The Crown (Prince Harry fanfic #5)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

It was a public birthday party for Freddie at Valleyfair, an amusement park in Shakopee, Minnesota. People came and went. Freddie probably would've enjoyed it more if he was older, but he got to go on a few rides, which Harry went on with him. Lucy held her other son most of the time. Her friends and other friends of friends brought their kids to amusement park for the birthday party. The kids weren't all around Freddie's age, of course, but the point got across. Photos were taken, and everyone looked to be having fun.

Walking over, Harry held Freddie in his arms. "I tried to give Kira the goodie-bag but she said she already had one."

Lucy looked at him. "Oh, you talked to Kira with the I-R-A. You should have been talking to Kyra with the Y-R-A."

He grew still. "How many Kira's are there here?"

"Six, and they're all spelt differently: K-I-R-A, K-Y-R-A, K-E-R-A-H, K-E-E-R-A, K-E-I-R-A, K-I-E-R-A," Lucy listed.

"Never mind," he said, shifting Freddie in his arms. "How long is this supposed to last?"

"Only a little while longer," Lucy murmured. "All the kids are getting tired."

Harry nodded. "I haven't seen Sydney."

"I did invite her, but she didn't appear to show up for her godson's second birthday." Lucy took Freddie out of her husband's hands. "Then again, technically, he'll be two tomorrow. It's only July third."

"Yes, he's an Independence Day baby, so American of him."

"The day America declared its independence from England." She sighed. "And then I went back."

"Such a traitor."

"I couldn't risk a Donald Trump presidency."

Harry scoffed.

Soon, Freddie's second birthday party finished up. People parted. All the old friends Lucy knew in high school and around left with their kids in tow. The amusement park had been all the fun for the kids, but the parents had to deal with the sugar rush that was to be their kids at bedtime. Oddly enough, it was chillier in Minnesota than London, which didn't seem possible.

Freddie was passed out by the time they reached the house again. His head laid against his mother's shoulder, with his fingers curled into his mother's shirt. Henry hadn't cared throughout the day, even though he spent most of his day indoors. He still slept, at four months. The boys retired to their shared bedroom and slept as long as they could. The bodyguards had disappeared into bedrooms, along with Nanny.

"Chocolate cake?" Harry offered.

Lucy squinted at him. "Chocolate cake or chocolate cake?"

"Have you had your fill of chocolate cake today?" he asked. "Because I can give you some chocolate cake."

She scoffed. "I've had my fill of chocolate cake and chocolate cake today." There were far too many kids. Two were enough for Lucy. "And we would have to be quiet."

"It's you that should be taking that advice."

"Have you met yourself?"

Harry took Lucy's hand and led her upstairs. The door closed behind them. His lips immediately touched her, as his hands ran up and down her body. Lucy closed her mouth so she didn't let out a giggle. Harry pushed himself closer to Lucy, which she allowed. Their lips didn't break. His blue eyes roamed his wife's body, taking her in. Even in tiredness, she was still so perfect. His fingertips ran across Lucy's exposed skin until they stopped-- a cry came from the room over.

"That's not Henry," Harry groaned.

"Nope, that's Freddie." Lucy smiled.

"Damnit, Freddie, how do you know?" Harry rolled off the bed. "And we were even quiet."

"Go find out what's wrong."

"Will you be here when I get back?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Where else would I be?" she asked.

Shrugging, Harry went to find out what Freddie wanted. Standing in the crib, Freddie stopped his crying as soon as soon as his blue eyes rested upon his father. Harry gave him, having been cock-blocked by his own son, again. It was amazing how Freddie had a younger brother. Freddie quieted now. Henry, however, was not. The older brother managed to wake up the younger brother, and the younger brother began to scream his head off. Harry held Henry in his hands, rocking him back and forth. Eventually, he quieted down and fell asleep. Harry held his son a little while longer. Freddie was already asleep.

Returning to the bedroom, Harry was ready to continue and Lucy was not. Asleep on the bed, she was peaceful. Harry sighed and climbed into bed beside her. He fell asleep almost immediately.

In the morning, the sun blazed in through the windows. Lucy had covered her face with the blankets to get it to stop. Harry rolled out of bed, when no one else was even awake yet. His body hadn't adjusted to Minnesotan time, which was six hours behind London. Harry took the time to make breakfast for his family and his bodyguards and Nanny. Henry was up next, needing to be fed, which Harry happily did. Freddie was up next and he played with the toys that had been brought from home. All the bodyguards emerged together, along with Nanny, at promptly seven in the morning. Lucy was still nowhere to be seen.

Harry climbed up the stairs, as everyone else waited downstairs in the kitchen. Freddie nibbled on a piece of toast, and there were squeaking sounds above the group of people. It was as if the bed moved and the whole floor moved too. The minds of the adults immediately went to something that only grownups should've been doing.

Harry bounded down the stairs a minute later with a new vigor in his step. He smiled and sat down. "We can begin to eat without her."

A moment later, Lucy came downstairs, dreary-eyed and slow for the morning, with a slight annoyance set in her jaw. "Prince Charming," she said sourly, "you need to stop jumping on the bed to wake me up in the morning."

"I thought you loved it."

"Shut up," she growled and sat down.

Everyone ate.

The day was spent mostly inside the house. A few times they went outside, and Freddie enjoyed playing in the sun. The bodyguards stood around as Nanny took care of Henry for a little while. Most of his time was still spent sleeping; perhaps he was much like his mother after all. Lucy spent the day outside with her boys too, until she escaped indoors from the heat.

When nighttime rolled around, she tried to keep Freddie awake long enough for his actual birthday surprise. It was, after all, July Fourth, America's Independence Day, and there were going to be some amazing fireworks. The cars were parked at the top of a hill that overlooked the great Mississippi River. Freddie was bored in his mother's arms until the first firework shot up into the sky.

Quickly, booms and pops filled the air. Bright colors illuminated everyone around. Freddie reached out his tiny hands to catch the fire in the sky. He wasn't happy that he couldn't reach. Laughing, his blue eyes watched the sky. Everyone watched the sky. Higher and higher the fireworks climbed. Brighter and brighter the fireworks became. They bloomed in the sky, spreading out, blossoming into beautiful, colorful orbs.