The Prince's Baby

by McKenna James

Regret ate away at my deepest thoughts. I’d missed out on so much because Alison was too afraid to reach out. I’d missed the first ultrasound, the first time the baby kicked, missed all of the doctor’s appointments. And now, the future was everything but uncertain. Alison was right. After me, Adam was next in line for the throne. The laws of succession were one thing, but determining what was going to happen to my son and his claim considering the fact that he was born outside of Wyvernbank was an entirely different can of worms. This wasn’t something I could just pass off onto Patrick to take care of. When it came to the well-being of my boy, I needed to deal with things myself. But whatever it was that I decided to do, I needed to make my decision quickly.

  “Let me stay here,” I suggested.

  “What?”

  “Just for a week. I don’t want you to feel pressured into making any decisions right now. We’ll have plenty of time to work things out. And in the meantime, I’ll get to spend time with you and Adam. Does that sound reasonable?”

  Alison nodded, suddenly looking exhausted. “Okay,” she whispered. “Yes, that sounds reasonable. But won’t people wonder where you are?”

  “I’ll have Patrick tell them I’m on vacation.”

  “You want to stay here? Like, in my apartment?”

  “If that’s okay with you. I’d like to be as close to Adam as possible. If you’re comfortable with it, I’d very much like to help out.”

  Alison pressed her lips into a thin line and remained silent, supposedly thinking things over. “Okay,” she eventually said. “I’d be okay with that.”

  “Wonderful,” I sighed with relief.

  “I can make up the couch, and you can take my bed.”

  “No, that’s quite alright. I’ll take the couch. You’re the one who deserves a good night’s sleep.”

  “Or,” said Kamrin, rounding the corner, “you can take my room. I can always stay with one of my friends for a week.”

  “How long were you standing there?” demanded Alison.

  Alison’s sister glanced at her wrist, even though she wasn’t wearing a watch. “Oh, a good ten minutes.”

  I smiled. “That’s very kind of you, thank you.”

  Kamrin waved a dismissive hand while giggling behind the other. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Alison

  I didn’t realize how much of a handful raising Adam all by myself would be until Sebastian came crashing back into my life. I awoke around five in the morning out of pure habit to tend to Adam’s diaper change and feeding. Much to my surprise, Sebastian was already in our son’s nursery room, cradling Adam close as he held a baby bottle with prepared formula to the child’s lips. The soft glow of the morning sun seeped in through the crack in the curtain, casting golden rays upon father and child. It blew my mind how perfect they looked together, like the time they’d spent apart meant nothing at all. I leaned against the door frame and rested my head against the cool wood and sighed in relief. Sebastian looked up at the sound and offered me a small smile.

  “Go back to sleep,” he whispered. “I’ve got things covered.”

  I shook my head slowly. “It’s okay. I’d be up around now anyway.”

  “After he’s had breakfast, what do you normally do afterward?”

  “I usually lay him down in the playpen out in the living room while I make breakfast. Speaking of, would you like anything?”

  “Why don’t you relax while I prepare something?”

  I raised my eyebrows in minor surprise. “You’re going to cook breakfast?”

  “Well, not so much cook as send Patrick for some delivery. Although, I’m not sure if he’s asleep or not.”

  “You don’t have to do that. It’s really no trouble for me to–”

  “I insist,” he interrupted gently. Sebastian looked down at Adam in his arms and chuckled, speaking in simple Wyvernian, “Even Mommy needs a day off.” The boy cooed, grasping at the bottle with his tiny hands as he ate.

  I watched in warm amazement at how easily Sebastian took up the role of fatherhood. I had to admit that he hadn’t exactly struck me as the parent type, too busy with Princely responsibilities and enjoying the finer things in life to be concerned with children. But the mere sight of Sebastian rocking back and forth slowly with Adam in his arms, warm smile upon his lips and a twinkle in his eye made me realize how wrong I was. Maybe he’d turn out to be a great father, after all. For a brief moment, I was able to cast aside all of the politics and unanswered questions to enjoy the quiet of the morning. In another life, if Sebastian weren’t a Prince and I wasn’t a foreign dignitary, we would have been indistinguishable from any other happy family of three.

  “Go on,” he whispered. “I’ll wake you when the food arrives.”

  “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

  Sebastian nodded once. It was a brief gesture, but it was loaded with endless significance. I wouldn’t describe the air between us as tense, just careful. We weren’t waltzing around one another in an awkward dance to get out of each other’s way. There was a silent understanding between us. When it came to Adam, we were a team. We had to work together for our son’s sake, no matter the history between us. A tiny voice in the back of my mind kept nagging me that maybe Sebastian would try to find a chance to run off to his country with Adam, but I pushed the voice aside. It was obvious to me how much Sebastian loved our boy, and I felt that I could trust him to Sebastian’s care.

  I returned to bed and slipped beneath the warm duvet, exhaustion gripping at my body as I sank into the foam mattress. I’d spent every day since Adam’s birth up at ungodly hours to tend to him and his needs. It was almost ridiculous how tired I really was. I’d occasionally asked Kamrin to babysit, and was always grateful for the sporadic reprieve, but my little sister had a life of her own and her studies to focus on. Part of me was definitely thankful that Sebastian showed up when he did. Good help was hard to find, and I didn’t trust anybody enough to take care of my son, hence the reason why I decided not to hire a nanny.

  Sleep took me quickly, dragging me under and dropping me in the middle of a foggy dream. I dreamt I was back in Wyvernbank, running around in secret to meet up with Sebastian. I met with him over and over again, arriving at a location just to discover that we had to meet somewhere else for his security. I dreamt I was running down a maze of hallways, opening door after door to find him. I could hear him calling out my name, laughing and teasing. When I finally found myself at a large door at the end of the hall and opened it, I was horrified to discover Ambassador Clavets. Except, it wasn’t really Ambassador Clavets. The man in my dream lacked a distinguishable face, visage blurred like a heavily pixelated image. He spoke no words, but the file he held out in his hands said plenty. I didn’t even have to peer inside the file to know what the documents inside said. The Ambassador was holding up my record, a silent threat to expose me and ruin absolutely everything.

  I awoke with a start, jolting at the sound of the front door slamming shut. My heart was in my throat, pounding so hard I thought it was going to burst out of my chest. What if Sebastian had taken Adam while I’d slept? What if I’d let my guard down, and I’d lost my son to a foreign land? What if this was all part of Sebastian’s plan? What if he wanted me to feel at peace and relaxed around him so he could find an opportune moment to take advantage of? I threw the covers off and immediately dashed out of the bedroom into the living room, a sudden fear clawing its way into my spine. I was probably just delirious from my nightmare, panic still coursing through my veins, but I couldn’t shake the irrational feeling that Adam was in trouble.

  I managed to take one step out into the living room before I froze. Sebastian was sitting on the couch, Adam still pressed to his chest, sucking on his tiny left thumb and cooing a string of bubbly nonsensical sounds. Patrick was in the kitchen rummaging through a large brown paper bag full of takeout breakfast. The door must have swung loudly behind him as he entered the apartment. Pa
trick had cut his hair short since the last time I saw him, and the dark circles beneath his eyes made him look extremely tired. He was probably jetlagged from the sudden last-minute trip Sebastian decided to take, powering through his exhaustion to continue to serve his Prince.

  “I wasn’t sure what you wanted to eat,” said Sebastian from the couch. “I had Patrick grab you a little bit of everything from a restaurant around the corner.”

  “You really shouldn’t have,” I mumbled, voice a little groggy with sleep.

  “Think nothing of it. I highly recommend the strawberry waffles.”

  “A recommendation from a Prince,” I hummed. “They must be good.”

  Sebastian nodded, tossing me a casual grin. “I like to think I know a thing or two about fine dining.”

  I made my way over to the kitchen and took a seat at the island, greeting Patrick with a quick nod of the head. He nodded back, verbal greeting unnecessary. To be honest, I didn’t really know what to say. On one hand, I felt like apologizing to both Sebastian and Patrick for causing them so much trouble. On the other hand, I knew I’d done what I had to do. I was just trying to protect myself, my son, and Sebastian. Leaving had been the only choice I’d had. I was sure Sebastian was angry with me, even if he wasn’t showing it, and the fact that I’d kept Adam a secret couldn’t have helped my cause.

  “Did you have any plans today?” asked Sebastian.

  I shook my head as Patrick handed me a plate full of buttered toast, scrambled eggs, and an assortment of freshly cut fruits. “I’m on maternity leave for another few weeks, so I’ve got nothing but free time. Did you have something in mind?”

  “I’m not sure, to be honest. I was just hoping to spend some more time with you two.”

  “There’s an aquarium not too far from here,” I explained. “We could maybe take Adam to look at the fish.”

  A delighted sparkle flashed in Sebastian’s eyes. “That sounds like fun.”

  Patrick cleared his throat. “Are you sure that’s wise, Your Royal Highness? Someone might recognize you if you’re out in public.”

  Sebastian waved a dismissive hand. “It’ll be fine. I’ll wear a ball cap and sunglasses.”

  “Ah, yes,” he snorted. “Because that will definitely make you invisible.”

  “I can call Klaus,” I offered. “I think his cousin works there. Maybe we can arrange something so we can visit after hours and avoid the crowds.”

  Patrick visibly stiffened, casting his eyes down to the counter. “Will Klaus be coming too?” he mumbled sheepishly.

  I stifled a wide, knowing smile. “I’m sure he’d make the time to see you. I mean, just to catch up, of course.”

  Sebastian chuckled, not bothering to keep his amusement in check for Patrick’s sake. “Well, I think little Adam would really love to see some fish. Isn’t that right, little guy?”

  Adam giggle-shrieked, waving his tiny hands in the air as though to say he agreed wholeheartedly.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Sebastian

  Alison pushed little Adam ahead in the stroller as I walked alongside her, matching her slow pace as we looked about the space. We had the entire aquarium to ourselves, and Patrick and Klaus very graciously held back by a room or two to give us some privacy. Alison and I walked through a tunnel made of curving glass, colorful fish and crustaceans going about their business as blue mood lighting lit up our path and paved the way forward with wave patterns. Adam was silent for the most part, too amazed by the wonders of the sea to do much else other than stare. He occasionally giggled and cooed as he stared up at a stingray that would glide back and forth, almost as if it were putting on a show for him.

  “Do you like that one?” Alison asked Adam, voice sweet and light. “I wonder if he’ll grow up to become a marine biologist.”

  I smiled, but the muscles in my face felt stiff. I knew I couldn’t put off the conversation any longer, no matter how much the dread of it all was eating me alive. “Alison, I think we need to talk.”

  Alison pressed her lips together and cast her eyes down at Adam. She didn’t come across as cold or distant. If anything, she looked conflicted and sad. I had to admit that motherhood had given her a radiant glow, a warmth that hadn’t been there before. I still thought she was gorgeous, and the fact that she looked down at our son like he was the brightest star in the night sky filled my chest with hope and pride. From what I’d seen, she was a great mother. Alison was attentive, calm, and caring. She was diligent, patient, and strong. The sharp edge she’d worn the first time I saw her at the conference was duller now, replaced instead with a maternal instinct to protect. She wasn’t looking out for herself anymore. I could tell her priorities had shifted, and Adam was the center of her universe.

  “You want to bring him back to Wyvernbank,” she concluded softly. We continued to walk side by side, taking a left at the end of the hall to head toward the jellyfish displays.

  “I think it would be best for him,” I said. We approached a massive tank full of one type of jellyfish. They floated around in crystal clear water, illuminated by pink lights installed into the base of the tank.

  “I don’t know, Sebastian,” she muttered. “It’s just so much to think about.”

  “I know it’s complicated. Adam was born in this country, so that technically makes him a citizen. But as my son, he has a right to the Wyvernbank throne. I’d very much like to have him close. He needs to undergo a certain education, become familiar with our culture.”

  “The same thing can be said for Sunyata. He should grow up to understand our history and our culture.” Alison reached down to stroke the top of Adam’s head, straightening a few of his fine hair. “And what about me? If you take him, where does that leave me? I don’t think I can be away from him, Sebastian.”

  The pain was clear in her words, accompanied with worry and a great deal of stress. My heart twisted in my chest. I didn’t like this any more than she did. If only she’d told me the truth, if she hadn’t just disappeared. We could have worked something out. Things didn’t have to be this complicated.

  As it stood, everything was rushed and last minute, and I wasn’t entirely sure if any of this even made sense. Adam was a dual citizen, which in and of itself wasn’t an uncommon thing. But to be of noble birth and to belong to two countries with a less than friendly past was another thing entirely. And Alison was right. If I did somehow manage to convince her to let Adam come with me, what was going to happen to her? Would we get back together? Would she even want that? After the way she’d left, I wasn’t sure if I could trust her. For the time being, I needed to think of a compromise, something that would give us time to organize our thoughts and work out a more concrete plan.

  “How many more months is your maternity leave exactly?” I asked.

  “Two months.”

  “Then come with me.”

  “What?”

  “Just for two months. I can house you in one of my properties in the city. You’ll have everything you’ll need to take care of both yourself and our son. All I ask is that you allow me to take Adam on the weekends.”

  “Joint custody.”

  “Exactly. You’ll have him for the majority of the week, and I’ll see him twice a week. If you’re comfortable with that.”

  “And after the two months is over. What then?”

  “Think of it as a buffer period. We’ll have more time to work things out. The fact of the matter is I can’t stay in Sunyata for very much longer. Patrick’s already running around like a chicken with his head cut off trying to keep everything under wraps while I’m here. If we were back in Wyvernbank, I’d have access to all kinds of resources. I’m limited in what I can do for you and Adam while I’m here.”

  “I don’t know. This is a lot to take in.”

  “I know it is. But please believe me when I say that keeping you and Adam safe is my top priority. I won’t let anyone get near you again. You can trust me, Alison. I just want what’s best for our son.
He’ll want for nothing if he’s in Wyvernbank, of that I’m sure.”

  Alison worried her bottom lip with her teeth. I had to glance away from the sight, the memory of her nibbling on my bottom lip during our heated nights spent together flashing across my mind. It was almost embarrassing how easily she could affect me, leave my mind spinning and heart racing at the simplest of motions. I mentally berated myself, forcing my feelings for her down into the pit of my stomach where they’d hopefully be forgotten. I couldn’t allow myself to fall for her like I had all those months ago. I’d been foolish then, naïve and all too trusting. I fell in love with her once, and that had clearly been a mistake. To do so again was just a disaster waiting to happen.

  “Can I have some time to think about it?” she asked quietly.

  “How long do you think you’ll need?”

  “A couple of days, at most. There’s a lot I need to consider.”

  I nodded slowly, swallowing hard at the anxious lump in my throat. “Of course,” I replied. “I’ll be here until Thursday. You’ll have three days.” I gestured with my hand. “Shall we continue?”

  Behind us, Patrick and Klaus exchanged heated whispers.

  “I know it’s difficult,” sighed Klaus, “I never said it wasn’t.”

  “My point is, you’re not technically employed right now. You could … I don’t know.”

  “What? Come with you? That’s a lot of paperwork to get through just to visit. I don’t know if my passport is even valid anymore.”

  “Are you saying you don’t want to?”

  “Pat, that’s not–”

  “Am I not worth it?”

  “That’s not what I’m saying at all.”

  “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I thought maybe… If she agrees to it, maybe you could come with.”

  I cleared my throat as my advisor and Alison’s assistant approached, unaware that we hadn’t continued walking. “Is everything okay?” I asked. Maybe if I interrupted, that would relieve some of the tension.

  Klaus’ cheeks flushed red while Patrick glanced to the floor. They took a step away from one another, their hands falling to their sides. I wondered if they’d been holding hands or something.