The Ambassador Ch 9

I opened the door the third time the person knocked and was met by Marlee, holding Nic in her arms.

She quickly handed the baby over to me and pushed past me into the house, "I got no sleep last night."

I smiled at her, "Neither did I."

She stopped short and turned, "Really?"

"Really."

"Sit. Tell."

I laughed as Ben came out, his hair wet and wrapped in a towel, "She doesn't have to tell you anything, Marlee."

He kissed Nic's cheek before giving me a passionate kiss, "I have to get ready for work, are you good with him?"

"Yeah, we're good."

He kissed me again before leaving.

"Wow," Marlee said, sitting on the couch. She smiled jokingly at me, "Are you already trying to get pregnant?"

"Well. I just wanted us to go through it together now."

Her smile faltered, "What do you mean?"

I sat down next to her, "I was thinking, during the twenty minutes Ben got of sleep last night, and I came to a conclusion. You aren't much of a planner, as far as stealing someone's baby to see if you two are ready for a kid. But you are a type of person to get nervous and to steal someone's baby to calm your nerves when you realized you were pregnant."

Her hand was immediately on my knee, "Please don't mention it to Carter. I haven't told him yet. I just wanted to see, you know, before he knew if he would be a good father."

"And?" I put Nic down on the couch between us on his back. His fingers immediately wrapped around mine.

Marlee smiled, "He was fantastic."

My smile faltered, "Marlee…I'm so sorry."

She looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"You should have felt more than comfortable with telling me. I'm so sorry. I've been so wrapped up in me that-."

"Don't do that, America. You deserved to get better, and you deserved to get better in peace. Don't feel sorry about doing what you needed to do."

I couldn't look at her, but I nodded either way.

"At least we know what was missing in your pills."

I looked up at her, a questioning look on my face, but Marlee just smiled mischeviously at me, "A good orgasm."

"Marlee!"

"Seriously, I haven't seen you this love-struck since your honeymoon. What did he do last night?"

"He…well…."

"Tell me."

"He found a new hole to use."

Marlee's look was questioning.

"Marlee. A hole."

She gasped, her hand going to her mouth as she laughed, "Isn't that painful?"

"At first it's a little uncomfortable, but then after that passes…"

"Yeah?"

"Life changing."

Marlee laughed again.

"Marlee, I came at least seven times last night."

That shut her up, "Holy shit."

"Indeed."

"What brought that on?"

"Well, I wasn't wearing panties. And for some reason, that set him off." Of course, I tried to get the sound of ripping panties out of my head. I had not meant to provoke Ben when I dressed yesterday. It was only because of Maxon that I couldn't wear them.

"Well, then." Marlee said, "If that's all, I need to go on a panty strike."

"(*&*)?

I knew the energy and the needs well, and welcomed them completely after the bitter depression and emotions that came after Nic's birth.

"Are you sure?" Ben asked.

"I'm positive."

Ben was in awe and he knelt in front of me, before kissing my stomach, "Another baby?"

I smiled, "Yeah. Another baby."

(*&*)?

That morning, we didn't get out of bed for a long time. The hormones that came with the pregnancy had kicked in full force and Ben was busy enjoying them.

But this pregnancy was different from the last. Along with the hormones came intense morning sickness that I wasn't used to. It got to the point that it was understood that I wouldn't be into the office until about midday. The aches and pains came back with a vengeance and it seemed like my whole body was rebelling against me.

"Are you okay?" Ben said, smoothing my hair into a ponytail as I knelt near the toilet.

I wiped my mouth, "I'm fine. I think it's done."

"That's what you said the last time."

I got annoyed quickly, "Well, now I'm telling you it's done now. Happy?"

Ben straightened, "Don't give me that attitude, Ami."

And just like that, with that sarcastic order and his hands on his hips, I was on fire again. And Ben understood the look on my face, "Again? Bambino, I have to get to work eventually."

Yet, he led me to the bed and I had him out before he could say anything else.

"It's your baby making me feel this way. And don't pretend you don't love it. It's the best sex we have."

His mouth fell open, "Bambino."

"Ben. Fuck your wife."

He swung me onto the bed and I laughed as he crawled after me.

(*&*)?

"Okay. Let's take a look." The doctor said, smearing the cold gel onto my stomach. She took the wand and started moving it around on my stomach, "How have you been feeling?"

"Pregnant," I said.

The doctor laughed, "I meant emotionally, although I supposed pregnant can seem like an emotion sometimes."

"I'm good. A lot more energetic."

"Energetic?"

From beside me, Ben grinned, "She means horny."

The doctor laughed, moving the wand again, "That's pretty typical. Have you noticed any differences between the two pregnancies?"
"There's been a lot more throwing up this time. And I'm showing a lot earlier."

The doctor nodded before squinting at the screen, "Well, this is probably the reason."

She turned the screen for me to see, "Those little bundles right there? Those are your babies."

"Babies?"

"Mrs. Glowdonio. You're having twins."

(*&*)?

"Are you ready to see your babies today?"

Ben was ecstatic, "We'll be able to figure out the sex today, right?"

"If you all want to."

Ben and I looked at each other, "Yeah, we'd like to know."

"Alright. Shouldn't be too hard to find those two now."

The doctor waved the wand around on my enlarged stomach, quickly finding the two people growing inside me, "There they are."

She turned the screen and my heart fell. On the screen, the two babies had their backs to each other, like they were watching out for each other. They weren't tangled up with each other like Ben and I always were. They looked like Maxon and I. Always defending each other. And that's when I knew that the twins weren't Ben's. They were Maxon's.

"A girl and a boy. Bambino, did you hear that?"

I blinked, trying to clear the revelation off my face, "Wow."

"She's so excited she doesn't know what to do."

(*&*)?

My last trimester was a mess of anxiety and stress. Ben, of course picked up on it, but thought it was just the effect of expecting two babies instead of one. But, I was constantly debating, constantly worrying. And when the babies came, my worst nightmare came true.

The first baby that came out, could have looked like Ben with her dark hair and dark eyes, had her brother not looked exactly like Maxon. The people in the room, my family, Marlee, her new baby, Nicoletta, and the rest of Ben's family didn't seem to notice or at least care. They were ecstatic to accept the babies into the family, happy that they were born healthy and beautiful. The only one that seemed to notice that the babies did not reflect their supposed father was the father himself.

When the doctor put the baby boy, now washed off and his blonde hair now gleaming in the sunlight, into Ben's arms, his eyes immediately went to mine. And I knew that he knew.

(*&*)?

The car was silent, except the gurgling of the babies. Ben held the baby girl, the girl that didn't have a name yet, and stared out the window. I looked down at the boy in my hands, Nic in his seat next to me.

"Was it good?"

"Ben."

"No, America. I deserve to know. A man fucked my wife and got not one but two babies out of it. I deserve to know. Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes. Is that what you wanted to hear? Yes, I did." If he wanted to know, then he would know. Even if it tore me apart.

"What did you do? I'm assuming it was during the ball. Where did it happen?"

"In my office."

"In your office?"

"On the desk. And against the door."

"Against the door?" he scoffed, "How could I forget. You always wanted to do it against the door."

I took a deep breath, trying not to cry.

"Did you get on your knees for him?" I shuddered a sob, "America. Did you get on your knees for another man?"

"Yes."

"Jesus, America."

I turned further towards him and put my hand on his knee. He pulled it away, "Ben. I'm so sorry. You know. You know what those pills did to me. I didn't know what I was doing."

"Bullshit!" his sudden scream startled the babies awake. They started crying and Ben roughly gave me the baby girl. I tried to calm them both down, one in each arm, "You can't use your illness as an excuse for cheating and ruining our relationship."

As the car pulled up to our house, we stayed perfectly quiet, the tears dripping steadily down my face, "Ben."

My voice was a whisper, but it sounded like a bomb. And it pulled Ben into action.

He opened the door, "I'm packing a bag and staying at the palace for now."

"Ben!"

"Don't call me that!"

I started crying more, "Benedict. Please."

"You need to accept the consequences of your actions, America. Don't call me, don't try to find me. You are still my wife, but you don't get any of the benefits of it. You will act like a proper princess, you will still look like the perfect wife. Is that understood?"

I tried to keep my arms from shaking, even as my shoulders raised up and down, "Yes. Yes, I do."

He left, closing the door behind him.

I stayed in the car, trying to collect myself when the driver opened the door, "Ma'am? Would you like help getting into the house?"

I realized that I was grossly outnumbered by children. Nic was just beginning to walk and couldn't possibly walk to the door. My hands were already full with the twins and I couldn't even open the door to my own home.

"Please."

The driver smiled at me, helping me into the house.

I found Benedict in our room after I had set the twins in their cribs. Nic sat on the floor in the babies' room, playing with some blocks.

I watched him for a second before going to his dresser.

"What are you doing?"

"You always forget socks," I said, pulling them out and putting them in the bag on the bed.

Benedict took a deep breath before letting me finish packing for him.

When I gave him the bag, he looked me over one last time, "Remember what you promised me."

Then, he was gone.

(*&*)?

I got the call a week after the twins were born. I was trying to get the little girl to bed when the phone rang insistently, waking her back up. She cried, waking up her younger twin and upsetting Nic, who played on the floor.

"Please. Please, stop."

I was tired and hungry and upset, but not from post-partum depression this time. I was alone, taking care of three kids and it was wearing me down slowly.

I stepped away from the crying children, knowing that if the sound stopped so would they.

"Hello?" I answered the phone and was immediately met by a hard voice on the other line.

"When were you going to tell me?"

"Maxon?"

"I have kids, and you decided not to tell me?"

"Listen, Maxon. I don't have time for this. You don't have time for this-."

"I don't have any time because of this."

I stayed quiet for a second, "What do you mean"

"A picture started circulating. I'm not the only one that realized that the babies looked a lot like my mother and I. It's everywhere! On every news channel!"

I raced towards the TV, turning it on. Immediately, the news came up and in large, capital letters read, "ARE THE ITALIAN TWINS ACTUALLY ILLEAN?"

I took a shuddering breath.

"I have a press conference in fifteen minutes, America. What do I tell them?"

I covered my mouth with my hand, but it didn't stop the sobbing cry from escaping. I dropped to the floor, my fear and frustration and worry and sadness coming out of me in screams and sobs.

"America. You knew this was going to get out eventually. My father wants to deny it, but we both know this won't go away easily."

I screamed in frustration, "They are not your kids! You gave up your right to them when you fucked a married woman! Don't talk about them! Don't look at them! Don't think about them!"

"They're still my kids, America! I deserve to meet them!"

"Over my dead body, you fucking bastard. You'll never see them!"

"America, you're being unreasonable!"

"You tore apart my family!" I was sobbing again, my hands grabbing onto my hair, "My family!" I took a few more quick, gasping breaths, and whispered, "My family."

I folded into myself, putting my forehead on my knees. The other line remained quiet, obviously shocked by my outburst.

A small hand touched my leg and I looked up to find Nic, staring at me. I ran my finger against his cheek and he softly pushed my legs down so he could climb into my lap.

With my baby snuggled against me, trying in his own way to calm me down, I picked the phone up from the floor.

"You tore apart my family too many times, Maxon. Now, I'm tearing apart yours. You now live by one simple rule: deny, deny, deny."

Then, I hung up the phone.

(*&*)?

Within the next fifteen minutes, the news caster shifted to watch Maxon's live press conference. And I watched the father of my twins march onto the stage, papers in hand and Kriss behind him.

I watched to see what he would say. How he would put down the allegations. If he would tell people he was sickened by anyone thinking he would cheat on his wife or if he would calmly explain the situation.

"I'm sure a lot of you have heard the rumors surrounding Princess America's new twin babies and who their parents are. I am here to set the record straight. The twins that Princess America carried and gave birth to are…" he looked down at his papers and my heart caught in my throat.

"We'll be okay, Nic." I told the baby in my arms.

Maxon cleared his throat, "The twins are…" he shifted his stance and with it a hard gleam went into his eyes, "Mine. And they will not be taken away from me."

(*&*)?

"For God's sake, Maxon," Kriss put her hand over her eyes after they left the stage, the news reporters still raising hands and yelling questions.

"What?" Maxon asked.

"Do you realize what you just did? You put those kids in your line of succession. You gave them credibility and gave the Italians leverage over us. What are you going to now? Ship them across the ocean? Raise them yourself? I'm not raising that slut's children."

Maxon neared her, "If you want to keep your position in this palace, you will shut your mouth and do as you're told."

Kriss laughed, "Oh my darling, delusional husband. You can't divorce me. Just like America can't divorce Benedict. You sealed your fate when you chose me instead of her."

"What's your problem, Kriss?" Maxon was obviously hurt by her words, the words that had hung between them since their engagement, "What has gotten into you? Ever since those pictures you've been nothing but a bitch. Like you said, those kids don't affect your position here."

Kriss got quiet for a minute, and when she finally spoke her voice was low, "She always gave you better than I could. Didn't she? She loved you better, made you happier, and now…now she gave you not one but two kids before I gave you one."

(*&*)?

I sat up in bed as a baby started crying. Obviously, I wasn't the only one unable to sleep. The press screaming at the door never stopped. They made noise outside every night without fail, keeping me and the kids up and on edge.

It had been going on for a couple of weeks and I had been shut up in the house for all of it. My mother came and went, bringing in groceries and work from the palace and anything that could distract the kids from the growing crowd of press just beyond our doors.

"It's not going to go away," Mom said, cutting up some fruit for Nic.

"Nicoletta says to just hang on for a little longer. It will blow over soon. She knows what she's doing when it comes to this stuff."

"She knows what she's doing when all of her advisers are willing to give input on the subject."

"What do you mean?"

"Benedict," Mom almost spat his name out. "He refuses to help with anything that has to do with you or his children."

"Mom," she looked up at me, "The twins aren't Benedict's. They're Maxon's."

"You think I don't know that?" she threw the knife and cutting board into the sink, "He made a promise to you. For better or worse. This is the worst and he didn't stick by you. Look at you! You're constantly tired and worried and stressed. You're raising three kids on your own and he's not doing jack shit for you."

"What are you saying, Ma?"

"I'm saying that if he doesn't do anything for you, you need to do it for yourself. Do something. Start small if you have to, but you need to start making moves that let your kids grow outside of this house. You need to stop acting like this is going to blow away over time and start acting like someone has attacked your family. Because they have."

(*&*)?

The next day, I decided to take a walk with the kids. It was a beautiful day and the twins hadn't seen the sun since they had come home from the hospital. So, I strapped the twins into their double stroller and hoisted Nic onto my hip and left the house with my heart in my throat.

By Italian law, the paparazzi and media had to stay at least 50 yards from a person until she or he invited them forward to give an interview. But these were not Italian media. These were Illean media. Almost all of the people at my doorstep did not seem to know the laws of the land they were in, or they knew that the Italians couldn't enforce them. Not without endangering Italy's already tentative relationship with Illea.

So, they felt comfortable shouting and drawing near once we were away from the house. Away from safety, I realized.

Nic made a noise before hiding his face in my shoulder.

"I know, bambino." I whispered to him, "I've got you. Nothing will happen to you."

The twins, used to the screaming outside their window, shifted in their seats, but stayed calm.

"Princess America! Princess America!"

"Where's Prince Benedict?"

"Will you get a divorce?"

"Will you move back to Illea?"

They pressed closer and closer, pressing me and the stroller against a wall near the sidewalk. They stepped closer, shoving microphones an cameras at me.

"Please," I said, quietly holding up my hand to keep them from coming any closer. I should have known better. I should have known better than to take my children outside. I should have known that they wouldn't respect me. I was a Royal who gave an opposing Royal not one but two babies. It was the scandal of the century. And I had put my children in the middle of it.

My daughter shrieked a loud cry that pierced through the reporters' shouting, and I looked toward the front of the stroller. Paparazzi had pushed back the canopy of the stroller and were taking pictures of the kids, the bright flashes causing the twins to panic. Nic tightened his grip on my neck and I felt him shudder in sobs.

I ran to the front of the stroller, pushing the reporters out of my way. I pushed Nic as far into the stroller as I could before covering all three of my children with my own body. They continued pushing on my back, trying to get me out of the way. I hoped and prayed that it wouldn't escalate further, that the reporters would see what they were doing and calm down, but the lights still flashed.

I was still in that position when the police came, pushing the crowd of Illeans off of me and away from the kids.

But I didn't move until I felt him behind me. He pressed his hand against my shoulder, "Bambino? It's okay. It's okay, Ami."

"The kids."

"Are safe, Ami. They're safe now, you can let go of them. Bambino, you protected them. It's over."

It wasn't until I looked into his eyes that I burst into tears.

"I'm s-so sorry. I-I I thought I could do it. I thought I could protect them." The tears turned angry, "How could they do that? They're children! Children!"

I buried my head in Ben's chest and he held me there until the police he had brought with him gave him the okay to go.

"Come on, bambino. Let's go home."

"Home?" I lifted my head, too tired to stop my hopes from rising, "All of us?"

"Yeah. Yeah, all of us."