Evee nodded her head, her signature wide spread smile upon her face. Her husband stood beside her, both listening intensely to the dark haired woman giving the private tour of the Anne Frank house. The duchess had read the girl's diary when she was a teenager multiple times, her mother always thought it was important to give Evee as much background information as possible about multiple cultures and the great war.
The blonde ex-nurse knew how lucky she was to be born in the place she had been, that was then. Now standing with her hands crossed in front of her stomach, ignoring the multiple clicks of the photographs in the background, she tried to show even more appreciation.
"Before too long, the entrance to the Secret Annex is concealed behind a movable bookcase. Father Voskuijl, the warehouse manager, constructed the movable bookcase to conceal the entrance to the Secret Annex." The woman with a hard Dutch accent professionally spoke towards the royal couple in front of her.
"How many people were hiding in here?" She heard Harry speak from beside her as the movable bookcase moved forward to let the couple enter the close quarters.
"They lived with eight people, sir. In constant fear of discovery. The people in hiding could not go outside, it was much too dangerous. The curtains of the Secret Annex couldn't be opened during the day, otherwise one of the neighbours might have seen them." Evee could hear the woman explain, it was as if she spoke slower and more quietly. The Duchess tried to focus on the woman in front of her, making sure her smiling poker face kept up. "The small window in the attic provided the only chance for getting a breath of fresh air. At night, other windows were occasionally opened just a crack."
She tried to breath in and out, following Harry's footsteps carefully. She could feel herself getting dizzy, her eyes tried to sought out Bobby standing close to her. It was as if the small space was swallowing her whole.
What a joke, Anne Frank had spent nearly two years in this small space with seven other people. She couldn't even get in here for a half an hour. What was wrong with her?
Her eyes focussed on Harry nodded his head interestingly at the tour guide in front of them. Evee was interested in this place, she really was but her stomach was dropping by the minute. She tried to blink her eyes to get rid of the black spots. She first thought they were decorative paintings on the wall but when a couple of spots appeared as she stared at the old chair in front of her, she realized they were part of her vision.
Her hand lifted itself, her head turned towards her security guard, who now seemed to notice something was off with the Duchess. She noticed his head coming closer, praying to God she wouldn't stain the expensive light pink dress with her own sweat. "Are you alright, ma'am?" She heard Bobby whisper in her ear, eyeing the cameras in the background.
"I'm not- I'm not feeling very well, Bobby." She mumbled, swallowing the big sick lump in her throat. "It's very hot in here."
The security guard immediately turned towards James, trying to subtly let him know. James, almost being part of the royal family himself, immediately went into action. Smiling at the press and asking them for a little privacy. "Is it possible to give the Duke and Duchess a little private moment? This visit is very close to the Duke and Duchess their heart and they would like to be escorted more privately as we are in the secret annex now. I shall let you know when you will have the privilege of taking more photographs."
Harry, who was previously talking towards the tour guide turned around in confusion, wondering what in god's name his security guard was up to. His eyes turned from the bookcase closing, pushing out the photographers, towards his wife getting paler by the minute.
"Open up a window, Bob." James immediately instructed, grabbing Evee's sweaty hand palms into his own and steadying her.
The African-American immediately did so, calmly informing the tour guide that the Duchess didn't feel very well. Harry quickly got up on his feet, running towards his wife who seemed to wobble on her legs. "Sweety? Tell me what are you feeling? We need to get a doctor in here, James!" He immediately spoke in concern, locking eyes with the man he'd known for almost his entire life. The duke wrapped his arm around her waist carefully.
"No, no- no doctor." Evee groaned, being placed upon an old wooden chair that stood in the corner of the room. "I'm fine, I just need a minute."
"This tour has been too busy, I know it has been. You need to rest." Harry shook his head in concern, staring at his wife closing her eyes for a minute.
"I am just a little tired after the gala last night, it'll be fine." She mumbled, still feeling dizzy. She hoped that the darkness would take that away. She was wrong, it only became much worse.
"You should have told me you were tired this morning Eveline." Harry stared at her. It had been a while since he used her full name so she knew he was a little angry at her for keeping up a façade.
"You know they would talk if you would have shown up here by yourself." Evee mumbled, the last thing she wanted to do was argue right now. It would only bring her more stress. "Just give me a minute."
"Let them talk." Harry's knees scrunched down, staring at his wife in concern. "Your health and the baby's health is now top priority. Fuck them."
Everyone in the room kept quiet. Bobby of course, already knew. He had it figured out by himself a while ago. James stared at the couple a little awestruck. Sure he had noticed that, well... The Duchess her breasts were a little bigger now and Harry seemed to be in a chipper mood lately, but now hearing it for the first time, actually having conformation was exquisite. A big bolt of enthusiasm ripped through his skin alongside a deep hint of concern. "She needs water, food and rest, sir. She's overworked." James spoke.
In less than a year, James realized Harry would be a father. He couldn't wish him anything better than that. The Duchess had given his boss the best gift he could possibly think of. Harry as a father... The world would lose its mind.
A little mix of Harry and Evee, running around the palace, causing mayhem. James remembered the old videos of the couple as children, he knew their spawn would be a little devil and couldn't help but smile. He'd have to hide that one particular ancient vase Queen Victoria had. It was worth millions. The security guard shook his head, trying to focus on the couple in front of him.
"Let's get you back to the hotel." Harry spoke, grabbing Evee's hand.
"No- let me try to finish this, alright?" She stubbornly shook her head.
"Eveline." He spoke with a stern voice, knowing how headstrong she was.
"Henry." She opened her eyelids, staring at him with her green orbs.
"You need to rest." Harry turned towards his security guard, "Let the people of the Van Gogh museum know that I will visit them by myself tomorrow."
"What?! No!" Evee shook her head fiercely, "Tomorrow's the last day of our tour."
"I do not care." Harry sternly spoke, "I am not going into discussion with you right now. We will wrap this visit up, James will call a doctor, you will eat and rest and tomorrow you will stay in bed. The whole damn day."
"Har-"
"End of discussion." He interrupted her, watching how she raised her eyebrow non impressively at him in challenge. "Think about the baby."
For once, she didn't dare to actual respond to him. She knew he was right. The baby was top priority but she hated not finishing things she started. The rumours would be intense and she wanted to go to the Van Gogh museum so badly, people were expecting her. She didn't want to let them down.
Think about the baby.
Her hand subconsciously covered her lower stomach, taking in a deep breath. "Fine."
"Would you mind fetching us a glass of water and maybe something to eat?" Harry kindly turned towards the tour guide who seemed a little awestruck by the whole scene in front of her. She quickly nodded her head, leaving the room hurriedly. As soon as the security guards and the couple was alone, Harry turned towards the two, mumbling his words . "Make sure that woman signs a confidential contract."
After eating a granola bar and drinking at least two glasses of water (one apparently was not enough for her husband), the blonde put on her best poker face once again. Smiling for the next thirty minutes as the photographers kept flashing they day away. Harry kept walking beside her, keeping a close eye on his wife. The visit came to a close much sooner than anticipated but he could have cared less.
The only thing he wanted to do was make sure his pregnant wife and their baby was okay. As soon as the couple reached their penthouse suite, he steadied her with his arm around her waist. She rolled her eyes at him, "I'm not dying, Harry. I'm just a little dizzy and a bit unwell."
"The doctor will be here in an hour." He ignored her snappy comments at him when he gently pushed her on the bed, taking off her heels himself. As she laid down and her dress sunk down on her stomach, he could see the small but evident bump.
Evee closed her eyes, never admitting that a pillow had never felt so good before, "My tits are hurting." She mumbled.
"I read that ice packs can help that." Harry spoke, taking off his own shoes and placing himself next to her on the bed. "Do you want me to call James to get some?"
"You read about sore tits?" Evee mumbled, feeling his hand cover her small stomach.
"I needed literature." He simply shrugged.
"Anything else I should know about that you read?" She tried to stop herself from yawning but couldn't, covering her mouth with her right hand.
"The baby is the size of an apricot right now. The fingers and toes aren't webbed anymore, and fingernails are starting to develop. The eyes will move nearer to each other this week and the kidneys can start to produce urine." He rambled, a smile upon his face.
The blonde opened one eye, raising an eyebrow at him impressively. "Anything else?"
"The baby may also start moving spontaneously this week, though you probably won't feel it until weeks 16 to 22. Complex reflexes, such as sucking, are also developing right now."
"You're crazy, you know that?" She mumbled, shaking her head and grinning.
"I'm just very, very excited." He grinned, looking up at her with his own blue eyes.
"I am too, but I didn't know that my nipples would get massive. I mean, I knew they would get bigger, I'm a nurse but I mean even the size of a hockey ring is a little scary for me." She mumbled quietly.
Harry threw back his head and laughed, happy that she could already make jokes at him again. "They won't get that big, but I've read that your areolas are likely to become darker at this stage of your pregnancy and that breast tenderness or soreness may continue into the second trimester."
"Well then, there's only one solution." She simply shrugged at him.
"And that is?"
"To show some empathy, I think you should use a sharpie to darken your pink nips as well." She tried not to laugh at his eyes squinting at her. "And, I think I should even punish you for pronouncing the word 'areolas' when I feel better."
"It's what they're called and there's no way in hell I'm darkening my areolas." Harry shook his head at his wife.
"They're called nipples and I'm giving you the gift of life, the least thing you could do is colour your nipples."
"I'll give you a massage?" He suggested instead.
"An areola massage?" She raised her eyebrow at him, trying to hold back a tired laughter.
"You sound so sexy when you say that." He mumbled, shaking his head and burying it in his wife's neck.
"Areola." She mumbled one last time as her eyes shut down and exhausting took over. She didn't notice the way her husband didn't close his eyes once in the upcoming hour.
Harry still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he'd have a child by Christmas.
His hand never left her stomach. He hoped that she would look just like her mother with the same sense of humour and that amazing barking laughter. Something inside of him told him it would be a girl.
She'd have him wrapped all around her little finger.
But what if it wasn't a girl? What if it was a boy and he wanted to join the army just like him?
A pang of concern already shot through his heart, the chance of a mini version of himself did not make him feel any better whatsoever. If it was a boy then he'd have a way of charming his mother like no other. He knew it would be a momma's boy, he had always been one himself.
But what if it was a girl and she'd come home with a boyfriend in sixteen years? He'd have to ask his father to use his hunting gun to scare him off.
In the end, Harry sighed, staring at his wife sleeping. Whatever gender their baby was, he just wanted it to be healthy