Black Sheep

“I need to tell you something.” Harry had called that night, just after Kate was taken to hospital.
“Go ahead I’m all ears.”
“Well a couple of weeks ago-”
“I’m sorry babe, I’ve just been called. Love you.” He said hurriedly down the phone, Before hanging up.

I spent the rest of the day exploring Kensington palace. I’d never had a chance to before. I followed a corridor out into a grand set of stairs where gold paintings decorated the walls and a large painting of people overlooking a balcony covered the tops of the walls. I carried on up the staircase to another corridor with large wooden doors either side. Pushing the nearest door open, I found dark hardwood floors and tall dark red walls and a large cream fireplace. The floorboards creaked as I walked over to the fireplace and glanced up at the paintings that covered the walls. They were paintings of kings and queens, princes and princesses surrounded with thick gold frames. I carried on through the room, looking at all the paintings, when my eyes travelled to the ceiling that had another painting, the entire length of the room. Then it hit me. I realised exactly where I was and exactly what I was getting caught up in.

“It’s a beautiful room isn’t it?” A voice echoed in the cold room, snapping me out of my thoughts. My head turned to see William stood in the door way. I nodded. “I used to come in here all the time when I was younger. To get away from it all, you know?”
“I know how you feel.” He crossed over to a large wooden windowsill, and sat.
“It sometimes gets a bit much.” I carried on looking at the dukes and duchesses that were painted on the ceiling. “I understand that it can’t be easy for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well your job entails a lot of misconceptions.” I crossed the room to sit with him on the windowsill. “Especially morally. I know that the security detail aren’t your biggest fans at the moment, but in time, I’m sure you’ll win them over.”
“Who say’s I’ll be here for any length of time?”
“Me.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Just don’t question it. You both make each other happy and that’s the basis of any long-lasting relationship.” I nodded in agreement. “After you first met Harry called me.”
“What did he say?”
“He just rambled down the phone as per, but then he said ‘she’s perfect’.” I smiled and looked out of the window into the lush gardens of different hues of green and blue. My eyes glanced upon a group of tourists on a tour of the gardens, who were taking pictures of the window we were stood at. I stood up and pulled Will with me.
“What was that for?”
“There was a group of tourists outside taking photos.” He nodded.
“You get used to it after a while.”
“It seems so strange. Looking back a few months ago I was a mess and now look,”
“You’re a respectable young woman.”
“Thank you but-”
“No buts. We all know what you were like before but the past is behind you for a reason. It’s happened and nobody can change that. We just need to focus on the present and the future, as they’re the only variables we have.”
“That was awfully wise of you.”
“It was, wasn't it.” We both stood there, admiring the room for a while in a comfortable silence.
“It scares me.”
“What?”
“Everything. Harry being out there, me being here, just everything.” I shrugged.
“I know how you feel. Every day I wake up wishing he was back here, and safe, but he’s happy doing what he’s doing and we can’t change that. You’re one of our main priorities at the minute; we’re not letting you anywhere near that ghastly man. Even if we can’t allow security there all the time, when you’re with us you’re safe.”
“Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank us for this, you’re Harry’s girlfriend and you need help.”

*****
“We have some news for you.” Kate said from the other end of a phone-call. Will had left just after our chat to visit Kate in the hospital, where, after lengthy discussions, she’d visited and was held overnight.
“Is it official news, because you might be telling the wrong person first.”
“Don’t be silly Becca , we trust you with this news. We’re going to have a baby.” My jaw hit the floor. I was absolutely stunned.
“About time!” I gasped, “congratulations!”
“I’m about a month gone, so it’s really early days but the baby’s healthy. They just want to keep me in because of the severe sickness, but everything is fine.”
“I’m so happy for you! When do you think you’ll be discharged?”
“Tomorrow hopefully. Everyone’s been to visit so far, but we can tell Harry together on the phone tonight.”

*****

That night the phone rang about seven o'clock, as usual, and Will ran to pick it up. Kate and I exchanged excited glances as Will put Harry on speakerphone.
“We have an announcement to make.”
“Go ahead.”
“You’re going to be an uncle.” The line went quiet for a while.
“Congratulations” a hoarse voice said.
“you’re crying aren’t you?” Will joked
“Maybe,”
“Even I didn’t cry you softie.”
“Bex, you’re supposed to love me, softie or not.”
“I didn't say I didn't love you.”
“Good.”
“We miss you.” Kate said.
“I miss you all too. I can’t wait to get back home now. We haven’t done much today so I’ve been thinking of home. Can I speak to Bex for a bit?” Will picked up the phone, and passed it to me.
“Hello darling,” he said down the phone.
“Hi,” I almost whispered I’d missed his voice lately.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve been good, busy but good. I had a chat with Will today which was nice.”
“What about?”
“Not much. There’s something I need to talk to you about, but if you want it can wait.”
“Can it wait? It sounds like bad news, so it might dampen my mood,”
“Of course darling, of course.” Our conversation carried on as long as time allowed, both of us signing off with our customary “I love you,” “I love you more,” “not possible,” as always. Every conversation we had left me more and more drained afterwards. I just wanted him back in my arms, especially now. As the days wore on people noticed me around Kensington palace and on my way to work. People in the office started commenting on my new transport, which I just passed off as “a neighbour giving me a lift to work” and new stories were coming in about Harry, almost on a daily basis, making me worry more and more, which was evident in my face.
“Why the long face? As the landlord said to the horse?” Someone said by the coffee machine one day. On this particular day my nerves were wearing thin; news came about that Harry had killed a Taliban leader, which was the main discussion in the office, and of course the girls we chatting idly about who his latest girlfriend was. I had to leave, or I would’ve snapped. I picked up my bag and headed to the kitchen. Nothing that day seemed to work for me, including the coffee machine.
“I can’t do this any more.” I sighed and headed outside, scrambling through my bag for a cigarette and a lighter.
“What’s up with you today?” Alison, head of features said as I lit my cigarette, “Boyfriend troubles?”
“You could say that.” I sighed.
“What’s up, did he run away?”
“Not nessicarally.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well he’s away with work at the minute.” I could see the cogs turning in her mind.
“How far away?” She said slowly, it eventually clicking in her mind.
“About three thousand miles away?”
“Afghanistan?” I nodded.
“Please don’t tell anyone.” I pleaded.
“I won’t, you can trust me.”