Running Around Royal (Prince Harry #4)

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Meredith and Harry flew to Nairobi that night, and they stayed at a five-star hotel that looked over the city. Their car was escorted through the streets. The Commonwealth flag flew as long the Union Jack flag. Even in darkness, people watched as they passed. Nairobi had quite the nightlife, and it shown in bright lights of people laughing and drinking outside and then in the neon lights of clubs.

Meredith watched as the lights danced along, crushing together in a fast rainbow. Tiredness threatened to overtake her, especially after her long day. Harry felt the same. In the airplane, even though it was a short flight, Meredith curled up next to her husband. In the car, she almost did the same thing.

At the hotel, it was a shower and then slipping under the covers. Her head echoed of a dull pain, but at least it was no more shocking. "Good night," Harry whispered and turned off the lights.

Meredith fell into a deep sleep only be woken when light flashed in her mind and she was back in the car with people surrounding her. the voices were just as loud as they had been a few days ago, and Meredith wondered why she started to feel this now. She had been rather calm up to this point. Suddenly, the nightmare zigzagged to reveal her past: when she had been stuck in the Duluth mall parking lot after paparazzi had surrounded the car and she wasn't able to get out; the paparazzi had shifted the car too, screaming through the windows. The two memories formed together. Meredith tried to claw her way from the car, but the protesters and paparazzi just shook the car. Something hit the car, and Meredith jumped, feeling a scream build up in her throat. The car rocked, and her body did so along with it.

Meredith woke up to the dark ceiling, and then Harry awake beside her, his hands on her arm. "Mere," his voice was calm and collected, and his hands eased up on her arm. "Mere, it was a nightmare. You're good. You're all good." His fingers danced around his goosebumped skin. "You're all right."

The scream was still built up in her throat, and she forced it down.

Slowly, Harry laid down beside her, and Meredith curled into him, pressing her face in his shirt. "What was it?" he asked.

"The car," she said. "Why is this happening now?"

"You were taking a few days to process it. That happens. It's okay."

Meredith sighed and pushed back her hair. "Why now, though?"

"I don't know, Mere. Maybe we shouldn't--"

"We're continuing." Meredith refused to back out now. She couldn't explain why this was happening now, but it was. Whatever it was, she needed to deal with it, but she wasn't willing to let down the people that wanted to see her the most. For all the people that didn't care, there were the people that did, and they were well worth it. "Harry?"

"Yes, Mere." He watched her carefully.

"It wasn't just a few days ago."

"It's happened before?"

"No, that's not what I meant." Meredith ran her fingers through her hair again, only for her to put her hands flat on the bed. "Do you remember when we almost broke up?"

"Which time?" he asked with a smile. This was a sore topic for him too because they had almost broken up most times because of the paparazzi.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "I was at the mall and the paparazzi--"

"Surrounded the car," Harry finished, remembering that day well. Meredith literally called the police because she wasn't able to move the car without running someone over. At least it started a process of the paparazzi leaving her alone. Meredith had been so scared and sad that it led to a panic attack and almost ended their relationship. Harry positioned himself closer to his wife. "Your heartbeat is slowing."