by Magus Tor
“Of course I do! How could you ever doubt that?”
“How could I have ever doubted you at all?” she responded. “I thought you had betrayed me, Jonathon. You. The sweetest, most honest person I've ever known. I don't know what I was thinking. It was just the only thing that made sense at the time.”
He sat back on the couch, letting the cushions swallow him up. “Sometimes we need to doubt things so that we know they're true,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Yes, I was hurt and even insulted, but Aurelia, I love you. And I know that you did what you felt you had to. You had a duty to Nicholas, and you put that in front of your own personal wants. I respect you for that.”
She squeezed his hand gently. “Which is rather ironic, since the whole reason I was mad at you is because you put your duty towards the Resistance in front of your personal need for me by reporting Nicholas.”
Jonathon sighed. “I don't pretend that our relationship is going to be easy,” he said. “But I have the feeling that if it were easy, neither of us would want it. We both like things that we have to fight for. And we both have a strong sense of duty and what's right.”
“Hmmm, I've got a very similar feeling,” Aurelia said, smiling. “But at least we'll never be able to complain that our lives are boring.”
“Boring? With me being President of the Empire, and you looking after our six children, life will never be boring,” he said with a grin.
“Six?!”
“Well, there have to be some benefits to freedom and no population planning,” Jonathon objected. “And as the President's wife, you're going to have to set a good example. And I thought six was a nice round number.”
Aurelia giggled. “Maybe we should argue this one another day?”
“Maybe,” he said, turning so that he could look her in the eyes. “I think we have better things to do than argue right now, don't you?”
“Like what?”
“Like make up?”
“Oh no, you don’t.” Aurelia smiled. “I need you to meet my father first.”
Jonathon laughed. “I think I have already done that.”
There was a puzzled look on her face, and her eyes began to question him.
“I am not going to tell you.” Jonathon got up to leave. “Sleep here tonight, and I may consider.”
Aurelia pouted.