The Royal Scandal | Prince William |

Rose Colored

June 24, 2018

At some point she fell asleep against her will, clinging to William and fighting to keep her eyes open. 

"You need to rest," he whispered into her hair with a gentle hand twirling a greasy curl, and she wanted to fight him. Tell him that she was fine to stay awake, or that she was scared to once again close her eyes, because how do you go back to peacefully drifting off after coming so close to your demise. 

But the longer she stayed awake the more awareness she had over her body, and the fatigue from losing so much blood and carrying two babies around for months was taking its toll. So, she drifts off with surprising ease, and her last thoughts are full of fear. 

Jaclyn wakes up like a light, her eyes popping open to an empty but well lit room. William is gone, but she can see the imprint of him along the edge of the bed in the wrinkled sheets and creased mattress. In the daytime, because it must be that with the trim of light peeking out from behind the blinds, she can see the rows of flowers and balloons that line the windows with vibrant get well cards dangling from strings. 

The room is lived in with toys in the corner and the trash full, but Jaclyn hesitantly looks around trying to find the false veneer. Something so still can only be a dream...

Rapid feet pound the tile outside her door followed by hyper little voices, and Jaclyn sits upright. For a second, she considers standing, but the wires are holding her back, and after months of hobbling around she's suddenly scared that her legs won't remember how to work.

"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy!" The door is thrown open, and Jaclyn catches a glimpse of William's bashful smile before PJ races in between his legs. Her son's hair is tossed sideways he nearly slips in his Wookie slippers right into the wall.

Without a care for the tangling wires and her weak arms she leans over and hauls PJ into the bed with her. "Oh, my baby!" she coos laying kiss after kiss on his head. PJ gives her a toothy smile, and his giggles nearly make her cry. The sound of his sweet voice the most beautiful harmony.

With his legs and arms wound completely around her it's hard for Jaclyn to reach out and take her daughter's hand but she manages. Giving a Mia a timid smile that her eldest daughter seems hesitant to accept. Her eyes, always so sharp, rove over her again and again until the tightness in her chest releases and she collapses into Jaclyn's side.

"You're okay?" She asks in a wobbly voice. Without disturbing PJ, who won't release her, Jaclyn leans over until her forehead is resting against Mia's. "Of course I'm okay."

"Daddy brought you flowers." Excitedly PJ releases one arm to point at the bouquet of roses William is holding, and in return her husband sheepishly shrugs. 

"We picked them from the gardens," Amelia giggles like they've all done something rotten, and it's only when Jaclyn looks closer that she recognizes the flowers. They're from the Kensington Gardens, the coral color petals the exact ones she wakes up to every morning. 

"We thought you might like a piece of home."

-----

Jaclyn holds her youngest daughter like she's holding air, careful of the wires still hooked up to her littlest girl but soaking in her gentle stare. Beside her William is adjusting their other baby in Mia's arms, running gentle fingers down his red stained cheeks as he screams.

They both have tranquil eyes, but where his are often screwed tight with tears falling hers are wide and taking in the world.

"Any name ideas?" She asks her two oldest kids. Before she finally surrendered to her exhaustion, William and she spent the night discussing names, both too anxious to close their eyes. She looks to him now and finds comfort in their matching under eye bags.