He whispered into my ear. “I love you Adriana, and I always will.”
20
Milos
I stood there next to my bride, holding her hand, as she lay on the examination table. A blue sheet draped over her waist, and the sonogram technician sat comfortably next to her. There were so many instruments around us, it looked like a torture chamber. I winced as the technician globbed some of the clear jelly she was warming in a tube on the big wand she was holding. Adriana giggled at my reaction, and I looked down at her beautiful face and smiled in awe at how far we had actually come. There had been so many ups and downs, but we were finally in a place that left us both happy, relaxed, and completely in love.
The tech nodded her head at Adriana and rubbed the large wand across her growing belly. We looked up at the screen, but I had a hard time figuring out what we were actually looking at. Then it happened. I heard a tiny, beating drum pulsating from the speakers. It was fast and strong, and I looked down at Adriana in complete amazement. She grabbed on tightly to my hand, and I watched a tear fall from her eye and down her cheek.
“There’s the baby,” the tech said, smiling.
We looked up at the screen and watched as a tiny little human shimmied and shook as if it were dancing to the sound of its own heartbeat.
“The heartbeat is strong and everything looks amazing,” the tech said. “You are doing well, mom.”
I leaned down and kissed Adriana on the forehead as we watched our child for the first time. It was more amazing than anything I had ever witnessed. Immediately, a feeling of love and pride for my family flooded my chest. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, and I was completely overwhelmed by the sound of our child’s heartbeat. I knew right then that everything was exactly as it should be.
As Adriana finished up and got dressed, I sat thinking about the nursery we had been decorating together. My mother offered to have it decorated, but Adriana and I thought it was important to add our own touches and make it extra special for our first child. The colors were bright and beautiful. Every little stuffed animal, every whimsical detail added to the paint, and every soft color added to the room made me think of Adriana and how her smile brightened every room she stepped into.
Adriana stepped out of the room and smiled as she reached her hand down to me. I stood and took her in my arms, pressing my lips softly against hers.
“I have a surprise for you,” I whispered.
“I love surprises,” she said with a huge smile.
I led Adriana out of the hospital, stopping to smile at the paparazzi who were crowded around, waiting for us to emerge. It was much nicer having them chase me down for pictures of me and my wife than it was getting caught in bad places with terrible people. We hopped into the town car parked out front, and I took Adriana to one of the most exclusive restaurants in the capital. She gawked at the elegance of the place but looked at me strangely. There were no other people in the entire place.
“I rented out the entire place for privacy,” I said with a mischievous smile.
She laughed and walked to the back where a table was set up and ready for us. We talked and laughed as we ate the special meal prepared by the chef, dreaming about our future together. The Parliament had embraced the change in me, and I had begun making preparations to take over the throne as King of Silesia. My mother would stay on for advice, but she was more than ready to retire her crown and spend her time puttering around her garden. My father’s death had been hard on my mother, and even though she always kept her head high and a royal presence, I knew she needed to let out a deep breath and really take time to enjoy the rest of her life.
When we had finished lunch, we sat sipping our water and discussing the ridiculous baby shower that my mother had been planning since she received the news. Adriana’s mother had gotten herself clean and sober, and we had brought her to the castle to live. She got along famously with my mother, and the two spent many an afternoon sipping tea in the garden and planning the baby shower. It was definitely going to be the celebration of the year.
I looked down at my watch as two servers exited the kitchen and nodded in my direction. I cleared my throat and stood from my chair, motioning for Adriana to stay seated. She watched me with curiosity as the chef walked out with a silver tray. I nodded my head at him, took the small box from the tray, and bent down on one knee in front of Adriana.
Her smile warmed my heart as she tipped her head to the side and allowed me to take her hand. I was nervous, as this would be the first real time I had proposed to Adriana. My palms were sweaty, and I laughed at my own nerves. Who would have thought I would be at this place just a few months after thinking my life had ended?
“Adriana,” I said quietly. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, inside and out. You are not only carrying the future Prince or Princess of Silesia, but you are also carrying my heart and soul. I will forever be in your debt for taking a man like me and turning him from a Prince into a King. I realize that the first time we got engaged, you did not get the ring you should have gotten. So, I am asking you again, today, will you do me the honor of being my wife, my love, and my Queen?”
I opened the box, and Adriana looked down wide-eyed at the large sparkling stone inside. She clasped her hand over her mouth, and tears streamed from her eyes.
“Yes, Milos,” she said. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”
I took the ring from the box and looked deep into her eyes. Then I slid it perfectly onto her finger. She shook her head up and down, watching as the diamond shimmered under the low lights of the restaurant. I pulled her up from her chair and wrapped my arms around her, never wanting to let go. The servers and chef clapped, and Adriana wiped the tears from her eyes, looking around at our audience.
“This one is real,” I whispered into her ear.
She laughed loudly and dried her eyes with the napkin from the table. Even though we had already gone through the ceremony, I wanted her to know how dedicated and how serious I really was to be her husband, to protect her, and to grow our family. I wanted the whole thing, the children, the adoring wife, the throne, and it looked like I might just get my wish.
We happily left the restaurant, thanking them for their beautiful arrangements and hopped back in the car waiting out front. I took Adriana to the shopping district where I told her to pick out anything and everything her heart desired. I loved to watch her eyes sparkle as she tried on beautiful clothes and allowed me to spoil her. I had more surprises for the future, but for right now, I just wanted to watch her enjoy her new life as future Queen of Silesia.
“Make sure you pick out something tropical,” I whispered in her ear. “Our first wedding was all stuffy and excessive, but this one will be much simpler, much more intimate, and set in one of the most beautiful places you will ever see.”
Adriana turned and pressed her lips against mine, pulling back and smiling. She turned and continued to shop, asking me what I thought about everything she tried on before we bagged it up. Normally, the designers would come to us in the palace
, but it was nice to feel somewhat normal from time to time. Before we headed home, we stopped at one last store where there was nothing but baby clothes. I truly felt like she was more excited about this one than any of the others. Together, we picked out outfits for both a boy and a girl, not sure yet what we were having. We took everything back to the castle, where we now shared a wing, and sorted through it all.
After dinner, we decided to hole up in our room and spend some quality time together, just the two of us. I had the servants bring an array of local chocolates up, and we sat sprawled across the bed, feeding each other candy and laughing about our escapades that day. As Adriana pushed a piece of chocolate between her lips, I could feel the heat of passion and love surge through my stomach. I reached over and took the tray down, setting it on the floor and pulling Adriana close to me. She was glowing from head to toe, and she giggled at the sparkle coming from her ring as she pulled her hands to my face.