The Beautiful Thief

Chapter Twenty Five

      I place my hand on my bare belly as I stand in front of the mirror, and let out a puff of air. The bathroom door opens and I let out a little screech, pulling my robe back over myself. "Calm down, it's just me," Caleb says.

      "I almost gave birth." He chuckles and embraces me from behind, turning us so we're facing the mirror.

      "You look absolutely beautiful." I smile and drop my head to my shoulder. "How was your first class?"

       "Good, I think everyone really enjoyed it." He gives me a kiss on the cheek and  squeezes my hips, making me giggle. "Stop that."

       "We have a dinner with the council tonight, so wear something nice okay." I nod and tie my robe up.

        "I'm gonna take a walk in the garden, would you care to join me?"

       "I think I can do that." We both put on some casual clothes and make our way outside to the back garden. Caleb helps me down the stairs when needed and we step out into the garden. Guards keep a steady pace about ten feet behind us.

       "How's it going with your father?" I ask. Caleb shrugs and I loop my arm through his and place my head on his shoulder. "Come on, you can tell me."

       "He's beginning to put most of the weight on my shoulders now and it's getting a little hard to carry. But, I have you, which makes everything better." He kisses my temple and I smile. We walk in silence for a couple minutes before one of us speaks again.

       "I still can't believe this is real." I whisper to him.

        "What?"

        "This. I'm married to someone I love with all my heart, I have two babies on the way that I know are going to be beautiful, and I'm running my very own art class. I don't think it could get much better than this."

        "Well, I love you from the bottom of my heart as well, and I cannot wait for our babies to here."

        "Prince Caleb, you have a summons from your father," one of the guards, Jameson, says from behind us. Caleb nods and we enter through the east door 30 feet in front of us. Penelope and my mother are just inside, walking and talking when we enter.

        My mother says something and Penelope lets out a loud laugh. They look up when the doors shut behind us and smile, making there way to us. "Your father wants to see you Caleb, he's upstairs."

       "I know, I was just on my way up." He gives all of us a kiss on the cheek and runs up the stairs.

       "Why don't we all take a walk?" Penelope suggests. My mother and I nod, and we make our way through the palace. We end up at the library and walk inside so I can grab a new book. A little memorial plaque hangs on the doors with everyone's name that died when the rebels broke in.

       Jerry's name is on a separate plaque inside the library, right above the animals section of the books. He died a couple days after the attack. I tap the plaque with my finger and move onto a separate section of books.

       I hear someone crying and pause to listen. Its a couple aisles over in the old books. I walk over and see it's one of my students, she's 17, and her name is Summer. I knock on the bookcase and her head snaps toward me.

        Summer quickly wipes her eyes and gives me a smile. "Hi Princess Adelaide."

         "Addie, please." I sit next to her on the floor, which proves much harder with my belly poking out. "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong."

        "It's nothing."

        "Well, it's got to be something or you wouldn't be crying about it." She shakes her head and some more tears slip from her eyes.

        "It's stupid. It's about this guy, my boy- ex-boyfriend. He broke up with me after class today and we were dating for two years."

         "Well, I know you've probably heard this before, but boys are idiots and they don't know what they have until it's gone." I wrap an arm around her and squeeze my hand on her upper arm. "Why don't you meet me back here around nine o'clock, and we'll talk. Okay?"

      "Okay." She helps me off the floor and to my feet. I walk her to the library door and give her a quick hug. "See you at nine."

       I pick a book and meet back up with Penelope and my mother. "I think I'm going to go take a nap before lunch, love you both." I make my way up the stairs and into mine and Caleb's room. The nursery door is open, but I distinctly remember closing it.

       "Hello?" I say into the room. With no answer, I walk to the nursery and push the door all the way open. No one is inside, so I shake my head, and close the door. "Wow, Add, you're losing it," I whisper to myself.

        I get the sudden urge to pee, and make my way to the bathroom. After relieving myself, I walk out of the bathroom and lay down in my bed. I lay back on the pillows and close my eyes. I'm woken up what feels like minutes later, but is actually two hours later.

       "Do you just want lunch in your room?" Mary asks.

       "Please." She starts to leave but I call after her, "Mary, what's for lunch?"

        "Soup, I think potato."

         "Okay, good. Thank you." She nods and leaves the room. She returns ten minutes later with my soup and some crackers on a tray. "Perfect. Did you eat yet?" She nods and begins to leave. "What's wrong?"

         She turns around and smiles. "Nothing."

         "Liar," I say. "Come on." I pat the mattress and she kicks her shoes off, climbing into the bed with me. "Now, tell me, what's got you in such a tizzy?"

         Mary lays down and I place my tray on the bed side table, laying down with her. "I'm sick."

         "Well that's nothing to be upset about, everybody gets sick."

         "Not that kind of sick, the deathly kind of sick." My heart stops in my chest.