Across the Pond (Prince Harry #2)

Chapter Forty-Three

Meredith twiddled her thumbs. She wouldn't see Harry again for another two weeks. This weekend, Harry showed up to Jamaica to be part of his best friend's wedding. For two weeks, Harry would travel around the Caribbean and do a mini-tour for Granny. He wouldn't hit as many countries as he would like, but at least it would be enough.

She wouldn't be waiting on him, though; mid-terms would keep Meredith busy enough with her own work, such as two essays and a geology exam, and then editing other people's papers. But those didn't truly begin until next week. For now, on a Friday afternoon, Meredith waited and waited in the union.

Checking the time again, they were late again. Much hadn't changed since Scotland apparently.

Sighing, Meredith walked decided to go back to her dorm room. Thankfully, it had warmed up in Superior, Wisconsin, due to global warming. Usually in early March, it was still frigid. The weather had warmed enough to make it t-shirt weather, or at least for people from the north.

Her phone beeped, alerting Meredith that they were near, and she went outside. In the parking lot sat an old white car, and two girls stepped out, one older and one younger than Meredith. The younger one liked dead things and lost a bird skull in a grave once. The older one wasn't fond of swearing but did just for Meredith.

It didn't take long before two smaller females crashed into their much larger friend. "Rach, Chloe, it's nice to see you again."

The other two girls stepped back. "Mer," Rachel's smile grew.

"You seem too happy," Meredith responded.

"We're happy to see you," Chloe said.

"That's the wrong response. What's up?"

Rachel's grin became wider and wider as she kept her hands behind her back. Meredith watched the mini's intently. After five more seconds of Meredith waiting for a response, Rachel stuck her left hand out. Rachel was engaged.

"Wow!" Meredith said in shock. "When did this happen?"

"Valentine's Day," she exclaimed in happiness, "but you know, I wanted to keep it secret because I knew we were going to be seeing each other so soon. And I wanted to personally tell you because you're invited to the wedding!" Rachel gushed. "You'll be back from Germany, right?"

"When?"

"Mid-August."

Meredith paused. After Germany, she planned to spend some time with Harry in Scotland before going back to Minnesota. At one point in her life, Meredith said that was too much planning, and it was too far out. She used to ask if they would last that long? Meredith knew now that Harry and her would.

"I think so," she responded. "I might be cutting it a little close, but, you know what, absolutely. I'll be there." Meredith hugged her friend. "Congratulations!"

Rachel giggled again, filled with happiness, and if her friend was happy, Meredith was happy too.

"Now," Chloe interjected, "what do you have planned for us on this fine weekend?"

"Some regret, frostbite and a whole lot of laughter," Meredith listed. "Is that good enough?"

"We follow you to the ends of the earth, Mer," Chloe said.

"Everything is good enough," Rachel promised.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Hufflepuffs."

After dropping their things off in her room, which wasn't much thankfully because they learned how to pack light in Scotland,  Meredith took them out for dinner at a cheap, local restaurant, before heading off to the place you go if you were ever in Superior: Duluth, Minnesota. Across the high bridge, Meredith returned to her home state, and she immediately felt better.

Going up to Enger Tower, the sun slowly set behind them. The harbor with light reflecting off beamed brightly. Different rainbow hues drifted between the waves. No large cargo ships came or went when usually the harbor was frozen over. However, that wasn't it because it was too warm outside. Gray clouds started to cloud overhead, and Meredith knew night would soon fall.

"Back to my room for some girl time?" Meredith asked hopefully.

The girls nodded and back to Meredith's room they went. The rest of the night was met for catching up and how their art classes were going at Stout. Still, Chloe didn't sleep enough and Rachel still ate weird sandwiches. As for Meredith's classes, everything was fine.

"And how's Harry?" Rachel asked.

"Alive." Meredith shrugged. "Does that count?"

Chloe laughed. "That's all that matters, right?"

"Exactly." Meredith smiled. "I mean, what else am I supposed to say about him? He loves me. I love him."

Chloe's mouth pooped open. "Did she just admit that out loud?"

"Wow," Rachel laughed. "Look at Mer actually admitting she has feelings."

"I don't have feelings," Meredith responded. "I just happen to like him... a lot." She threw pillows at them. "Now go the fuck to bed." She rolled over and fell asleep.

The next morning, it was a quick stop in the cafeteria, the girls headed off to spend their day at Canal Park in Duluth, Minnesota. Chloe and Rachel bundled themselves up as Meredith brought a sweatshirt just in case. It started with a walk on the piers and under the Lift Bridge, they took a walk down the boardwalk. Of course, like always, Rachel and Chloe ran onto the slippery boulders, jumping from one to another.

"You're going to give me a heart attack!" Meredith screamed.

Rachel and Chloe only laughed, continuing to jump along. Meredith walked along the wooden boardwalk. Rachel and Chloe ran out of boulders and jumped onto the pebbles that were covered in melting ice. Ice chins rolled off Lake Superior, cracking on the shore of Canal Park.

Groaning, Rachel bent down. "I got a rock in my shoe." She slipped off her red sneaker, and indeed, a rock came out.

Laughing, Meredith continued down the path. Somethings never changed, and that was good and bad. Meredith had changed much in Scotland. She grew more comfortable and confident. She learned to love herself. Also, she learned how to love someone else, and someone else loved her undyingly. Meredith never thought that would happen, yet Harry belong with her forever. That was a fact.

Meredith's plans for her life was perhaps a marriage at thirty. Maybe some children at thirty-five, or never-- it all depended on her life. When she was younger, there was so much she wanted to do. Settling down wasn't one of those things. Meredith knew she would accomplish all of her goals, with Harry at her side. She was scared before, but now she stood fearless.

That was the whole part of growing up. Plans changed, and you just had to with the flow. Everything changed, and Meredith finally learned to accept it.

Rachel and Chloe yapped on, and Meredith listened with a smile.

Thirty minutes later, the three girls stood in the Rose Garden, overlooking the harbor and never ending lake. Meredith closed her eyes and pretended she was near the ocean again. She wanted to jump in; she wanted to swim away. Perhaps swim away wasn't correct; Meredith wanted to swim to Harry.