Cupcakes or macarons? - if I'm paying for them, cupcakes. if someone else is paying for them, macarons. Macarons are hands-down my favorite food (in case you couldn't tell from the amount of references I make to macarons in this story) but they are so expensive.
"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." - John Green
Maxon met America in their room before dinner and found her lying in bed, not dressed for dinner yet. "Don't you need to get dressed?" he asked, shrugging out of his jacket. He loosened his tie and sat down on the bed, placing her feet in his lap to rub them.
She shifted uncomfortably and then settled back down into the pillows meticulously arranged behind her by her maids. "I'm getting some faint contractions so I'm not going. And before you say that I should've called you, I just came to the conclusion that these are real ones."
"Really? Just now?"
"Yes. Like as you were walking through the door." She patted his leg. "They're not bad. Yet. I can manage if you go down to dinner with my family."
He was shaking his head before she was even done talking. "Ames, surely you know me better than that. Even if you say you don't need me, I'm staying. Have you informed the doctor?"
She nodded and shifted again, placing a hand on her stomach. He concluded that she was having a contraction. Her hand squeezed his leg tight. "I just sent one of my maids to alert him," she told him through gritted teeth.
"Your water hasn't broken yet?" he asked, moving a couple inches closer to her so he could hold her hand without being uncomfortable.
She shook her head, starting to relax again. "Maxon, it's still really early on."
He nodded. "Okay, okay. Do you want me to get someone? Your sister, mother…Marlee?"
"If you get Lucy she can find Kenna and Marlee. There's no way you'll leave me long enough to get them yourself," she joked. "I think she's in the other room. Not too far." She patted his leg as he got up. Then she another contraction and he hugged her as it passed. He walked over to the door connection their bedroom to their sitting room. Just as he put his hand on the doorknob, the rebel alarm sounded for the first time in months.
He spun and looked at America, who was sitting still, paralyzed in fear. "No," he gasped.
She started to sit up and move to the edge of the bed. "We need to get moving. Can you get me my slippers?"
"Ames, the baby…" Maxon said, kneeling in front of her to slide her slippers on her feet.
"Dax," she whispered, putting her hands on either side of his face. "We'll be okay." She reached for his hand and put it on her hard stomach. "We're having our baby. We get to meet our baby tonight." Lucy ran in as she was saying this. America turned to her maid. "Lucy, can you get Mary and Anne to come down to the safe room? Tell them the baby is coming."
Maxon finally piped up and said, "And get someone to find the doctor." The maid scared out of her mind and was visibly shaking. America groaned as she stood up with Maxon's support. "Lucy, please, you have to do this," he said in a strong and authoritative voice. "Do it for America."
Lucy's lip quivered as she slowly nodded and ran out of the room. "Christian?" America asked in a labored breath.
"With your father. He'll be there," he assured her. "We'll never make it in time with you walking."
She nodded. "I know. Can you carry me?"
"Won't it be uncomfortable?"
"Maxon, I'm having a baby," she remind him.
"Right," he agreed, shaking his head frantically. He put his arm under her knees and lifted her up, clutching her to his chest. Her large stomach made her heavier but he knew he could make it. He ran through the treacherous passageways as quickly as possible. He was winded after just a couple minutes but he had to keep going. America started to get another contraction and she unconsciously started squeezing his shoulder where her one hand rested. The pain made him focus and distracted him from his inability to breathe.
Mr. Singer was at the door to the safe room waiting for them. To his immense relief, Maxon could see the doctor and America's maids bustling about inside. "Finally!" Mr. Singer exclaimed as Maxon passed through the door, turning sideways so America's feet wouldn't hit the frame.
Dr. Mackey gestured for Maxon to follow him into the bedroom set off to the side of the safe room. "It's not as private as the hospital but it will do," Dr. Mackey told Maxon with a note of regret in his voice.
Maxon set America down on the bed but she whimpered and refused to release him so he sat with her in his lap. "I thought you said it was still early on," he said to her. He knew her pain tolerance well enough to know that she was in a lot more pain that she'd originally let on.
She shook her head as the contraction subsided. "Maybe I exaggerated a little bit. I knew for about an hour before you showed up."
He rolled his eyes; that was so like America. Marlee ran in and Maxon heard the door of the vault close with a loud, metallic thud. Kenna stood by America and arrange the pillows so that Maxon could put her down. Marlee drew the curtain over the door to shut them off from the rest of the people in the safe room. America loved her family but she really didn't want them all to witness her giving birth so closely. Giving birth was awkward enough as it was.
Maxon and Lucy quietly helped her change into a nightgown, Maxon removing her undergarments deftly with a blush rising on his cheeks. "Oh shut it," she mumbled, rolling her eyes. Her effect was quickly lost with her gasp of pain though.
Dr. Mackey did a quick check-up and concluded that she was much further into the labor process than either Maxon or America had guessed. "Her water sacs have ruptured," he concluded. "Most likely during the mad dash down here."
Maxon looked down and sure enough, the front of his shirt was covered in warm fluid. Mary noticed and handed him a fresh shirt. He just shook his head and stayed in his undershirt, wishing he'd at least changed into more comfortable pants. As if reading his mind, Mary passed him a pair of jeans. Before marrying America, he could count on one hand the number of times he'd worn jeans. Now it seemed like all he wore.
He kissed America and left her with Marlee and Kenna, heading to the small bathroom. He quickly changed and then stood at the sink, splashing cold water on his face. He had a white-knuckled grip on the granite counter as he stared at his reflection. He knew he was excited for his next child. He hoped to have more after the one – he still wanted a big family – but was he really ready? The country was changing and he couldn't afford to be tied down but he didn't want to leave everything to America. He'd been struggling with the same war within himself since he found out America was pregnant and he still didn't have the answer.
Someone knocked on the door, making him jump a mile. "Maxon?" Mr. Singer asked cautiously. He opened the door a crack and snuck in, leaving the door open a couple inches. "You okay there, son?"
Maxon nodded numbly. "Yeah. This is just a little different than last time. My mother was with me, the country was a bit more stable and Christian was a bit more planned."
Mr. Singer nodded and sighed. "But look around. You're surrounded by your new family Maxon. We're here and we can support you both like we have been."
"I've just…I'm always surprised by how my life turns out. No matter how much I plan for anything it never turns out that way. Not that I'm complaining but things like this…a little advance warning wouldn't hurt," he admitted.
"Well, I have to say, after having five kids I am still adjusting to the surprises that come to my life every day. You think I was planning on my favorite daughter entering the Selection and becoming the One?" He shook his head as if he still couldn't believe it. Maxon could still hardly believe that he was actually married to her. "I can tell you one thing you have though that I don't. You have America. You have a love and a bond with her that I never had with my own wife. And together, you two will change the world."
Maxon smiled at him and felt himself relax, comforted by his father-in-law's words. He nodded. "Thank you," he said earnestly.
Mr. Singer nodded and pulled him in for a quick embrace. He clapped him on the back before pulling away. It reminded Maxon of the time he asked Mr. Singer if he could marry America in the gardens all those years ago. "Now go support your wife," Mr. Singer said, gently pushing Maxon toward the door.
Maxon rejoined America in the small bedroom where things appeared to have calmed down a bit. America was completely changed and Lucy was finishing braiding her hair. Marlee moved so Maxon could sit next to her. "Took you long enough," she fumed.
"How far?" he asked her as she appeared to be between contractions.
She relaxed into his side as she answered, "Six centimeters."
He nodded and kissed her temple. At least he had experience from Christian to know how to comfort her. "You're managing for now?"
"Now that you're here," she said honestly. "Can I call you Dax today?"
He scratched his chin as if he really needed to think about that. Then he cracked a smile and told her, "I guess today counts as a special occasion."
She rolled her eyes but her smile quickly vanished as another contraction came. She squirmed slightly, pressing her back more forcefully against his side. Marlee rubbed her other shoulder. "It's getting worse," America groaned into Maxon's shoulder.
"You'll be okay. You're more than halfway there," he encouraged.
The rest of the day progressed like so. The attack seemed to drag on along with the arrival of their third child. Kenna and Marlee switched places by America's side but Maxon stayed put, refusing to leave her side. Then the doctor came and announced that she was just about ten centimeters.
"Your Highneses, are you ready?" he asked, looking at them with bright eyes.
Both of them were tired and looked worse for wear but they were more than eager to meet their child. A guard ran in, out of breath. "Everyone, please, the rebels are in the tunnels, headed this way!" he yelled to everyone.
Maxon stood. "What?!" he demanded. "We can't move anywhere now."
Carter ran in behind the guard. "They're coming. We only have about a minute to get everyone out of here." Marlee stood and ran to his side, clutching his arm.
"What do we do?" she asked quietly.
Everyone looked at Maxon. He looked completely lost as America started to get another contraction, gritting her teeth to hold in a scream. "Marlee, Kenna, Dr. Mackey and I will all go down one passage. Everyone else take a different one." He turned back to America and put an arm around her shoulders. "Ames, I'm sorry but we have to move."
"Just get me somewhere where I can have this baby," she ground out. Her face was pressed into his shoulder and he could feel his shirt start to dampen from her sweat and tears. He went out into one of the secret passageways and ran about seventy yards before stopping.
"Oh no," he breathed out. The sound of their labored breaths were the only sounds in the passageway. "Ames, I don't think they followed us." Dread settled in his stomach.
She shook her head. "Maxon, put me down," she suddenly demanded.
"What?" He didn't understand what was happening.
"I said put me down!" she yelled. "The baby is coming and I can't stop it." He ran to the next stairwell and gently laid her on the bottom few steps.
He looked around. "I'm going back to get the doctor," he told her, starting to get up to leave but she pulled him back.
"And leave me here by myself? There's not time. They'll come, they'll find us but for now it's you and me and we're going to deliver this baby, okay?" It took a lot of effort for her to get the words out but he treasured them. She grasped his hand as he lifted up her gown and nodded to her.
"Get me through this Dax," she said, looking at him earnestly.
He pointed to his eyes with his free hand. "Look at me, keep your eyes on me." He could barely see her in the dim blue light of the tunnel.
"I'm ready," she told him.
He sighed and gripped her hand in his as she bore down on the baby. He counted for her during and between her pushes, all the time praying that there'd be no complications. The whole process had been hectic enough. He just wanted a healthy baby and a healthy wife at the end of this. He looked down at her and said, "Ames, I can see the head and the shoulders. Just one more should do it, okay?"
She squinted and nodded as Maxon looked down the passageway to see the doctor and Marlee running frantically toward them. With one final scream the baby slipped into the world and Maxon immediately cradled it, looking up at his wife with glistening eyes. "It's a girl," he gasped, starting to cry in earnest. "We have a daughter," he mused, supporting her bloody body with his strong hands.
The doctor came and knelt down next to Maxon, observing the baby. "Nice work you two. I am obviously obsolete," he surmised, laughing at the three of them.
"Oh no Doctor, I'm not doing this again," America told him. "And by that I mean delivering my child in a dark passageway. There will definitely be more to come," she amended when she saw the look on Maxon's face.
They cut the umbilical cord and cleaned the baby. Maxon passed her to his wife, beaming at both of them. She held their daughter securely. "Georgina," she sighed, gazing down at her.
"Georgina Elizabeth Schreave," he completed.
Tears silently rolled down America's cheeks as she gazed down at her newest child. "She's so beautiful. I'm your mother, honey. Oh, you're so precious." The words kept tumbling out of her mouth as if she were in a trance.
Marlee smiled at them, her own eyes tearing up. "She's beautiful guys."
Dr. Macky cleared his throat. "America, I would like to get you in the hospital for a couple days, just to monitor you." He nodded to the baby. "Do you think we could move this upstairs?"
Maxon looked at him. "The rebels?"
"Gone, Sir. You have some excellent guards on hand."
Maxon lifted both America and Georgina gingerly, not wanting to disturb either of them. They both started to doze off during the long trek up to the hospital. America fell asleep once in bed and Maxon took Georgina for her. He knew Ames would have to wake up soon to feed her but for the time being, Maxon was more than content to sit and hold his daughter.
Yaaayyy! Baby Schreave #2 is here! I would have updated sooner but I have been doing the Unlock the One thing. if you haven't heard of it, Kiera Cass is releasing chapters of the One by people hastagging #UnlocktheOne. so yeah, I've been reading the One! I'm so happy. anyway, review and keep hashtagging guys! I wanna read Chapter 10!