Royals: Part 2

Chapter 15

"I love the trees Catherine did, lining the aisle, but I was thinking that blossoming trees would look really beautiful." Jackie handed a few clippings from a gardening magazine to one of her 3 wedding planners.  "I would really like something with white flowers, obviously, and nothing too full. I think they should look tall and thin."

"We can definitely do that," the wedding planner said, shuffling through the clippings. "I'll call around and see what would be available by then."

"Great," Jackie said with a grin. "Do you want more tea?"

Her wedding planner shook her head. "No, no, thank you, though. Do you have any other ideas, for anything?"

Jackie tried to think of anything she had forgotten to mention. She and the planner designated to decor were meeting in her Kensington Palace apartment, going over some last minute details. April had just begun, meaning the wedding was in just 8 weeks. Jackie's life had been full of distractions- the wedding, the pre-wedding engagements, and post-wedding planning.

She and Elizabeth had scoured over countless lists of charities and organizations, deciding what Jackie may be interested in representing when she was officially a Duchess of So-and-So. The Queen had sent Jackie a wonderful handwritten letter, graciously stating that Jackie was free to focus on her own life for 2 years after the wedding (the same allowance she had given Kate), and she would not be expected to schedule regular engagements. However, Jackie had decided that two years of nothing would be just as stressful as two years of daily public engagements. Especially with Harry at work almost every day, Jackie would never stay sane without working.

She was also busy planning a move- Jackie and Harry were to move from their separate Kensington Palace apartments into Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace after the wedding. She and Harry had been given the choice of quite a few grand royal residences all around the country, but Nottingham seemed to be the best option. Most importantly, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were planning on moving from their remote home in Anglesey to Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace in the near future. Having her own house out of the direct hustle and bustle of the Palace while remaining within walking distance of her best friend sounded perfect to Jackie.

Jackie was drawn from her thoughts by the feeling of something cold and wet on her hand. Little Rupert, now not so little, pressed his nose to her skin, his eyes begging for attention. She gave the dog a pet before turning her attention back to the wedding planner and shaking her head. "No, I think we've covered it all."

"Great, I'll be in touch about the trees." Jackie escorted her planners to the door of her apartment, thanking her again for her time before saying goodbye. It felt as though she had just sat down on the couch and snuggled up with Rupert when the door opened again.

Jackie looked up to see Harry coming in, still in his flying uniform. He looked tired and a bit dirty, but still the most handsome man she had ever seen. "Hey, how was your day?" Jackie asked from the couch.

"Exhausting," Harry breathed. He gave Jackie a kiss before crashing down onto the couch next to her. "How was yours?"

"Not too bad. I got some more wedding plans straightened out, talked to an interior designer for the Cottage, took Rupert for a walk in Kensington Park."

Harry smiled, resting an arm around Jackie's shoulders. "Wish I could have gone too."

Jackie gave Harry a smile. "So do I."

"Oh- David and I were talking, he really wants us to come over for dinner on Friday night."

"That sounds nice, he's married, isn't he?" Jackie asked, trying to think if she'd seen Harry's copilot wearing a wedding ring when she'd met him.

"Yeah, he got married last year, right after Will and Kate. Her name's Chrissie."

"Well I would love to meet Chrissie."

Harry grinned. "Great. Sounds like a plan."

---

"It's so good to finally meet you!"

Jackie was immediately pulled into a tight hug, which she returned with a laugh. "It's been too long!"

"Come in, come in!"

Jackie and Harry squeezed into the small entry of David and Chrissie Abbott's home in the heart of London. It was a cozy little place, lots of potted flowers and rugs and paintings and photos. "It's absolutely lovely in here, Chrissie, did you decorate yourself?"

Chrissie beamed. "I did, actually! I'm glad someone appreciates it, I think if David had his way we would have knocked down all the walls and had a giant television room with a little kitchen in the corner for me to make him dinner."

"I like that idea, David," Harry laughed. "You're always so practical."

The party moved to the kitchen, where Chrissie had laid out a spread of appetizers and wines, a chicken visible in the oven. Jackie's heart felt full. It was wonderful to be in a house that felt so -- like a home. Chrissie was so kind, warm and inviting, and David was absolutely hilarious, just like Harry. Though she had only been inside for about five minutes, she could already tell she would want to do it again.

They talked and ate, Chrissie's dinner was absolutely delicious, and the wine was flowing. After the meal, David took Harry off to the basement to show him something or other, and Jackie offered to help Chrissie clean up the kitchen.

"Oh, no, really. I can manage!" Chrissie laughed, waving off Jackie's offer.

"No," Jackie insisted. "I want to help."

"Oh, alright," Chrissie agreed with a smile. The women rolled up their sleeves, starting in on the mountain of dishes.

"So what do you do?" Jackie asked as they worked.

"I'm a school teacher, Year 3."

Jackie smiled. "That's a wonderful age."

"It is. They're all so sweet and it's incredible to see them grow over the year." Chrissie dried off a plate. "You were a nurse, before, right?"

Jackie couldn't help but to laugh. "Yes, before."

"What do you plan on doing next?" Chrissie questioned.

"Public engagements. I really want to throw myself into it all, because not working will make me go crazy."

Chrissie nodded. "You have to power to do a lot of good. It's exciting."

Jackie hadn't really ever heard that statement from the mouth of an outsider of "The Firm". It was oddly encouraging, to hear she was taken seriously, that someone else believed she had the potential to be more than just a fashion icon, as some members of royal families tended to be.

"Thank you, it's good to hear that." Jackie handed the last washed plate to Chrissie before picking up a rag and wiping at the counters. "I wanted to ask you- what do you think about all the training and such?"

She had been waiting all week to get a moment alone with Harry's copilot's wife, the only woman who was in the same position as Jackie, the only person who could really understand.

Jackie looked up, and instead of seeing the pained expression she always wore when thinking about Harry's career, Chrissie was beaming. "Oh, I'm so proud."

Jackie wasn't expecting that. "Me too!" She paused. "But what about him being gone all the time?"

"I suppose it can get a bit lonely around here, but I know he's training to become a hero, so I understand."

Hearing such an optimistic outlook was a bit shocking. "Do you ever think about deployment?"

Chrissie nodded, but instead of tearing up the way Jackie almost always did, she was smiling. "It's a bit scary, I suppose, but David wants so badly to protect our country, and going to Afghanistan would make him genuinely happy." Chrissie seemed to notice the worry Jackie found it impossible to hide. "I don't think we need to worry too much about it, Jackie. They make such a wonderful team, they'll keep each other safe."