Chapter Thirteen…Girls Just Want To Have FUN!
"Oh Lil!" Lizzie hollered down the stairwell as she found Lili and Paul at the very bottom of the stairs. "There you are. You're missing the fun. I have a radio ready to play music…Lexie popped popcorn and we're just waiting on the star!"
Lili sat beside Paul as she looked up at Lizzie, "I'll be right there!"
Paul laughed, "I take it, and you're wanted for a 'girly' evening."
"Well, actually, since I'm up here for the night, Lizzie and Lexie wanted to put on a slumber party."
"That's what's with the?" He chuckled, while pointing out her pajamas with a nod of his head.
"Yeah," Lili observed Paul hopping up from the steps to a standing position. He extended his hand to help her up. At first it was a genuine gesture, Lili accepted his hand, as she rose up on her feet. She let go of his hand, smiled, before extending her arms out for a hug. Paul hesitated at first, but then he grinned back at her as his arms embraced her. "Thank-you for talking to me, Paul, it means a lot. Night."
Lili stepped away from him as he waved her on, "Night."
Lili approached the bedroom where the girls were, as she was then pulled into the room by her arms, Lexie with one and Lizzie with the other. Lili stared at the women with hair curlers in their hair and face masks on their faces. She felt like she was being attacked by make over queens! "Ahhhhhhhhhh!"
"Oh c'mon Lil, it's facial scrub, good for 'em pores! You just squeeze this little bit out and then wipe it on…here." Lexie snatched the mask in a tube from her and in her palm created a pea sized amount of facial rub…before putting it all over Lili's face. She chuckled to her self…
"There! Don't blink or smile for 10 minutes, let the mask dry!" Lexie hooted, as she finished Lili's 'facial treatment.'
"Mummy, can we watch a movie?" Martha begged, as she had her face covered with a mask too and her hair also in hair curlers.
"Yes, as long as Lili doesn't mind." Lizzie smiled again, "She's the guest star of our night! Oooooohhh…we should do your hair Lili up in pink piggy tails!"
Lili gazed over to Lexie, not sure if she wanted her hair done up as well. "Come on! Don't be a spoil sport! Let's do up your hair!"
Lizzie grabbed a hair brush, turned on the radio and started to sing loud and very off key. Lili couldn't understand a word of what she was singing…until she heard Lexie join in with her own hair brush and Martha started singing in with a cooled off curling iron (which had been turned off and unplugged of course) bouncing up and down on her bed, as she jutted out her chin, and nodded her head to the beat…
"Jeremiah was a bullfrog
Was a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
But I helped him a-drink his wine
And he always had some mighty fine wine
Singin'..."
Lizzie snatched a pair of her sun glasses and placed them on the bridge of her daughter's nose and behind her ears. They sang together, before pulling Lexie into the song and dance too.
"Joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
If I were the king of the world
Tell you what I'd do
I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the war
Make sweet love to you
Sing it now...
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me"
Lili laughed at the rowdy bunch, even if she wasn't supposed to move her facial muscles, she couldn't help it. Then the electric piano solo blared out of the radio, as she pretended to be playing an 'air' keyboard. Lizzie, Lexie and Martha busted out in hysterics as they started to sing again…
"You know I love the ladies
Love to have my fun
I'm a high life flyer and a rainbow rider
A straight shootin' son-of-a-gun
I said a straight shootin' son-of-a-gun
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the world
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me"
The group of ladies continued to dance around the room, hoping up on beds, and jumping down again. They sang into hair brushes, the hair curling iron, and a hair crimper iron too. As the song continued to play, Lizzie embraced her young daughter, full of smiles, before grabbing Lexie's hands and twirling around the room with her. Lili just kept on giggling away…
"I wanna tell you
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea
Joy to you and me
(fading)
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls"
An hour passed as the women were engrossed in a movie called, "Sleepless in Seattle." Lili had a hard time getting comfortable; her mind kept floating back to Duncan. Lexie could tell that her cousin was still dwelling on about everything that had happened earlier in the day. "You know, Duncan called."
"When did he?"
"He called looking for you and also Minnie. I told him to leave you alone for the night."
"What did he say?"
"He said to tell you that he loves you." Lexie sighed, as she waited for a reaction from her dear cousin and Lili gave her a smile. "Feeling better now?"
"Yeah, I should go talk to him…"
"Nah, wait until morning. Let's watch this movie…the best part is coming up when Sam and Jonah talk about how his father never dates! We get to meet Annie's Sam's love for the first time! I love this part!" Lizzie cut in as the women giggled, Martha, was passed out on the twin bed in the room.
View of a house in Seattle, as Jonah asks, "Dad."
"Yeah?" Sam replies back.
"There's someone on the phone for you." He adds to his father as he explains to the woman on the other end, "His name is Sam." Jonah stands in the kitchen with a phone receiver to his ear, waiting for his father to come inside.
"Sam. If you just tuned in, tonight's topic is "Your Wishes and Dreams," Radio therapist states 'on the air'.
"Hello." Sam picks up the other phone receiver as he glances at his son.
"Hello Sam. This is Dr. Martha Fieldstone on Network America."
"Okay, what are you selling tonight? Micro-habatichis? Or Ginda knives?"
"No, I'm not selling anything. I just want to help. I want to know your son called asking for advice on how you might find a new wife."
"Who's this?" Sam added, getting edgy as Jonah tries to slip out of the kitchen to hide.
"You called a radio station!" Sam stood there glaring at his son as they both held phone receivers to their ears.
"Sam-Sam! Are you with me? Sam?" Radio therapist asks.
"Yeah, yes." He replied into the phone, after noticing Jonah lugging around a small portable radio too.
"Your son feels since your wife's death. You've been very very very unhappy and he's genuinely worried about you." The announcer replied, trying to get Sam's attention. Annie's sitting in her car listening to the whole exchange as she's traveling down the Maryland Beltway on Christmas Eve.
Jonah peeks around the door way, as he tries to stay hidden in the shadows. Sam calls out to him, " Oh, hey…Get out here! Get out here! Come on now. I'm not gonna go through this alone!"
Jonah reenters the room with the phone receiver still at his ear. He looks frightened, because he assumes his father is mad at him.
Radio therapist informs Sam, "I think it's very hard for him to talk to you about all of this. I thought if maybe you and I talked. I could make Jonah feel better."
"Talk to her Dad! She's a doctor!" Jonah shouts out with encouragement.
Sam eyes him curiously, "Of what? Her first name could be doctor."
"Please." Jonah begs.
"Sam, Sam, it's his Christmas wish."
"Okay." Sam gives in as Dr. Fieldstone adds, "Okay good. Now I know this is difficult, but how long ago did your wife die?"
"About a year and half ago…"
Lili sat herself up more as she sat on the floor cross legged style next to Lexie. The hardest part of watching this movie was she wasn't quite seven when her mother died of cancer too. 'I was about Jonah's age' as her mind shifted back to Duncan and Minnie, her own family, and realizing, if something were to ever happen to her…how would they survive? Would Duncan move to another city? Would he take good care of Minnie? Of course he would, and then the whole idea of being homesick, even though it's normal to be missing home, dulled within her. Lexie looked at her cousin, and gave her a smile and a nod. The cousins continued to watch the movie with Lizzie.
JOY TO THE WORLD by Three Dog Night
Excerpt from Sleepless In Seattle; circa 1993.
Chapter Fourteen…tenuous, tedious, and…
Duncan couldn't even bring himself to play a video game on the pc. He missed his wife, his daughter…his family. The croft was so quiet, too quiet, and Minnie wasn't waking him up from slumber like she always did once a night. Lili wasn't curled to his back side like she always did when she was in deep sleep. His insomnia took over, as there was a knock at the door. His eyes set on the clock as it was after midnight.
"Jess?"
Jess entered the croft as Duncan shut the door. "Is it Golly?"
He glanced at her concerned, wondering if something was wrong, because Jess didn't speak to him right away.
"I came down to check on you." Jess had something else to talk to him about as Duncan knew right that she also wanted to discuss her father and his health.
"Oh. Can I offer ya cuppa at this hour?" He suggested, trying to take a moment to compose himself before turning on the range and placing the kettle on the stove.
"Thanks." Jess paused as she thought for a moment. She had over heard Lili and Paul talking while sitting on the steps in the front foyer of the estate. "Actually, Da's fine. I just wanted to make sure you were all right."
"I'm chipper, I s'pose." He lied, as he was far from being chipper since his wife and daughter weren't with him.
"Duncan, I saw Lili and Minnie up at the house." She inquired softly as he handed her a cup of tea and sat down in a chair across from her. Jess smiled at him as she sat on the sofa.
"How are they? Is something wrong with Minnie?"
"No, she's sleeping."
He blew out a breath of relief as he smiled back Jess. "They will be back here in the morning. Just taking some time and spending it with Lex and the twins." He reassured himself, but he didn't want her up there, as Lexie had insisted he give Lili some space. He acted like a fool in front of her, yet, she did act like one too. He just wanted to solve everything, but it was impossible until morning.
"I over heard Lili talking to Paul," Jess spoke quietly, as Duncan stared at her much more closely. He wasn't sure he was going to like what she had to say, but he let her say it.
"And?"
"I think she wants to go back to America."
"What? Whaddya mean?" He jolted up from his chair and started to pace, as Jess watched him bumble back and forth.
"Duncan." Jess watched him stop prancing about and sit himself on the coffee table in front of her.
"She told you this?"
"Duncan, she told Paul she wanted to go home, back to America, with or without Minnie. It's nothing to be alarmed about, Duncan, I just thought I'd tell you?"
"I'm rubbish. I ruin everything! " Duncan shouted aloud, as he groaned in agony, before hanging his head. "This is getting out of hand, and now she wants to leave not just me but Minnie too? Does she love either of us? I should go see her. I should talk to her."
"Duncan, she's still doesn't want to speak with you." Jess insisted, but she didn't know everything that was going on. She just over heard things from the stairway on her way to the kitchen for a snack for her father.
"I had no idea she was this badly homesick, Jess, what am I going to do?" His head rose up to peer at her as he was looking for advice. Jess sat there, took a sip of her tea and tilted her head.
"You natter to her anyway." She replied, as her own heart strings were yanked on as much as she didn't want to believe the love her life was married, he was.
"Natter with her? Jess, she's me wife. She's me life. I've never been this drawn to someone before."
You were drawn to me once. Jess's mind called out, but she didn't breathe a word of it. Duncan started to pace the room again.
"Maybe she just wasn't sure about marrying you?" Jess blurted out instead as Duncan stopped short and sat back down in front of her.
"Jess, did she say that too?" He asked gullibly.
"Well, um…" She didn't want to lie to him as it wasn't her intention to visit him at such a late hour.
"Nevermind, I know she wasn't sure. I've known all along. I'm so daft. I've been so daft." He slapped his forehead before Jess cocked a brow and then tried to sooth him.
"Dunc, yer not daft. You love her and she loves you, but you need to communicate with her."
"But Lex told me not to knacker her tonight that she needed, ya know, space." Duncan's brows rose and dropped.
"She needed space after she kissed Paul?" Jess gave him a very weird look and Duncan caught it.
"She didn't kiss him because she felt anything for him. She kissed him because of the immigration officer that Lizzie went out on a date with tonight. Apparently, he wanted to prove that my marriage to Lili was a phony and that Paul was me…because he was introduced to Paul as me."
Jess started laughing, "I think we all need to hop off of the soapbox."
Duncan glared at her.
"Oh come on, Duncan. You mean the officer thought Lili and Paul were Lili and you?" She asked him absurdly.
"Aye, it's a long story."
"Tell it to me then." Jess shot him a haughty look which was meant to challenge him.
Duncan sat there, still thinking awful thoughts about where his three day old marriage was headed. He didn't want her to leave, just like the day she found out about Minnie and headed for the sleeper. He wanted her happy. He just wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't with him.
Moments passed as Duncan informed Jess of the story, the 'Paul was going to marry Lili so she wouldn't be deported back to America.' He then piped up again, asking her again,
"It's nothing, Jess. Why are you here?"
"I'm also here because I'm worried about me Da."
"Well, Gol's a strong man, willful fighter, there's nothing to be woeful about where Golly is a concern." He smiled at her. Jess couldn't smile, as she sat with her knees tucked up to her chest while sipping on her tea. "Come on, no need to lose sleep over it."
"What if something terrible happens to him?"
"Nothing terrible will happen, to dear ol' Gol. He's fit as a fiddle and as clean as a whistle, yer dear Da." Duncan gave her a wink as he had simply known Golly for years and knew nothing would ever happen to the old mate. Golly was too much like a father to him. If something ever happened to Golly, it would be like losing his own Da. "No, Jess, he's not going anywhere, so there's not need to tucker yourself out about it."
The next morning, Lili and Minnie wandered back to the croft early. Lili opened the door and searched about for her husband. As she wandered down the hall to peek into her bedroom, assuming he was asleep. He wasn't there. She shrugged her shoulders as she just wanted to take some time and clear things up between them. Patch a few leaks, like a tire losing air, after running over a nail on the road, you know, fix up little stuff between them. As she rolled towards the living room, she spotted her husband asleep in a chair and someone sleeping on the sofa. Her mind dropped out, 'Jess?'
The two bodies were snoozing away in their corners of the room. Lili wasn't sure about sticking around to talk about anything with her husband. She took to steps backward and a floor board creaked out so loud that Duncan awoke as Jess did the same. "Lil?"
She walked out of the house, and slightly confused at the scene in their lounge. She had Minnie hooked to her side. "Lil. Wait!"
"Duncan, forget it. I came down here to talk to you. I assumed you wanted to talk to me when Lex told me, you loved me. You said it her over the phone, remember, or did you forget?"
"Lil, I didn't forget. I meant to come up to the house. Jess came down to talk to me about her father and…"
"I'll let you get back to it." She turned away from him. He put himself right in front of her.
"Lil, please, take Minnie inside. You and I need to have words. You know this."
"You…"
"Hi, I'm going now. Lili, don't be upset with him. I came down last night to talk about my father, seriously." Jess came up to Duncan and Lili, feeling the tension, knowing she had caused more than there needed to be.
"Right." Lili nodded, upset, as she pushed past Duncan, then Jess and headed into the croft with Minnie in tow. It took a few moments for Lili to get Minnie settled with another bottle and a toy in the lounge as the wooden gate that Duncan had made held her in. Duncan watched her closely as she locked their daughter behind the gate and walked towards the bedroom. He followed her inside, hoping to make peace.
"Yer over reacting, Lili. I told Lex to tell you that because I couldn't say it in person like I want too. I thought you needed space as Lex told me." Duncan glanced at her. Lili was staring out of the window.
"Getting married wasn't a novel decision on our parts was it?" Lili whispered as Duncan approached her.
"Are you leaving me?" He asked softly as she turned to face him.
"Who-what gave you that idea? I came down here to talk to you didn't I? Even though I found…"
"Lili, Jess told me you were going to go back to America, even though, you're still married to me."
"Oh really? How does she know? I never talked to her or expressed any feelings on the matter, Duncan! " Lili replied, as she put space between them.
"Aye, yeah, really."
"You believe her over me?"
"Well, I…"
"Duncan. If you thought I was going to leave you again, you know skip out on you, don't you believe I would have done it by now? I haven't. For you to get some bird brained idea in your head that Jess put there ispure ridiculous!"
"Jess didn't put it there. Lili, Jess is a great girl, but she's a friend and she respects me and also you. Besides you told her?"
"I didn't tell her a thing!" Lili announced as she heard Minnie squeaking for her from the lounge. She could tell the little one was in pain from her teeth as she spoke up, "Maeve, she's having teething issues, isn't she? I'll go tend to her. Stay here. We're not done with this yet."
Lili scurried from the room leaving Duncan. He trailed behind her, thinking more about Jess and what she told him. If Lili wasn't planning on leaving and she didn't tell Jess, then why did Jess make him believe that she had? It didn't add up, as nothing summed up the confusion between Duncan's ears. Lili had prompt herself to come down to the croft to try to work things out after spending the night apart and she was guaranteed to fix it, some how.
"Lil,"
"What?" She consoled the fussy infant, by picking her up. Minnie missed her parents. She sensed the stress between them both and wanted them. Infants were very perceptive, in trying to bring parents back together after a squabble.
"If you didn't tell Jess you were leaving then how did she get that idea in her head?" Duncan asked, waiting for a reply. He didn't think Jess would ever be untruthful. She was too much like Golly to tell fibs.
"I talked to Paul. I had a word with him."
"What?" Duncan stood there, trying to register what she had just said.
"She must have over heard me talking to Paul last night."
"You chose to chat on with Paul over me?" Duncan spoke, like he was crushed and Lili picked right up on it. "You kissed him, you know, Lili."
"I didn't choose him over you, Duncan...and about that damn kiss, you know it wasn't real, it was only because of that stupid officer. I just ended up talking to him." She spoke evenly before inching up to him with Minnie in her arms. "Duncan, I care about you and I'm not going anywhere. I just needed that time to think about us much more clearly."
"What did you decide?"
"What did I decide? Duncan! This is getting beyond silly! I came down here to just talk stuff out with you, as much as you want to talk things out with me? I have every intention of staying with you and Minnie. It's all a big misunderstanding; if you believe I'm going to really truly leave you! " She gave a simple nod of her head like she was in defeat. "I'm sorry about last night, you know this, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. I love you with all of my heart, Duncan MacKay and nothing will ever change it."
"Lili, I understand. I don't like being apart from you. I have to wonder where we're going with our relationship...if this..."
Minnie cooed between her loving parents and stopped crying. Both Duncan and Lili laughed at how at ease they put the infant. "I should go get her some medicine for her sore gums. I'll be back later so we can talk more, which is something we need to seriously do. I'm not running off anywhere, Duncan, however, to the store." She pressed her lips to his and smiled before handing Minnie over to him.
"Lili, I…"
"Duncan, we'll talk about this later." She made a point to kiss him again and grabbed her raincoat since it was now raining outside and scampered out the door.
Chapter Fifteen…Tragedy strikes Glenbogle…
Lili was driving in the rain as the water soaked the windshield more. She kept thinking about everything that Duncan had said to her, asking her questions about her wanting to leave Glenbogle. Jess, as she thought about Golly's daughter, she meant well. Like she had said, it was a big misunderstanding, one that they would both clear up together and move on from. Lili knew her husband did loved her very much and nothing and no one would ever change it…well, almost nothing... as she noted a stag, which crept quickly on the road as she tried to break the truck swished to the left, then to the right and then a white flash of colorful memories from a picture book story in Lili's mind began. It was her life, as her life within moments replayed before her…
Lili as a little baby:
"Look at her coo, look at her smile." Phil and Brynn MacKinney replied as they watched their daughter take her first steps. "Liliana, there you go girl!" She walked to her mother while her father cheered the little one on and Lili squealed in delight. She had taken five steps from her mother to her father as her arms were wide out and she toddled across the old wooden floor of her parent's small but quaint Inn.
Her first day of school:
"I can't believe it, Brynn, our little girl all gussied up for school." Phil MacKinney had his camera focused on her in her new school dress and holding a Barbie doll lunch pail. And then the flash of the camera, as it took the five year old's picture while she waited for the school bus.
The one summer Lili hung out with Alexandra MacTavish, her beloved cousin:
"I'm not ready to say good bye to you Lexie." Lili sniffed and then Lexie did too as they stood in the airport, giving each other one last glance and then a good bye hug.
"One day, you will visit me in Scotland. We'll have a grand time. I'll write you Liliana MacKinney and you better write me!"
"I promise to never forget you!"
"You promise to never forget me!" As Lexie waved to her cousin while she handed her boarding pass to the flight attendant as Lexie gave Lili and Phil one last wave, before and wandered down the hall to the plane.
The births of Lexie and Archie's twins:
"What it is?" Lexie asked, still in more pain and out of breath.
"A girl." The midwife instructed, before explaining, "Please relax your legs, Lexie, the other is ready to pop out too."
Lexie handed the first baby over to Archie who in turn lifted the infant for Molly to hold.
"It's a girlOW!" Lexie cried out.
"Aye, time to push some more, lass."
"I am out of pushin', can not we just pull?" Lexie shouted, while trying to get some kind of attention.
Archie laughed and then encouraged her to push, "If we pull, then ye're in more trouble than I thought. C'mon Lex sweetheart, push the little one out on the count of three… "
"1…" Lexie breathed heavily and bore down while Archie slipped his hand behind her back and steadied her…
"2…" She pushed once again…while he rubbed her arms, shoulders and back…
"3!" The midwife yelled, as moments later a second set of wails joined the room and she also announced, "It's a boy!"
Lexie laughed as Archie swooped in for a kiss and happily shouted, "I'm the luckiest Laird of Scotland!"
"Well, I wouldn't take it that far, Arch." Lexie joked while kissing Archie once again. "I love you."
"I love you too." He replied, smiling joyously…
"So what will you name them?" Lili asked, while bending down to meet the newborn that Lexie was now holding.
"Welcome Wayne Archibald Hector MacDonald and Jayne Liliana Molly MacDonald. " as Lexie rattled off the names. Archie beamed proudly while kissing her forehead and then her lips…
"Why the Liliana?" Paul questioned, as he waited for a reply and got one from Lexie's cousin.
"It's my name." Lili breathed with a smile.
Lili meeting Duncan for the first time:
Lili paused for a moment as she watched the curious gentleman walk up to her. She slung her black bag over her shoulder and proceeded to her rather heavy life of it's own suitcase. She had just bent down to lift the case, when the hand of the gentleman reached out and scooped up the luggage out of her grasp. "You must be her." He grinned with a question. "Lili?"
Lili glanced sideways at the kilted one, before noticing the cardboard sign under his arm and laughed, "Yes, I am. I take it you must be Lexie's friend Duncan."
"Aye, that be me, the one that Lex sent to fetch you from the sleeper." Duncan smiled once again, while striding on beside Lili as they walked down the steps of the platform to a vehicle that was anything but "elegant" and not the typical method of "getting around" for Kings and Queens from the 13th century. Most of the royalty she had read in fairytales, rode in a horse drawn carriages. Lili laughed at the insane idea that she would be traveling from the train station in "fashion", but this "royal red carpet style" now included mud splatters that covered a truck all over, which had obviously seen better days. "What?" Duncan asked as his brows rose. He had already hauled her suitcase to the back of the truck and had returned to the drivers seat. When his hand reached out, they both blushed at the soft touch, as their hands had made way to the same door handle. "Um…we trolley on the other side of the vehicle here."
"Oh right! I'm sorry." She replied jerking her hand way, and walked around to the "passengers" side of the "royal" truck and managed to hop up onto the seat while shutting the door. Duncan started up the vehicle and very LOUD blaring techno music came out dancing of the speakers as Lili spoke, "Ah, Duncan?"
"What?" He yelled, turning his head to face hers. He couldn't hear a word of what she had just said, before turning his attention to the dashboard and putting his fingertips on the radio volume knob.
"Duncan, the radio is…" Lili started to speak loudly and clearly trying to tell the lad that his radio was indeed hurting her ears!
He quickly turned down the radio with a flick of his wrist and…
"Oh! Very Sorry! I couldn't hear, since my radio was on!" Duncan apologized, while watching Lili's eyes widened in bewilderment at the fact that he was quite flighty, but sincere when stating the obvious. Lexie had written little about him in her letters over the years since she had started working at Glenbogle. But it was now Lili's chance to have an up close and personal encounter with the "anything but mysterious" Duncan and she wasn't currently sure of what to make of his odd character.
"I see. Or heard. Thanks for turning it down." Lili said, deciding groaning at him, would be of no use, or let alone polite, so she took the firm but friendly approach.
When Lili gave birth to a gorgeous little baby Maeve:
"Another good push and we'll have a head and shoulders…"
"Lili." She spoke up.
"Lili." The doctor replied, grinning once again… "Well, Lili, push!"
She did so…then heard the next jumbled words… "I have a head…I have shoulders…now push again…we need the body…"
" You see a head? A head? Lil, a head!" Duncan shouted aloud…dropping her leg…she glared at him in pain…"Ach-oops…"
He steadied her once again…"Sorry."
"Its okay." She said, through her teeth…pushing once again…out came the little body…and then one more afterbirth push…cries filled the room…
"You both should be proud…what a little looker…"
"What is it?" Lili asked out of breath, out of energy…then she looked up at the little body that was immediately rubbed down…tended to and swaddled up into a blanket.
"A girl of course!" The doctor exclaimed, "Well done, Mum and congrats Dad!"
Duncan singing to their daughter in the hospital:
Later on that night…Lili was sleeping in one of Duncan's tee shirts since he had forgotten to bring her "emergency" bag and grabbed his suitcase instead…with all the excitement…
He was happily rocking their daughter and softly singing…only a more "Minnie Mouse" version…
Who's the leader of the club
That's made for you and me
M-I-N-N-I-E M-O-U-S-E
Hey! There, Hi! There, Ho! There
You're as welcome as can be
M-I-N-N-I-E M-O-U-S-E
Minnie Mouse!
Minnie Mouse!
Forever let us hold our banner
High! High! High! High!
Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-N-N-I-E M-O-U-S-E
Lili's eyes opened…she peeked in his direction, watching Duncan…just singing along…
Minnie Mouse club
We'll have fun
We'll be new faces
High! High! High! High!
We'll do things and
We'll go places
All around the world
We'll go marching
His eyes wandered to hers…still singing…as his mind added…yer goin' to make a wonderful mother, Lil…
Who's the leader of the club
That's made for you and me
M-I-N-N-I-E M-O-U-S-E
Hey! There, Hi! There, Ho! There
You're as welcome as can be
M-I-N-N-I-E M-O-U-S-E
Minnie Mouse!
Minnie Mouse!
Forever let us hold our banner
High! High! High! High!
Come along and sing a song
And join the jamboree!
M-I-N-N-I-E M-O-U-S-E
Her mind replied to his…and you're going to make a terrific father, Dunc…
Now it's time to say good-bye
to all our friends and the jamboree…
M-I-N
See you real soon
-N-I-E
Why because we love you
M-O-U-S-E…
As Maeve was placed down in her crib…her daddy stopped singing…he beamed mighty brightly.
And then, just days ago, Lili getting married to the love of her life, which of course was…
Duncan stuttered at first, before finally letting the words out, as his eyes looked deep into hers…
"I Duncan, take you Lili, to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness."
"Do you Lili take this man as your wedded husband?" The man asked Lili and she grinned lovingly at her soon husband.
"Yes, I do." She nodded, holding Duncan's shaking hands. She glanced at him as if her eyes were telling him he'd be okay…as they were half way there…
"Now, you Lili, you repeat after me…I, Lili, take you Duncan, to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness. "
"I, Lili, take you Duncan, to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'till death do us part. And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness. "
"Do you Duncan take this woman as your wedded wife?" The man asked Duncan, who was staring at Lili and wasn't even paying attention to the question until…
"Cat got your tongue?" Lexie whispered, trying to give Duncan and verbal push as Archie rolled his eyes before put an arm around his wife. She grinned, while nodding to her old friend who looked at her! "Go on!"
"Lex, stop interfering…" Archie whispered…she elbowed him in response.
"Aye, I do." Duncan stuttered again, with a toothy beam…his eyes turned to Lili's.
"By the power of the almighty one, you are now pronounced as husband and wife, so you may both kiss." The man smiled, while closing his book. The joyful couple leaned in to kiss each other quite tenderly. The room cheered on, hugging the pair happily.
"Now, time to sign here." The man directed Duncan as he held out a pen. Duncan's hand shook as he signed his own name on the dotted line.
"There. C'mere my Minnie!" He chuckled, while turning to Maeve and taking her from Golly's arms. He pulled in Lili close and kissed her warmly.
The last of the flashbacks of Lili's life ran out like the end of a movie, white, black, fading to gray as the truck crashed. It hit something with a huge blur, an old red telephone booth, which stood on the side of the road not far from the Glenbogle estate's drive. The vehicle tossed over and over from engine to trunk and back again with the hazard lights going off near the bumper, before the truck landed upside down in a roadside culvert.
Paul was the first to answer the door of the Glenbogle house, when the police came knocking on. He had been in the study, sitting at a table, going over the estate financial books. Lexie walked out from the kitchen as she had been preparing lunch for the day. She collapsed on the floor after hearing the devastating reason for why the Police were there. Duncan moments later, with Minnie in tow, walked out from the kitchen to run to Lexie's aide. He had been waiting for Lili to return home. He hadn't seen her for well over an hour and it didn't take that long to get to and from the village pharmacy. He knew they had more to talk about…more to discuss, she said, 'She'd be back soon.' Lili didn't up and run off as she swore up and down she wouldn't leave him. He knew this, but something was eating away at him. Seeing Lexie upset and then distraught, just made him worry and wonder, where was his wife? Where was Lili?
"Hello?" Paul asked, wondering why the patrol was there.
"Hey, a little bit of rain today, eh? Is a Mr. Archie MacDonald home?" The man asked as the storm outside was still going strong.
"My brother isn't in the country, what can I do for yas?"
"I believe you might want to invite us in." The other patrolman replied, as they walked into the old estate. Before turning to Paul and explaining to him, "I'm sorry to inform you of this but we found your truck outside of town."
"Oh?" Paul asked, as Lexie entered the front foyer from the kitchen.
"Paul? What are they here for?" She asked, but then she heard why.
"There's been an accident. We found the driver of Mr. MacDonald's truck on the side of the road before the lane." The patrolman explained, as Lexie froze. She didn't like what she was hearing, as she had allowed Lili to take the truck into town.
"Is she dead?" Paul inquired, praying it wasn't who he thought it was… Lili
"Unsure," The patrolman replied...
Lexie dropped down on her knees, feeling seriously sick to her stomach. This wasn't happening…not happening at all. Lexie had this feeling her cousin was gone. She just went into town for medicine for Minnie.
"Lexie?" Duncan asked, as he glanced at her, noting her form which was melting into the floor. He dropped down to scoop her up, with Minnie still glued to his body.
"Lili. Lili…"
"Is that the woman's name?" One of the patrolmen spoke up.
"That's me wife, what about her?" Duncan looked up at him.
"Sorry, to inform you that there's been an accident, we believe she was taken off to the hospital."
Duncan in a full bout of shock, first and then in denial as he demanded, "Hospital?Take me to the scene of the accident. This can not be true!"
"The nearest hospital is 45 minutes away in Inverness..." Paul started to ask questions.
"I'm sorry sir, it's down pouring out and there's a travel advisory on the road." Patrolman announced, but Paul walked out the men into the driveway and to the patrol car.
"It's important one of us go to the scene and at least to Inverness." Paul explained slowly to the men, but Duncan had followed them out after Lizzie came down the stairs to tend to Lexie.
"I can identify Lil! Let me see her! " Duncan shouted out, not even listening to the patrolman, and handing an extremely upset Minnie calling out for her mother, "Mummmmmumumummmm!" over to Lizzie, still in disbelief. The patrolmen nodded to each other before Paul and Duncan wandered over to the patrol car.
Inside the house, Lexie still couldn't stand for herself as she was held up by Lizzie for one moment, before she fell to the floor again. Lizzie soothed the crying infant, the fussy wails of little Minnie. Martha then came bounding down the steps, while she glanced at her mother and the child, and then her aunt, before asking, "What's wrong Auntie?"
She couldn't speak or answer the little girl either as Lexie bent down to hug her, before Jess and Golly walked into the front foyer from the kitchen. It had been a day or two since Golly had left his bed and tried to maneuver around the house. He watched the group hug, before helping Lexie to her feet. He didn't fall over or tumble when he embraced Lexie, as he consoled her, "Dear lass, you're all right. It'll be all right."
Lexie looking at Golly through her tears, as her arms were wrapped tighter around his neck, spoke unevenly, "Golly, it's awful. It's not true. She's not…" Tears just welled up in her eyes as she continued to sob on Golly's shoulder as Jess and Lizzie and Martha looked on. The phone began to go off in the study, ringing and ringing away, as Archie stood on the other end of the line waiting for someone to answer the phone.