We spent the next four hours taking pictures and wandering around the gardens. Suddenly I had a brilliant idea,

 "Maxon, I had an epiphany." 

He raised an eyebrow slightly, "And that is..?"

 "You know that picture wall you had in your old room? We could do one for us. Like above our bed we could have a collage of our lives together."

 He nodded, "Actually, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Let's do it."

                                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour later we walked into the reception, which looked phenomenal. My eyes darted to the food table where I saw the best food in the world: STRAWBERRY TARTS!!! Maxon knew me too well. 

He followed my line of sight and said, " Am I competing for your heart with strawberry tarts?" He started laughing.

 "You never cease to amaze me, My love. Oh look, it's my aunt." He said. 

Sure enough, Adele, along with several of her children, were coming in our direction.

 "Your Royal Majesties." The youngest, Aliyah said while pretending to bow. 

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, "Nonsense, Aliyah. No need for formalities." Maxon said.

 Then he dropped down to her level and whispered, "I got the chocolate fountain for my favorite cousin." 

He pointed toward the table with the chocolate fountain. 

Her eyes widened, "My cousin, the King, likes me the best?"

 He laughed, "Of course, you are the funniest, and the cutest." He winked.

She jumped up on him in a hug, then ran off toward the chocolate fountain. The second oldest, Aria, walked up to us next, while Adele tried to wrangle the rest of her children. Aria was about fourteen, as opposed to Aliyah, who was four.

 "America, you look like a goddess!" she said hugging both of us, before stepping back to admire.

 I blushed, "Thank you, Aria. You look breathtaking as well." 

It was true. 

She had dawned a deep purple, laced topped, knee length dress. She blushed and muttered something unintelligible as she walked away.

Adele and her oldest son, Ashton, came to us next. 

"Where are the other three kids?" Maxon chuckled.

 "I gave up on wrangling them." She sighed.

 She looked really tired.

 Ashton, who had just turned sixteen said, "Congratulations Cuz. Ya got a total knockout." 

Since he was the closest in age to Maxon, who was twenty, they were pretty close. "Why thank you. You're next Ash. Got eyes for any cute ladies?" he asked, nudging him, whilst smirking.

 Ashton turned red, "I...uh-umm- gotta go." He sped off. 

"Maxon, that was really funny, but kinda rude." I scolded. 

"You hated it when people patronized you about your love life during the Selection." I pointed out.

 "Yes, my love, but I have my happily ever after." he countered.

 He smirked and kissed me. "Maxon Schreave, you are such a tease." I said. 

Adele laughed, "Ashton has major hots for a girl named Jacqueline. She goes to his school." 

We laughed, "Good to know."

We spent the next few hours talking and laughing with our friends and family. Even Kota was invited, much to my reluctance. But he managed to behave himself and we actually had a nice conversation for the first time in years. Around eleven o'clock everyone had cleared out of the great room (which had been renamed the Grand ballroom). 

Maxon wandered over to me and said, "Dance with me, my love." 

Even though the musicians had already been excused, I took his hand without a second thought. Around four or five pm, it had started raining, and it hadn't stopped. So just like on the roof, all those months ago, we danced to the soft music of the rain.

Hey Guys and Gals!!! Miss me? Jk. 

A couple things for this chapter, I had a bit of writers block, so I tried to do as well as I could. I love this chapter, because it introduces a better dynamic of Maxon and his Cousins better than the book did. I mean, in the book it was like, 'Great, Adele has 6 kids' but it never goes in to detail.

 I also love this chapter because Ashton, Adele's oldest child, was named after one of my bestest friends in the whole world, and the girl he has the hots for, Jacqueline? Yeah thats not fake. My best friend Jackie (Jacqueline) and Ashton... have something that is super complicated going on between them, lot's of drama. 

Anyways I also just love rain, and the scene when they are dancing in the rain in the book, is one of my all time favorites.

 Love you guys!!! Stay safe!

~Kenz~