The Unexpected Journey Part Two

Chapter 10

"Oh believe me Isaac, I know that too." Harry laughed then, patting the young man on the back before he made his way towards his wife, ready to continue on to Dalla.

The day remained the same; stunning moment after stunning moment. From the helicopter ride into Pokhara, to the moment Harry was reunited with Gurkha Major Prakash Gurung. Maddie watched with pride as the two men caught up, as they shared stories and laughter.
The trek into the foothills of the Himalayas was most remarkable. She had always felt an enormous tie to the land, to the environment and seeing this stunning landscape before her, and she was blissfully happy to be working up even the slightest bit of a sweat as they navigated into the remote hamlet in the hills where they would stay the night. It was just what her soul needed.

They were rewarded for their trek a thousand times over; with remarkable food, unbelievably kind, welcoming people, and a view that was second to none. The cultural festivities made Maddie's heart soar and dancing with the locals made her spirit sing--even as Andrew Bradley recorded it all for posterity.

But Maddie could barely contain herself when the locals wrapped Harry's head and declared him King of this beautiful Nepalese village. She would have rolled her eyes, but they were so serious and he was so wonderful with the children and the smile on his face was so wide and so beautiful that she managed to control her urges.

"Oh man," Maddie shook her head, speaking to Isaac as they watched it unfold. "Was this your idea? Declaring him King of the Village?"

"No," he laughed. "It was all theirs. Not that you can blame them. He's quite the persona, don't you think?"

"He is," Maddie beamed with pride. "A bit larger than life."

"He really is," Isaac nodded, watching with the same kind of awe she saw on the looks of the crowd.

As Harry's eyes lifted to hers, as he flashed her that million dollar smile and that wink that usually got them into trouble, she felt such an overwhelming surge of warmth and love and affection for him. And she was quite certain that she had the same kind of awe written all over her face.

"Tell me Isaac," Maddie's voice lowered as she moved closer to him, watching as the evening began to wind down, as Harry talked with a local woman, his eyes focused on the chubby little baby in her arms. "Here in the shadow of Everest...can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," he nodded his head, turning his attentions to her.

With a smile and a shrug, she went for it. "Rumor has it that before you came to us, you were on the fast track to staffing my father-in-law."

There was a flash of surprise on his face before he quickly schooled it and nodded, a tad sheepish. "Yes Ma'am. That's the rumor."

"You know," she took a breath. "Someday he'll be King."

"Yes Ma'am." With his arms crossed over his chest and his gaze set out over the peaks and valleys, he nodded.

"And staffing a future King, that must be...big?" Her eyebrows lifted.

"It is."

"So then what made you request an interview with us?"

"A spirit of adventure?" He turned his wide smile to her which she returned with a nod.

"Are you talking about all the children?"

"Ha! Them too!" He laughed, shaking his head. "In all honesty, it was your husband who grabbed my interest." His head nodded towards Harry who, not surprisingly, now had the chubby baby in his arms.

"Harry." Maddie breathed his name.

"Mmm," he nodded. "I like what he's about, I like the way he's taking his leadership, the issues he chooses to focus on. He's found a way to harness his uniqueness, his energy and he's making enormous strides in the areas he's concerned with; children, the military, mental health."

"You're absolutely right," Maddie's face was bright and happy as she watched her husband cuddle the baby.

"And," Isaac watched with her. "And I like what the two of you do together. I felt like, with the two of you, I could be creative, like I could contribute something."

"You do Isaac," Maddie turned her gaze to him. "You do contribute something. This trip to Nepal has been amazing and we've loved the things that you've added."

"Even the part where they declared the Duke the King of the Village?"

"Oh especially that," Maddie snickered. "Honestly though, we're very happy to have you aboard."

"Thank you Ma'am," she could see his humble nature in his eyes. "I'm incredibly happy to be aboard. Especially when we're standing...in the shadow of Everest."

"Especially then," Maddie agreed.

After all of the festivities had died down, after their bellies were contentedly full, after the conversations had drifted and the stories had ended, after they had said goodnight to their beautiful, gracious host Mangali Tamang, Maddie and Harry retired for the evening. Laying side by side in separate sleeping bags, on separate mats, they felt closer to each other than they had even that morning.

Turning her head to watch him, Maddie couldn't help the flush of warmth that ran through her body. And when he turned to watch her, when his gaze caught hers, she couldn't help the smile that slipped higher.

"It was a beautiful day," Maddie's voice was whisper soft.

"It was," Harry agreed, just as quiet as she was. Letting his mind wander for a moment, he blushed slightly and admitted, "I missed the children though."

"Oh me too," she turned onto her side, tucking her hands up under her cheek. "And they would have loved this day. The ceremony, the dancing...."

"The food," Harry chuckled lightly, thinking of Malcolm diving into the feast they were presented. "Though I'm sure they'll love everything they're a part of tomorrow and the next day." Maddie nodded her agreement, the next two days would mostly include all of their children.

"We're so very lucky, you know," Maddie felt a tug of emotion in her chest. "To get to come to these places, to meet these people..."

"We really are," Harry agreed wholeheartedly.

As the silence settled back over them, Maddie watched him watch her. With a soft, slow breath, she reached out her hand and wove her fingers into his. "I love you Harry Wales."
Squeezing her hand in his, Harry swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "I love you too Maddie Forrester."

When they woke the next morning, in the chill of the Himalayan dawn, they were still snuggled up. Still in their own separate sleeping bags. Still on their own separate sleeping mats. Still holding hands and closer than ever.