Royals: Part 7

Chapter 4

"Hold on tight!"

"Woah!" Mary Kate squealed, her little hands gripping the arms of Jackie's desk chair with white knuckles, her wispy honey blonde hair flying around her face.

Jackie slowed the spinning desk chair to a stop, laughing at Mary Kate's wobbly head. "Are you dizzy?"

Mary Kate could only laugh, too dizzy to even attempt to stand.

Jackie had been in her Kensington Palace office, trying to get some work done, when Mary Kate came knocking, asking to play. Of course, Jackie gave in, turning her chair into a carnival ride.

"Your turn!" Mary Kate ordered, motioning for Jackie to sit.

Jackie sat down, smiling as her daughter used all her might to make the chair spin in slow rotations. Despite the snail-like speed, Jackie's stomach clenched with nausea. She put a hand to her mouth and closed her eyes, willing the wave to pass. Thankfully it did, and she was able to put on an excited face to entertain Mary Kate.

There was a knock on the door to her office. "Come in!" Jackie called, Mary Kate giggling as she continued to tug the chair in circles.

Elizabeth walked in, briefcase in hand. "Hello, ladies," she greeted, leaning down to give Mary Kate her usual peck on the cheek.

"Look, Liz!" Mary Kate squealed, obviously delighted with her spinning.

"You're going to make your mummy sick!" Elizabeth laughed, gasping dramatically and putting her hands to her mouth.

Mary Kate's laughter became hysterical, much to the amusement of Jackie and Elizabeth.

Harry poked his head into the doorway, drawn by the noise. "What's going on in here?"

Mary Kate put on the same show for Harry, who reacted much like Elizabeth did, indulging the overjoyed little girl.

"Let's let mummy and Elizabeth get some work done, Mary, and we'll go play with your dolls," Harry suggested, noticing Elizabeth's briefcase -- which meant business.

Mary Kate agreed, allowing Harry to scoop her up. He gave Jackie a kiss before sweeping the still giggling Princess out of Jackie and Elizabeth's hair.

Elizabeth settled down into a chair opposite Jackie's desk, snapping open the leather briefcase and taking out a stack of papers. They went over the usual deal, upcoming engagements, charities asking for her support, and the like. Then, Elizabeth pulled out an envelope.

"This came today for you, I thought you'd be interested," Elizabeth said, handing the legal envelope over to Jackie.

It was from the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Jackie used her nail to rip it open, unfolding the letter on her desk.

'Dear Ms. Baker-

It has come to our attention that your nursing license has been inactive for quite some time.

As you know, nurses must keep up to date with modern medicine by caring for patients regularly. You last practiced nursing in January of 2012. As of this month, August 2015, you have not used your license in three and a half years.

Your license will expire on 1st January 2016 if continuing education courses are not completed.'

Jackie looked up at Elizabeth, who was studying her expression. "This is rather sad, isn't it?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I thought you might be a bit upset, I know how much your career meant to you."

"I can't believe it's been three and a half years," Jackie mumbled. "I stopped working when Harry and I got engaged."

"Perhaps you could write to the Queen, asking if you could get a job at a hospital on the side, when you aren't acting as Duchess," Elizabeth said with a hint of a smile.

"I don't want to take any of the courses to renew my license, but I wish I could find a use for it before it expires," Jackie said thoughtfully.

"If I may say so, you've moved on in your life," Elizabeth said. "You aren't Jackie any more, you're Jacqueline, Duchess of Windsor."

---

"Maybe you could go to one of the local clinics and give vaccinations or something," Harry suggested, taking a bite of his pizza.

Jackie shrugged. "I could." She had hoped to do something a bit more exciting, but nothing was coming to mind.

"You could be the official nurse to the Royal Family," Harry joked. When he saw Jackie wasn't laughing, he quickly added, "Don't worry, we'll think of something."

"I hope so." Jackie and Harry were relaxing in the sitting room of their Kensington Palace flat after a long day of working. Mary Kate, Caroline, and Cece were sleeping soundly in their beds, allowing their parents a few moments of peace.

Jackie swung her feet onto Harry's lap. "I've been standing all day, my feet are killing me."

Harry's eye brows furrowed. "If I'm not mistaken, you've been sitting in your office chair all day."

"I think you are mistaken," Jackie said. She shuffled her feet under Harry's hands, wiggling her toes.

Harry gave in, giving Jackie a fairly decent massage. After a few minutes, he pushed her feet off of his lap, swinging his onto her lap. "My turn," he said.

Jackie faked a yawn. "Well, I'm heading to bed."

Harry gave Jackie a playful kick. "You used me!"

Jackie threw her head back into the couch. "I'm sorry, I just need to rest for a bit."

Harry laughed, recognizing defeat. He stood up, giving her a kiss. "Do you want another piece of pizza?"

Jackie shook her head. "I'm full, thanks though."

"You're full? You only ate one piece!" Harry said incredulously. "I've seen you eat a full pizza by yourself."

Jackie scoffed. "I have not!"

"Yes you have." Harry frowned. "Is that how you lost the baby weight so quickly?"

"Honestly, Harry, I'm not anorexic," Jackie sighed. "I've actually been feeling nauseous lately."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You don't think..." he trailed off.

Jackie smiled. "Only one way to find out."

Less than five minutes later, Jackie and Harry were sitting on the edge of the bathtub in their Kensington 1B bathroom, a pregnancy test sitting on the tile floor in front of them, flipped so that the screen wasn't visible.

Jackie looked at her watch. "One more minute."

Harry put an arm around Jackie's shoulder and pulled her into his side. "Do you think it's positive?"

"Let's not get our hopes up. It took months for me to get pregnant with Mary Kate and the twins," Jackie said, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach -- she wanted another baby so badly.

Harry leaned down and pressed his ear to Jackie's stomach. Jackie laughed, shaking her head, as he said, "I can hear something in there."

"I think it's the pizza," Jackie said with a grin. She looked back at her watch. "Time's up."

Harry took Jackie's face in his hands and gave her a firm kiss on the lips. "Let's look."

Jackie picked up the test with one hand, taking Harry's in the other.

She took a deep breath and flipped it over, the digital screen displaying a single word.

Pregnant.

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