Everleigh held Parker's hand as she walked with him out to the gardens. She knew his outdoor trucks would be waiting for him, she just felt bad for the gardeners who had to clean up after his mess.

"Out! Out!" Parker whined.

"I know, we're almost there," Everleigh said as she let go of his hand and let him run ahead. How does he have so much energy? She wondered. She was constantly exhausted between work and raising him.

"And where are you going, lil' man?" a male voice came from ahead. Everleigh looked ahead and saw Samuel Heisenberg stopping in front of Parker. Samuel was tall and quite muscular. He had dark teal eyes with a nice golden tan. He wore a suit, but instead of a blazer he wore a black leather jacket, like he had during their first meeting.

"No!" Parker shrieked as he turned and ran towards Everleigh. Everleigh chuckled as she picked up her son. "Mama!" Parker said as he leaned into her touch.

"Sorry, he's not normally like this," Everleigh said as she bounced Parker in her arms.

"That's all right," Samuel said as he smiled down at Parker who had buried himself in Everleigh's chest.

"If you're not busy you can join us in the gardens," Everleigh said. "It would be nice to have an adult around."

Samuel smiled, amused, "Of course, sweetheart. I was hoping I'd run into you."

"Well, I'm glad you did," Everleigh said with a smile. The pair walked to the gardens, specifically to the sandbox that had been set up for Parker to play in.

"Down!" Parker shrieked as the sandbox came into sight.

Everleigh sighed and placed Parker on the ground and smiled as he went running towards the sandbox. Everleigh sat on a bench and Samuel sat down beside her, sitting close to the Princess.

"You know, I don't know how you do it, raising Parker on your own and keeping up with your work," Samuel said.

Everleigh nodded, "It's hard, he's a little handful."

"Well, luckily for you, you won't have to do it alone much longer." Samuel said as he wrapped an arm around Everleigh.

Everleigh smiled, she couldn't wait to find a partner from her Selection, but she wasn't sure that it was going to be the cop from Clermont.

"You're right, I just have to hang on a little while longer." Everleigh said as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "You know, you're supposed to be in a suit." She teased as she poked his leather jacket.

Samuel grinned, "I don't do rules."

"Aren't you a cop?" Everleigh asked with a grin. "Isn't it kind of your job to enforce rules?"

"Technically, yes, but that doesn't mean I have to follow them," Samuel said with a wink. "I have a feeling your life is full of rules."

Everleigh smiled, "It is, but I am the Princess. It comes with certain rules and expectations."

"Well, if you ever want a break from those rules and expectations, you know where to find me," Samuel said.

Everleigh smiled, "I'll keep that in mind."

The two spent the rest of the afternoon talking while Parker played with his toys in the sandbox. Eventually, it came time for dinner and the two parted ways. Everleigh smiled as she took Parker's hand and led him to get cleaned up for dinner.

The next day Everleigh had a date with Miles, the twenty-year-old teacher from Lakedon. He wore huge silver frames that blocked his icy blue eyes with brown hair with a slim build. He had suggested that they cook dinner for their date and Everleigh had agreed. She had never cooked before, there was never a need since there were always cooks within the palace. But she was excited to try it and assumed that Miles knew what he was doing.

"So, what are we making?" Everleigh asked as she tied her blonde locks back into a messy bun.

"I was thinking we could start off with something simple," Miles replied. "Chicken, rice and brussels sprouts?"

Everleigh nodded, "I love chicken, it's my favourite."

"I know, that's why I picked it. This chicken is really good, it's my mom's recipe." Miles said as he put an apron on. He put one on Everleigh who smiled as he tied it around her waist.

"Did your mom teach you how to cook?" Everleigh asked.

Miles nodded, "Yeah, she wanted me to be able to take care of myself." He said as he went around the kitchen gathering ingredients. The kitchen staff had left them with half of the kitchen for themselves and left them to their own devices.

"All right, so first we gotta preheat the oven," Miles said.

"I don't know how to do that," Everleigh admitted with a laugh.

"That's why I'm here to teach you," Miles said with a wink.

Everleigh smiled and followed along with Miles. He showed her how to prepare the veggies while he worked on breading the chicken.

"So, you're a teacher, right?" Everleigh asked.

"Yes, I teach English and I honestly love it. My favourite part is when I see a student's eyes light up when they just get it." Miles replied. "And you're the Director of Social Services, at eighteen!" He exclaimed. "That's really impressive."

Everleigh grinned, "Thanks, I'm really happy Sawyer gave me the position."

"You deserve it, you've dedicated your entire life to helping out the poor and underprivileged in our nation. And you're doing an excellent job." Miles praised.

"Sometimes I feel like I haven't earned it," Everleigh admitted. "I mean, it's not like I went to school for it or anything."

"But you have valuable life experience that makes you qualified for it," Miles said. "I'm sure your brother recognized that and that's why he gave you the position."

"I guess so," Everleigh said, sounding unconvinced.

"I know so, you're perfect for the job and you're doing amazing so far," Miles said. He had always had the biggest crush on Everleigh. She was always so pretty and sparkled like no one else.

"I'm not that great!" Everleigh said with a laugh. "I'm just doing the best I can at advocating for the poor, which is easy to do from my palace, but I don't know what they really need."

"Why not ask them?" Miles suggested.

Everleigh stared at him for a moment, "You're a genius! I could do polls to see what they really need and how their government could serve them better!"

Miles smiled, glad to be of help to the princess, "Glad I could help."

"You were a big help," Everleigh said with a smile.

Miles finished breading the chicken as Everleigh finished preparing the vegetables. Once everything was cooking Everleigh and Miles chatted as they waited for the food to finish cooking.

"I hope it turns out okay," Everleigh said as she watched the oven closely.

"I think you're a better cook than you think you are." Miles said with a smile.

"Don't say that now, we haven't even tasted it!" Everleigh teased.

"Well, we're about to," Miles said as he pulled the chicken out of the oven. He set Everleigh to work stirring the rice as he finished the brussels sprouts. Finally, the moment of truth came. They sat at the kitchen table and Everleigh took a tentative bite out of her chicken, and it wasn't as good as the food she was used to, but it was still really good. She found that she thoroughly enjoyed her meal as well as Miles's company. They had ice cream for desert and when they were finished, they went their separate ways. Everleigh went to her room to get some work done, since June had volunteered to take Parker for the evening.

While Everleigh enjoyed her dinner date the dining hall was unusually quiet. Sure, the Selected were having their own quiet conversations. June and Sawyer, on the other hand had hardly spoken a word. June was busy eating her meal and keeping Parker occupied while Sawyer was nursing his glass of wine.

"So, how was your day?" June asked, in an attempt to fill the silence. The night following Sawyer's announcement that he was infertile he had slept alone, and he had done so ever since. She reached out for his hand, which he pulled away.

"Fine," Sawyer replied. He glanced at Parker with a scowl and June frowned, this wasn't like him, normally he was ecstatic to see nephew.

June sighed as she focused her attention on Parker. They had both agreed to help Everleigh with him during her Selection, and it hardly felt fair that all of the responsibility had fallen to her. This also wasn't the way she pictured her marriage going so early on. She could feel Sawyer slipping away from her and she didn't like it. She reached out for his hand again but he moved it before she could hold it.

The rest of the meal went on in uncomfortable silence and June was glad when the meal had come to an end. She wiped off Parker's face then scooped him up and walked towards Everleigh's room. She knocked then stepped inside and found Everleigh working at her desk.

"How was he?" Everleigh asked.

"He was fine," June replied as she held onto Parker's hand.

Everleigh smiled, "Good." She said as she stood. She scooped Parker up into her arms. "Hi mister," she cooed as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Mommy!" he shrieked as he hugged her.

"Thanks again for watching him," Everleigh said as she held Parker close.

"You're welcome," June said as she forced a smile. She felt envious watching Everleigh with her son, knowing that she would never have children of her own hurt. "I should probably get going."

Everleigh nodded, "Of course, you and Sawyer have to try for kids of your own." Everleigh said with a wink.

"Right," June said softly. She left the room and went to the gardens, the one place in the palace she knew she would be alone at this time. Tears sprang to her eyes and she let them fall freely. She desperately wanted children, but she knew it was never going to happen. Sawyer couldn't and there was nothing they could do about it.