Royals: A Different Beginning

Chapter 2

"Wear the blue dress," Jackie suggested. "That one you got when we went shopping with your mum in the fall."

"Ooh, that would be perfect," Kate gushed. Jackie could hear rustling on Kate's end of the line. "Got it.  I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Neither do I," Jackie teased. She sat back onto her pillows. "I'll be watching."

"Are you sure you won't come?" Kate asked yet again. 

Jackie tried to sound optimistic. "I'm really sorry, but I've got so much going on, and you and Wills should do this together- I'm not feeling well-" 

"I get it, I get it," Kate laughed. "I won't ask again."

Jackie smiled to herself. "I really am sorry." 

"Well, you'll see me on the 12 o'clock news," Kate said. 

"I'll be watching, and I've recorded it."

"Alright, maid of honor, I'll call you after the interview." 

Jackie laughed. "Good luck!" 

"Thanks!" 

Jackie hung up, letting out a long sigh. Despite the long list of excuses she had rambled off to Kate, the real reason Jackie didn't want to drive to St. James's Palace for Kate and Will's engagement interview was the looming chance of running into a certain best man in the palace halls. 

Jackie slid off her bed and onto the wood floor of her bedroom, reaching for a plastic storage bin under her bed. She wiped a thick layer of dust off the lid before she snapped it open. Jackie tipped the box and dumped the contents on the floor, sifting through a mountain of memories, the odd ticket stub, polaroids, and most notably, colorful tabloid magazines- each one graced with a familiar face: her's.

'PRINCE HARRY HAS A NEW GIRL!'

'HARRY AND JACKIE ON SEXY BEACH VACATION'

'JACKIE BAKER: BEST DRESSED WOMAN OF 2007'

'10 REASONS PRINCE HARRY SHOULD MARRY JACKIE BAKER'

Jackie flipped through the magazines, chewing on her lips as she was transported through her life from 2001 to around 2008. Soon after Jackie and Kate met William in their first year at St. Andrew's: 2001, the girls were introduced to a certain wild red-head. Jackie had been immediately taken by the spare heir, captivated by his charisma and absolutely hilarious sense of humor. Harry came to visit William frequently at the flat he, Kate, and Jackie shared at St. Andrew's, and it didn't take long for Harry and Jackie to become the best of friends. One thing led to another, and they dated for just about seven years. 

Jackie couldn't help but to smile at a shot of her and Harry leaving a club in 2003. He had taken her to just about every nightclub near St. Andrew's and London- probably in the entire United Kingdom. Harry was quite the partier in his younger days- and still was, from what she read in the papers. But she had no way of knowing for sure, as the pair hadn't spoken in 2 years. 

She let out a huff, tossing all the magazines and mementos back into the box and shoving it under her bed. Looking at too many photos would be like picking at an old scab she had worked at healing for years. 

Instead, Jackie grabbed her laptop and headed for her living room sofa. She plopped down with a cup of tea and began to do some research on local caterers that Kate and Will might be interested in for their reception. 

Before long, it was noon. Jackie tuned into BBC, where Will and Kate's faces were splayed across the screen. 

"Waity-Katie must wait no more," joked a reporter at the BBC news desk. "Just 8 short years since Prince William and Kate Middleton met at St. Andrew's University, the couple announced that they are officially engaged." 

Jackie beamed at the screen, thrilled for her friends. The screen switched to show Kate and Will standing in St. James's Palace, arm in arm, looking incredibly happy. Kate was wearing the royal blue wrap dress Jackie had recommended, Diana's ring glistening on her finger. 

"Prince William asked Kate to marry him while the pair were on a holiday in Kenya in November," the reporter continued. 

The screen then showed Will and Kate sitting side by side in one of the drawing rooms of St. James's Palace. Jackie gave a little cheer as Kate began to speak. "He's a true romantic and we had a wonderful holiday in Africa. It was out there in a very quiet lodge, and it was very romantic, and it was very personal time for both of us."

Jackie grabbed her phone and took a quick selfie of herself with Kate and William on the TV behind her. She and Kate had both appeared on hundreds of tabloids and websites over the years, but never on international news. She could tell that her friends were a bit tense, William and Harry had always complained about their hatred for interviews. They said pretending to like a person digging for personal information was worse than getting a tooth pulled. Despite that, Jackie thought Will and Kate were doing a wonderful job. They both looked happy and natural. 

Jackie grinned as Will talked about his early friendship with Kate at St. Andrew's. "It blossomed from then on," William said. "We had lots of fun, the same interests. She has a really naughty sense of humor."

The camera panned in on the sapphire ring on Kate's finger. "I had been carrying it around in my rucksack for about three weeks before," William said. "Everywhere I went, I was keeping ahold of it, cause I knew if this thing disappeared, I'd be in a lot of trouble."

Jackie laughed. She had personally helped William get the ring sized by tricking Kate into trying on rings in a vintage shop while they were out shopping one day. She couldn't think of anyone more fitting to wear Princess Diana's old ring than Catherine. 

The segment on Will and Kate's engagement interview ended, and the screen retuned to the BBC news desk. The reporter was smiling as she said, "Clarence House reports that William and Kate will be married in the spring or summer of next year. Exact wedding details haven't been announced yet, but there is already speculation on the wedding party. Prince Harry and Jacqueline Baker, a very close friend of Ms. Middleton and Prince William since their University days, are rumored to be the picks for best man and maid of honor. The two were in a serious relationship for 6 years, which ended two years ago in 2008. Though both Harry and Jackie have dated others since their breakup, royal watchers on Twitter have shared their hopes for a reunion at the royal wedding next year."