Angel, Afterthoughts and an Adoption
By: Carrie-Anne
Chapter Four…Major UH OH
Early next morning, Claire searched everywhere in the flat for Nigel, as she entered his room twenty minutes ago to find his backpack gone, his clothes pulled out of drawers, and the box, the floral box from Susan's room missing. She also noticed that money from the cash tin that Susan had stashed in the kitchen was among the missing items. "Nye, this isn't at all funny!"
"Nigel, if you were planning on running away, you should have told me!" Claire roamed the home starting to get overly worried as he was still no where to be found.
Nigel walked into the bus station and then scooted himself over to the bus counter as an old gray haired man peered down at him. "Aye, where ya goin' Laddy?"
"Glenbogle please," Nigel spoke up as he presented the tin.
The man eyed him curiously, "Glenbogle?"
"Aye, I want one ticket to Glenbogle." Nigel waited on pins and needles for his tickets.
"12 pounds. Yer awfully young to be travelin' on yer own, aren't ya son?" The older gentleman replied.
"I'm going to Glenbogle to meet my father."
"I see. Take that bus that's on its way out now, better hurry if you're going to catch it!" He announced, as the little boy, scooped up the tin and ran fast with his backpack strapped to his back.
The bus ride was long, well, to Nigel it was. As he sat in the seat reading another one of his comics and waiting for the ride to end as there weren't many people going to Glenbogle at such an early hour. When the bus arrived in the village, Nigel climbed out as he looked around, not sure of where to go next. He stood at the bus stop as a local maroon mini-bus drove up to it. "Going somewhere, son?" The man rolled down his window to chat, wondering if he was lost.
"Wild Life Centre, please." He spoke unevenly, wondering if this bus would take him there.
The driver called out, "Hop on, I can get you there." Nigel with a nervous smile, climbed onto the small van as the mini-bus putted off down the way.
Nigel was dropped off right in front of the Wild Life Centre, as the van took off. He waved to the driver and continued to walk down the drive to the parking lot. The surroundings were familiar as he scurried off behind the office again and then right for the rabbit hutch. It wasn't closed up though, as he entered the hutch and noticed all of the rabbits eating, dozing and doing their thing in their cages and hay.
A good portion of the day had gone, as Claire continued to wait by the phone for Susan to phone back. Finally the telephone rang out, as Claire jumped up to answer it.
"Claire, what on earth is going on? Twenty messages from you?"
"He's missing."
"Who's missing?"
"Who do you think?"
"Nye?" Susan answered exasperatedly, "Where did he go? Did you check the bathroom? Did you check under his bed?"
"Susan, you ninny, I checked everywhere fer 'im! He's gone! Poofed! Vanished!" Claire shouted into the phone.
"Calm down, he couldn't have gone that far."
"Why am I the one who's worried out of their wits and ye're not? He's not my son!" Claire snapped, as Susan understood the tension brewed high.
"Calm down, did you say something to him to make him want to run?" Susan was still in her own sense of shock that Nigel would just up and disappear on her.
"He has this assignment."
"Family Tree Report?" Susan asked, not liking the turn the conversation took.
"Yes."
"Oh Claire, you didn't."
"I did."
"You did not show him that box or tell him anything about his father did you?"
"I'm sorry, Suz."
"Crper, I'm on my way home!" Susan muttered as she ended the phone call and full on concerned about Nigel and how he was going to handle learning about his father. Susan stood there as her co-worker at the paper, sitting at a desk across from her, looked at her, "What's wrong?"
"I have to leave. You need to tell Henry, I'm sorry, but I have to get home to tend to my son." Susan quickly collected her belongings and ran out of the office leaving her co-worker staring after her.
Nigel started to get cold, as he only had his coat on, no mittens and no hat on his head. He held a few of the rabbits, patted them all down, but he was starting to get bored. He wondered if anyone would come by the rabbit hutch like the last time he came for a visit. He remembered the nice old man with a funny cap on his head. He started to shiver as he pulled his legs into his chest and started to wait…and wait…and wait…
Hours passed, finally Golly decided to check in on the wolves and the rabbits. He strode into the hutch, moved a bale of hay, and then his eyes cast down at the little boy, "Do I know you, son?"
Nigel woke himself up, rubbed his eyes and blinked up at Golly, "Hello, remember me?"
Golly stood there very confused and wondered where on earth this boy came from and then…
"I'm Nigel Higgins, from Inverness. I met you on the school trip," Nigel said chipper, hoping Golly would remember him as Golly replied, "Son, ye've come a long way to visit 'em rabbits, haven't ya?"
Susan hurried as fast as she could back to her flat from the airport as she met Claire at the door. Both sisters were equally frantic about Nigel still missing. "Did ya call someone?"
"No, I waited for you." Claire instantly noted, as she then apologized, "I'm so sorry, I told him, Suz, I didn't mean…"
"Claire, apologize to me later, I have to figure out where Nigel went, any clues?" Susan questioned her sister as Claire started to cry, because she was so overemotional, thinking if something bad had happened to Nigel, she'd never forgive herself.
"Claire, sweets… Stop crying, tell me where he went."
"Something…" she whimpered, which annoyed Susan, "Something about a wild life centre, or place."
"I don't know anything about a Wild Life Centre?" Susan looked at her sister beyond baffled.
"It's in Glenbogle."
"Glenbogle? What on earth—that's a good hour or so away?" Susan grabbed her bag and car keys and then placed her hands on Claire's shoulders trying to soothe her, "Nothing is wrong, do you understand me?"
"Yes." Claire sniffed, as Susan spoke low, "He's fine. Don't worry. Just stay here, okay? I'll ring ya when I find out more…"
" 'kay," Claire snuffled, while watching her sister beat feet out of the flat with the door shutting behind her.
Golly and Nigel walked towards the estate as Nigel eyed the big stone castle and then asked, "Is that where you live?"
Golly laughed, "Not exactly, laddy, but I know who lives there and they'll help you out."
They approached the estate, as Archie was walking out from the entrance way, he waved at Golly and then his face puzzled at Golly's young companion, "Golly,"
"I found him in with the rabbits. I figured we could call his parents and have 'em come get him." Golly suggested as Archie bent down to face Nigel, "I see that and who might you be?"
"I'm Nigel Higgins."
"Who are you parents?"
"My mum is Susan Higgins and my dad, well, I don't know much about him, but you could help me." Nigel replied sweetly as Archie stood up and glanced at Golly, "Oh really? And how exactly?"
"I need to find my father. His name is Paul Bow--men." Nigel announced as Golly and Archie equally fell silent. "What?" The little boy asked as his brows lifted and dropped, while he continued to wait for an answer.
"Paul Bowman. Yes, well, you have come to the right place." Archie blew out a breath, knowing very well, Paul had a lot of explaining to do about their newest visitor.
"Arch?" Lexie came up to him, Golly and the little wanderer, as she stared at the trio of two and half men, "Who's this?"
"Lexie, um…"
"I'm Nigel Higgins an' ye're a very pretty lady," Nigel gave Lexie a compliment which made her smile crookedly. She laughed and then quipped, "Well, Mr. Nigel Higgins, ye're very handsome too."
"Thank-you," Nigel then heard sounds of little ones coming from the sitting room. He turned his attention towards them, "Hello."
Minnie stood up at the gate as she gave a huge giggle at Nigel. Jayne and Wayne continued to run about the room with trucks and dolls. "Who's he?" Lexie whispered to Archie and Golly, as they witnessed a very sweet interaction between Nigel and Minnie.
"He's Paul's son." Archie voiced triumphantly as his wife gave him the oddest look ever, one he hadn't seen before.
"Wha--?" Lexie's voice raised an octave as she looked back at the boy. "No, yer foolin' wit me, aren't ya?"
"Apparently, not. I found him in with the rabbits. He was here over a month ago with a school group. He separated himself from Paul's lot back then, anyway, he came looking for Paul. He remembered me." Golly said lightly as Lexie grew quiet.
"Nigel?" Archie spoke aloud as it was already past dinner time and he wondered if the little boy was hungry. Nigel turned to view Archie, "Yes, sir?"
"You don't have to use sir, I'm Archie." 'I'm Uncle Archie…'
"All right, Archie." Nigel smiled warmly, as he waited for a reply.
"Hungry? Need something to eat?" Archie added, as the little boy nodded his head, "Good I'll show you to the kitchen." Archie and Nigel took off for the kitchen leaving Lexie and Golly contemplating everything that had just happened.
"Mysterious dastardly…" Lexie started to describe Paul and left out what she was going to do to him when she gave him an ear full about keeping his son from the family.
"Now, Lex, Paul is just like Hector in that aspect, don't be harsh on him. Remember when he arrived here? He came on his own too, in order to find his father." Golly reminded her of the facts of Paul's arrival, as he had come in search of Hector with a photograph of Golly and his mother, Megan, and a letter from the estate announcing its best interests for the knowledge of Paul.
"How could he keep something like this from us?" Lexie outspokenly blurted out.
"He did, and now we have to adjust to it."
"Glenbogle, adjustments are us, aye?" Lexie rolled her eyes and then Paul entered the house, as he smiled, "Hello."
Lexie made a remark, "Speaking of the blasted devil…"
Chapter Five… The Sky is Falling
Nigel stared at the kitchen, its high ceilings, large countertops, double sink, bigger than his room pantry and largely stocked refrigerator. Archie and Nigel made sandwiches, as Archie placed out the plates and pulled out a loaf of bread that Ewan had just made, and then started to build the sandwich with meats and cheese.
Moments later, Paul walked in,
"Why hello, care to pull up a seat and dine with us?" said Archie, as hands were set on his lap and he turned to welcome Paul, into the room and his new found mess.
"I'm fine. I need to have a word with your new friend there." Paul spoke quietly, after having a lengthy chat with Lexie. Lexie went up one side of Paul and down the other…
"Speaking of the devil…"
"Hello to you."
"Paul, you're such a fool," Lexie retorted as he looked at her closely and asked, "What did you just say?"
"I said, quote, you're a bldy fool!" As Lexie stood there before grabbing him by the arm, "Come wit me!"
Paul did as he was told and followed Lexie down the hall and to the kitchen. They peeked in and Paul nodded his head towards Nigel and then he asked, "Who's sittin' right there?"
"You don't know?" Lexie spoke exasperatedly and Paul picked up on her anger.
"No, I don't know." Paul glanced into the kitchen again.
"He's yer son! Ya keep on lying to people and it's not going to look so good on yer housing and work references if Archie ever kicks you out!" Lexie grumbled, as Paul tried to calm her down.
"Don't know what you're talking about. Never seen him before." Paul replied honestly.
"Well, you better tend to this mess because I know Arch isn't going to let it go away!" answered Lexie in a gallant huff, before she walked away.
Paul stood in the hall bewildered as he had never witness Lexie erupting like a volcano towards him until she was pregnant with the twins. He pushed the thought out of his mind and voyaged into the kitchen.
"Paul?" Archie asked, as if he could tell Paul was nervous.
"We'll be okay, Archie, you might want to check on Lexie." Paul suggested, as he nodded towards the kitchen door. Archie set his sandwich down and then pried, "Is she all right?"
"I'm not certain. She was a wee bit angry wit me." Paul added and finally Nigel spoke up as he listened to the conversation between his estranged Father and Uncle.
"My Mum is always going away, and I get angry with her." Nigel opened up, as Paul stared at him.
"I'm sure Mum must miss you when she goes away. I bet you miss her too?" Paul piped up as Archie got the cue to let Paul and his estranged son to talk to each other.
"Yes, but she left me yesterday with Aunt Claire. I got in trouble at school." Nigel pitied himself in front of Paul, who listened for more of the story. "Ms. Finlay, my teacher got mad at my friends for passing notes in class and I got caught with the note and well, punishment is this stupid Family Tree Assignment." As Nigel rolled his eyes, "I hate school."
"Oh." Paul said as he continued to listen. He had a hard time studying Nigel's face because he resembled him. Dark hair, deep blue eyes, pronounced chin, a one wrinkle or two wrinkles that formed on his brow and he hated school—Paul hated school too, hence he went into the military at a young age.
"So, my Mum has this box." Nigel slipped his backpack off his shoulders and pulled out a floral box, while pushing it across the countertop table for Paul to see. Paul didn't recognize the box, but the contents, some of the photos, he did.
There was one of him and Susan at childhood in a puddle pool, she was in just her underwear and smiling and he was grinning and waving. It hit him hard, he knew who Nigel's mother was, his childhood mate and at one point sweetheart and the woman he wasn't able to forget…ever.
"Does any of it look like me to you?" Nigel inquired as he watched Paul's pensive face stiffen.
"Actually, it does."
"I have this too, as it says something about you and Mum." Nigel handed over the envelope with his birth certificate. Paul opened and unfolded the envelope and its contents as a baby photo of Nigel fell out. Tiny baby with small porcelain hands, treasured face, blue cap on his head and swaddled in a baby blanket.
"That's me, I think."
"Aye, must be." Paul cleared his throat as he started to get a little 'choked' up. He looks like Susan in this photo…Paul's mind replied as her stared at the baby picture.
"Anyway, what can you tell me about my family?" Nigel gestured, hoping Paul wasn't going to turn him away or turn him down.
"What did your Mum tell you about me?"
Nigel sat there as silence grew between him and his father, "Nothing. She said, I didn't got one, or need one that you're just as expensive as a rabbit. I want a rabbit."
Paul filled with emotions, sadness, frustration, and then relief. He was sad to learn about Nigel right now, having never known about him prior to his birth. He was frustrated at Susan for keeping this secret from him for so long and relieved to know that he did have a son. He'd be there for him, unlike Hector, his father who wasn't there for him at all, "Oh."
Nigel whispered, "Are ya really me Da?"
The question struck Paul and went straight to his heart, as he answered as 'fatherly' as possible, "Aye."
Nigel's face turned into a small smile. He spent nights wishing for a father and finally it had come true and his guardian angel was right. Lexie entered the kitchen, "Nigel, I think yer Mum is here for you."
Nigel's little world then crashed because he only had ten minutes with his real father when fear crept in, his mother was going to be angry with him for finding…his dad.
"Thanks, Lex, I'll show him out." Paul nodded his head towards her but she didn't smile or nod back. She was still peeved at him and Paul could tell.
Chapter Six…Stay or Leave---Small Author's note: Paul's mother died three weeks before Paul arrived in Glenbogle on the show and she died alone in her flat and Paul never obtained permission to leave the Army…My story changed it a bit…she died 11 years ago, and not alone, and Paul actually was on leave when she died. He didn't obtain leave when he decided to try to find out more about his father…which lead him to Glenbogle then. I also made up anything about Margaret and Carol Thatcher for my story so don't sue my creative muse—I just did it for the story! J
Nigel and Paul entered the hall together as Susan came running up to Nigel out in the drive, just before dusk. She captured him in a huge hug and lowered her eye level down to his, "Are you all right? Don't do that again, never, ever, again! Do you understand me? Someone would have hurt you, Nye! What were you thinking about running off on Aunt Claire? Nigel, answer me!"
"Mum, I'm okay." Nigel piped up, as his mother kissed his forehead, and stroked his hair. He pushed her away and backed up to Paul.
Paul's feet were firmly planted on the ground, as he watched Susan and Nigel's interaction. Nigel started in on his mother, "I don't want to go back, Mum."
"Nigel, you can't stay here. We have to go home." Susan started to explain, avoiding Paul's stare. "I drove over an hour to get you, Nigel, I had to stop at places to find out who owed the Wild Life Centre, and thankfully people know who the owners are, since it's the Laird of the village. Nigel, you're coming home. It's cold out here."
"It's possible for snow, even if it's December." Paul announced finally, as he still sensed friction between him and her, all of these years, only just over a decade later…then snow began to fall from the sky.
"Exactly why we have to leave Nigel, we have to get back before it gets worse."
"Mum, I don't want to leave, Da."
"Nigel, he's not the one who's taken care of you, sweetheart and you live with me, at home." Susan tried to reason with him. Paul stood there listening closely before cutting in once again. He took charge of the matter at hand, something his military actually prepared him for…war.
"Nigel, go on in. I got to chat with yer Mum." Paul suggested and the eleven year old complied, which only angered his mother.
"Nye," Susan shouted out, "Nye, we have to---?" Susan walked closer to the door of the estate, standing inches from Paul.
"Yer nuts if you think I'm goin' to let you drive off here tonight with the possible storm brewing through." Paul added with common sense as Susan glared at him.
"I have nothing to say to you." Susan voice faltered as Paul knew it was a lie.
"Really? Start talking about our son, Suzy. You won't get around me like that. And I'm wrong to go assumin' de stork just dropped 'im off at yer door…" Paul remarked, as she retorted, "Don't call me Suzy, Paul. I haven't been called Suzy since I was ten!"
"No, since you were 23, Suzy. I'm goin' to call you that now."
"Oh really?" Her heart ached after she heard 'Suzy' fall from his lips again.
"Aye, really."
"This is why I didn't want Nigel to find you. You'd be gullible and assume we were meant to be. Do you understand that, Paul?" She cursed, as she was not match for his next set of words, "Suzy, you left me, remember? You packed yerself up and left me."
"You took my father's check! How else was I supposed to act?" Susan snapped at him.
"Who told ya that yer father?" Paul snipped back as Susan's face dropped.
"My father told me, yes, of course! He told me you took the check and you were gone!" Susan yelled back at him as hurt and pain bubbled up inside of her.
"Suzy, I'd never take a bribe from anyone, your father included! He wanted to buy me off, Suz. He wanted to write me out of yer life!" He shouted back at her as he felt just as much hurt and pain cause more turmoil inside of him.
"He didn't think I was worthy of you! You had this life ahead of you. I'd just drag you down!" Paul stated her father's 'manipulation' eleven years later.
"What?" Susan's mouth dropped, "I disowned my father, Paul as soon as he found out was pregnant an' that it was your baby I was carrying!"
Archie could hear the heated argument all the way from the front foyer, as he had let Nigel inside and Lexie took him back into the kitchen for some hot cocoa. He decided to allow Paul to play his own peace keeper, but once the pair started going at each other again, he took it upon himself to intervene, "You must be Susan, nice to meet you finally. Nigel speaks very highly of you. I'm Archie."
Susan and Paul kept shouting as they ignored Archie, "Disowned him?"
"Yes, I did! I've been on my own ever since, Paul!"
"Excuse me, I'm Archie and you must be Susan…" Archie raised his voice, trying to get a word in edgewise. Finally in a very loud boisterous answer came from both guilty parties of the fight, Paul and Susan shouted at Archie in complete sync,
"Yes I am!"
"Aye, she is!"
"All right then, um, it's getting chilly out here, perhaps, we can complete this inside?" Archie suggested before he found all three of them covered with snow or frozen solid, odd weather, but it was December, and just three weeks shy of Christmas.
Susan pushed past Paul and stormed into the house and Paul trotted right behind her and Archie with a smile on his face replied, "Boy I'm jolly good," before blowing out a breath, which he could now see. He rubbed his hands together to create warmth and then walked inside.
Susan and Paul didn't say a word to each other, and the unresolved tension was still strong and there. "You probably should stay here tonight and travel out in the morning, I highly recommend it before they close some roads, if the storm becomes worse," Archie suggested as Susan glanced at him and said, "I understand."
"For safety, please, stay. I'm sure we can accommodate you and Nigel," Lexie announced as she came out from the kitchen with Nigel, carrying a tray of mugs and hot cocoa.
"I have to call my sister, and she's worried sick about us, I'm sure." Susan requested as Archie showed her to the study and then the telephone.
"Here's the telephone and I'm sure Lexie will show you to your room."
"Great, fine…thanks." Susan dismissed him, but Archie picked up on it, "I understand, you're upset with my brother and I can only assure you he means well for Nigel."
"That's very considerate of you to stand up for him, but for Paul to have a brother, this is all news to me." Susan stated sharply.
"How long have you known my brother? Mind me asking? Ballpark figure precisely?" Archie questioned as Susan blew out a breath and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and then answered quietly, "For an eternity, it seems."
Archie on that side note gave her a slanted smile and nodded his head, before leaving the room.
Susan got off the telephone as she wandered down a hall and found the kitchen. She strolled in, looked around, hoping to find Nigel, and then a voice came up behind her, "Hello, are ya hungry? I'm fixin' meself a sandwich."
Lexie laughed as she rested her hands on Susan's shoulders and then showed her face to Susan, in hopes to not scare her. "Yes, I am actually famished. I haven't eaten since morning."
"Good take a seat and we'll eat our sandwiches together then." Lexie gave Susan a big smile as she went to the cupboards and fixed sandwiches to eat. Moments later when they were both sitting at the table. Susan's eyes caught sight of the floral box, "That box looks a lot like mine from home…"
"It is yours, Nigel brought it with him. He made a point to show it to Paul, Archie and I." Lexie answered as Susan's face fell, "Oh."
"Mind me asking, how long ye've known Paul?" Lexie asked right off the bat and Susan wasn't taken back by the question because Archie had asked her the same thing just moments upon moments ago.
"Since we were…" Susan opened the box and snagged a photograph as Lexie's face lit up and she chuckled warmly, "That old."
"Yer kiddin'? That long!" The photograph was one of the many childhood shots that Susan had collected from her mother just years ago. Paul and Susan were standing side by side sharing an ice cream. "I was four in that photo and Paul was eight."
"Well then. Ya must know quite a lot about him. Ye know he's quite a man of leisurely mystery around here." Lexie gave a nod of her head as Susan laughed, "Really? I have never known Paul to have a brother, and that's a mystery to me."
"Well, he showed up here not too long ago with a letter and a---?"
"Photograph?"
"Yes." Lexie gave her a questioning look.
"I know about the letter and photograph, his mother and my Mum were very close, bosom of buddies, the best of mates." Susan explained as Lexie continued to listen…
"I actually was there the day of Megan, his mother's funeral. Anyway, it was just before I got pregnant with Nigel. Paul was on leave from the Army for a few weeks, actually stationed Ballachulish and we run into each other at home, ya know, Yorkshire and well, things grew from there."
"Sounds romantic," Lexie tuned in to Susan more and added, "Of course, Paul arrived here, went to prison for not asking for permission to leave the Army and then came back again."
"He did what?" Susan looked at Lexie shocked.
"Aye, that's Paul, huh?"
"Oh I dun no, as he's probably changed since I last saw him. I was 23 when Paul and I finally figured out we were fancying each other. Funerals, just like weddings seem to bring people closer together."
"Or bring you far apart." Lexie remembered Hector's funeral and how everything was messed up before her hillside wedding.
"True. What's your story? How did you end up here?" Susan inquired as Lexie blew out a breath, "I was fifteen when I came to Glenbogle. My father left my mother and me just before I was six, and she spent lots of time with boyfriends, one of them made a pass at me and I was out the door. It was like a flophouse! I was going on thirty and she was still acting like she was a teenager with raging hormones. I stayed in hostels until Molly, Archie's mother, took me in and gave me a job as a housekeeper/cook."
Susan gave Lexie a sympathetic look, as Lexie spoke up, "Dun worry, when I was 14, just before I went out on me own, I went to America to visit my cousin, Lili. It was the best summer holiday ever a very high point in my life, aside from marrying Arch."
"Wow,"
"Yea, my mother and one of her many rich boyfriends send me there. I continued to write to Lili after I left. Lili's father Phil is my mother's only brother. He moved to America for a 'better life' and boy he sure got one." Lexie smiled as she explained her family, the family she loved and also missed, she changed the subject because she didn't want to talk about Lili and her passing just months ago, "Ya don't sound like ye're from Britain?"
"Actually, part of me is and part of me isn't." Susan added as she spoke about her past, well, what she felt she could talk about, "My father is from Texas, my mother is from Yorkshire---well, half of her, my mother that is. You see, my grandfather, (my mother's father) is from Kent--Thatcher and my grandmother (my mother's mother) is from Inverness—she was a Ballantyne."
"Texas? America? Long ways away isn't it?" Lexie smiled again because she was sensing Susan's comfort in talking to her.
"Yes, I spent most of my time here. When I was 14, my mother sent me on to Texas to live with my father. So when I graduated high school at 18, I was able to go right into university. I choose to return to the UK, as odd as that probably sounds…most don't go here to university until their 20's, but my Aunt Margaret got me into Oxford with my cousin Carol. A lot of it had to do with my father and his, well, money."
"Ye're really related to Margaret Thatcher?" Lexie said interested as Susan nodded her head again 'yes.' "There's a photo in that box of Carol and I. I was at least good two months along with Nigel. My mother, Fiona, was Sir Dennis Thatcher's sister, Margaret's husband."
Lexie latched onto the photo of Susan and her cousin, she was telling the truth. Lexie's eyes widened at another slanted photo of a young Susan and Paul.
"That was one Paul took of us, actually, it was the last week before Paul and I split up. Lexie, he never knew about Nigel."
Lexie then started to feel bad for reaming Paul out in the hall as she gulped down her glass of milk and then turned her attention to Susan, "Oh."
"Yes, let me give you my number to my flat, in case Paul wants to talk about Nigel or either you or Archie. I'm going to have to head back to Inverness in the morning. I just came from London."
"London?"
"I worked in London for the Globe as a reporter. I moved Nigel and I back up here so I could do free lance work and maybe write a book." Susan pulled out an old business card of hers and wrote down her number and handed it to Lexie.
Lexie was busy preparing herself for bed, as she brushed her hair, and climbed in beside Archie. He was all for the cuddling to start, as he lifted his arm and snuggled her body in close, "Lex?"
"Yes?"
"Are you all right?" Archie whispered, as his chin rested on the top of her head.
"I'm snug as a bug in a rug." Lexie giggled as Archie laughed too. Deep inside Lexie, something wonderful was growing, only she wasn't aware of it quite yet, neither was Archie. The couple's banter, loving, sweet, memorable words continued…
"Well, good, I'll keep you nice and snug."
"Paul's got a lot of explaining to do." Lexie's mind unfolded before Archie like a letter. Archie let out a slight sigh and said,
"Aye, yes, he does. Susan is nice, don't you think?"
"I s'pose. I don't know much about her Arch, just bits and pieces from our dinner talk earlier." Lexie's arms wrapped around her husband tight, as she tipped her head upwards, pecked his lips with hers and smiled fashionably.
"I think she knows a lot about Paul. More than what we know, I'm thinking she could fill in…?"
"The blanks? I asked her for a bit of info tonight and I got some." Lexie finished his sentence and gave a sigh of her own.
"Really?"
"Aye, she's seems very nice, now why she got involved with Paul who knows?"
"Lex, Nigel, he's our nephew. He might be half related, but I'm a real Uncle, aside from Martha." Archie's smile formed on his face.
"Are you implying to me yer old?" She tipped her head up to peer at him again.
"Not if I were a tree, I suppose." He chuckled, as Lexie smiled too, his hands cupped her face as he reeled her in for a warm, soft, and sensitive kiss. She giggled again, as he chuckled too. Archie switched off the light as they buried themselves into the covers.
Susan tossed and turned and then found herself finally flipping and flopping off the bed, landing in a heap on the floor. She was restless, as she glanced around the dark room. Knowing Nigel was sleeping in the twin bed not far from her bed. Susan decided to dress herself back up again and see if she could find the bathroom, since she had to go. Susan walked out into the hall and didn't watch her step as she tipped over the family cocker spaniel sleeping right in front of the door to her room. Useless was known as Paul's furry friend and now Paul's 'family's' watch dog…
"Escaping the night?" A voice, a very familiar voice to Susan, called out, as he had watched her tumble.
"Funny, things go bump in the night around here and you come a runnin'? I'm trying to find a bathroom," Susan muttered back.
"I could lead you there," the voice suggested, as it was Paul, she knew his voice anywhere, even years later, "To the loo."
"I guess you could, couldn't you?" Susan stood herself up, grumbling at the dog, "Nice mutt-ly."
"Actually Useless, is a pure breed and not a mutt," Paul replied, as Susan smartly shot back, "Just like you? What are you doing up at this hour anyway?"
"I was going to ask you the same," Paul responded calm, while a smile formed on his face, but Susan didn't give him one in return. She was still sore from the heated debate out in the drive hours upon hours ago. Paul could tell she was very bitter, somewhere inside of her she was still loving him…maybe.
"Just lead me to the bathroom, Paul," She became testy and Paul sensed it, as it was one of the many traits that attracted him to her.
"You forgot please," Paul responded, as Susan heaved a sigh, "Please, just lead me to the bathroom."
Paul led her towards the room with a huge smile on his face, as Susan continued to smirk, as she entered the bathroom and shut the door in front of his face, "Yer welcome, you know."
Susan found herself hiding in the bathroom for a long period of time as thoughts crept into her mind and they ran on and on and on, 'what am I doing here? Because your son led you here, and for some terribly mismanaged reason, you're only boyfriend ever, now ex-boyfriend is still charming all of these years later even after you try to chop him in two out in a driveway in the middle of a snow storm.' She gave the toilet a flush to warn Paul she was on her way out of the room. Susan opened the door, as she stared at him, "All yours if you need it."
"I don't need it," 'However for years and years, I've needed you and where were you?'
"Great, I'm off to bed, night," As Susan tried to push past Paul, only they stared at each other, neither one able to move as if their feet were frozen to the floor.
"Nigel, need to chat about him." Paul spoke evenly, remaining quite calm, something which attracted him to Susan.
"Paul, morning. We'll deal with it in the morning." Susan objected to talking to him at such an early hour.
"It is morning." He said intelligently, as if he didn't want her to go.
"You really didn't take my father's check?" She brought up the past again as away to cause a rift between them, but Paul wasn't going to allow it.
He nodded his head 'no' and then said, "I waited hours and hours, Suz, fer you to come home. I thought somethin' dreadful had happened. I called yer mother, wondering if you were all right."
"I know."
"She said she thought you were with me."
"I was there when you called her."
"Didn't you want to say somethin' to me?"
"I had nothing to say to you," Susan added, only this time in a whisper.
"I fancied you whole heartedly for as long as we both could remember. You didn't have anything to say to me?" He whispered back…
"You don't believe in fairytales," Susan jabbed at him, remembering the last time she saw him and the first day that they saw each other again when she was 23 and he was 27. He told her back then, 'I don't believe in fairytales, Suzy, I'm just happy to see you again.' And she replied, 'I believe in fate, Pauly, and fairy tales!'
"I'm not cynical, Suzy."
"No, just way too pessimistic for yer own good, and it's too bad ye're not happy to see me again," Susan moved around him and walked towards the guest room. Leaving Paul standing in the hallway, as he sighed and then rubbed the back of his head, before turning in her direction, only to barely see and hear the door to her room close. However she was wrong, he was happy to see her again…