A Royal Accident (A British Royal Family Fanfiction)

Space

Kate

"Guy and I were going to do a little bit of sailing, just for a few weeks around Greece, and then I'll be back to spend the rest of the summer with you and Alice." William said as we stood in the kitchen of our house in St Andrews. After the end of second year, we'd moved out of the house with Fergus and Liv and had moved into a little cottage on the Balgove estate. This not only gave the three of us some privacy, but it also meant that Fergus and Liv didn't have to live with Alice. They had never complained about it, but we knew it wasn't everybody's ideal university experience.

"I thought we were spending the summer together here, and then we'd go up and see your Grandmother at Balmoral." I questioned.

"I know, but you and Alice can still have the summer here together, then I'll be back by the time we go to Balmoral. Your parents were coming up, so you won't be completely on your own." William stated.

"I know that, but this was supposed to be a nice quiet summer for the three of together. Last year was so busy, what with catching up on uni stuff and spending time with Harry after he'd finished school. I thought this summer would just be about the three of us." I said, handing Alice some cucumber sticks as she sat in her highchair beside me. Alice was now 18 months old and what a dreamboat she had been. She had turned into a very cheeky and funny little toddler, who loved being outdoors and running around. Since last September, she had been going to a childminder, who we found through one of our university lecturers. She had the best time, and I knew that Sandra was always flexible when William or I had to be somewhere a bit later.

"It's only a couple of weeks. We still have the rest of the summer. I promise you, I'll be back before Balmoral." Will said. I rolled my eyes and nodded to him. Our relationship had been hard, as any relationship was, but the additional pressure of Alice in our lives had been difficult and it always felt as if we were putting her before our relationship. Of course, that was something we needed to do, we couldn't tell her to make her own dinner and put herself to bed, while we went out for dinner together. But I know for both of us, it had been hard. I was hoping that over the summer break from university, we would have time to spend some proper time together especially with my parents coming to stay. They could look after Alice, and Wills and I would get to hang out, just the two of us. My parents had looked after Alice for a long weekend back in March and William and I had been able to go to Switzerland together to ski for the weekend. I remember coming back from that and feeling so refreshed and I hoped that this summer would be a chance to do the same.

"Is there something you aren't telling me?" I asked him. Will shook his head frantically and it was then that I knew he was lying. "Just tell me, I would rather you were honest." I told him.

"I just need a bit of space, this year, it's been amazing and you know that I love you and Alice, but I just need a bit of space, you know, to be twenty two." he said, causing a rage to bubble inside me.

"And you think I don't want some space too? A bit of a break sometimes from uni, work and trying to raise a toddler? Have you never thought that maybe I want to jet off with my friends and sit on a yacht for two weeks and do nothing? But I can't, can I? Because I'm her Mum, I have to be the one who stays here and looks after her, while I just wait for you to come back to me. You go, you enjoy your holiday, but when you come back, don't expect us to be waiting for you."

The two weeks after our argument and William leaving were awkward. I kept thinking he'd change his mind about Greece and decide not to go but he didn't and a few days after the last day of term, William flew to Greece to go on a sailing holiday with his friend Guy. I had met Guy a few times, and had never really seen eye to eye with him. He often led William down the wrong path, sometimes, he would have the common sense to say no, but that wasn't always the case.