A royal baby shower was a big deal, and it got bigger the further you got up the to the top monarch. With Charles' reign, Harry was a spare and he had a spare, yet it was rather a large deal. If Lucy had chosen her own baby shower, there wouldn't have been one; she never preferred the frill and glitter. If a baby shower had to occur, Lucy wouldn't have chosen this way. She could've dealt with a few people, but not a room full of women who desperately wanted to touch her stomach.
As a royal duty, Catherine followed protocol and a baby shower occurred. Many famous females were invited, even a few not-so-famous. There were the royals that ranged from high to low, and Lucy had met them all apparently at least once in her life. That didn't help her at all. There were famous females that didn't come from royalty, but movie stars and singers. Lucy knew them even less. Then there were the politicians that were females and wives of male politicians. Lucy liked politics but this was hardly the place to discuss such things. Catherine's sister, Pippa, was in the crowd too, along with her mother. The two women had always been incredibly nice to her, but Lucy never spent much time with her.
As for Lucy's face, they weren't there. The used-to-be American hadn't expected any of them, when none of them came from a lot of money or from high standards. A few gifts were sent, but none of her cousins were here. She hadn't seen them in almost two years, and she suspected she wouldn't see them for a long time yet.
"Don't look so annoyed," Sydney, her old best friend, whispered in her ear.
Lucy thought the baby would've dropped from her right there and then. She almost jumped out of her skin.
Sydney smiled. "Didn't expect me?"
"Obviously." Neither of the women hugged much anymore.
"You probably shouldn't look so annoyed," Sydney repeated, "or bored. I can't tell with you. Lucille, you've always had a resting bitch face. Now more than ever."
"Thank you, Syd."
The ginger smiled. "Catherine put on a good show, didn't she? Lots of fancy people."
"That is my life."
Sydney sipped on her champagne. "What's with the funny hats?"
Throughout the room, women wore their best dress, which included many, many hats. Since it was a baby shower, they were a little bit on the pastel colors, like pink, blue, yellow and green. The colors meant to signify what they thought what was inside Lucy's body. Sometimes whatever they had on their heads didn't count as hats to Lucy; they were just random figurines. Another question was how the "hats" managed to stay on the women's heads. It seemed impossible. Lucy, if she could help it, didn't wear the damn hats. She didn't need to look as if she came out of Tim Burton movie.
"I've yet to figure that out," Lucy replied.
Sydney's blue eyes slid past Pippa as the brunette walked by. "Did you ever get a good answer out of Harry if he dated her?"
"I never asked."
"Why not?"
Lucy shrugged. "Didn't really matter, you know. Plus, I don't think we would have the time if I knew every women he ever dated."
"Or had sex with."
Lucy shot her friend a dirty look.
"It's true, isn't it?" Sydney asked.
"I don't need to know." Lucy watched the crowds of women, having gotten a break from someone touching her belly. She was thankful.
"So, tell me: boy or girl?"
"You're not going to open your mouth?"
"To who?" Sydney asked. "Do I even have friends?"
"True." Lucy turned to her friend and whispered in her ear, "Boy."
Sydney pulled back and arched an eyebrow. "Who else knows?"
"My other ginger," Lucy said.
She nodded. "Not even the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge?"
"I wanted to keep it private, even if from Harry's family. I don't want rumors going around, and shit gets spread quickly within the monarchy. It only takes Kate and Will talking for a brief second in front of a maid for rumors to get out." Lucy paused. "No matter the confidentiality clause. If someone thinks it won't even be a problem, they'll say it. Media finds out."
"That would be bad?"
"I don't know why," Lucy admitted, "but it feels bad if everyone knows. I'm just trying to protect this kid and suddenly I can't."
"Ah, there we have it, ladies and gentlemen. Your biggest problem: trying to protect everyone." Sydney touched the arm of her friend. "We know how well that ended in the school."
Lucy didn't want to think of that day now; today was supposed to be happy. "I have to protect the baby; it's my kid. It's my job. But it's real now. This thing growing inside of me is real. I had to feed it and care for it. I have to do things with it. What do I do with a baby?"
Sydney sipped her champagne again. "You're not freaking out about being a parent, about having a kid. You've figured that out, Lucille. You've thought about it. You wouldn't have allowed yourself to get into this situation if you didn't know if you were ready. You are ready. You're going to be a great mom. Harry will be a... dad." Her eyes trailed the crowd. "And it doesn't matter if you two fuck up anyway. You have nannies for that shit."
Lucy laughed.
"But then I know why you're actually freaking out. I see the newspapers; I know the gossip. You signed up to be followed by the paparazzo, to have your life taken over by paparazzo. That wasn't an easy decision for you, but you chose yes. Harry said he would protect you; he would care for you. And he's said the same things about the baby, that he'll protect the baby. And you love Harry, but you have doubts about it." Sydney watched her friend. "You have doubts if he can protect the baby. You have doubts that anyone can protect the baby, that you can protect the baby. The paparazzi constantly follow you and they'll constantly follow your child. Then you have your own past to worry about, as if someone too will shoot your child. Harry can't protect you or the baby from everything."
Lucy swallowed. Her emotions ran wild nowadays. "I am thankful for something. When I got shot, my parents didn't have to see me in pain. That would've torn them apart. I don't want that pain. I don't want to...." She couldn't finished. "Happy thoughts-- happy thoughts." Lucy plastered a smile on her face.
"Lucy," Catherine called from across the room, waving her over.
"I'm being called." Lucy pushed away from the stand but turned back to her friend. "Are you staying for a while?"
Sydney shook her head no. "I have places to go, people to see."
"Where? Who?"
"Won't find out until I get there."
"Lucy," Catherine called again.
Lucy looked back at the Duchess of Cambridge and gave a friendly smile. Catherine was a lovely human being, but Lucy was too annoyed. She willed herself not to give the middle finger. Lucy turned back to her old friend, and then hugged her tightly. Sydney slowly snaked her arms around Lucy's plump body, careful of the baby bump.
"I'm happy you're leaving the house again," Lucy said.
Sydney swallowed. "Yeah," she agreed. "I didn't realize what it was like for you until I got shot too. It hurts a lot."
Lucy agreed. "Try not to put yourself in that situation anymore?"
"You first." Sydney pulled back and wiped her face with the back of her hand. "Go have fun. Go be royal. Go do something with a pretty dress. Go pretend to not be annoyed."
Giving one last look to her friend, Lucy joined Catherine across the room. Catherine had pulled a group of women together to play some baby game. Lucy smiled nicely at the women, but annoyance shone through her eyes. A few women patted Lucy's stomach, and she refused to bite off their heads. Lucy knew when she got back to Kensington Palace, she would've complained for at least an hour of how stupid the baby shower was; Harry would've just laughed. That left a terrible taste in her mouth.
Lucy glanced back at Sydney, who sat across the room. She wondered what had she done.