Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Seventy-Four

So much for having a day off because the day off of Meredith and Harry ended up being a lot of work. The couple had to wear disguises out of the hotel when they went to the doctor's office. If this hadn't happened, Meredith and Harry were going to be at some private house, where she was going to be swimming. Harry stated that they were able to do that after the appointment, but that didn't make Meredith feel any better.

At the private doctor's office, Meredith laid back on a cot. It was only her and her husband in the room yet. The doctor seemed nice enough, but Meredith wasn't sure how comfortable she felt. The walls were painted a dull pink, and it smelt of disinfectant. The smell burned her nostrils. There were detailed drawings of the female reproductive system, and she ended up focusing more on those than the happy-looking, angelic-smiling pictures of mothers and their newborns.

Harry didn't sit. His wife wasn't sure if he had the ability. Ever since yesterday, he had been on his toes, bouncing up and down, not being able to keep his excitement contained. Partly, it made Meredith excited, but she knew he was going to have to keep his excitement contained when it came to events. Harry paced throughout the small clinic room.

Neither of them had an idea where the doctor went since these were the only two in the clinic. Well, these were the only two clients here. Bodyguard Bill and Bella waited in the waiting room, having been told last night by Jessica. This morning, when Meredith had seen them, she had seen their faces, and she hated it, wanting to go back to bed. She preferred if no one knew yet because when people knew, they treated her differently.

With a knock on the door, the doctor came back inside, a friendly female face with graying hair and kind eyes. "Your highnesses," she said, curtsying slightly, "I imagine that this can be difficult with your busy schedules, and I know privacy is utmost important. Let us see what is going on."

Already, Meredith had to pee in a cup, and when finished, the doctor had decided that yes, Meredith was pregnant. Because this was meant to be kept quiet, a blood test was not done. If they were back in London, then everything was going to follow a proper protocol.

The doctor had a large grin on her face. "Congratulations!" The test proved it.

Harry almost let out a loud excited whoop, but he managed to keep it under wraps with the tight-lipped smile from Meredith. The doctor glanced her way, and Meredith did her best to broaden her smile. The doctor looked between the two and then made her choice.

"Your highness," she said to Harry, "usually I have a nurse to come and help me, but since it is only us, I was wondering if you could help me. Behind the front desk, there is a silver instrument. Can you go grab it?"

Happy to help, Harry excused himself from the room.

The doctor's eyes swung to Meredith. "That was incredibly vague," Meredith said. "He'll have a hard time finding whatever you think he's supposed to be finding."

The doctor smiled kindly. "I wanted to speak to you in private."

That was something Meredith didn't want.

"I thought I might speak with you before speaking with both of you," the doctor continued, and panic flashed across Meredith's face. "It's nothing bad, but I couldn't help but notice your face. You don't seem very excited-- and nervousness is a completely valid emotion to have. However, there are other options, such as adoption--"

Meredith stated slowly, "You realize what position I'm in, right?" Meredith was the Duchess of Windsor, so her options were limited on many things. Options were good for other people, but Meredith didn't have quite the freedom. "I'm nervous. I'm scared. Actually, I'm fucking terrified. I do not want to be a parent yet, but I will do it. I've got nine months or so to figure it out."

"I don't want you to regret this, your highness."

"Me either." Meredith sighed, running her fingers through her blonde hair. "I don't know what I can do to not make me nervous. I want to be excited, like he is, but I... I don't get excited like he does. Literally, before our wedding, I was panicking so much. It wasn't excitement; it was gutting-wrench nervousness."

The doctor shifted in her seat. "How long is this tour going to be?"

Meredith didn't know, and she didn't want to know. She had this continent, South America and North America. She was excited to do that, but those weren't life-changing events. Marriage and a baby were life-changing events. Not knowing the answer, Meredith shrugged.

"Are you nervous often?"

When wasn't Meredith nervous about something? Sometimes it was the little things, and sometimes it was the massive things. She didn't have panic attacks-- well, there had been a few when in university with the paparazzi following her every move. Again, she shrugged.

"Your highness, I am not your primary physician-- and I do not want you to think I am speaking out of turn-- but I think that maybe you should speak to a specialist, like a psychologist. This nervousness is coming from something else." The doctor gave her full attention. "Your life is not an easy life. I do not know about you, your highness, and I do not care to know. Your life is your life, but your life is in front of the cameras all the time-- and it wasn't always that way for you. You were a 'commoner,' weren't you?"

Meredith nodded. "I was a very tall girl from the middle of Minnesota."

"And now look at you."

Nervousness made her stomach twist.

"When it comes to being pregnant, a lot of things are heightened. Your body's senses will be heightened, and I truly believe you care about this fetus inside of you. However, you need to take of yourself before you can take care of someone else."

She was going to have to figure that out.

"Do things that make you happy," the doctor said. "Demand them, if need be."

It was then that Harry came back into the room, holding several small instruments. The doctor, maybe in her nightlife, was an actress because she acted like she exactly needed all of those things. Harry let out a whistle before joining his wife by the cot. It became apparently clear that she was very early on, and the more the royals traveled, Meredith was going to need checkups. As for now, Meredith was in perfect health. The doctor wrote some prescriptions anyway.

On the way back to the hotel, they traveled along the beaches, and Meredith had her head leaning against the window, watching the glistening blue waves. Harry held his wife's hand, rubbing circles, but he watched out his own window. The car was deathly quiet with bodyguards Bill and Bella in the front seat.

Meredith let out a sigh. Stress built up in her, and she shifted uncomfortable in her seat. The doctor's words ran through her head, so she demanded, "Stop at the beach."

Harry interjected, "Maybe we should go back to the hotel. The paparazzi will be out today-- and it's been a long day already."

Green eyes flashing over to her husband, Meredith aimed a death glare at him.

Harry swallowed and commanded the bodyguards to "go the nearest beach."

When the car parked, it was like Meredith wasn't able to get out of the car fast enough. She still wore the disguise given to her, and Harry came after his wife in a similar one. It was about keeping the head down, but as soon as Meredith got to the water, she slipped off her shoes and jacket. It was so warm under that thing. Meredith wanted the snow, and this was the complete opposite. It was going to have to do.

Dipping her toes into the water, Meredith closed her eyes and relaxed. She forgot about everything around her. It melted away. Taking deep breaths, the smell of salt water flowed in, and she took it all in.

Harry came to stand next to her in silence. They both listened to the sound of the waves rolling up and splashing against the sand in white foam. Meredith wanted to jump right in, maybe even swim away, but now, she had a baby on the way and she had a husband right beside her. Also, the car idled behind them, off to take them to do something spectacular with the world's eyes on her-- and it meant something to someone. All of this meant something to people around the world. Swimming away wasn't an option because this was her life. Meredith had signed up for this, and she did want this. However, it was hard to just go into it without knowing what was going to happen next. She had to do it anyway.