Homesick, Happiness, and HOLY COW! BY: Carrie-Anne
Chapter One…Simple beginnings…
Almost ten months after Maeve "Minnie" Mackay blessed the world by making Duncan MacKay a proud father and Lili MacKinney a proud mother…
Lili was trying to cook breakfast and watch her nine month old that was happily eating her cereal bits on the tray of a high chair. The little one shrieked and sent the cereal flying at her mother.
"Minnie!" Lili added getting exasperated with the tedious task of watching the baby while her egg started to smoke from the fry pan. "Maeve!"
Duncan came wandering into his home with a few fish over his shoulder and dropped them in the sink. He had gone finishing with Golly early in the morning, well before dawn, in hopes to catch something for dinner. Lili yelled out at herself as her finger, which had touched the pan was burned…Duncan watched the scene before giving a laugh, "Aye, sugar, just lemme me take ova, ya tend to Minnie and clean yer self up."
"You smell like the brook, Dunc and I don't want my egg…" She then laughed at the burnt lump that had resembled an egg in the fry pan as Duncan had scooped it out with the spatula and then dumped it in the rubbish near the range. "OK, I guess I could let you make us something. I'll tend to her and also to dinner." Her body turned to the sink so she could put cool tap water over her scorched fingertip. Her eyes then wandered to the three brook trout that occupied the sink.
It had taken them well over a year to get "comfortable" with each other. Lili had agreed with him that she'd stay and help raise their child together as a family the day they stood embracing each other at the sleeper station. Only now, her thoughts would wonder senselessly back to home, her home, America. She made a point to keep it to herself as she didn't want to crush her man with the thoughts that kept invading her mind at all times of the day and night.
Maeve let out a happy noise as her father made a goofy face at her. She then followed it up with "Da da!" She put a piece of cereal into her mouth and munched away.
"See I told you she's coming along with her words," Lili smiled, as Duncan had been concerned that his daughter doesn't talk enough, only howls when she wants something to eat, drink or to play. Lili wrapped her arms around his waist, pulled herself up on her tiptoes and rested her chin on his shoulder, as he was cooking away.
"Aye, I s'pose," Duncan replied while concentrating on the task at hand. He loved how she leaned in to him while he cooked. Except when she was carrying Maeve almost full term, as the impatient baby would always find some way to kick him in the backside via Lili's big belly. Lili would follow up the moment, when he'd grumble, by telling him he's going to have a wonderful ballerina dancer for a daughter and he'd banter back about having a great rugby player for a son. She was right, as his daughter was surely a looker, just like her mother.
Lili then moved herself away from him as she pulled out a bottle from a cabinet and went over to the ice chest to pull out a bottle of formula. She poured the formula into the bottle, covered it and then handed it to Maeve. The girl took two sucks of the nipple and then tossed it at her mother, only the bottle dive-bombed and hit the floor with a thump. "Min! OK, you want down?" She asked her but the baby grinned and shouted again, "Da da!"
Lili nodded and released the tray from the chair and picked up her daughter. She then brought her over and placed her into a walker in the lounge as the baby zoomed around the room. She was happy to be free from her high chair once again. Duncan had the eggs almost ready and so he opened the cabinet, pulled out two plates and rested them on the stove, while scooping the eggs up with a flip of his wrist and place them on the plates. He knew that his daughter would probably eat a snip or two of the breakfast. He turned and made funny faces at the little one, "Minnie!"…She shrieked again at the sound of her nickname…
Lili had put in some toast in to a toaster nearby, as the slices popped up from the machine and were browned to perfection. He then cleverly grabbed the toast, pulled out the jam from the ice chest, since Lili kept insisting the jam be refrigerated. He just assumed jam stayed out on the counter, but he didn't argue with her. He used a butter knife and made smiley face on each piece of toast before returning them to the plates. He walked over to the table and set the breakfast down. "Ready!" He shouted, but his eyes observed Lili as she was fussing with Maeve's ponytail on the top of her head. The baby had such thick brown hair, that half the time her mother didn't know what to do with it. She just wanted it out of her daughter's face!
"Great," Lili smiled as she wandered to the table, as she zoom Maeve over to her. They were about to eat breakfast when there was a knock at the door.
Chapter Two…News at 8am…
Lexie and the twins, who were now up and toddling around, since they were 18 months and full of mischief, waited at the door of the cottage. She had to speak to her cousin urgently since she felt Archie was out of his dear mind! There was no way they could up and leave Glenbogle because Killwillie offered him a job in his new posh restaurant in Boston yesterday over the phone. What was shocking was he gave her 24 hours notice about Killwillie coming for tea that afternoon to further discuss the matter. She was furious with him, since Marina had up and quit being the housekeeper eleven months ago and she had decided to temporarily fill in the position.
Since Lexie took the job, she had Duncan looking after the twins at first. It was Lili's request that Duncan help Lexie out since she wanted him out of her hair. He was constantly reminding Lili of what to do and not to do while she was pregnant and he was always refusing her to carry anything, even if it was just a feather! When Maeve finally arrived, Lexie informed Duncan she'd find someone else to look after them.
At the time too, Lexie couldn't ask Molly to look after the twins since she was now living in town and it would be quite a drive for her. Archie was always dealing with some business that had to do with Glenbogle and he rarely delegated orders to Paul. So his watching Jayne and Wayne, his own children, were out. Paul was working constantly at the Centre as his co-worker, Lili, of course, was on some sort of maternity leave for the year, so he had no time for the funny business that went along with taking care of children! So she was forced to hire a nanny, while she cooked the meals at certain times of the day. Lexie took it all in stride, as Lady of Glenbogle should, until Archie's sudden thoughts about moving to Boston and now she's not sure of what to do or how to delegate a duty for it!
Duncan opened the door, to face a very pensive Lexie and two very happy and hyper twins. "Lex, What's t'matter?" Lexie and the twins, whom she was holding hand and hand with walked into the cottage past him. He shut the door and turned to look at his old mate.
"Everything! Slime-slithering everything! " She cried, unaware of the foul language she had used in front of the children.
"Lex, Breathe." Lili commanded, while leading her to the sofa in the lounge as Duncan decided to entertain Jayne and Wayne. He picked Jayne up and flew her around the room like a super hero and then he set her down next to her mother. As he swift-footedly snatched Wayne up before he could get into any sort of trouble and flew him towards the women on the sofa too. He then put a gate up that he had spent an afternoon building with Golly and locked it, so the twins couldn't escape the room. He was relieved at how well Lili had childproofed the lounge.
"It's Arch! He's lost all of his marbles and any pennies!" She chanted out. The twins then yelled, "Daddy! Daddy! Mummmmm!" as they knew their mother was talking about their father.
Lili asked, "OK, so he's got something big he's working on, right?" But Lexie glared at her cousin before answering…
"Big! He's decided to move us on to Boston!" Lexie grumbled out in despair and yawned as she had spent the night in the guestroom that Lili used to occupy over a year ago. She refused to sleep with Archie since she thought he was acting criminally insane, trying to rob them from their old life.
It wasn't until morning when he confronted her about how they are married and should stick together. Lexie was ripped because she felt he should have talked to her first about the job before agreeing to have Killwillie over for tea! Archie just told her how much he wanted his dream to come alive and have his family and beloved wife with him…
"Um, OK." Lili replied, wondering how this all came about.
"OK? Not okay, Lil! Darn awful!" Lexie shouted, as she was still displeased.
"How do ya mean?" Duncan asked, knowing how upset Lexie was that they were lucky she didn't launch herself like a rocket to the moon. "Surely boss wouldn't up a move you across the Atlantic without havin' a word 'bout it with ya?"
"Dunc, dun no." Lexie started to calm down with tears forming in her eyes as she then tried to hold them back. "Can't picture takin' da twins away from all of this? Glenbogle is our home…our friends and relatives are here…"
"Remember you told me that you wanted to move out of Glenbogle and give you and Archie plus the twins some kind of a new start?" Lili gestured, while putting her arm around Lexie.
"New start, not new life!" Lexie spoke somberly.
"Talk to him. He'll understand how you're feeling." Lili explained but Lexie gave her a definite answer.
"I did. His dream is to run a restaurant, and so I agreed with him about going so I wouldn't crush him, as he's decided I could get hired as a cook as well. Andrew's already offered us a place to stay since he has room for us in a condo, think that's what it is called, outside of the city. Arch kept telling me the venture is only for six months so we could test it out. Killwillie is showing up for a tea this afternoon to finalize the plan. I just told Arch, it's a good idea to go, but now"
"You're unsure about it. You want him to follow his dream since Killwillie presented it, that's a wonderful compromise, Lex. The twins would still benefit from it too. "
"But it's hit me, we can't leave home. Now I feel like I've told the biggest lie an to me own husband no doubt! I'm a spoil sport!"
"Yer not! Tell him." Duncan insisted while holding Maeve in his arms. He glanced at the kitchen clock since he knew he had work to do on an old fence out near Golly's. He shifted his feet, hoping to pass Maeve to Lili so he could leave. He'd take his breakfast with him. "Here." He passed their daughter to his partner. He leaned over the gate and gave Lili a quick peck on the lips and then kisses to Maeve's brow. "I have to go, sugar. Lex, no worries."
"OK, be careful down at Golly's. I'll bring down your lunch around noontime." Lili winked as Maeve and her shouted "Bye-bye!" Lili waved her daughter's arm at her father and Duncan grinned…making another famous funny face at his daughter, while nodding "okay", grabbed his uneaten breakfast, an apple and headed out the door.
When the women were alone, "Oh my, I thought ya had brekky," Lexie spoke as her eyes wandered to Lili's uneaten plate that sat on the table.
"Nah, I'll be fine. I'll heat it up later." Lili replied. "I'm worried about you."
"I am worried about me self too." Lexie stated with a pout as she watched the twins play with Maeve who was now rolling on the floor and crawling over to them. Maeve was working on standing, so she'd pull herself up on anything that came into view, this time it was Jayne. She loved her second cousins.
"Just tell Archie, Lex, he'll understand."
"I want ya at tea this afternoon." Lexie stated sharply. Lili paused, she hated having "tea" in the castle since the day she had arrived at Glenbogle and she was instantly put on the spot about her former marriage and everything going on in her life. She also tried to avoid Paul when she could because he was constantly trying to guilt trip her into coming back to work, now that Maeve is getting bigger. He had the new season of school children teaming in on buses, checking out the wildlife, and nature trails.
"OK, I will be. I'll tell, Dunc. He's off helping Golly fix a fence so that way Killwillie's blue ribbon cattle stop trampling into the fields where the deer normally roam and to keep them out of the bird sanctuary. And also so they don't stomp on, and frighten the school children or campers who visit the Wildlife Centre." Lili added, knowing she'd be traveling down their way to help pound in a post or two, if Duncan would let her.
"Aye, finally Archie's got some sense to put up that electric fence!" Lexie nodded, happy that her husband agreed with her on something since it was HER idea!
Killwillie's recent investments aside from his prized spring that he fought Golly over from time and time again…were now his cows. His property wasn't a cattle ranch, but he tried to make his mansion one regardless of the protests from his neighborsof course, Archie MacDonald being the only one!
Killwillie wanted become "king of the cows" and get high recognition and praise amongst dairy and meat farmers in all of Great Britain and maybe the world. He sold the farmers heifers to help feed the nation, especially since there was a beef shortage after the cases of Mad Cow disease that popped up everywhere. He felt this was his new "calling," or trade and it worked out since his restaurant served the best beef steak in town. He was so thrilled with the outcome that he's registered his heifers, dairies, and meats in a "beauty" cow show down in London next month. His dream to be a "beef broker" has almost come true.
Chapter Three…Marriage Talk 101
Lili had put on a backpack with Maeve in it as she hiked down to Golly's with Duncan's lunch. She kept thinking about how Lexie and her new family were moving away. She agreed with Archie that he was right to want a separate life from Glenbogle and to have his dream fulfilled. She also sided with Lexie on how badly she wanted to stay since she was so homesick herself.
Golly and Duncan were pounding away on the posts of the wire mesh fence. Archie had been toying with the idea of making the new fence "electric" in hopes to keep Killwillie's cows away! Now his idea was in the making…well, actually Lexie's but Archie took credit for it since she told him too!
"Gol," Duncan asked as he swung his mallet and pounded a post it.
"Aye?"
"Do ya think Lex and Arch should move away now?" He asked curious about what the old man's thoughts were. Golly paused for a moment, before slowly speaking…
"Aye, I agree with it. No sense on having two possible Lairds, Paul could run the lot. Arch has a family now, as they should be his first and foremost duty. Moving to Boston, as Mol put it is a wonderful step in the right direction for it." Golly's thoughts shifted to his one true love ever, his fiancée, Molly. He was actually looking forward to chatting with her after a long day's work. "I'm an engaged ol' man. I thought fer sure you'd be engaged before me. When ya plannin' on marryin' yer luver, Laddy?" He still questioned why his distant cousin and practically his son hadn't made Lili, his wife yet.
Duncan paused, as he didn't really think about marriage to Lili, and when he did she always changed the subject. "We have had words 'bout it, but she always changes the topic just as I start it. Plus she just got divorced and I hate to push her…"
"Maybe it's time to stay on topic and her split was well over a year ago," Golly suggested. Duncan pounded in a post as his thoughts started to weigh heavy on his mind.
"Hey!" Lili called out with Maeve fast asleep on her back. She approached the men, as she was unaware of their chatter about why her and Duncan weren't married yet.
"Yankee an lil' yank," Golly smiled as he liked his pet names for the mother and daughter pair.
"Hi Gol. Dunc, here's lunch." She grinned as Duncan approached her. He took the bag from her hands. She had made enough for Golly too. "There's some in there for you too, Golly."
Golly nodded his head and shifted from the thought of eating, as he wasn't feeling too good. But he hid it well…"I have lunch waitin' at da cabin. I'll leave yas to eatin' without this ol' man." Before Duncan and Lili could protest, Golly had walked off down the path to his house.
"Is he okay?" Lili asked, watching Golly walk off, thinking it was odd for him to turn a meal down.
"He's well. Lemme see what's here…" Duncan grinned, while pulling out a sandwich. He also helped Lili out of the backpack as the weight of their daughter was starting to make her body ache. He rested the pack on the ground and smiled once more at his "Minnie mouse." He had nicknamed Maeve that since her welcome to the world.
"I'm supposed to meet Lex for tea. I think she wants the moral support as Killwillie and Archie will discuss his job in Boston. She's really torn about this and I do feel for her."
"I know ya do." Duncan listened, but he could tell, Lili had a hint of envy in her voice, as she wanted to be the one going over the Atlantic. "Lil?"
"Yes, dear?" She asked with a raised brow…
"Ye ever think 'bout our weddin'?" He asked out of the blue which caught her off guard as the heavy thoughts started to become lighter, since he kept having inklings about marriage with her before and after his chat with Golly.
"Well, what brought this on? …I don't know. I thought maybe one day…" Her voice trailed off, as she never really thought about them getting married right away. She knew they had spent nights debating on what kind of ceremony, where would they get married, in the US or in UK, and how would they feel about being together forever? But they were just fleeting ideas and passing moments.
"Nothin' just thinkin' 'bout it that's all." Duncan said with a mope. Lili instantly picked up on his mood and put her arm on his shoulders.
"Hey, I like that you're thinking about a future, but" as she was cut off by his rough tone as she pulled her arm back to her side.
"Hold on…It's OUR future, not a future. When ya agreed to stay here, and be a family with me, I assumed you'd"
"Oh geez, this is what it's about? You're afraid I'm gonna high tail it out of here?"
"Lil, ye've gone it before," He corrected her remembering the day that she almost left him, when he found out she was carrying his child and he thanked Molly over and over again for talking her out of going back to America.
"OK, stop it!" She scolded and started to get upset at him for talking about a past made mistake. Duncan pulled her in with his arm and forced a smile.
"Unable to stop it!" He grinned, but then his face grew serious. "Golly and I were talkin' about his engagement to Molly and he just asked me why"
"We weren't married, well, how thoughtful of him." She snickered and Duncan turned his eyes away from her. "I'm sorry. That was rude. I know…"
"Ya dun no, Lil. Ya dun no, the man is like me da and he's concerned fer me well being aside from Minnie's." He nodded towards the sleeping child, without getting defensive with his partner.
"I understand, okay?" She replied, before moving in for a slow lip-lock that grew into something more intense, but Duncan pulled himself away, while she rested her hand on his cheek. "We'll talk about this tonight, alright? I promise, we'll talk about it. I'm going to have to figure out Minnie's citizenship anyway."
"She should be a legal Commoner, Lil an ya'd be a Common Subject if we legally got married. Ya'd be able to be legal here too once Minnie's four years old, ya no becomin' a citizen. " He explained. He had sneaked on to do some Internet reading (aside from his PC gaming), on her laptop pc one night while she was fast asleep. He used to have a pc but when the house exploded well over a year ago, his computer went up with it! He was going to save for a new one but decided to just keep saving and use her pc. He loved how she slept through his gaming when he'd stay up late at night shooting at flying objects with a pretend weapon of some pc graphic sort, unlike the time when he shared a room with Golly. He had threatened to throw his pc into the loch, since he kept him up at night!
Hence, he moved into the cottage that Archie had built for him as well aside from Golly's cabin, which was built a year ago after the explosion. Mostly because their room, which was over the kitchen had been destroyed and he didn't want them being roommates any longer (after their bickering about a new housekeeper whom they equally had the hots for). He read everything about the process if and when they got married. He was making sure it was legal for her to stay and it was as long as her work permit and approval letter were current. Paul dealt with all of her paperwork since he made sure she was up to date, as he had told Duncan this when he asked him the other day. He knew she'd start working again at the Centre soon.
"I understand," She said again, trying to find someway to reassure him that she wasn't going to leave.
Golly came walking back to the fence and called out to the head ranger. Lili stood up as her boyfriend helped her "load their daughter" onto her back. " I'll see you at home." She said, while giving him a peck on the lips and turning away from him.
"Aye." Duncan watched her hike off with Maeve, still thinking about her becoming his wife.
"Work time, Laddy," Golly announced. "What's t'matter?"
"Nothin'," Duncan lied and went back to work. He started to wonder why she didn't seem want to marry him…