In The Spotlight// Prince Harry

Chapter Twenty-Five

Today's the day.  Her Harry was finally coming home to her.  Rose woke up with a genuine smile on her face for the first time in months.  Getting her clothes out of her closet, she went to take a shower to freshen up.

She had asked her boss if she could take the day off, as she wanted to surprise Harry by picking him up.  Rose didn't want his driver to be the only one there for him.

After getting ready, Rose grabbed her purse to meet Harry's driver out front. She still couldn't believe that the day was finally here. She would get to be in the arms of the man she loved.

Rose still remembered the day after her and Ava had ran into Oliver at the restaurant. 

It had already been an hour into work as Rose was doodling on a piece of paper.  Since it was early in the morning they usually weren't busy at that time.  Rose was worried though about her friend Ava.

She hadn't heard from her best friend since they ran into Oliver at the restaurant and she hoped that she was alright. A sigh escaped her mouth as she rested the palm of her hand against her jawline.

Just then the bell to the door dinged. Rose looked up to see Ava with an expressionless face. She wasn't sure what to expect and decided to tread lightly around the subject.

"Hey..." Rose trailed off.

"Hi," Ava replied in a monotone voice.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked her warily.

Ava couldn't hold it in any longer. She let out a squeal and her eyes shined bright with excitement and love. Sticking her left hand out was a simple gorgeous diamond ring. 

"He proposed!"  Ava squealed. 

Rose's jaw dropped as she looked at the engagement ring.

"It's stunning," Rose shrieked, "you have to tell me everything. How did he propose? And what made you what to say yes after not being with him for three months?"

"Well, he took me on a walk around town and apologized to me. He explained that he was afraid of marriage and was being pressured too much by his mum and family to ask me and he couldn't take it anymore. The minute he ended things with me, he felt like he made the worst decision of his life and wanted me back that instant. Then he got down on one knee and I said yes. I decided to give him another chance because he will always be the love of my life no matter what. I know that it's probably not much of an excuse for him breaking things off with me but his family was literally pressuring him to ask me almost every day leading up to it. So I can understand where he was coming from. He wanted to do it on his timing and not because it was something his family wanted right then."

"I'm so happy for you," Rose said excitedly walking around the desk to give her best friend a congratulatory hug.

Ava squeezed her eyes shut as she welcomed the embrace of her best friend. She still couldn't believe that she was getting married to her best friend. The love of her life.

"But wait, what about the girl last night? Was that not his date?" Rose asked as she pulled away tilting her head to the side.

"Oh that," Ava said waving her hand off, "she was just a friend. They were going to dinner to actually chat about his proposal to me."

...

Rose couldn't help but be happy for her two best friends. And from then on, she too couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be engaged to Harry. Her Harry.

Was that something Harry even wanted? Was this relationship going anywhere?

As they pulled up to the airport where Harry's plane would be flown into, the butterflies in Rose's stomach were working in overdrive. She couldn't seem to get rid of them.

Rose thanked the driver as she got out of the black Rang Rover and walked right up to the area where she saw other wives and girlfriends waiting for their soldier to return.  In the letters she had received from Harry, he hadn't told her that any of the other guys in his troop had lost their lives, and she hoped that was still there case. 

Whenever her father had been deployed, she could vividly remember one case where soldiers were escorting a casket off with an American flag on top.  Her heart had broken at the sight of the newly married wife's face had just crumpled for her fallen soldier.  Every detail was still etched and carved into Rose's memory and heart as if it had happened yesterday, even though it happened when she was in middle school. 

Her name was Liz and her husbands name was Cody.  She had attended his funeral and she had cried her eyes out that night.  She could still remember them playing Would You Go With Me by Josh Turner while photos on a slide show were being shown of Liz and Cody through out the years, their family, and their wedding.  What made it even harder was that they had a son who was a year old named after her husband.  He was born before they had married. 

She never looked at that song the same way again.  Whenever it played, she would always remember Cody Baker's funeral.  He was in Heaven now, and she knew that he was watching over his family. 

To Rose, Cody was one of the neatest guys she had ever met.  Very humble.  Very quiet.  And very much a leader in the most unique way.  He led by example.  He was highly respected not just in the military but to civilians as well.  He always thought there was more that he could learn. 

Rose stayed in touch with Liz and little Cody since then.  She would baby sit for Cody whenever Liz needed a night to herself.  She never remarried.  Cody was her first love and she promised that he would be her one and only. 

Trying to blink back the tears that were threatening to spill out and her throat getting choked up, she was glad that she had sunglasses on at the moment. 

Being brought back to the present, she saw the first soldier step off of the airplane.  Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest and her palms were beginning to sweat.  She removed her sunglasses from her eyes and now had them resting at the top of her head. 

And then she saw him.  Her Harry.  A cheeky grin spread across both of their faces as they locked eyes with each other.  Rose didn't care who was watching she ran into a sprint as Harry dropped his duffle bag and wrapped her legs around his waist as her arms snaked around his neck. 

He brought his lips to hers in a sweet lingering kiss that had her insides melt into goo. 

There was one thing they were both sure of: they were home.