Someone’s Someone

by Curious Girl

I've always been someone's someone. I will always be known as the sister of. The sister of the wonder child; the sister of the Nobel prize laureate; the sister of Princess Anastasia of Romanov; the sister of the next Queen of England; the sister of the Olympian... and the daughter of Troy and Gabriella Bolton. But I am so much more. I am Josephine Bolton.

55. Chapter 55

Josephine

The next morning I wake up to an empty bedside. It takes me a moment to remember why the bed's probably empty: because of our five new family members. I roll out of bed and totter into the bathroom to empty my bladder. After finishing, I brush my teeth and wash my face. On my way downstairs, I grab the blue morning gown from the ottoman in front of our king sized bed. I don't bother to try to close it as my naked feet touch the wooden steps of the glass staircase. Instead of turning left to head into the kitchen, I turn right because I know my husband's already head over heels in love with our new family members. As I walk through the breezeway, the sounds of our fury family members start filling my ears. The sun hasn't risen yet but dawn is slowly awakening my hometown, filling the breezeway with stunning lighting. I stop and hide in the shadow of the staircase that leads to the guest bedrooms above me. My husband is playing with our two silver coloured Norwegian kittens. They're chasing feathers that are connecting with a string to a wooden stick. Our three puppies play with themselves, choosing to chase one another rather than chasing the feathers.

My heart nearly explodes in my chest.

"Good morning!" I greet them with a smile on my lips.

My husband turns around at my voice, causing Pebbles to jump up and catch the pheasant fathers with her claws. "Good morning, Tesoro!" Oliver's green eyes shine like a light in a tunnel. He's wearing with his light grey pyjamas. His blonde hair is messy. But he looks bloody happy.

I have a feeling he let me sleep upstairs alone while he slept on the grey L shaped sofa. The cushions are messy on the second sofa.

Plus the fire in the white marble chimney has just stopped cracking but the ashes are still glowing.

He definitely slept here.

I walk over to them and decide to join my husband on the floor. I rest my back against the sofa and get greeted by my kittens. I run my fingers through their long fluffy fur and they start purring and licking my fingers, greeting me in their very own way. "Have they eaten?"

"All fed. I decided to store the feeding bowls, the dry food and the toilets for the kittens in the mud room. It's big enough without causing any trouble or weird smells. I put the feeding bowls away after they have eaten and just left the water bowls out."

"You do realise that cats eat multiple times a day?" I ask him.

"Okay then I'm going to put the feeding bowls of the kittens out again."

"Are the puppies going to touch them?"

"No. They don't like it."

I nod. That's good news. "We should maybe place the water bowls in the kitchen as cats don't eat where they drink. The same should be done for the dogs. We should use the mud room for feeing. And the kittens have already used the toilets? No slip ups?"

"No slip ups. The kittens used the toilets and I already cleaned it. I let the dogs out to do their business as well. And before you ask, I had them on the lead. But we still should go out with them when the sun rises."

I smile, "That's great news. They didn't whine or cry?"

"No, they're all doing fine. They have each other to hold on to. How about some breakfast for us before we go for a walk?"

My husband changed the topic rather quickly. He definitely slept here. He probably waited until I was fast asleep before he sneaked downstairs. "Breakfast sounds good." I agree with him as Potter decides to join us. He starts playing with Silverbell. He's chasing her bushy tail.

"What are you craving?"

"One of your omelettes, plus a slice of banana bread and perhaps some sort of green juice." I think out loud. I place my hands on the bump as our babies start kicking. "I think they agree with the green juice."

"I don't blame them. The juicer that Della bought us is really epic." Oliver gets up from the floor and offers me his hands to pull him up. "No baked beans or pancakes?"

I shake my head as he helps me up, "Definitely no to the pancakes but the baked beans... maybe." I know my husband loves baked beans. He's a sucker for an English breakfast.

"Okay."

"And for you? A proper English breakfast?"

My husband grins, "Am I so predictable?"

He said I am a Brit with a Brazilian heart. And he is a Brazilian with a British heart. He loves everything about our cuisine and culture. He loves it so much that he cherishes his British passport that came with his dual citizenship.

I run my fingers through his beach blond hair that's messy. With a heart full of love for the man across me, I can feel how a smile stretches my lips. "When it comes to your breakfasts then yes."

Oliver

I watch how my wife finishes her fourth slice of banana breed. She finished an omelette, a glass of green juice and a portion of baked beans in no time.

I am so glad the morning sickness is a thing of a past.

"What?"

We've been eating our breakfast in silence with only the soft Latin music coming out of the surround system as our company in the kitchen. "I really enjoy watching you eat. It's a stark contrast to how we used to have our breakfasts together." I say as I eat my last slice of bacon. Our breakfasts used to consider of her filling up her thermos with black coffee before rushing out of the penthouse and me enjoying my cappuccino on my own with whole London beneath me.

"You mean how we didn't have any breakfast together at all." She reads between my lines.

I take a sip of my cappuccino. Today I made mine with a dog as a latte art and a cat for my wife. "Yes."

"I don't like remembering how we started." She takes a sip of her cappuccino. The foamed milk leaves a slight moustache above her upper lip.

"Why? It's our history. I am not ashamed by that."

"Because I treated you so horribly." She whispers before grabbing my hand. "I fucked you while you made love with me."

"You loved me in the only way you could. I saw it in your eyes. There were moments when you allowed yourself to love me. Moments that were split seconds but it was enough for me to know. You were like a deer in the headlights... and you ran by pushing me away from you."

My wife pulls my left hand to her lips and she kisses my wedding band. "I tried to push you away but in the end I only pushed you closer to me."

"When we made love I couldn't get enough off of you. I cherished every inch your skin with my lips. I kissed every inch but most of all I wanted to leave burning marks on your heart."

"Isn't this a burning mark?" She places her hands on the bump. "Or that?" She holds up her left hand. The golden welsh wedding band is shiny and the sapphire and two diamonds of her engagement ring are sparkling in the light of the rising sun.

I look at her bump. It has grown beautifully in the last couple of days. "That was half your work and half mine." I hold up my left hand and wiggle with my ring finger. "And this was your work, not mine."

She smirks and blushes slightly at the memory. "Never in a million years would I have thought I'd propose to the love of my life." She thinks out loud before meeting my gaze. "You can brand me however you like."

It's a promise that she's mine - and I'm hers in return. "I know." I whisper before taking a sip of my coffee.

"But I will not tattoo my skin like my Daddy did for my Mum." She narrows her sky blue eyes at me.

I chuckle as I remember the massive tattoo that Troy has on his right torso. Seeing his tattoo on the beach of French Cay was quite the surprise. "No tattoo." I promise her.

"We should introduce some more rooms to the pets." Josephine changes the subject of our conversation. "We could show them our media room, our studies, the library, kitchen and orangery. But we won't allow them into the indoor pool and upstairs. I don't want them to sleep in our bed no matter how fluffy and adorable they are."

I nod, she wants to remain her privacy and hide our green room. "But before that we should take them for a walk."

Josephine

Morning walks along the Thames with my husband and our three puppies fulfil a desire I didn't know I had. It's sunny but a little cold so I'm grateful for my wellies with shearling lining and my husband's olive coloured Barbour jacket. My jackets don't cover the bump, that's holding two rutabagas, anymore and I have decided to not inform Sarah about the need for new clothes every two weeks. Instead I aim to wear my husband's clothes when we're out privately such as walks with the dogs or visiting our families. But for royal occasions I have bought maternity clothes that are going to fit for hopefully another month.

But I feel cosy warm and loved in the clothes of my husband.

I feel a kind of peace I have never felt.

Potter and Nala are still pulling on the lead quite a lot but Estrela is already doing much better. Everything is new and exciting for them so I don't blame them. This is going to be our ritual now. Watching the sunrise over the Thames is something I used to do from the rooftop garden of my penthouse, but this is so much better.

I can't wait for our children to join us.

"I think we should introduce our new family members to the world." Oliver voices his idea.

I sit down on one of the many wooden benches that face the river just a few meters in front of us. There's a slight fog over the Thames as not many ships have passed by yet. It's such a calm and peaceful morning. "How?"

"With a photo. Otherwise the people are just going to speculate and the headlines will be full of lies. This way, we get to decide how and when."

I nod, "Okay. I'll take a few photos this noon."

Oliver sits down next to me and picks up the puppies to place them next to us on the bench. For a while we just stare at the sky that is filled with the prettiest colours. The vibrant colour play makes our worries go away. There's not a single boat on the river so early. I notice a pair of swans floating our way. I grab my husband's hand and squeeze it softly. "We're just like them." I whisper.

My husband's smile makes my heart skip a beat. "We are."

Potter and Estrela jump down from the bench and start pulling on the leads again, so I pull them back with a hissing sound. They sit down and watch the swans with us.

At least for a while.

"We should go back. The puppies want to run." Oliver suggests before getting up form the bench.

"We shouldn't let them off the lead until they listen to their names and actually come when we call them. Otherwise they might get lost here."

Oliver strokes Potter, "You guys still have to learn a lot before you can run around like maniacs here."

I chuckle before I rise from the bench. With Nala close by my side, I walk away from the Thames and it's serenity. "It's time to go home." I tell Nala as I run my fingers over her shirt black dotted fur. She's so beautiful. All of our furry family members are.

I'm a dog Mum. I am a cat Mum. I'm the Mum of our unborn twins.

It feels bloody good to be a Mum!

Oliver

"Are you okay there?" I ask my wife as we walk through the royal gardens of Hampton Court Palace. We've met a few gardeners on our way from Chestnut House to our office. They were all smitten by our three puppies and ensured us to make the gardens puppy and kitten safe. Luckily they don't grow any poison plants.

"I'm just carrying Potter. You're the one carrying two puppies." My wife's smart ass answer reaches my ears, giving me an answer I already know. I bought black carrier bags for the first few weeks. Soon the puppies won't sleep the whole day but rather run around and keep everyone busy in our office. Then we won't need the bags anymore so we'll gift it to an animal shelter.

"I can always-"

"I'm fine, Oliver." She uses her bossy voice to silence me. She's carrying one of the black carrier bags in her left hand. Our Dalmatians have fallen asleep again.

I nod as we reach the rose garden. Big orange, red, pink and white roses are blossoming. The smell is heavenly! My eyes spot the wooden bench we held the BBC interview a few weeks ago. The press is still over-analysing everything we said and did. But at least Rothschild's bombshell interview seems to be forgotten.

"Have the maids already put the dog beds in our office?" My wife rips me out of my thoughts.

"I hope so." I breathe out. "I asked Sarah to order three that would fit to our style."

We reach the side entrance of the east wing of Hampton Court Palace. The row of white transom windows and three French doors offer enough daylight to work and today they offer our team the first glimpse of our three puppies.

And their faces are priceless! Full of delight and love. Especially the faces of the women. It's going to be hard to work today but we'll do our best.

Lydia opens the French doors for us to enter. "Good Morning, Your Royal Highnesses!"

"Good Morning everyone!" My wife greets our team as we step in. Our office has hardwood flooring and panelled walls with a deep red velvet wallpaper on top. Big crystal chandeliers are hanging above the mahogany desks which look tidy with just an iMac, keyboard, trackpad, a notebook and a case for pens on it. Above the enormous white marble chimney hangs a painting of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband The Duke Of Edinburgh. On the mantelpiece stand framed photos of the current royal family as well as unpublished wedding photos of Rory and George and Nate and Char... and us. Two emerald velvet sofas are standing across the chimney with matching wing chairs on either side. Next door is a kitchen as well as Josephine and mine office. We also have a conference room with a large mahogany table that fits sixteen people.

"The puppies are adorable!" Sarah cries out, already head over heels in love with them.

Josephine and I place the carrier bags on the emerald coloured sofas. All three of them are still fast asleep. Immediately our team surrounds them like bees around a single flower.

"What are their names?" Zahar asks us.

"This is Potter." I introduce the only male puppy. "We named him after Harry Potter to tease Nate a little."

"And these two are Nala and Estrela." Josephine says.

"Estrela means star in Portuguese. I can see why." Andrew says with a smirk on his lips as he looks at the puppy.

"Have you thought about introducing them on social media with a few photos?" Sarah asks me.

"I'm planning to take a few photos at home. Along with the kittens." Josephine answers.

"Maybe in front of the peonies at sunset?" I suggest.

My wife nods in agreement.

"Very smart. Are you going to inform the public that they're adopted?"

We'll be dubbed as secret-holder if we don't and as attention-seeker if we do. There's no winning so we'll just do what we want. "We have to. Otherwise we'll get grilled for having kittens and puppies at such a young age." I think out loud. "We shouldn't have them at eight weeks but the vet at the animal shelter said it's better for them to be with us than stay in the shelter."

"How old are the kittens?"

"12 weeks. They're both Norwegians, silver and biological sisters. We named them Silverbell and Pebbles."

"Are they going to join us in the office as well?" Zahar asks us.

"No. They'll be house cats. Combing dirt out of their long fur will be a daily nightmare otherwise." My wife says.

"I will prepare a statement." Hilary promises us. "Nothing too emotional. Nothing too formal."

"Hashtag adopt don't shop?" Lydia asks us.

I frown at the question. Everything social media related - especially hashtags - is like a totally foreign language to me. I look at my wife.

"No. No hashtags. We shouldn't voice our opinions. Plus, my family's dog Zeus was not adopted and it won't take long for the press to find that out. The hashtag would backfire twice as hard. No, definitely no hashtags." Josephine looks at Sarah, "Can we now focus on the Commonwealth Health Care?"

My wife is eager to start working in the Caribbean and provide access to healthcare for those who need it most there.

"Of course. I have a detailed plan if you follow me." Sarah says to the both of us. "The official and non-official engagements with charities and charitable organisations have been confirmed. The tour of the Commonwealth Caribbean starts in Jamaica two weeks after Easter Sunday."

The Commonwealth Caribbean consist of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Windward Islands (Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada), Barbados, the Leeward Islands (Antigua and Barbuda, St. Christopher and Nevis, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, and Montserrat), and the so-called Northern Islands (the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands). We won't be touring all countries but we will establish the Commonwealth Health Care there.

The Commonwealth Health Care is going to be similar to Doctors Without Borders but for seniors and everyone that can't afford paying for health insurance. We will use old abandoned buildings, revamp them and turn them into clinics with all the newest medical equipment. The doctors and nurses will work voluntarily. Interns, med school students and everyone else that wants to help are welcomed there.

It's an enormous project, one that will be our legacy and we have to do it right. We can't afford any scandals since Josephine and me joining the firm in our positions was scandal enough for a lifetime.

Both, she and I, are nervous but also beyond excited to provide access to help where it is needed most.

It's going to be an unforgettable time and I can't wait for it to start.

---

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY: DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CLARENCE INTRODUCE NEW FAMILY MEMBERS!

Using their trusty social media account, Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Clarence have introduced their new family members. With the photos taken by Duchess Josie herself, the couple showed their new pets: three Dalmatians an two Norwegian cats. The furry family members were photographed in front of the flourishing pink peonies that grow in front of Chestnut House. From left to right we have the three Dalmatians named Potter, Estrela and Nala, as well as the two silver coloured Norwegian cats named Silverbell and Pebbles. The couple have chosen to name one of the puppies after the main character of the Harry Potter movies and the female main character of The Lion King. Both Nala and Potter are heroes and known for their bravery. Nala is an African name and means successful.

The puppies as well as the kittens are biological siblings and were adopted from a local animal shelter. According to experts the Dalmatians are roughly eight weeks and the kittens 12 weeks old.

Using innocent animals for PR: The Clarences' lowest low!

#NotOurRoyals have announced they rescued puppies and kittens to boost their public image. The attention seeking couple made the announcement with a snap on their beloved ClarenceRoyal Instagram account. While many people loved the idea of adopting a pet and not buying one off of a breeder, most people saw this as a desperate attempt to boost their image. The three Dalmatian puppies are eight weeks old, which makes them at least four weeks too young to be separated from their mother. The two silver coloured Norwegian kittens are with 12 weeks at least old enough to be brought into a new home.

Lots of people have criticised the Clarences for adopting such young pets instead of giving a home to much older pets.

'A total fairytale': how The Duke and Duchess of Clarence's puppies and kittens went from kill shelter to royal life

In just a day they went from the kill list at an animal shelter to featuring in Instagram posts that racked up millions of views.

Today, as Their Royal Highnesses chose their beloved social media platform to share the joyous news, three Dalmatians and two Norwegian kittens launched into another chapter of their rather charmed life, as they have officially become part of the royal family.

"It's a total fairytale," said Tiggy Wilson of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the place where the rescue puppies and kittens were adopted by The Duke and Duchess just a day ago.

"There were these puppies that were in a shelter, nobody wanted them, and through this wonderful adoption they're now living in a palace, running around with the royal family."

The Dalmatians' journey began in a Brent, an outer London borough, located in the north west of the city centre. The puppies were found in an Amazon box next to loads of rubbish. After they had spent days at the shelter, nobody had come forward to adopt them, and the dogs were even on the euthanasia list.

Dozens of people had turn up to meet the 20 or so dogs up for adoption, but no one was interested in the three Dalmatians or the two kittens.

Until one day royal staff called to say that the Duke had asked for a private tour of the rescue shelter. A date was set and said royal arrived on set date. His Royal Highness was very interested in the shelter, not only in the animals themselves but also in the logistics that come with running it.

Now, Tiggy can follow the puppies and kittens' new life on Instagram. "It's just beyond my wildest imagination," she said. "How is that for a rags to riches story?"

Of the 1,600 or so dogs her organisation has rescued in the past seven years, some have gone on to become cancer detection dogs while a few support people who have depression or panic attacks. Others have found work as detection dogs along the English border.

"The dogs that have come up here have really impacted a lot of lives," she said. "So there's a lot of happy endings, but theirs certainly is the most outstanding."

---

Josephine

It's day two with our new furry family members. The walks with the puppies during our breaks were the perfect distractions. They explored the office rooms with the same curiosity as they did with their home. We have shown them our studies and the library today. The cats definitely prefer the gaps in the bookshelves and the spiral staircase over the sofas in our living room as a resting place.

And now I want to introduce the puppies to the piano. They have already sniffed the Bechstein and tested the stool I am sitting on but they have never seen or heard the black and white keys.

I cross my fingers and hope for the best before I inhale deeply and look at Oliver. "Ready?" I ask my husband.

He nods and his emerald green eyes focus on the puppies. They definitely know something is up.

I press down a key and let the living room fill with a deep and full sound. To my surprise the puppies look up but don't react otherwise.

That's a good sign.

I press a higher note and the puppies walk over to me. Clearly, they want to find out where the sound is coming from. I decide to take a break so I don't scare them.

"You should play a song."

"No that might be too much." I disagree with my husband. "I don't want to scare them or worse traumatise them."

"Well, then play another note."

I play another note. A C. The puppies stop across the piano and stare at the black thing with alertness. I play another note... and another...

Potter decides to lay down. Nala and Estrela copy the movements of their big brother. That's a good sign. It means they're relaxed.

I start playing the song that my Mum wrote for Oliver and me.

"I think we're good." Oliver breathes out.

"I think so as well." I decide to play the song again just to make sure.

"Oh look who decided to join us!"

I look over my left shoulder and see Silverbell along with Pebbles standing in the open French door of the patio. Their bushy silver tails are wrapped around the door frame. Slowly but very elegantly they walk over to me before hoping on the black piano and sitting on it while I continue to play. They rest their chins on the black surface and I watch them slowly falling asleep.

Our song's a lullaby.

At least to our furry family members.

"Look at that! Let's hope our children fall asleep with this song as well." Oliver whispers to me. Potter starts snoring like an old man. Even Nala and Estrela are asleep.

I chuckle at the sound before looking at my husband. "I think it's safe to say that they're not afraid of the piano."

"How about we let them sleep and cook some dinner? I'm in the mood for empanadas."

My stomach starts growling at the suggestion. Oliver's empanadas are usually filled with minced meat but he also likes to fill them with a spinach ricotta mixture. They're heavenly! "Sounds like the perfect way to spend the evening."

Oliver

After drying my body from the excess water, I wrap the towel around my hips and walk out of the en-suite bathroom. I walk through the master bedroom and into the little hallway that leads to our two walk-in wardrobes. I pass my wife's framed wedding dress as I turn left. I stop in the doorway of room that holds our casual clothes because the door to our green room is wide open and there's rustling noises coming out of it.

Shit, have the kittens or the puppies come up here anyway?!

But the door was locked. After the last time we were here I locked the door. And as beautiful our pets are, they are not capable of picking up a key and opening a door.

I walk around the island and into the big open wooden door that's hidden behind a mirror. I stop in the doorframe as I see my beautifully pregnant wife going through all the custom made props and toys that belong into this room. The crystal chandelier is bathing the room in a dim light. The emerald wallpaper with a floral motive looks luxurious, especially paired with the mahogany panelling on the last third. All the drawers and cabinets were built for this room only. Just like the bed and all the toys.

But my wife has opened all the mahogany drawers and cabinets. She's holding a brown leathered weekender bag in her hand and throwing random sex toys into it. One of my grey T-shirt stretches over the 26 weeks old bump and she's wearing black yoga leggings.

I think it's time to buy more maternity clothes.

"What are you doing?"

She winces at the sound of my voice and looks at me. "I thought you were still in the shower." Her sky blue eyes dance down my half naked body. She's nearly eating me alive.

My body reacts to hers as it has always done. "And I thought you weren't doing whatever you were in here."

"I'm collecting a beginners collection for my sister Rory." Josephine explains her actions. "Ropes, eye masks, nipple clamps, butt plugs, dildos... a flogger and a whip."

"I didn't know she's into it as well."

"She's not. She just wants to spice things up in the bedroom."

"Woah, who knew the future king was-"

"Hey, don't say that! She wants to try something new."

I lick my lips, "Sorry. I'm just surprised. I didn't think this... fondness runs in the family."

My wife chuckles, "Fondness?"

I shrug, not having a further explanation.

"Well, not everyone in the family can be a vamp like me. I highly doubt Ana would use anything in this room and the same goes for Rory."

"And Della?"

This time it's my wife who shrugs. "I don't know. Della has always been a very confident woman who knows what she wants. We have that in common... She probably used some of the toys in here at some point in her sex life but I highly doubt she's into floggers and whips. I can't imagine Wlad being into that as well. He's quite traditional."

I'm not so sure about that. I lick my lips as I watch how my wife opens a thin drawer that has a collection of balls in all shapes and sizes. "Are you sure you want to give these all away?"

"It's just a loan and this is just stuff." She throws six different balls into the bag.

"But these things here were custom made. They're bespoke for your body. To our taste." I point out.

My wife looks over her shoulder, "You don't want me to give them away?"

I run my fingers through my hair, "I don't think it's smart. I mean, are you sharing underwear as well?"

"We don't have the same taste when it comes to underwear." My wife licks her full lips. "But we do share our clothes. At least we did when we lived together at Le Rosey and in Oxford."

I remember our beginnings and the outfits she used to wear to work. Looking back now, I can see the similarities of the outfits she and her sister, already a royal, wore. But these were always like costumes to my wife. She's much more comfortable in leggings, jeans and shirts.

I tilt my head to the left and look at her. The idea of sharing sex toys doesn't appeal to me at all. "Tesoro,"

My wife lets out a sigh, "Fine. I'll order some toys for her online."

"Thank you. I know you meant well."

She starts putting the balls out of the weekender bag again.

I grab the leathered bag out of her hand. "Perhaps we should keep a collection in our bedroom."

My wife's grin makes my heart skip a beat. She shuts the open drawers with her hips.

"We will christen that room, Tesoro." I promise her as we make our way back to the door.

She nods, "And when we will... when we will, we'll spend the whole night in here. Fucking like animals."

"You speak my language."

Suddenly she stops walking. "Ouch!" She places her hand on the bump. "Your kids are real boxers!"

I chuckle, "My kids? You mean our kids. Besides, you're the one who used to train with Wlad two to three times a week." I remind her.

She pouts, obviously not expecting my answer.

I wrap my arm around her and pull her as close to me as possible before I seal my lips over hers.

It doesn't take her long to fill the kids with the kind of passion that created these two boxers inside of her.

I let go of her lips, "I can't wait to start using this room."

"Me, too."

I can feel how one of the twins kicks against the walls of her belly again. "You really are carrying boxers in there."

"Maybe they're soccer players as well. You know, since their Daddy is Brazilian and soccer is the national sport there."

The high that gives me the word Daddy is a high like no other. I place my hand on her bump and allow myself to feel them in the only way I can right now. I can't wait to feel their feet and hands, to see them smile...

Josephine places her hand over mine and she pushes my hand a little further into her bump until the kicking or boxing is much more noticeable. "This room can wait." She decides with a small smile on her full lips. "But not forever."

I grab her hand and kiss the wedding rings, "Not forever." I promise her.

---

Caio and me listen to the finale popping sounds of the corn inside the stainless steal pot. The smell of popcorn is filling the whole kitchen of my Mama's home. She has personalised the flat that my wife gifted me for my 27th birthday two years ago. There's a Brazilian altar with icons, candles and gifts for the holy ghost. Johna hung up framed photos of our family that were taken by my wife and my father-in-law in Rio, on Christmas Eve and on Motu Tane, our Indonesian island. The photos look all wonderful and have turned the flat into a real home.

"Is it done?" Caio asks me.

I nod and he gets the pot with the popcorn off the stove. He opens the lid, revealing the massive amount of popcorn that's inside. "Looks good."

"We still need to salt it." Caio thinks out loud before I start pouring the popcorn into two bowls. While my wife, Mama and Johna are out for a walk with Nala, Potter and Estrela, Caio and me decided to stay in. Caio wanted to watch the last Harry Potter movie with salty popcorn. He never loved savoury foods just like 99% of the Brazilians but he does now.

Caio puts a generous amount of sea salt flakes on the popcorn before I toss it. "Can we start with the film now?"

"Sure. I'm surprised you didn't want to join Mama and Johna." I say as I pick up the bowls and walk around the kitchen island that acts as a room divider. On the marble mantelpiece stand framed photos of us. There are photos that Josephine took in Rio of Caio and Johna when we visited the Cristo statue at sunset and photos of our second wedding on French Cay. I can't wait for the photos of our twins there.

Caio sits down on the grey sofa and turns on the movie that has been waiting for us to be watched. Nate has infected my brother with his Harry Potter obsession, but I don't mind seeing the movie again since I clearly named our puppy after the main character.

"What? No reaction from you?" I ask my brother as I join him on the sofa.

He grabs a bowl out of my hands and start eating his popcorn while the famous Harry Potter melody fills the living space.

I lean back and stare at my sixteen year old brother. Something's up with him. He didn't tell me what happened at Soho Farmhouse. Claire hasn't been mentioned either. "Everything okay?"

My brother doesn't react to my question. His brown eyes are glued to the telly in front of us.

"Caio, what happened at Soho Farmhouse? Did Claire do something?"

"I really want to watch the movie." He mumbles in Brazilian Portuguese.

It's bad if he starts talking in our mother tongue. I pick up the remote control and press pause. "Caio,"

My brother growls before looking at me. He raises both of his brown bushy eyebrows at me. "What?"

He has no idea how much he reminds me of Papa when he looks at me that way. I gulp down the golf ball in my throat. "Has anything happened last weekend?"

"Besides you going on another tropical holiday on St. Barth's?" He hisses back at me.

"It wasn't just a holiday. We visited lots of charities in the Caribbean." I counter back without starting a fight.

"Nothing that the press wrote about."

"Because we didn't leak any information about it. They were private visits without a photographer. Not everything we do has to be spread all over the news. We like to work in the background and make announcements when it's time." I use a clan voice because whatever happened with Claire it must have something to do with our doings. Josephine warned me about this. She warned my Mama and brothers about this as well, but it's different to experience it now.

"I would prefer positive news about you guys in the newspapers just once."

"Does Claire think badly of you because of Josephine and me?"

"No, she doesn't care about your titles. Royals or not, we're all humans - that's what she said to me."

"Then what's been bothering you? What happened at Soho?"

My brother sighs before putting the bowl on the coffee table in front of us. "Claire invited five of her friends and me to Soho. The cooking class by Etienne wasn't so bad but I guess your Italian cooking lessons didn't help much since Etienne was French and taught the French cuisine."

I chuckle, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Caio shrugs, "At least we didn't learn how to make sushi. Apparently, that's an art by itself."

"Were you the only boy?"

"No, Claire also invited Jean-Luc."

"Jean-Luc? I bet he knew how to cook French."

"The cooking wasn't the issue." He lets out a sigh, "When I arrived at Soho, I noticed how everyone - and I mean everyone - was staring at me. Not at Claire or her four female friends or at Jean-Luc, who apparently is a huge influencer on social media. But me. They were staring at me. And whispering about me."

I lick my lips, already knowing where this would lead when he said that the cooking wasn't the issue.

"Because of you!" He hisses at me. "They all know who is my brother and his wife... They all saw the Christmas photo of us that was taken at Jo's parents' house. And all of Claire's friends kept grilling me with questions about you and Jo, Nate and Char, Rory and George... even Wills and Catherine! They wanted to know if I met His Majesty and how he was really like. They wanted to know if they curtsy to one another in private and what bloody tea they drank!" Caio explodes and I notice how well his English has become in such little time. "I was the bloody centre of attention!"

My brother doesn't like that at all. "I'm sorry."

He raises his forefinger and points it to me. "You better be! Because of you Claire won't talk to me now!"

"She didn't talk to you at Soho?"

"No, she didn't have the chance to. Because her friends wouldn't stop quizzing me!"

"Then maybe she's not angry with you because of me but because you didn't have any time for her. Have you thought about that?"

My brother is silent for a while, clearly considering my words. "But I didn't have a chance to talk to Claire anyway. Her friends were all over me!"

"Why are you telling me that? You should tell that Claire."

Caio bites on his full lower lip. "You're right, I should."

I nod towards the telly. "We can continue with the movie now." I pick up the remote and press play.

"Oli," Caio asks me after a minute.

"What?"

"Can Sam drive us to Claire?"

Sam is my security agent while Ralph is Josephine's. My wife insisted on hiring two security men for me because she has two as well. One is a backup. Scott is Ralph's backup and Wolfram mine.

And yes, Wolfram can turn into a wolf when he wants to.

"Yeah sure." I answer with my eyes on the screen.

"Now?"

I look at my brother. "N-now?"

My little brother shrugs. "Yeah. I should apologise to her right now."

"Okay."

Caio rises from the sofa. "Good. I'll change and comb my hair and-" I stop him by putting my hand on his arm.

"Brush your teeth if you plan to kiss her but otherwise don't change a single thing about yourself. Claire likes you for being you." I advice him. I don't know if he kissed her yet but I know my brother had girlfriends back in Rio. After all, I was the one who gave him his first condom.

Safety first.

And a fresh breath.

Caio used to do Capoeira, Brazil's combat sport, before we moved to London. Naturally, this not only helped him keep a calm mindset but it also shaped his body. Which then attracted a lot of girls because in Brazil the appearance come before the character. Whether the appearance comes from sports or from the surgeon doesn't matter.

"We might be in England but that doesn't mean my look is meaningless." Cairo's arrogance shines through.

I hold my tongue. That's the difference between him and I.

"But Claire's Portuguese and was raised in England. She's much less focused on my appearance than all the other girls from school."

"Is that why you're so interested in her?"

He shrugs, "It's why she caught my interest in the first place."

"You really like her." I think out loud. Claire's more than a crush. She's more than the girls in Brazil have ever been.

"Enough to apologise to her." Now, my brother sounds just like my wife, guarding his emotions yet revealing enough to keep your interest.

"Okay. I'll wait." I say with a nod and watch him disappear into his room a moment later. I walk over to the glass front in the living room. A glass door opens to the half moon shaped balcony with a view over the Thames. It's a view my wife and me used to admire a lot when we still lived in our penthouse. It's still breathtaking with its glittering skyscraper at night but I love the view we have in our new home more: Thames to the south and the Long Water along with Bushy Park with its wildlife to the north.

Briefly, I wonder if he's going to buy Claire flowers and chocolates. Our Papa always said that flowers mean you're sorry and chocolates mean I love you.

I never bought Josephine either of these.

Perhaps I should buy her both. The flowers for being sorry that I have never done it before and the chocolate because I love her so bloody much.

I could buy all the chocolate in the world and it still wouldn't be enough to show her how much I love her.

Suddenly my iPhone rings on the kitchen island. I walk over to it and pick up, already knowing who it is because of the ringtone. It's Gabriella's song that she wrote for my wife and me. Josephine recoded it in one of my mother-in-law's studios. "Hi, there!"

"We're at Whole Foods right now. Do you want those chocolate coated almonds as a movie snack?" My wife asks me.

"Yeah, sure. Caio and me will drive to Kensington. He wants to apologise to Claire in person. Apparently, Soho Farmhouse wasn't a success."

"I had a feeling it didn't go so well by the way he looked today. I mean not even our puppies could bring joy to his eyes!" She whispers something to Johna.

"Do you want me to pick you guys up?" I ask her.

"No, I think Ralph and Scott can handle all the people that are staring me right now." She mumbles. "But we'll just buy you the almonds and some more snacks for our Harry Potter marathon before coming back."

"Tesoro,"

"I'm okay. I think the bump and the puppies are the real magnets here. Not, you know, my title."

I smirk, "You're okay?" I ask her again.

"Fine. No high blood pressure or any other stress symptoms, I promise."

I decide to believe her and trust her in her instincts. "Are you disappointed I never bought you flowers or chocolates?"

"No, why should I?"

"I think Caio wants to buy flowers and chocolate for Claire. Papa always said flowers mean you're sorry and chocolate means I love you."

"There's nothing you have to be sorry for. In fact, I should buy you all the flowers in the world and every praline of chocolate that's ever been made. It's the other way around with us. It always has been."

"I'll be fine with all the chocolate covered almonds." I joke.

My wife's chuckle on the other end of the line makes my heart beat faster. "Noted. And for flowers?"

"Hm... I think the peonies growing in front of our home is enough for flowers, don't you think?"

"We'll agree to never buy one another flowers then."

I nod although she can't see me. "And to buy chocolate coated almonds every time we walk past a stand in Whole Foods, Tesco or Waitrose."

She chuckles again, "God knows I love you too much." She mumbles into the mobile.

"I love you too, Tesoro." I whisper before hanging up.

"Are you done declaring your love for Jo? I have business to do." My brother's voice fills my ears.

I turn around and look at him. "Perhaps you should take my love confession by example for your conversation with Claire."

"We should go." Caio insists.

"Alright, I have to end this call." I tell my wife.

"Tell him to kiss her when he gets a chance to." With that my wife hangs up.

---

Sam stops the navy Range Rover in front of a red bricked house in the Billionaire's Road of London. It's a road that's full of diplomats and it leads straight to Kensington Palace. It's no wonder that the Portuguese diplomat and his wife lives in this road, which is the safest and most protected road in whole London. I recognise the house number 8 immediately. It's Tamara Ecclestone's former home. It's the house that was one of our options if we had decided to move here.

"This is where Claire lives?" I ask Caio.

"Yes, I know it was famously owned by that Ecclestone daughter but Formula One is not really a sport here in London anyway."

"This house was on offer for Josephine and me." I say to Caio as we get out of the car. I can't believe Claire lives in the house that could have been ours! I wonder how much has changed on the inside. I can still remember how flashy it was in the foyer and how many mirrors there were in the dining room.

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"I like Chestnut House more."

"I do, too." I agree with him. I can't imagine living here now that I have lived in Chestnut House.

"Can you wait here while I talk to Claire?"

"Sure. I'll go for a walk in Hyde Park. Ring me when you're done."

"Thank you."

"And bloody kiss her already!" I tease him as I turn on my heel. Sam shows me a small smirk as we walk down London's billionaires road. Every house is more expensive than the last. Some are red bricked others modern with glass. The houses are rather close to one another but I know that each has a massive garden and some even have private access to Hyde Park. I can't believe we considered living here.

I decide to go for a walk in Hyde Park. Hyde Park is 350 acres and home to over 4,000 trees, The Serpentine lake and Diana Memorial Fountain. Though, technically, Kensington Gardens and Palace are not a part of Hyde Park, they seamlessly blend together. The flower beds in Kensington Gardens are in full bloom. It's so stunning!

Just inside the park gates I find the Hyde Park Rose Garden, a beautiful area enclosed by yew hedges, filled with shrub roses and herbaceous borders. Many people don't even realise it's there as they walk along the broad path from the Queen Elizabeth gates towards the Serpentine. The climbing roses are trained along chains between the pillars, surrounding the central statue of a boy with dolphin, and you can find a quiet benches to sit and enjoy the bees buzzing among the lavender.

The circular rose garden gives way to another garden with a fountain of Diana the huntress, the tinkling of water from the fountain reflecting in the pool below. Beyond there are arched arbours covered with roses and clematis, as well as teardrop shaped beds filled with colourful begonias and seasonal planting.

A little further I come across areas of magnificent wildflowers, that create a meadow of yellow and white daisies, more reminiscent of Alpine pastures than a London park, creating a haven for bees and insects.

My walk brings me to the eastern end of the Serpentine lake, created by Queen Caroline in 1728, following the fashion of the time for creating landscapes that followed nature, a break from the formal gardens of the past. The Serpentine now forms the hub for much of the activity in the park but if you want to find a quieter spot for a picnic there are plenty of grassy spots under the trees on the north side.

The Serpentine Bar and Kitchen, Patrick Gwynne's glass sided restaurant, is floating over the edge of the water that provides a great vantage point to watch the swans, geese and other wildfowl. It has plenty of seating both indoor and outside but it's also very popular. The service is divided into three areas, a cafe selling cakes, sandwiches and drinks to take out or eat at the tables, a hot food section that sells pub style food that will be brought to your table.

It reminds me of the cafe in Battersea where I met my wife.

Boating on the Serpentine is popular with families and if you've remembered to bring some crusts of bread we can stop to feed the geese, ducks and swans that congregate here. You could also go boating from here on bright blue pedal boats, or rowing boats that are lined up on the pontoon. A little further along the northern shore are the old Victorian boat houses that were used for pleasure boating in the past.

It's a beautiful sunny day and I can see lots of families seizing the day. Joggers and couples enjoy the sun as much as people on bikes. I can spot teenagers making out on the benches and green parrots being fed by the people. Pigeons are getting chased by squirrels and swans are swimming in the lake next to ducks. A biker drives past me with a dog running next to him. Hopefully one day our puppies are going to do the same with us. It would be lovely to bike through Bushy Park, Richmond Park and Home Park as a family with our puppies running by heel.

Sam takes off his navy cap and hands it to me. "For your disguise."

"Right." I put it on. I haven't been noticed yet but I'm going to pretty soon. Most people around me are glued to their mobiles. It's something I had to get used to when I first came from Rio. The people in Rio had mobiles as well but they weren't as obsessed as the Brits.

Perhaps I can be here unnoticed for a couple more minutes before someone starts taking photos of me.

I enjoy hearing the children's laughter ringing in my ears and the birds tweeting in the tree crowns. Approaching the Princess Diana Memorial fountain, I have to do a double take. This is not your typical fountain, instead it is one continuous circle of shallow streaming water. The laughter of the children enjoying this memorial can be heard a dozen feet away.

I blend out everything around me and watch the children playing in and around the memorial fountain. Even dogs are taking a bath in the water that's in there.

I used to rush by Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens on my way to work. But I never had the time to even take a walk through this beautiful piece of earth. Between three jobs and little sleep, I was a zombie before Josephine gifted me the cappuccino in Battersea.

I can't believe this was only two years ago.

I have to pinch myself because I cannot believe this is my home town now.

Suddenly, the sky starts darkening and a second later the rain starts coming down. It's a heavy rain.

I quickly run underneath a chestnut tree to hide from the heavy rain drops. This is so London, one moment it's sunny and the next it's rain and thunder. It's British weather at it's best.

Sam gives me a confused look when he sees me grinning from ear to ear. Even the old chestnut tree can't keep me dry. I am soaking wet.

A loud thunderstorm fills my ears as I watch how the people start running away from the rain. The rain reminds me of the flooding season in Rio, although it's not nearly as heavy.

I live for these kind of weather changes.

"Looks like you could use an umbrella."

I turn around at the sound of my wife's voice. She's standing behind me, holding a beautiful umbrella that has a big pink peony on the inside. She looks lovely in her black yoga leggings, a wide grey cotton sweater and that burgundy red Harvard baseball cap. She's also wearing my sage green Barbour jacket. Her chestnut curls are even curlier thanks to the moisture in the air.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her surprised. Ralph joins Sam to give us some privacy.

"I drove your Mum, Johna and the puppies to Landmark Place and decided to meet you here." She gets out a packet of chocolate covered almonds from her bag. "To give you these."

I get the umbrella out of her hand and hold it above us with a smirk on my lips. "I think we should eat them together at home."

She puts the package of almonds back into her bag. "Any news on Caio?"

I shake my head and run my fingers through her curls. I pray that at least one of our children will inherit them. They're too beautiful to not be passed on. "How was your shopping spree at Whole Foods?"

"Rather successful. I have a feeling I made it into the headlines though. Not even my baseball cap saved me from getting recognised."

"Maybe because it says Harvard." I point out.

"Good point. Let's switch." She takes off my cap and switches it with hers. "There, that's better."

"Navy looks good on you."

"Everything looks good on me." She gives me a smirk before sealing her lips over mine.

I return her kiss despite being surprised, but before it gets too heated between us I let go. "We're in a public park, Tesoro."

She leans forward until her bump is pressing against my torso. "I know."

The twins start kicking so strongly that I can feel them. They already know what they want and how to demand it.

"They want more as well." My wife mumbles against my lips.

I grin before placing my hands on the bump. "Definitely our kids in there."

---

Royally in love: Duke and Duchess of Clarence were snapped kissing underneath a tree!

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Clarence have been spotted in Hyde Park, looking like any ordinary couple that's head over heels in love. The royal duo went for a walk through Hyde Park but had to seek for a shelter when it started pouring with rain. The couple chose to head beneath a chestnut tree, where they shared a kiss. Duke Oliver was seeing cupping the bump of his wife, who smiled in return. The Duke wore dark jeans with a grey sweater and a red baseball cap while the Duchess wore black yoga leggings, a wide grey cotton sweater and a navy baseball cap. According to fashion experts it's the cheapest outfit the Duchess ever wore (roughly 500).

It's the first time the couple has been photographed in England without being on a royal engagement.

---

Josephine

With interwoven fingers, my husband and I walk down the billionaire's road that leads to Kensington Palace. We pass several mansions worth several millions of pounds. The houses are all in magnificent shape.

"You won't believe in which house Claire's living in." Oliver grins at me. In his free hand he's carrying the umbrella I came with. The rain only lasted for half an hour.

We stop in front of the same house that we had a look at last year. It's a four storey white and red bricked Georgian house. The former Ecclestone house.

Worth roughly 100 million pounds.

"That's where Claire lives?" I ask surprised. I expected Portugal's diplomat and his family to live in a house at the end of the street as these are the cheapest houses in this street, but not a stone's throw away from Kensington Palace.

"Yep. Looks like fate enjoys playing games with us."

"I bet they had to rip out the interior completely and redo it for scratch." I breathe out as I remember there are 57-rooms in this house, which was built in the early 1900s. It has four storeys above ground and two below. A lot of space to get lost in and never be found.

Still, it's nothing compared to Chestnut House.

The wooden doors of the red bricked house open and I watch Caio walking out without turning back. My husband's younger brother is wearing a poker face, neither his chocolate brown eyes nor his equally brown curls give me any information. His body language isn't overwhelmingly happy.

The door gets shut by a cleaning lady. I'm surprised I didn't get to see Claire walk him out. I guess their meeting wasn't as productive as Caio wished then.

"And? Did you kiss her yet?" Oliver asks his brother in Portuguese.

Caio shuts the door of the black iron fence and looks at me. "Hi, Jo!"

I smirk. He's ignoring his older brother. "All good?"

"Yes."

"Good." I wrap my free arm around him and pull him closer to us. "Let's go home. We have a Harry Potter marathon to do."

"Actually, Claire said she would join us for the next part of the marathon so we better not get through all of them."

"Of course. I can't wait to meet Claire." Oliver smiles at his younger brother. "Are you guys courting now?"

"Oli!"

"What? Isn't that what it's called now?"

I give my husband a dark glare before shaking my head. He's walking on thin ice. One wrong word and Caio will never talk to him about girls again. "How about we go home now?" I suggest as Ralph and Sam climb into the navy Range Rover.

Oliver opens the back door and I climb in before Caio follows me. "Did she like the flowers?"

Caio nods, "She liked the chocolate more than the lilies, though."

"Next time you want to impress her, I'll give you a box of Belgian pralines. They're to die for and I always have some in our pantry." I wink at him as Oliver climbs in after us and shuts the door.

"But you must really like Claire, otherwise Josephine won't give away her favourite chocolates." Oliver points out with a grin on his lips.

Caio rolls his beautiful warm brown eyes at his brother's comment. Then he looks at me, "Her birthday's in three weeks."

"I'm afraid a box of pralines is not going to do the trick. Do you have an idea for a gift?"

Caio thinks for a while. "Maybe a necklace?"

"Maybe something like this?" I hold up my left hand to show him the bracelet that Oliver gifted me in Africa. This gold Nectar bracelet by Annoushka showcases a sparkling array of white sapphire droplets. The elegant 18 carat gold bracelet is the perfect bracelet to wear on a daily basis. I haven't taken it off ever since I was given it.

It's the perfect match to my half moon necklace.

"Yes but maybe the necklace version."

I nod, "We could browse on the website of Annoushka. That's where Oliver got my bracelet from. I'm pretty sure there's a necklace version in this collection as well."

"Are you sure you want to gift her a necklace? I mean what about concert tickets or a gift card for some shop?"

"A gift card is not an option. It's very impersonal." I point out. "But concert tickets are a good option as well. Or perhaps the theatre." I suggest.

"She really likes horseback riding."

"Perfect! You guys can ride the horses from my ranch in Dover!"

"But I don't know how to ride a horse!" Caio admits.

"Nate can teach you. He's got all the time in the world and he could use some time out of Hampton Court anyway." I think out loud. While we're busy with the Commonwealth Trust, the King still has the Windsors on a tight lead. Nate is going to be happy to help him out.

"Okay, I'll call him." Caio nods.

"Maybe the necklace would be better as an anniversary gift." Oliver points out. "Or Christmas gift. That is if you guys are still courting them."

This time Caio punches him into his left bicep. "Stop it! I didn't tease you about Jo either!"

Oliver wraps his arms around him and pulls him closer. "You has no idea we were courting back then."

"What did you gift to Jo on her birthday?" Caio asks him.

My husband looks at me. We've never made it to my birthday. In the first phase of or relationship I broke us up before my birthday and we got together a year later when my birthday had already passed. We've just spent one birthday together and that was Oliver's. I gifted him the flat that his Mum and brothers are now living in.

"We haven't spent her birthday together yet." Oliver tells his brother in Portuguese.

Caio looks at me. "What did you gift him for his birthday?"

"The flat you're living in."

Everyone is silent for a moment.

"I won't gift her a flat." Caio decides.

Oliver laughs out loud. "That's a brilliant idea."

"Did she invite you to her birthday party?" I ask him.

Caio nods. "She mentioned some Annabelle?"

Oliver and I share another knowing gaze.

"You won't like it there." Oliver tells him. "But just play along and don't overdo it with the alcohol."

"It's very unique and special. The interior is... You step into a totally different world when you enter Annabelle's." I warn my brother-in-law. I pray that Claire has a heart of gold and doesn't see Caio as a gold goose. He's in the same position I have been for years prior joining the firm: he's got one foot within royal palaces without the pressure and duty.

Caio leans back against the backseat. "I just hope it won't turn into another fiasco like Soho."

"Well the two of you talked things through. I'm sure she will be more understanding in the future." Oliver ensures him.

"And if she isn't just make sure to silence her with your lips." I smirk at him.

"Josephine!"

"What?" I look at my husband. "I'm sure good kissing runs in the family."

Caio chuckles. "Claire definitely didn't complain." He mumbles in Portuguese.

---

Josephine

Ralph stops the Range Rover in front of my childhood home. The Spanish styled home looks glorious in the sunshine.

I open the door of the back door and hop out. "Thank you, Ralph. I wish you a lovely rest of the day." I tell him before shutting the door of the silver vehicle. I decided to give Ralph the day off and instead have Scott join me on the walk back home with the puppies.

I've put on a black yoga leggings, a grey cotton tank top, warm moccasins by UGG and Oliver's Barbour jacket. The leggings are one of the few that still fit me. 26 weeks are starting to make it hard to find trousers that fit.

I open the massive black double doors and walk into my childhood home. As always there's a vase with fresh pink peonies sitting on the round black table that's underneath the dome. The two huge curved staircases with the white marble steps lead upstairs are looking magnificent. The photo walls on each side of the staircases tell our family's story and I notice my wedding photo at the very first steps on the left wall. It's a photo of the two of us in our wedding outfits on the beach of French Cay. I loved what my Mum did to the Elie Saab dress that I fell in love with when I first put it on but it was clearly not meant for a Rothschild wedding.

Just like a Rothschild wedding wasn't meant to be as well.

But this Elie Saab with its flowing short sleeves, the embellished belt and the brooches that were turned into hair clips for my fishtail braid... I looked breathtaking.

Suddenly I notice another framed photo. It's an ultrasound photo of the newest Bolton Family members: our unborn twins.

I place my hands on the bump as they start kicking. Pretty soon there will be hanging a photo of their faces and bodies.

It is only now that I notice neither Zeus nor my sisters are here yet. The silence is very foreign in this house as there's usually always something going on. Growing up in here was a blessing, especially with all my siblings. But seeing it now so empty... it pains my heart.

No wonder Mum wants us all here at Christmas.

"Mum?" I cry out, although I know she's probably in the kitchen.

I can hear her light footsteps as she quickly walks over to me, coming from the direction where the kitchen is. A moment later she appears in light washed rolled up jeans, a grey shirt and a long beige cardigan. Her dark brown curls are open. My hair has the same texture. My Mum's chocolate brown eyes are glowing when she sees me.

She stops across me and wraps her arms around me. "Jo,"

It feels so good. I kiss her left cheek, "Where is everyone?"

"They're late as always." My Mummy sighs, "but that gives us the time to talk in private. Tea?"

I nod and follow her into the kitchen where I grew up in. The white kitchen with its white marble countertops is looking mouthwatering with all the food that's standing on it. There's a collection of scones, croissants, biscuits, cakes, pancakes and other pastries. Brunch in the Bolton Family means a feast of sweet treats.

The only free space is the kitchen island.

"I'm surprised you didn't secretly throw me a baby shower." I think out loud.

"Lotte pushed me very hard as soon as she found out about our brunch. But she wasn't invited and I made sure she got the message that you don't want a baby shower."

My Mum has always known me best. "You're right. I don't want a baby shower. I don't need any gifts anyway."

My Mum nods. "I see you're already in the leggings phase of the pregnancy." My Mum chuckles.

I let out a sigh, "I have no doubt I'm going to live off Oliver's wardrobe in a few weeks. At least in private."

"I still have some of my maternity clothes stored in boxes. You can have a look and pick whatever fits you."

My Mum knows I don't enjoy shopping. Buying maternity clothes in comparison to go on puppy walks is a waste of time. I nod, "I'll do that." I put water into the electric kettle and switch it on.

"Sit down." My Mum nods towards the bar stools at the end of the white marble kitchen island.

"I feel good standing right now." I answer instead.

"You're okay?"

I nod, "I had my ultrasound yesterday. Everything is going to plan. Your two new grandchildren are developing just fine."

"I asked about you and not them." She's one of the few that sees three people when she looks at me and not one.

"I'm doing good. The puppies make sure I'm on my feet a lot which is good." I answer.

"Any aches and pains?" My Mum puts three spoons of loose rooibos tea into a porcelain pot.

"Sometimes my back but it's not too bad." I decide to shrug it off.

"Try using an acupressure mat. That helped me with my pregnancies." She advices me as she fills the pot with boiling hot water.

"I still have no idea where I want to give birth."

"You'll know when the time comes." My Mum's smile makes me feel less confused.

"Did you had an epidural with all of us?"

"No, not with Della and not with your sister and you. And not with Elias. But with the rest I did."

"I'm unsure if I want it. I think a water birth would be cool... but you can't have that with an epidural." I think out loud.

"I didn't have a water birth with either of you. It wasn't for me."

I know Della, Ana, Rory and Char didn't have one either. They all went the traditional way of going into a hospital and having a baby in the bed. Somehow I can't picture myself doing this.

"Maybe you should take a few days off after Easter. You could go on a babymoon with Oliver. Sail through the Mediterranean Sea with Liberty." My Mum suggests. She knows about the pressure that's on us and she knows how I relax the best.

Her words ring a bell. Caio and Johna are on their Easter holiday for two weeks. We could use that time to travel to Spain, Italy, maybe see some islands of Greece... "That's a good idea. We'll do that."

"Your Dad and I can watch the puppies and kittens." My Mum offers.

"Where is Daddy? At work?"

"At the house in the woods."

He never goes there. "Did you guys have a fight?" I ask her worried.

My Mum shakes her head. "No! He's doing a cleansing weekend."

"You mean fasting? With juices?"

My Mum nods, "I didn't want to join him because I wanted to have brunch with you guys."

"Why is he doing it?"

She shrugs, "He ambushed me with it. Just like with the tattoo."

I laugh at the memory. Seeing that tattoo on his right side made my wedding weekend even more unforgettable. "I'm surprised you didn't do a couple tattoo."

"I will not put ink underneath my skin!" My Mum insists.

"Oliver's the same opinion. Just like me by the way."

"It was your uncle Luc that sparked the idea within him. I swear these two are up to no good whenever I leave them alone for five minutes."

I chuckle, "Men never grow up, do they?"

My Mum fills two cups with hot red rooibos tea before handing me one. "Are you afraid of postnatal depression?"

The question catches me off guard. She thought I was worried about that? "No. That's not the reason why I'm so comprehensive about making a decision. I'm just... I'm so worried that something is going to go wrong."

"And that's perfectly normal. Worrying about your children's well-being is never going to end. I mean you are living in your own house, married and about to become a mother for the first time and I still worry about you."

"But a pregnancy with twins is always high risk."

"And so is a pregnancy with triplets. Or a pregnancy over forty. You shouldn't allow your fears to dictate what you do."

I let out a sigh, "I have to read some books and look into all the options there is and then decide."

My Mum nods. "You have to feel comfortable. For some women it means giving birth in a hospital. For others it means giving birth in the safety of their home. Whereas some choose to go to a birth centre or give birth in nature all together. Every pregnancy is different and so is every woman. There is no right or wrong."

"Yeah, well I have this whole royal corset..." The Brits will want to see the twins as we have a royal title. Although we don't take money from the sovereign grant and therefore are completely independent from the Crown and the British taxpayer, they still will demand to see them.

Because they will have titles as well.

It's the price we pay to be able to do what we do.

"Remember her Majesty allowed Princess Eugenie to post the first photo of her son on Instagram before a royal announcement was made by Buckingham Palace. King Charles will allow you to go to Africa, give birth there and post self taken photos of the twins as well if you want to. You don't have to stand on the steps of the Lindo Wing. You are a royal but you're in a unique position. It comes with scrutiny but it also comes with privileges - and this decision is one of them. Don't listen to the courtiers. Listen to your heart and follow your instinct."

I show my Mum a smile. This is the pep talk that I needed. "Thank you for always knowing what I need."

She grabs my hand and squeezes it softly. "It's called mother's instinct and you already have it as well."

The twins in my belly start kicking as of they agree with their grandma. I place my free hand on the bump. My wedding and engagement ring are sparkling in the light of the chandelier that's hanging above the kitchen island.

However these two will enter the world, I will do everything in my power to make sure it's a safe start.

"You'll be a great mother."

"I know. Because I learned that from you."

My Mum's brown eyes fill with tears, "I love you, Jo."

"I love you, too."

Oliver

"Have you bought Jo her ring yet?" Nate asks me. He, George and me are on babysitting duty today. We're watching George's triplet girls and Nate's twin girls as the women - minus Char - are having brunch with their Mum.

I have no idea where Charlotte is, since she's clearly not brunching with Gabriella and her girls, but I have a feeling she's planning a baby shower for my wife.

Who will hate it.

I can't hide my confusion, "What ring?"

"The push present." Nate answers as we all lay on the grass in the sun. We made sandwiches and had a picnic. While the girls are playing in the sandboxes in the Bushy Park, we're enjoying spring as well. It's no trip to one of the stunning beaches in Rio, but I feel even happier here.

And that's not just thanks to the Dalmatian puppies that are snoozing underneath the shadow of the centuries old oak trees. After playing with the girls and training they are exhausted.

"The what?"

George rolls his brown eyes at Nate's words and leans forward. "What he means is the ring that celebrates the birth of your first child. It's a British tradition to gift a ring to your wife to commemorate the birth of your first child. Usually it's an eternity diamond ring. I chose to swap some stones for our birth stones."

"I chose to engrave something on the inside." Nate tells me.

I think for a moment. Josephine's due in mid June, but knowing our children's genes it's likely they're going to arrive much sooner or later. So it's either emeralds, rubies or pearls instead of diamonds. May's birthstone is emerald and July's birthstone is ruby. "I'll buy her a ring when they're born." I decide as I don't want to buy the wrong ring. But I will definitely buy her a ring. I think it's a wonderful tradition.

"My Mum has one as well." Nate tells me. "With eight different stones on the inside."

I've noticed Gabriella's ring. Della and Ana wear a similar ring as well.

"Anyways, I suggest you enjoy the time you have left." Nate interrupts my train of thought.

"I'm sure he's quite excited to finally meet them." George says to him. "But I suggest the same. Because once they're here your life will change forever."

"You'll never have time for yourself again. You'll be dog tired every night and be a zombie during the day. Sex -" Nate fakes a laughter, "Sex is off the table for a very long time."

"But they give you a whole new sense of life. You can be a child again yourself. You grow up living your life through their eyes. You learn how to crawl and walk again. You'll experience how truly sour a lemon is and how sugary tomatoes can be. You learn how silky and fluffy the fur of your cat is and you learn... you learn that your heart is no longer your own. Because it beats inside these tiny humans."

"And that my brother-in-law is the best feeling in the word." Nate agrees with George, who nods.

"The absolute best feeling ever. Better than any orgasm. Better than any love confession. Better than any coronation. Better than your first kiss with the love of your life... Holding your child... absolutely nothing can top this."

"Except the day they start talking and say Daddy first." Nate chimes in.

George stares at him with wide eyes, "Eva and Eli said Daddy first?"

"No, but I'd like to think so."

I chuckle. "What about Alex, Grace and Leni?"

"Mummy but that's okay. I'm hoping it's because of their gender. Besides, they rely on their mother more than on us in the first year or so anyway. I mean, Jo's planning to breastfeed them isn't she?"

"I think so, yes."

"So, don't worry if their first word isn't Daddy then."

"Yeah, just try for the next bunch of monsters and hope for a different result." Nate says with a wide grin. "And hope that these monsters turn out to be boys because it's time for some testosterone in the household."

I smirk, "Josephine wishes for boys."

"Really? You know the will can move mountains. Perhaps it can manipulate genders as well."

George rolls his eyes at Nate's words. "You can't foresee a gender."

"Well then just try until you get a boy. Mum and Dad only had to-"

"Okay that's enough." I interrupt him. My blonde brother-in-law can be such a chatter box. He looks like his father from head to toe but when he opens his mouth he is nothing like him.

"As exciting as being a father is, it's just as important to be a husband for your wife." George reminds me. "Jo will gift you the greatest gift there is, but she's still your woman. Don't just see her as the mother of your children once they are born. It's an advice my Dad gave me."

Sadly, my father will never give me such an advice. I gulp down the golfball in my throat and nod. I can't turn to my father for advice but I have four brother-in-laws and one father-in-law that can be a helping hand whenever I need them to.

"Have you talked about names yet?" Nate's question rips me out of my thoughts.

I shake my head, "We still don't know what we're having so the options are sort of endless."

"Do you think it's going to be boys or girls?"

I shrug, "I was so eager to find out in the beginning of her pregnancy but now... now I don't really care. All I want is healthy children."

"Well, I want boys." Nate says. "Just to break the Bolton curse."

I chuckle, "Josephine said that as well."

"There is no Bolton curse." George insists.

"Yes, there is." Nate disagrees with the future King. "Every Bolton woman gives birth to a girl first. It happened to Della. It happened to Rory and it even happened to Char."

"No, Rory would have given birth to a boy if she hadn't lost him."

I frown at George's words. Rory had a miscarriage?

"It was a boy?" Nate asks him.

George shrugs before looking at me. "Rory suffered from a miscarriage when she played in the Wimbledon finals. That's the reason why she broke down after receiving the trophy."

I remember the headlines from that day. After speculations about her being anorexic, a statement was released to inform it was just low sugar levels. Rory was the tennis starlet at that time. She broke records after records. She even won a Golden Grand Slam that year. Rory was pregnant at just sixteen? "She was pregnant?"

George nods, "It wasn't planned and she didn't know as she was just a little over four weeks along... I stayed with her in the hospital for that night... she dreamed of a boy." He sighs heavily, "It would have been a boy with her blue eyes and my blonde hair. So, no Bolton curse." He says to Nate.

"No Bolton curse." He agrees with a nod.

"I'm sorry for your loss." I say to George. "I had no idea."

"Of course you hadn't. We have countless family secrets." Nate says to me with waving hands. "It's started with Grandpa's trading in Mexico to save Sasha and ends with Rory's secret miscarriage while she wrote tennis history."

I lean back against the oak tree. I married a mysterious woman and her family secrets. Family secrets are dirty and dangerous but Bolton secrets always have the protection of the family at its core.

Everything they have done and will do is for their family.

The worst secret my family had was living in Rocinha because we were poor. That's nothing even against the smallest secret the Bolton Family has.

"It's bloody hard to be a Bolton, isn't it?" Nate teases me with a wink.

I shake my head, "It's not hard at all. It's just connected to lots of layers that I don't really understand yet. It's the same with being a member of the British Royal Family." I look at George. "You were born into this. Rory, Nate and Jo grew up with you and your siblings, so they know their way around. They know when to curtsy, when to do small talk with other members of the firm... they know the rules."

"You will know the rules as well." My blonde brother-in-law promises me. "And by the whispers of the courtiers it sounds like you and Jo are doing just fine."

Of course the staff are talking about us. The walls of Hampton Court Palace have eyes and ears just like Josephine told me. "Really?"

Nate nods in agreement, "Who knows maybe next year you'll get a royal tour. A proper royal tour."

George chuckles, "But don't expect Australia and New Zealand. That's reserved for newlyweds. It's the most prestigious royal tour and usually lasts for two weeks."

"I think Josephine and I will stick to visiting Commonwealth countries without making a big fuss."

"When's your next trip planned?"

"Two weeks after Easter. We'll visit the Caribbean to launch the Commonwealth Health Care. We'll start in Barbados and travel over to the other islands. It's going to be similar to Doctors Without Borders But it will focus on those who can't afford paying for a health insurance."

"That sounds really great!" George's brown eyes sparkle.

"Eventually we want to expand it to Africa and one day it's going to be available throughout ever Commonwealth country."

"How long will you stay in the Caribbean?"

"Three weeks are planned right now but we have to might expand that."

Nate looks at the puppies, "We'll take care of the dogs." He offers me.

I smile, "Thank you. My Mama and brothers will move into Chestnut House to watch the kittens and puppies but I'm sure they're going to want to spend some time with you guys. Especially Johna."

Nate grins at me, "I'm going to teach Johna how to teach the puppies some tricks. Perhaps Caio is going to want to join."

"He's pretty busy with his first girlfriend. Probably too busy to care."

"He's got a girlfriend?"

I nod, "Her name is Claire. She's a schoolmate of his. Ironically, she lives in the house Josephine and I viewed before we decided to build Chestnut House here."

"Another sign that your destiny is here and not in Kensington Gardens." George gives me a genuine smile.

I look at the puppies. "I have a feeling these are part of that destiny as well."

"It's still hard to believe Jo didn't argue with you when you brought these home."

"It was spontaneous but I couldn't say no to any of them. I definitely want to become theIr Royal Patron when it's time but before we are allowed to announce anything I want to learn more about animal shelters. Not just by visiting it regularly but also by helping out. They have all sorts of animals there and need all the hands they get. I need to experience it first hand in order to know how to properly help. I want to use the platform I have very wisely." Josephine and I have to think three times before doing anything anyway and I want to take my time in order to avoid any mistakes. We'll be judged jo matter what but at least this way the critics are easier to shake off.

George and Nate nod in agreement.

"Perhaps next time you'll bring home chickens." George chuckles.

"I promised my wife to not bring any more animals home." I lick my lips, "But I wouldn't mind having chickens living here in the parks somewhere."

"Buckingham has its own chickens. I've been asking for some for some time now but... I guess it's not the right time to ask for anything right now." George shrugs. With Rory and him punished to teach at Oxford and Char and Nate prohibited from any royal tour within the next year, it really is not the right time to ask for anything. They're in a vulnerable position because Char wanted to get us into the family.

But I guess even if you're the future King you can't do anything you want.

"Maybe in a year or so." I mumble.

"Does Jo snore yet?" Nate asks after a moment of silent.

I stare at him in confusion. "What? No. Your sister doesn't snore!"

"Yet. That's part of the Bolton curse. The real Bolton curse." George winks at me. "It started with Gabriella and went all the way to Charlotte."

I frown, "You mean Bolton blood makes the pregnant carrier snore?"

"Trust me, it will happen sooner or later. I didn't believe Wlad when he told me that but when he mentioned Della and Sasha mentioned Ana... and Troy said that Gabriella snored with all pregnancies... and Rory started to snore in the 28th week... I knew I had to warn Nate. It was only fair."

"He gifted me the best earplugs available on the market." Nate confirms with a grin on his lips. "And they came very in handy when Char started snoring in the 15th week."

"Josephine's in the 26th week and there has been any snoring. Maybe the Rodriguez blood is a cure to the curse then."

Nate chuckles before placing his hand on my shoulder, "I hope so. I really, really do."

Josephine

I didn't realise how much I missed my sisters. Stuffing our bellies with Mum's delicious food, watching old movies in our theatre and playing tennis on the tennis court was exactly what I needed.

Oh and these at-home spa treatments that we give each other.

I brush a bright pink face mask on my little sister's face. We've decided to end our girls day with a little spa treatment. "So, have you tried out the toys I gifted you yet?" I ask Rory as I finish her face mask. I'm wearing a bright green one while my sister chose a bright pink one with pink clay.

"I think it's not for us." Rory says after a moment.

"George's not into it?"

Rory shakes her head. "His words when he saw the flogger were where is my wife. He was shocked to say the least. He likes for things to stay... traditional."

"That's quite a bummer. How about ice and melted chocolate then to spice things up?"

Rory shrugs as we walk out of the bathroom, "Maybe."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." I say with all sympathy. Just thinking about Oliver and me giving up our toys makes me utterly sad. Because it would mean we had lost ourselves.

We join Della, Ana and Mum on the big couch in the living room. My twins start kicking the minute I relax on the couch.

"Do you know the sexes?" Della asks me as her navy eyes notice the kicks.

I shake my head, "Ask Ana. She knows everything."

"You don't want to find out?" Rory asks me.

I place my hands on the bump and can feel how they kick against my palms. "No. At least not for now."

"I couldn't be so patient." Della says with a shrug. "I wanted to know as quickly as possible when I was pregnant. It made everything easier. Wlad knew what clothes and books to buy."

We all chuckle at her words. Wlad went into a bit of a manic phase when Della was approaching her due date. He bought so many baby books that they had to turn one of their formal living rooms into a second library.

"It hopefully is going to keep Char from throwing me a baby shower. I told her off more times than I can count but I know how stubborn she is."

Ana and Mum grin at me.

"But I do not want a baby shower. Period." I tell my family. "No gifts. No stupid games. No horrendous cake. No. Baby. Shower."

All family members hold up their manicured hands. "Okay." They say out of one mouth.

"Good and now onto the really important stuff: Please tell me my sex life won't be over after giving birth!"

This earns me another laughter from my family.

Della leans forward, "Trust me, it will be different but not worse."

"The first time might be a little uncomfortable though." Rory tells me.

"In case you haven't noticed, I am not a virgin anymore." I point out.

My sisters and Mum laugh out loud.

"No, what she meant was the first time after giving birth." Ana clarifies.

I frown, "What do you mean? Is sex going to be unpleasant? Won't I have orgasms anymore? Oliver's not going to find me sexy?!" Horrific images start flooding my mind. I am going to die without ever using the green room in our house!

"No! No, I mean look at Mum. Obviously sex happened after I came into this world." Della shrugs. "It's going to take a while to find your groove."

"Find our groove? We didn't have to find anything ever!" I start panicking and look down at the bump. These two are the end of my sex life without it having really started yet!

"Jo," Ana grabs my hand and I look at her. "Sex is still going to be fun and you most definitely will enjoy trying for a sibling. Just because things changed with us doesn't mean it will with you as well."

I look at Mum, "How was it for you?" She made seven siblings despite giving birth once.

The woman who gifted us all life shows me a small smile. "Trust me, sex is still mind blowing. No matter how many kids you will have. No matter what size you are. No matter how old you are."

I breathe out and lean back against the couch, "Thank God!" It calms me immensely, knowing that sex is still happening in my Mum's age. "Wait, what about grandma Vicky and Di? Do they still have sex?" My grandmas are in their seventies but still great in shape. They live most of the year on exotic places, sipping cocktails by the beaches of the most luxurious islands.

I don't want to imagine them having sex with strangers but I do want to know if it's still possible.

Simply because I know I will still want my husband when we're in our seventies.

"I don't know. I haven't spoken to either of them about it. I don't want to think about my Mum having sex." My Mum grimaces at her words before shivering. "But I'm glad we have such an open relationship about it."

"Not as open as you think." Rory whispers while looking at me.

"Speaking of sex, there's something I want to talk to you guys about." Mum chimes in before I can ask any questions.

"Is that why you invited us all over?" Della asks her.

"Yes. Last year, your father found a knot in my left boob." Mum starts telling.

My heart stops beating as I can feel how the blood freezes in my veins. Daddy found a knot in Mummy's breast?! A knot?!

"You have cancer?!" My high pitched question rings through the silent living room.

"It doesn't always mean cancer." Della's harsh answer calms me down. "Was it cancerous?"

To our relief Mum shakes her head. "No but I had it removed a few days before Christmas."

"You had a surgery and didn't inform us?!" Rory asks full of anger.

"Your Dad and me decided to keep it between us. I am only telling you this because I want you to check your boobs regularly. And I want your husbands to know what to look for whenever they touch you, too."

"Wait, you cooked and baked despite having surgery a few days prior Christmas Eve?!" Della's navy eyes widen. "Didn't you think of how dangerous it could have been?!"

"You're okay?" I ask her with tears in my eyes. I don't know if it's the hormones or the fact that my Mum had to live in suspense for a while.

My Mum embraces me as tightly as possible. "I'm okay, Sweetie." She rubs circles on my back.

"Is that why Daddy's doing this juice cleanse shit?" I ask her.

My Mum chuckles, "I don't know. You have to ask him."

Of course he's doing it because of her. One scary knot is enough for a lifetime.

I vow to check my boobs regularly.

And check on Oliver's as well.

---

Oliver

I run my fingers through Silverbell's long fluffy fur as I wait for my wife to come home. The puppies are sleeping in their crates.

After a long grooming session, Silverbell is laying on my stomach, purring so much that I can feel the vibrations in my body. Pebbles is warming my naked feet by laying on them. I am so grateful they feel so comfortable at their new home.

These are the moments when I'm at home alone and I have to pinch myself. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd marry such a wonderful woman, start a family, build our dream home, share this home with five furry family members and hold a royal title. The title enables me to do charitable work as a job - and travel the world while doing so.

I'm living my dream life.

Silverbell starts licking my fingers, showing gratitude in her very own way. She and her sister are the most cuddliest cats I've ever come across. They love getting attention, whether that's by playing with them or grooming their long fur or simply laying on me.

I can't imagine this house without them or their puppy-siblings.

Suddenly, Silverbell's long ears shoot up. She's heard something that's out of reach for me. A moment later Josephine opens the door and the three Dalmatians start running through the living room and over to my wife.

They missed her as much as I did.

Silverbell and Pebbles leave me within the blink of an eye to greet her as well. She's a total magnet.

"Could you give me a hand?"

I look up at my wife's question and see that she's carrying six large bags from Selfridges that are full. Did my wife go shopping? "Of course." I get up from the sofa and rush over to my wife. "What's in them?"

"Maternity clothes from my Mum and Della. I drove to Della after brunch and she gave me some clothes as well." Josephine explains as I get them out of her hands.

They're quite heavy. "How was the brunch?"

"I'm going to take a shower. Can you put these away from me?" She turns on her heel without waiting for my answer.

I stare at her as she walks down the breezeway that leads to the flowing staircase which connects to our master wing.

Something is wrong. Something happened.

I pick up the bags and follow her. As I enter the master bedroom the sound of the running water fills my ears. I place the bags on the ottoman that's standing at the end of the kin sized bed before walking into the en-suite bathroom.

My wife's standing under the rain shower head and for a moment I watch how the water runs down her curves. As always, my eyes stop at the bump for a moment. Our twins are thriving. Josephine picks up the blue loofah and pours shower gel on it. She holds it under the running water for a moment before she starts washing her body. The foam leaves long strokes as it slowly glides down her body.

She turns around and spots me standing in the open doorway, staring at her. Her sky blue eyes burn into mine. I don't have to raise my voice to ask my question. When she shakes her head, I not only know she understood me but that she's in fact not okay.

I walk over to her to open the glass door of the shower but she stops me.

"Could you unpack the bags, please?" She asks over the running water.

She doesn't want me close to her and the realisation is like a mental slap. "Okay... sure."

"Thank you." She gives me a small smile before turning around to wash and condition her long chestnut curls.

It takes everything in me to turn around and leave her but I do because that's what she wants... and I learned to give her space.

I pick up the bags from the ottoman in our bedroom and walk into our walk-in wardrobe. I place the bags on the island and start emptying them out. They are filled with all sorts of maternity clothes: jeans, shirts, sweaters, dresses, skirts, leggings and even bras. The fact that my wife rather wants to wear her mother and sister's old maternity wear than buy new clothes shows how she really is. Even before she was born she was already a billionaire, yet she doesn't spend her money mindlessly. She likes to recycle clothes, despite living in a mansion with me. Of course she has designer clothes for her royal wardrobe and most of them are bespoke but that's her uniform. It's the same for me.

The whole island is covered in clothes and I wonder how long they are going to fit her bump. But then I remember that both Della and her Mum have had twins so the clothes are rather big anyway.

And when all fails she's going to wear my shirts at home and on walks with the dogs, if she doesn't want to go shopping.

"Just leave them there. I'm going to put them away later." My wife's voice slices through the silence in the room.

I turn around and stare at her. She put on a blue bathrobe and there's a towel turban on her head. Her blue eyes are a little red and although I know it could be from shampoo going into her eyes, I know it's not. She cried.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

She walks over to me without saying a word and wraps her arms around me. I automatically embrace her and rest my chin on her head as she listens to my heartbeat. I expected her to cry but she doesn't. She just holds on to me.

And I hold her.

After an eternity, she sighs. "My Mum told us about a knot in her boob. Daddy found it last year and she had it removed after getting a biopsy. It wasn't cancerous - thank god it wasn't. But it made me realise how little time we have on this earth and that we should use it wisely."

"And check your boobs regularly." I add.

She leans back in my arms so she can look at me. "Yes. I checked mine under the shower and I was shaking all over while doing so. I can't imagine my life without my Mum or Dad... and I can't even begin to imagine how you feel going through your life without your father." She licks her full lips with tears in her eyes. "I mean, the pain you feel on a daily basis has to be..." She trails off, lost at words.

I gulp at her words as my throat tightens.

"I have my Mum to ask for advice and Nate had our Dad when he became a father for the first time. But you only have your Mum and I can imagine you have lots of things you want to talk about that you cannot ask your Mama."

My heart feels heavy at her words. She's worrying too much about me. I cup her face and fondle her cheeks with my thumbs. I wipe away the tears that start rolling down her cheeks. "I miss my father too much too put into words and in times like these there's nothing more I want than to talk to him but, Tesoro, I think you have forgotten that you have gifted me brother-in-laws that are full of wisdom and advice."

Her blue eyes widen, "Even Nate?"

I chuckle. Only she can make me laugh in a situation like this. "Even Nate." I run my thumb over her full lips. "I'm okay."

"You are?"

I can't turn back time and tell my Papa to not go shopping the day when he did. I can't tell him to take a different route or not buy anything in order to not get robbed and shot... I can only live in the moment, knowing my Papa watches over his family. "Yes." I ensure her with a smile on my lips.

"Okay..." she mirrors my smile.

"And to calm you down, I have spent some quality time with George and Nate today. They did give me some advice and we talked about our wives' pregnancies." I kiss her softly.

Josephine runs her fingers down my back. "I love you and I wish I could have met Carlos."

Me, too. "I have a feeling God and him made sure we stood in line behind one another in that café in Battersea on this day." I whisper.

My wife wraps her fingers around my wrists, "That's a very nice thought to have."

For those kind of words, I love her so much. I smirk. "I love you, Tesoro."

Josephine lifts my left hand from her face and places a kiss on my wedding band. "I love you, too. More than you will ever know."

It's a promise that goes straight to my heart.

"How about we go on a family holiday after Easter Sunday? Let's take your Mama and brothers with us and sail through the Mediterranean Sea with Liberty before we fly to the Caribbean." She suggests. "We've got two weeks before we start working there. Johna and Caio are on school holiday anyway. I want to show you the world like I promised."

Gabriella's news shook her to the core. "We have our whole lives to see the world together, Tesoro."

"Let's start with the Mediterranean Sea. The Spanish island, Italy, Greece... maybe we can squeeze in a few days at our French vineyards as well."

I wrap my arms around her hips and pull her as close to me as possible. She needs her family to feel safe and sound again. "Okay."

My wife's smile nearly makes my heart burst. "Okay."

---

I twist one of her long chestnut hair strands around my forefinger as we both recover from the sex marathon. The blurry light of the stars and moon that come in through the skylight above us illuminate my wife in the most beautiful way. Her naked pregnant body is flawless. My eyes stop at her right wrist. Marks of the silk braided ropes we used have remained but I like the pattern.

In fact, it turns me on.

"You know, these will be the last times we can fuck like this. After I've given birth everything down there will be... worn out."

I chuckle at her choice of words. "Worn out?"

"Don't be so naive and think that pushing two babies out of my pussy won't change it. It will. Big time. And it might never be the same! I obviously won't be as tight as I still am right now and everything will loosen up and-"

"I didn't fell in love with your pussy so I'd say we're good. I love your body as it is and as it will be - worn out or not, to use your words."

"Well, I fell in love with your cock and your ability to use it."

"No, you didn't." I call her bluff.

She sighs, "No, I didn't. I fell in love with your sharp tongue, with your ability and need to dominate and protect me... with your green eyes that change colour when we fuck... with your lips and that blonde hair of yours. I fell in love with your stubbornness and your pride. I fell in love with the feelings you give me without saying one single word... but that cock of yours played a big role in all of that as well."

She always makes me speechless when she voices her feelings for me so clearly.

Josephine runs her left fingertips over my abs.

I grab her left hand and kiss her wedding and engagement ring. "I love you, too."

"But you might love me a little less when my body has given birth. Everything looks plump and beautiful right now but once they're out everything will be soft, squishy and... worn out."

"I loved you when you were not pregnant, I love you being pregnant and I will love you postpartum. I will definitely love getting you pregnant again." I whisper to her as I fondle her left cheek.

My wife sighs, "I like hard fucking but once they're born my body might not crave that any more. My sisters told me today that the first time after birth might be uncomfortable - Rory even said it could hurt. I enjoy pain but not that kind of pain. What if we can't have sex like we had right now? What if our green room stays unused? What if I won't enjoy sex anymore after my body went through the trauma that is giving birth?"

So, that's the real issue here. She's afraid of change.

"Sex has always been a big part of my life ever since I lost my virginity. I was attracted to your body before I saw what's inside the shell. I am a very superficial person."

"You were a very superficial person. And that only applies to the men you wanted to bed before me." I interrupt her. She's no longer superficial.

"Yeah but what if giving birth will change everything?"

"It already changed everything. You changed. I changed. Our love created them, it created this change." I run my thumb over her full lips. "We constantly change and evolve. Your body has changed in order to grow them and it will change once they've left their safe space. But this doesn't mean the change is bad. Your body will never be the same, but I will love it even more. I will love every stretch mark, every spot of cellulite and even your uneven boobs if they end up being uneven. I already love your body because you gifted me the greatest gift there is. You made me a father. You gave me purpose. You and your mind blowing body."

"And what if I won't love myself? What if I will despise my body despite what it did? I am used to seeing a toned body when I look in the mirror. But now I see how my body is growing two humans. Everything is getting bigger and wider. I just don't want to lose myself."

"Your sisters and Mum didn't lose themselves after giving birth so I highly doubt this is going to happen to you."

She sighs again, "I don't want to turn into a person who despises sex."

"Tesoro, I very highly doubt this could ever happen." I try to keep a straight face and bite on my tongue in order to not laugh out loud at the absurdity of her words.

"But if it does-"

"If it does I will drag you into our green room and fuck that out of you, Tesoro." I promise her.

"You will?" She asks me with a small smile on her lips. Her sky blue eyes shine.

I kiss her passionately. "Always. I will always safe you from loosing yourself."

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Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!

Please review!

Stay healthy and safe wherever you are in the world!

In gratitude,

Nicole