Life in the Palace (Prince Harry #5)

Chapter Two

Meredith's father insisted on driving. Harry offered to, but her father signed that they had just gotten off a plane and were tired. Meredith preferred to drive over Harry here because she was more familiar with the roads and way of driving. She hated driving, but sometimes, Harry's driving was too much. He didn't know the ins and outs of Minnesota like Meredith did.

Her childhood home wasn't too far away from the airport, but it felt an hour. Tiredness threatened to claim her body right there and then in the car. She felt herself dozing off, watching the bright highway lights cross the sky in a blur. She fell asleep after five minutes on the highway, used to the pull of the roadways and hum of the vehicle. She was never able to do this during her time on the tour.

"Mere.... Mere.... Mere...." Harry gently shook her away. "We're here."

She blinked her eyes and found the bright lights of the garage. When she attempted to get out of the car, she found her legs too heavy, but she managed to get up the few stairs, where she greeted by her old dog and... a new puppy. Harry promised her one, but this wasn't hers. Meredith bent down and picked it up.

Her father came in and signed I-Z-Z-I-E. "She helps me listen more." He chuckled.

Meredith signed, "She's adorable." The puppy started to nibble at her fingertips.

He continued to sign, "I heard you two are getting a dog when you get back to London."

That wasn't all that they were getting.

Harry, only able to pick up on a few of the movements when they weren't greetings, decided to take the bags upstairs. There weren't as many as any day in any country on the tour, but they were still enough because Meredith was not a light packer, even though they were able to buy anything that was forgotten.

Meredith noticed Harry gone, and she swallowed. It was now or never because she wasn't sure if she wanted to do it with Harry here. She loved him, even though he did some stupid things sometimes, as everyone did. However, she wanted to do this just between her and her father, not wanting to translate for Harry.

"Dad," she signed, getting his attention off of Izzie and Emmie for a moment. These were the new girls in his life since her mother passed and Meredith moved away. "Harry and I are going to get a dog, but there is something else."

She had his attention now.

This was the moment, and Meredith had to take it. "I'm pregnant," she signed.

Shock crossed his face as he soaked in those words. This was his first grandchild, even though his daughter was almost 23 years old. He wasn't able to lie because he hoped she was going to be older before having a child. Granted, he wished she was older before she married. He liked Harry; he came from a good family and her father never needed to worry that she wasn't provided for. Meredith never thought this way because she was an independent woman, but he loved his little girl who was no longer that.

Then an anger took over him as he thought about how young she was and how old he was. Since he was a little girl, Meredith had spoken about wanting to wait until her 30s. She wanted to live while in her 20s. However, he realized, Meredith wasn't the little girl that he knew anymore. Her plans and ideas changed. He didn't know what was going through her head, which started when she was a teenager, as it did with most of them. They rebelled, even though Meredith never did. She wasn't much of a rulebreaker.

In this moment, he had all of this running through his head, as his daughter had. These were big moments that were not to be taken lightly. And her father was always the positive thinker in the family. A grin from ear to ear crossed his face, and it was impossible to contain it. He was going to have a grandchild. She was across the world, and he was going to have to visit. He had been traveling around but had only been to London for the wedding. Maybe it was time to spend more time there-- but only if Emmie and Izzie were able to come.

He sighed, "I'm so happy for you, Meredith."

"Thanks, Daddy." She wrapped her arms around him, and he hugged her back sweetly.

Harry came down the stairs and paused, taking the scene. Not wanting to ruin it, he tried to carefully go back upstairs.

"Harry," Meredith's father croaked, and Harry turned back around. Her father walked over to Harry and said, "You better take care of my girl and that baby."

"I will, sir," Harry promised.

"And I'm proud of you both." Her father shook his hand. "You're going to make a great father."

A tear brimmed in Harry's blue eyes upon hearing that.

"And Meredith." Her father went back to signing quickly, "Keep him in order, and everything else. I know you're going to do great, but he seems a bit nervous."

Harry obviously didn't get any of that, and Meredith laughed aloud.

Her father continued signing, "I know what I will dream about tonight."

"Me too," Harry said, and Meredith surprised he managed to get that. "I know some things."

She rolled her eyes and then yawned.

"I think," her father said, "we should all get some rest."

Meredith agreed greedily, wanting to fall asleep right where she stood. Up the stairs they went, and Meredith found that two beds had been laid out. On the left, she saw her bedroom with the old pink carpet and colored paint peeling off from when she painted it one summer. Her childhood stuffed animals were either on the bed or on the top shelf of her bookcases, which were filled to the brim because she wasn't able to take them across the pond.

To the right, the guest bed was made up from the pull out couch in the office. At least the old computer was turned off to not cause extra light.

Turning to her father, she signed, "What's this?"

"Two beds-- obviously," he replied.

"We're married."

"Not under my roof." Izzie and Emmie followed after him as he took to his own bedroom.

Meredith gave her husband a look, but Harry smiled. "Think of this as a positive," he said. "You'll get enough sleep when I'm no longer stealing the covers."

"You don't steal the covers."

"I know." Harry winked and went into the guest bedroom. "I'll see you in the morning."

Meredith checked her watch. "It's in fourteen minutes."

"I know." He winked again and closed the door.

Going back into her childhood bedroom, Meredith quickly changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed. She was all curled up when she heard the door open. Whipping around, because her mind still raced at the thought of Jack Campbell, Meredith saw Harry creep in. He put a finger to his lips and carefully climbed into bed beside her.

"He gets up early," she warned, snuggling closer to her. Meredith had been thinking that she had way too much space in this bed without Harry.

"I'll keep that in mind." He looped his arms around her and took a glance around her room. "It's cute."

"I was a child."

"The pink carpet?"

She rolled her eyes again. Sleepy Meredith was an even sassier Meredith, which was something Harry needed to keep in mind.

"Does this stuffed dog make a sound?" Harry clamped down on the paw, and the stuffed animal started to bark. There was a second of silence before Emmie and Izzie started to bark their heads off. "Shite," he whispered as he started to laugh.

Meredith clamped a hand down on his mouth. "Not another word." She yawned and then curled further into him. A minute passed of silence, their breathing and the fan. Suddenly, when she knew the dogs weren't going to bark again, Meredith said, "Thank God he's deaf." She fell asleep.