THE SELECTION: The Decision.

The Last Love

  When we shut my door I feel like I'm going to collapse.  I put my face in my hands and shake my head gently.
  "I swear I'm telling the truth... I'm not in love with him... But he's been my best friend for as long as I can remember, and I'm going to miss him..." I wipe tears off my cheek quickly and laugh humorlessly.  "I still sound like such an idiot."
  He shakes his head and pulls me close.  "No, Darling... I understand.  I don't blame you for that.  But the way you handled the situation was admirable.  Besides, there's no way he could stay mad at you... You don't know the effect you have on us." He fiddles with my hair gently. 
  After a moment he says, "I understand if you want to be alone tonight..."
  That actually stuns me and I look up at him quickly.  "What? No... Please don't leave me," I almost beg.
  His eyes widen a bit.  "I... Okay..." He shakes his head.  "I wouldn't dream of leaving you, my America."  He pulls me in for a tight hug and I close my eyes quickly, trying to savor it. 
  I finally step back a bit.  "Let's get ready for bed..."  I lace our fingers and pull him toward the bed slowly.
  "America, Darling, as much as I want to give this room an admirable good-bye, I'm exhausted." He sighs.
  "Me too," I admit.  "But the room will always be here," I remind him.  "How about we get changed and then sit on the balcony for a while?"
  "That would be wonderful," he says with a grin. 
  I quickly change into a nightgown as he removes everything but his pants.  I steal the comforter off the bed and bring it to the balcony as Maxon brings the chair from my room.  As soon as he sits in the chair, I climb on top of him and make myself comfortable in his lap, the comforter covering us both.
  By this time we're both pretty drowsy so he lazily plays with my hair as I trace patterns on his bare chest.
  "Thank you," he says in a hushed tone.  "For choosing me even when you had all the facts."
  "Thank you for choosing me when you had thirty-four beautiful, elegant woman fawning all over you."
  "If I remember correctly, it was only thirty-three.  You didn't fawn at all... In fact, you told me that you'd never love me," he recalls with a chuckle.  I shrug with a smirk.
  "I might have changed my mind..."
  He laughs again.  "I certainly hope you did... And I hope you don't find me maddening enough to knee me in the groin again.  It's a miracle I was able to get you pregnant after that."
  I blush.  "I was aiming for your leg!"
  "You have terrible aim, my dear..." He kisses me quickly before I can yell at him for the 'My Dear'.
  When we pull away he asks, "Have you thought at all on names? For the baby, I mean..."
  I sit up a bit.  "A little... There's this boy name that I really like.  It was one of Gregory Illèa's sons, actually... Ahren."
  A slow smile comes to his face.  "Ahren... I love it.  You remember the girl from the Halloween picture? The tall one? I always liked her name... That would be a good name for a daughter."
  I rack my brain trying to remember what it was.  "I don't remember him mentioning her name..."
  "He didn't.  At least, not in that Diary.  Her name was Eadlyn..."
  "Eadlyn... Wow," I breathe out.  "I love it.  Eadlyn and Ahren.  I don't want to let either of those names go to waste... We need to have more children," I announce.
  He laughs.  "One thing at a time, please...  I'm almost certain I can't get you pregnant twice so soon."
  I roll my eyes and smile.  "I mean eventually."
  "Eventually? Yes... I want to have more children... On the sooner side of eventually."
  I grin.  "I want to have everything in the world with you."
  "And you will, my darling... You will..."
  "I want you to be my last love."
  "I swear to you, I will be... And you will be mine."

I wake up to the bright Angeles sun warming my skin on the balcony.  I glance down to where Maxon is sleeping contently and I can't bring myself to wake him.
  I hear a giggle from behind us and when I lift my head I find May standing just inside my room looking out at us.
  "Ames!" She whisper-shouts.  "What are you doing?"
  "Sleeping?" I whisper back with a soft chuckle.  "Hang on... I don't want to wake Maxon..." I get up carefully and walk into the room with her.  "What's up, May?"
She giggles a bit. "He's cute when he's asleep... Or, you know, all the time."
I grin. "I know right?!"
She lowers her voice. "Can you imagine how adorable your children are going to be?? You are so lucky, Ames!!!"
I smirk a bit and roll my eyes. "Yes, I know. Is that what you wanted to talk about? Because I could talk for hours about Maxon, but I don't think that's the reason you're here..."
She fiddles with her hands nervously. "That's kind of why I'm here... I just... I had some questions about, uh, love..."
My face heats up. "Um... Well, when a man loves a woman-"
She cuts me off quickly. "America! Not that! I know about that!"
I bring my hand to my chest quickly. "Thank god! I wasn't prepared to have that conversation."
She shakes her head. "No, what I mean is... How do you know when you're in love?"
I take a deep breath. "That's a hard question to answer... I'm not even sure myself when I realized I was in love. I was very stubborn about it..."
Maxon's voice pipes up from the balcony. "She was terrible!" He sits up and then walks inside. "She told me from the beginning that she would never love me, and despite how absolutely charming I am it took her AGES to tell me she loved me!"
May goes red. "How long have you been awake."
"Don't worry... Just since America got up." He winks. May goes redder, which causes him to laugh. "It's alright, my dear..." He puts an arm around her. "May I be of some assistance in this whole 'love' matter? I think I have a clearer image for you..."
"I... Of course..." She seems tense but eventually leans into him.
  "First off, boys are rotten.  Every single one of them.  I highly advise against them.... But, if your mind is set on the matter..." He smiles softly.  "Love to me is when you know how flawed someone is, but you don't mind.... You can't get them out of your head.  When you cause that person to smile and you know that you're in trouble because you'd do anything in the world to see that smile again.  Love is putting someone else's needs far above your own, and knowing with absolute certainty that they will do the same for you.  Love is seeing past every obstacle and knowing in the bottom of your heart that things will work out in the end...."  The entire time he speaks, Maxon is staring at me with a dreamy look on his face.  "And," he whispers.  "If you ever find love, don't be foolish enough to fight it..."
  May is staring up at him in awe and I think she's falling in love with him a little bit herself.
  I kiss Maxon quickly and then pull away.  "That is exactly what love is...." I say softly.
  May nods but still seems confused.
  I turn to face her.  "Wait, why are you asking this...?"
  She takes a deep breath.  "America, is it okay to love someone who is in a different Caste...?"
  I furrow my brows.  "Of course, May... Look at us! Maxon is a One... I'm a Five... How could you ask such a silly question?"
  She stares down at her hands intently.  "What if... What if it was me, and I was in love with someone in a lower Caste...?"  Maxon and I look to each other quickly and then she finishes.
   "What if I was in love with an Eight...?"