We're Home – Part 8

At 2pm Lexie piled Mel into the landrover and hopped in beside Paul. In the end Archie had managed to get out of coming and was staying at Glenbogle to work with Golly.
Melanie bounced up and down in the back, describing exactly what pattern and colours she wanted for her tartan. Lexie smiled wearily at Paul and turned to face her daughter
" Melly honey, you're a MacDonald- you're going to have the MacDonald tartan"
" Why?" Melanie asked
Lexie shook her head cautiously, trying to clear her thoughts without further aggravating her hangover.
" Because that's what a tartan is" Lexie explained, "It shows which clan you belong to. You belong to your Daddy's clan which is the MacDonald's."
" Oh" Melanie replied, "Is that a nice tartan?"
" Yes honey, I think it'll look very nice on you." She looked out the window and mumbled, "It always looked good on your father"
" Will you and Daddy and Paul and everyone wear their tartan's too?" Melanie inquired
" Yes Mel. Now can we just be a wee bit quiet please, Mummy has a headache…"
Paul smiled and turned the landrover into the town, this was going to be an interesting trip.

Archie was waiting for them when they returned
" Daddy! Daddy! I'm going to have a kilt just like yours!!" Melanie announced, engulfing him in a hug
" That's great Darling" He replied glancing up at Lexie " When do you pick it up?"
" You are picking it up in two days time," Lexie confirmed
" Right okay" Archie agreed. He smiled at Melanie " Mel, how about you go and find Grandma and tell her all about your fitting."
Melanie agreed enthusiastically and sprinted away to carry out her father's instructions
Archie stood up and watched her go, before turning back to Paul and declaring
" I need to have a word with you."
Lexie glanced at him, trying to guess what this was about. But he just wrapped his arm around her waist and led them both into the library
" Paul, you're girlfriend called around while you were out" Archie finally pronounced
" Oh okay, why didn't you tell her to come down and see me at the shop?"
" We both decided that that probably wouldn't be a good idea," Archie answered
Paul looked at him quizzically, "You both decided?"
Lexie looked from one man to the other " You never told us you had a girlfriend Paul" She remarked, " How long have you been together?"
" About a year" Paul answered, "Did she leave a message or anything?"
" No, no not really" Archie commented, "She was a bit flustered"
" Why?" Paul asked guardedly
" Um, probably at seeing me again" Archie answered
" At seeing you? Arch…why did you both not think it a good idea that she come down to the shop?" Lexie asked, her curiosity thoroughly tweaked
" Paul's girlfriend is Katrina Finley" Archie announced
" Katrina?!" Lexie repeated " What, is she keeping it in the family?"
Paul looked from Lexie to Archie " Okay, I'm confused. Please don't tell me that this is another sister I don't know about…"
" No Paul, that's not what Lexie meant" Archie dismissed
" Then what did she mean?" Paul asked edgily
" I'm going to go and find Melanie and Molly" Lexie reported quickly, existing the room in a flourish before Archie could explain