She was coming from some meetings so they had not arrived together, and he was getting worried. The press had already caughtwind of it and were stationed outside, and he hoped she would be able to dodge them on her way in.
Charlie’s birth was big news, as she could be giving birth to the next heir to the throne. He wasn’t sure if he and Rebecca would be able to get pregnant, and his sister Cat and her fiancé weren’t sure if they even wanted children, much less if they could conceive.
Rebecca strode in, protection agents trailing. “Hi, everyone. Any news?”
They all shook their heads and murmured responses as she went around to greet everyone. She took a little longer with both his mother and Grace; today was a joyous occasion, but it was a hard one too for women like his wife, his mother, and Grace who had all lost a child.
Then Rebecca saw him and smiled, and he rose to greet her as she came his way. After a quick kiss, she settled in the chair beside him.
“How are you, darling?”
“Tired and stressed about the tour, but excited to meet the baby. You?”
He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “The same. Everyone was discussing whether we should postpone going, but there’s no stopping the trip now. Once the news broke of Charlie’s labour, the White House reached out to us but I confirmed the trip unless...”
“…something bad happens,” she whispered and nodded. No one wanted to think about something happening to Charlie or the baby but, as a royal about to embark on a state visit, they needed to.
She squeezed his hand.
“Nate came out a while ago and said Charlie was doing well, but that seeing everyone would be too overwhelming for her.”
She nodded. “I can understand that. There are rather a lot of us.”
He huffed a laugh. “To say the least. Nate also mentioned she started having contractions last night, but she wanted to wait to come to the hospital until thedoctor confirmed it was time.”
“Yes, she was having Braxton Hicks a week or so ago, remember? She didn’t want another false alarm. But that means she’s been in labour for at least, what, twelve hours or so already?”
He nodded, then got annoyed. “They came here this morning, but still waited a few hours before telling us. Honestly, I’m shocked we found out before the press did.”
She tutted at him. “Don’t be like that. It’s their pregnancy, their child. They’re allowed to do things as they like, royal or no. Charlie’s also American?—”
“—former American.”
Rebecca rolled her eyes. “Vallerian-American technically, since she holds dual citizenship. Anyway, things are different in the U.S. She may have felt more comfortable waiting and, since she’s the mother, she gets to decide these things.”
He spoke his next words before thinking. “So when you’re about to give birth, I should…”
She looked down, her free hand fisting resting near her belly button. She tugged the edge of her suit jacket down, as if that’s what she was intending to do all along, when they both knew it wasn’t.
Fuck!“I’m sorry, darling. I didn’t mean?—”
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Yes. Should I be giving birth, you have to cater to my whims, logical or not.”
She still wasn’t looking at him, her eyes looking at anything but him. “Darling.”
“Hmm?”
“Will you look at me?”
She shook her head.
“Why not?”
“I’m trying not to think about the baby today. If I look at you now, I’ll break. I know it. It’s not that I’m not happy for Charlie, but…”
“I understand. I do. And I’m sorry.”
She sighed. “No, I’m sorry. You lost a baby too. I know it was different for you, but I know itaffects you too.”
