TIME TO GO – PART 5

Molly had started to trim the bushes in the garden when Stella appeared. "Hello Molly, I was just wondering would you like me to take James for a walk since your busy here." She asked. "Oh yes of course dear please yourself" Molly answered with a slight smile on her face. Molly was worried what Lexie would say about it, but she trusted Stella not to do anything that would upset either Archie or Lexie. "Thanks Molly, I just wanted to get the chance to be with him until Paul needed me again" Stella said smiling. "I'll see you later Molly" she said walking away. Back in the house James had just started to cry as Stella reached him. "Oh my little baby, don't cry" she whispered as she cradled him in her arms. "Me and you are going for a little walk" Stella said carefully placing James in his pram. She fixed the little umbrella onto his pram to shade him from the sun, then took the baby bag and put it in the bottom of the pram. "Right all ready now" Stella said pushing him towards the front door.

IN THE TOWN….
Lexie posted a couple of letters at the post office for some old friends, and then made her way to Duncan's Auntie's house. She knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Minutes later she was greeted by Liz. "Lexie dear, come in" she said with shock. "What are you doing back? I didn't expect you to be back so soon" she said holding her arms out... Lexie hugged her. "Well I didn't expect to be back so soon either" Lexie answered. "When we arrived, the woman who was meant to be getting us settled in was sitting dead in our sitting room" Lexie stated. "Oh my that's awful" Liz said. Lexie nodded. "Well sit down and ill make you a cuppa" Liz smiled walking towards the kitchen. Lexie sat down and looked around her. Liz's house was so neat, so tidy and Lexie loved going to visit her. She turned and looked at a picture of her and a young boy. One she'd never seen before. "Ah Lexie, I see your looking at my picture" Liz said. Lexie spun around. "Oh yes sorry" she cringed. "Oh no don't be. Do you know who that is?" Liz asked, Lexie now sure she was going to get one of Liz's history lessons. "Eh no" Lexie answered. "That is Duncan when he was 6" Liz smiled. "Isn't he lovely?" Liz asked looking at Lexie who was again looking at the photo. "Duncan? Oh he is lovely isn't he?" Lexie nodded. "But where did you find it?" She asked. "Well I was in my attic the other day and I came across it, would you like to come and see what else I found?" Liz asked. "Oh well I really have to be going Liz" said Lexie trying to get out of it. "No I insist Lexie it won't take a moment" Liz stated. "Did I tell you Liz, I had my baby" Lexie smiled. "Awww Lexie dear, that's brilliant. I thought you looked a little slimmer around the waist. Why didn't you say?" Liz asked. Lexie giggled as she had tried but Duncan's Auntie Liz is one of those people who are very hard to interrupt. "I just forgot" Lexie said then screwed her face up as she realised that what she had just said was stupid. "Never mind, I want all the details and of course I want to see him" Liz said making a fuss over Lexie again. "Well I started my contractions in Annan and Archie delivered a little baby boy that I've named James Hector Macdonald. He was 6lbs 4oz" Lexie said taking a sip of her tea. "That's lovely Lexie. You should have brought him with you" Liz said. "Well I didn't know I was going to come and see you or I would have" Lexie smiled. "I have to go now Liz and get back to him, but don't hesitate to call round sometime to see him" Lexie said getting up. "Oh no dear of course not. It's lovely to see you again" Liz said opening her front door. "You too, bye" Lexie waved leaving.

BACK AT THE HOUSE….
Lexie arrived back in time for tea. She walked in to the dining room and took her place. "Evening everyone" she said as she sat. "Evening" Archie replied. "How was James today Molly?" Lexie asked turning to Molly. "Ah dear, I was cutting my hedge in the garden when Stella came out and asked if she could take him a walk is that alright?" Molly asked. Lexie looked surprised. "Yes that's fine Molly but I just thought you would want to take him" Lexie added. "Well there's always tomorrow" Molly said. "Yes" Lexie replied smiling at Archie who was sitting rolling his eyes at his mother. Just then Stella and Euan entered. "Dinner is served everyone" Euan raised his voice as he placed the dinner down on the table. "Thanks Euan" Lexie said. "I heard you took James for a stroll today?" Lexie asked Stella. "Ah yes I hope you don't mind?" Stella asked. "No of course not how was he?" Lexie asked. "He was a little star" Stella smiled. "Good" said Archie. Everyone then tucked in to dinner.

TO BE CONTINUED.