Royal (A Selection Fan Fiction) (Book One in my Selection Series)

Chapter 59

At dinner, it was the first time I'd seen my entire family at once. It was quiet and in the garden with blankets spread on the grass.

But still, there were no cameras so I was dressed simply, as Alex had requested. Everyone did follow the directions too. Simple knee-length dresses and simple shirts for the guys.

I wore a basic, black, flowing skirt that didn't even reach my knees and a tight white shirt that went straight across my chests and the sleeves started there and down to my wrists. My maids didn't give me very much makeup except for mascara and red lipstick.

"When are you do Payton?" I ask her. She looked uncomfortable sitting with her stomach sticking out so far.

"Anytime now." She says to me. "It's like carrying around a massive bowling ball 24/7. It's worth it though. We're excited."

"Look," I start. I grip Alex's hand for support. We'd talked this over, but it was still something weird for me. "Alex and I have been thinking about this for a while and found this place."

Alex pulls out a picture of the Ocean. "I didn't have any better pictures on such short notice but if you drive for a few mikes from here there is this place." He shows Payton and Jason and whoever else in my family that looks, the picture of the Ocean.

"Now just imagine a little house behind that. It's a very nice two story beach house with three bedrooms and two full baths. We thought maybe since you were both married, you'd want your own place to stay, but it's still close to here." I tell them. "But if you really want you can just stay here."

Payton looks at the picture and props herself up with her arm. Jason doesn't look at the picture, but instead watches Payton's own expression.

"I love it." She smiles.

"Thank you." Jason says at first only looking at me then to Alex. "Both of you."

"Of course." I tell them. I thought it was adorable how happy they were together. "Tomorrow, you can either go home with everyone else first or go straight to the beach house."

"So what's your wedding going to be like?" Paisley asks me after a few minutes. "Is it going to be big?"

"We haven't actually talked about it." I say honestly.

"Do I get to be the flower girl again?" She asks excitedly.

"What if–" I start thoughtfully and lean closer to her. "You were a bridesmaid?"

"Really?" She says, eyes wide.

"I wouldn't lie to you." I say with a laugh.

"Thank you so much, Char." She says hugging me tightly. I smile and hug her even tighter.

"You're welcome." I whisper to her.

•••

I'm waked up with a shake. I open my eyes to Alex hovering by my bed.

"It's Payton. She's going into labor." His eyes look scared and wild, but a rush of joy surges through me.

"Come on!" I tell him and pull him through the halls. I wasn't as unstable as I was yesterday but I couldn't help my hands from shaking. "I cant go in." I tell him. I still freak out at the sigh of blood, and I'm not sure if blood is normal in pregnancies now, but anything could go wrong and me passing out won't help Payton.

"Well just wait outside. She's apparently been in labor for hours." He tells me. I was unsure for a minute but sat in the waiting room with the rest of my family. I felt bad Payton's family couldn't be here for the birth of her child.

A doctor comes out of the room and looks us all over.

"Her contractions are getting very close together so little Rae should be here soon. Don't worry. Congratulations." He says and goes back in the room. Alex looks up confused.

"When contractions get closer together, that means she's ready to actually have the baby." I tell him. Of course he wouldn't know that. It was cute.

It wasn't soon when the doctor came back out and invited a few of us in at a time. First, I was allowed to go in to see her with Alex.

Payton looked tired laying in the bed.

"Better take her out, Alex she'll never want kids after she sees me." Payton says with a smile on her face. Her hair was messy and sweat dotted her forehead, but she glowed with happiness.

"What?" I finally notice Jason. Firstly, I notice the bundle in his arms. Second, I notice the surprise meant printed on his face.

"Kidding, kidding." Payton tells him and rolls her eyes. "Go look at her." She says nodding to Jason.

I slowly make my way to Jason and sit on the arm of the chair he sat in. I see the face of the pale little baby with only a fuzz of blond hair ok her head.

She didn't look like Rae, but she didn't need to. She slept so peacefully just lying there helplessly and all she could do was trust Jason.

"You're a father now." I whisper to Jason.

"Yeah." He says quietly. "I guess your right." The baby still hadn't opened her eyes. I wasn't good with babies. I was good with Paisley, but other than that I was awful. They always cried when I held them. Maybe it's because they could sense my unease. The way my arms tighten and my lungs ceased to breathe.

"Do you want to hold her?" He asks me. He already knows the answer to that.

"You know babies don't like me." I tell him.

"I thought I might as well give it a shot." He shrugs.

"Bummer Alex." Payton speaks from the bed. Jason throws her a glare. "Kidding of course. Geez your lucky I'm alive after that. Especially that I'm joking around. I mean, you try pushing a human out of your vagina. There's a reason only women can have babies, you guys would never survive."

I laugh at her humor, and Alex just shakes her head. I hated this conversation. Did Alex except me to have kids? Did I want to have kids? I'd have to have one just to take over after Alex and I are gone.

I didn't know if I wanted kids, but I guess that was part of the deal.