discarded pyjamas the only signs that he had been there at all.
Before she looked away, however, she spied a piece of paper propped up on his pillow and, curious, she picked it up, squinting slightly as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight streaming into the room...
"Good morning Darling!
I'm sorry I'm not there with your usual cup of tea this morning, and that I came home later than I expected last night...I very much want to see you some time today, so I have SCHEDULED an hour of 'private time' for us this afternoon in your study.
See you soon, Love J"
Clarisse smiled as she re-read the note, touched yet slightly appalled that he had had to 'schedule' time for them to see each other (although that would probably become the norm for them now) before her stomach twisted into knots of nerves and excitement- soon he would be sharing in her joy!
After dressing and breakfasting, Clarisse made her way downstairs to her study, noticing that the adjoining door was firmly closed before surveying her schedule.
She smiled at the discovery that Joseph had actually written 'Time for The Majesties ONLY- PRIVATE' in her diary, which pleased her, before she discovered that she, as well as Joseph, would be locked into meetings all morning, a thought that suddenly made her head ache although she knew that it would become a way of life for them and that she was expected to fulfil her duties, expecting or not.
All in all, it was a busy morning for both Joseph and Clarisse, and Clarisse's head was pounding when they president of the hospital board finally left and her personal assistant went in search of water and two aspirins.
As soon as her assistant left, Clarisse rose from her desk, walked across the room to her sofa and, after kicking off her shoes, stretched lengthwise on the sofa, her head resting on the pile of cushions located at one end of the piece of furniture, sighing with relief. The meeting itself had been relatively calm, the board looking forward to working with her, but she was more than a little overwhelmed at what she had to do when she returned from Europe both professionally and personally, much of it before she went into confinement.
She had been lying there for a few minutes, her headache slowly ebbing away as she savoured the rare, precious silence in the room before she heard footsteps entering the room, and she slowly sat up to see Joseph setting a tray down on her desk.
"Is it time for our meeting already?" she joked weakly as he strode towards her, a glass and two tables in his hands- he had obvious intercepted her personal assistant on his way there.
"I did make the arrangements," he quipped gently, sitting down beside her and handing her the water and tables, both of which she quickly swallowed. "Bad headache, sweetheart?"
"A little," she downplayed it as she sat back on the soft, Joseph leaning back next to her and taking her hand in his. "But never mind me, how was your morning... and how was the conference yesterday?"
"Both today and yesterday were dull, boring, insignificant..."
"I doubt that very much," Clarisse laughed.
"Alright, yesterday was interesting and very relevant, and I'll tell you about it... AFTER you tell me everything about your doctor's appointment... Believe me, my dear, that won't happen again- I will ALWAYS be available when you see him..."
"I know, my love, I know," Clarisse said reassuringly, resting her fingers on his lips for a moment. "I didn't mind... yes, I WAS a little disappointed you weren't there," she admitted sheepishly when he looked at her pointedly. "But YOU do have an important job to do."
"Being your husband and the boys father are important jobs too," he reminded her gently and she blushed slightly at the tender, intense look in his eyes. "Don't ever forget that."
"I won't," she said solemnly, also remembering her mother in law's earlier words. "I just don't want you under any addition pressure, or hearing comments about me..."
"I'm not, I can handle any additional pressure and I think everyone knows that I won't tolerate people saying anything derogatory about you... but you have very sneakily changed the subject!" he grinned at her. "So... what happened at the doctors?"
"Well, he told me I can travel with you when you go to Europe... providing I take the proper precautions, which I will..."
"Good," he said firmly. "What about the baby?"
He was slightly alarmed when she paused and looked down at her hands, blushing, but relaxed slightly when she looked up to meet his eyes, her blue eyes sparkling happily... and he thought he could see the gleam of tears in her eyes as well...
"Clarisse... what is it?" he asked, shifting closer to her and squeezing her hand. "If there's anything wrong, we can handle it together..."
"No, no there's nothing wrong," she said quickly, brushing a stray tear away. "I was just wondering how I could tell you this..."
"Just tell me," he said firmly, now holding both of her hands- he couldn't bear it if there was something seriously wrong with Clarisse.
"Alright," she took a deep breath in. "As you know, I had an ultrasound yesterday, just to make sure everything is going well..."
"Yes, I know that," he replied almost impatiently.
"Well, everything is going very well, but I had a little surprise as well... actually, it was a very big surprise... Joseph..." she paused, squeezing his hand firmly. "As it turns out, you and I are expecting... twins!" she finished proudly, her insides almost exploding with excitement as she finally uttered the words to the person she had most wanted to tell for the past few days.
Despite her excitement at telling Joseph this news, she looked away almost as soon as the words left her mouth, not wanting to see him process the news, but there was barely a moment for her to worry about his reaction before she felt his arms snake around her waist and felt him pull her close to him, his warm breath tickling her ear before he turned her so that she was looking into his eyes, the expression in them awed, dumbfounded but slightly disbelieving.
"Twins? Are you sure?" he breathed, his hand caressing her cheek gently.
"Yes, I saw the image myself, and there were two there... unless I need glasses," she joked gently, smiling as the hand that had been caressing her cheek (the other arm was still firmly wrapped around her waist) drifted down to rest on her middle, both of them knowing that her small, growing bump was the twins.
"Dr Bangs asked if I wanted to know what they were, but I decided that I would rather wait until you were available to come with me... I couldn't bear for you to miss that," she added softly before he almost grabbed and pulled her onto his lap and buried his face in her shoulder.
"Oh baby, I promise I won't miss that appointment...or any of the other appointments," he vowed, his voice muffled by her shoulder and she smiled as he pulled his face away from her.
"I know you won't, you are my very reliable, stable husband who always keeps his promises... but, are you REALLY happy about the twins?" she asked almost timidly and it was her husband's turn to smile as he touched her cheek.
"I am absolutely thrilled, over the moon, ecstatic... I never imagined the possibility of twins, but now that it's happening to us, I very much want to experience it!"
"You're not concerned that we'll have four children under six... and me having twins mightn't be too much for us, with everything else that's going on?"
"Absolutely not," he said firmly, keeping her very much on his lap. "It's a miracle to have a child, and our blessing has just been doubled... if the doctor thinks you can cope, and you think you can handle it, I am all for it...and," he paused to meet her eyes with a serious look.
"Thank you for not wanting to find out without me..."
"I want you there," she said fervently, her eyes glowing lovingly before leaning over to kiss him, a moment only broken when the phone on Clarisse's desk rang.
"Damn... no privacy and no time out," Joseph muttered as, after Clarisse gracefully slid off his lap and back into her seat, he strode over to answer it.
"Hello... oh, hello Andre... no, I haven't mentioned it to her yet, but I will," he grinned over at Clarisse. "Hopefully, she will say yes... alright, either one or both of us will see you tonight..."
"What was that all about?" she asked curiously once he had hung up the receiver and returned to her side.
"We're supposed to be having dinner with Andre and Andrea tonight, but I will understand if you don't feel like coming with me..."
"I'm coming," she said calmly, touching his cheek gently. "I don't mind accompanying you to dinners... in fact, I enjoy it- I enjoy everyone knowing that you are MY husband!" she added with a pleased smile and he laughed.
"I thought it was supposed to be the other way around, me being proud that you're MY wife!... Alright, that's fine... but only if you're sure... .but now I would like to talk about more pleasant subjects... we still have forty five minutes of our private time!"
Clarisse chuckled at that for a moment before frowning slightly.
"I hope that you scheduling time for us isn't going to become the norm for us..."
"It won't be, but there may be times when doing that will be necessary and easier for both of us, especially when we're both busy... but now..." before Clarisse interrupted him.
"No, now it's my turn- you can tell me about your two days!"
"Your wish is my command, madam!" he mock saluted her before smiling at her- he was thrilled that she was so interested in everything he was doing, not that she hadn't been before he had become King, but now was even more special... they really were a true partnership...