Chapter Seven…Dueling Minds

The next morning, Susan got herself up, only to realize she had completely over slept and her son wasn't in the bed next to her. She got up, dressed herself quickly and then in a full sprint fled the room.

Nigel was in the kitchen with Paul and Lexie as they were both feeding the children, Jayne and Wayne in high chairs and Minnie sitting in Paul's lap with a bottle.

"How're de pancakes?" Lexie asked Nigel as with a full mouth of his breakfast he replied, "Very tasty," before swallowing his bite.

"Nigel, where are your manners? You know not to talk with your mouth full." A voice from the far corner of the kitchen scolded him with a laugh. Susan, the owner of that voice, walked in…

"Morning," Paul replied, as his eyes scanned Susan up and down.

"Hello." Susan glanced at Minnie and smiled, "Busy, I see?"

Lexie laughed, "He seems to be taking "Mr. Mum" quite seriously as of late."

Susan nodded, "Is she yours?"

"Minnie is everyone's right now. Her father is off in New Zealand in the middle of finding himself." Paul announced, as Lexie rolled her eyes, "Excuse him as he doesn't have very many manners either, as he left his brains in his kilt."

"That makes two of us, Paul." Nigel announced, still not sure if he could call Paul, Dad or not.

Susan laughed and actually made a joke towards Paul, "I don't understand how anyone could leave such and adorable little one. And since when do you wear a kilt, Paul?" as Susan turned her head in Lexie's direction, "I was lucky if I could get him to wear a suit and tie when we were first together! Even as kids he refused to play dress up with me!"

Paul stared at her. He felt pleased that Susan with out even knowing it had taken his side on the matter of Duncan leaving Minnie in his sister in law's care. He then spoke up in his defense, trying not to laugh, "For your information, I wore a tartan last Hogmany and we were very young when you tried to coerce me into wearing a woman's skirt!"

"I was six years old, Paul!"

"I was ten!" Paul laughed, "Nigel's age, men don't wear woman's skirts!"

"Dunc, Min's father is only gone for a short while, and she was me cousin's child," as Lexie and quick wit with her tongue interrupted them. Lexie didn't feel too well, after she tossed her thoughts out to Susan…

"I see. Oh well, Nigel, finish up and we're off." Susan stated, while blowing off Lexie's comments.

"Leaving?" Paul asked as his mind crooned, that's right, somethin' yer good at, Suz, leaving…

"Yes, I have a job, and I have things to do. Nigel has school until next week, which I now have to explain to your teacher why you missed your lessons today!" Susan retorted matter of factly.

"He's on holiday from school soon, Suzy. Doesn't he get time off too?" Paul questioned her, as Susan started to get slightly upset with him. She could tell Paul still wanted to talk about Nigel and what to do about him and his best interests.

"He could stay here for a few days when it is." Lexie interrupted, as Susan glanced at her.

"That's very kind of you to offer, but Nigel should head home with me. Paul is welcome to see him in Inverness…" Susan's voice trailed on and then off, as she couldn't believe she had just extended an invitation to him to see his son or an invite back into her life.

"Well, that could work," Paul grinned, which only put Susan on higher guard.

Nigel sat there with a huge smile on his face, before chanting to his mother, "Really? He can? He can come visit me? You're the best Mummy ever!"

"Best Mummy ever," repeated Paul as his grin stayed on his face as Susan's face which was smiling when Nigel jumped off his chair to hug her, turned into a frown when she looked at Paul. He warmed up to the thought of Susan and mummy- dome…he always wondered what having a child would be like with her, even if it was over a decade ago…now he didn't have to wonder anymore.

"Let's get you cleaned up, grab your pack and we'll go home," Susan smiled at her son, knowing if she had told Paul it was okay to see Nigel that he would be more enthusiastic about going home with her.

"Okay, Mum!" Nigel put on his coat, put on his backpack, and wanted to leave with Susan. Paul handed Minnie over to Lexie as he walked Susan and Nigel to Susan's car.

Nigel gave Paul a good bye hug too as he spoke quietly to him, "I hope you come next weekend."

"Next weekend?" Paul asked with a smile still on his face.

"Ah huh, come visit Mum and I next weekend when there's no school." Nigel beamed brightly.

"We'll see. I'll call Mum and ask her, aye? On ya go."

"Okay-dokee, Paul."

"Nigel?"

"Yes?"

"Use Dad."

"Sure, Dad! Bye big stone castle!" He waved at the estate and climbed into the car.

"Next weekend, is okay, Paul, I gave Lexie our number last night so ring during the week if you want to see Nigel—he'll be on two week holiday by then," Susan nodded her head and Paul waved to her as the car took off down the drive.

Molly returned from the shop, just as Paul walked out of the house. She smiled at him, something Paul wasn't accustomed too, since Molly didn't seem to want anything to do with Paul. However today was a new day and she decided she was going to give him a tip. She found out through Lexie and Golly about Paul's estranged son and putting her own feelings aside about her late husband's infidelity and Paul being it's result; Molly understood Paul wanted to get to know his son and be there for him.

"Molly." Paul replied, wondering why she was coming at him with a bouquet of flowers.

"Good afternoon, Paul." Molly handed him the bouquet.

"What can I help you with?"

"Here give these to Nigel's mother." Molly suggested, as Paul stood there holding out a hand for the bouquet.

"Thank-you."

"Hector," Molly paused herself from saying 'your father', but she said it anyway. "Your father always brought me flowers when we were trying to get along. I suggest you bring them to---?"

"Susan?"

"Yes." Molly nodded curtly, "I must be going. Give my regards to Nigel."

"I will. Bye Molly." Paul watched her walk towards the house and gave the flowers a once over, before striding towards the land rover.

Paul had made his arrangements to meet Susan and Nigel at their home and about Nigel coming to Glenbogle and staying with him for the weekend. Paul wandered up the steps, the building Susan lived in was run down, lots of children in the neighborhood, and it reminded Paul of where he and Susan had grown up in Yorkshire. He passed flat 1 on the first floor, and then flat 2 on the second, before finally coming to a stop at flat 3, which were Susan and Nigel's. Hidden inside of his coat was Molly's bouquet of flowers, he wasn't sure of how Susan would accept his token of 'friendship' as he was going to claim it as…but he hoped she'd take them in a 'truce' fashion. He also had the floral box, which Nigel had brought with him to the estate to prove he was Paul's legit son. Paul rang the bell as he heard, "I'm coming!"

Susan opened the door, as Paul gave her a smile, one of actual nervousness as he still assumed she might not accept his flowers…he presented her with them anyway, "What's this?"

"I come baring a truce, m'lovely." Paul bowed his head, and Susan gave him a 'no one in the hall better be seeing this as you're lookin' like a fool' gaze.

"I see. Since when do you believe in bringing a woman flowers? Is this the new Paul I'm experiencing now?" Susan teased and accepted the flowers, just as Paul gave a sigh of relief in his mind, as he joked back, "Suz, there's a new me everyday, you just haven't met him yet."

"Come in." Susan closed the door with a slight baffled look, and small grin.

Paul stepped inside of her home, his eyes wandered to the walls of photos, paintings and plants. He remembered how much Susan loved plants, aside from the outdoors like he did. Nigel sped up to Paul, as his shoes skidded across the floor and he latched himself around his lower body, "Dad!"

"Hello son, ready to go this weekend?" Paul quipped, still feeling kind of odd at calling someone his actual son, as Susan nodded her head towards Nigel and he gave his mother a huge hug and answered sweetly, "Bye Mum,"

"Bye Nye and I'll pick you up on Monday. Be careful, keep yourself warm when you're outside and don't let your father bother you too much!"

"Well, I dun no about that!" Paul chuckled and picked up on the end of Susan's farewell to her son, knowing it was meant to poke fun at him. He missed her innocent teasing…"We be off," as Paul strode with Nigel out into the hall. Susan stood in the doorway, as Paul turned to face Susan, "Oh I almost forgot," as he handed her the floral box, "You left this at the estate."

"Thank-you," answered Susan as she received the box of memories.

"No problem," Paul answered back, glancing at her with appreciation for allowing him to get to know his son. Nigel smiled proudly as he noticed his parents actually getting along quite well, as instant attraction remained between Paul and Susan. Maybe they'd get on so well that he'd live with them both at the same time.

"Bye!" Nigel and Paul took off down the steps and eventually made way outside to the land rover.

One night during the weekend, Paul and Nigel sat at the table as he showed Paul his assignment paper. Lexie came strolling in as she glanced over Paul's shoulder as her mouth dropped, "Katrina Finlay is your teacher?"

"Uh huh, and me an' my friends don't really like her." Nigel replied with a blush and then a whisper to Paul, "She's really scary."

Paul nodded his head and gave a laugh, "Oh."

"How do you know Ms. Fin-sway?" Nigel asked, as Lexie gave out a laugh, "She's that much disliked an' she gets her own nickname, quite clever. Let's just say Uncle Arch and I know her kinda well."

"Oh."

"I agree she's kind of scary, but that's between you and me." Lexie winked at Nigel as he gave a sigh of relief, "Mum gets angry when I don't obey my elders."

Paul and Lexie both started laughing as Paul grinned, "Well then, ya betta obey 'em."

"Yes."

"So what are we workin' on?" Paul asked, as Nigel looked at him like he had forgotten their first talk the other night.

"Family Tree."

"Oh yeah, that's right." Paul instantly remembered and smiled at Nigel, who beamed back.

"I have to create one. I don't have a family, except Mum." As Nigel then thought about what he had just said, and added, "And Dad."

Paul still trying to adjust to 'fatherhood' gave him a smile, "Right son."

"You have a family, Nigel." Lexie corrected him.

"I do?"

"Aside from Mum and Dad, ye've a Aunt Lexie, Uncle Archie, Aunt Lizzie-whom ya haven't met but will, cousin Martha who's seven, twins, Jayne and Wayne, almost age two, Minnie who's going on one soon and Molly, Golly, also…Poppa Hector." Lexie rambled on and on and then she gave Paul a side ways glance, "You two better get on with jottin' down this family tree business."

"I got an Aunt Claire too." Nigel spoke up, "Mum's sister."

Paul laughed, "I remember Claire as an infant."

"You do?" Nigel's mouth dropped in amazement.

Paul nodded, "Yer Mum is eight years older than Claire so she's got to be what 26? She's at least 12 years younger than me. I'm four years older than your Mum. How's yer grandma?"

"Grandma died, Da. She died last year." Nigel's face saddened as Paul tried to cheer him up, but in Paul's mind he was cursing himself for not being there for Susan and Nigel, even though he didn't know anything about Nigel a year ago.

"Just because they've passed, Nigel doesn't mean ya can't add them to your tree. They are your family, same with Poppa Hector. He died a few years ago." Lexie added with a grin as Archie entered the kitchen and wrapped an arm around his wife. "What are we 'men' working on?"

"Nigel's family tree," Lexie smiled, not wanting to mention that Katrina was the one who assigned the assignment to Nigel or that she was still in the area.

"Oh well then, get him a tree." Archie spoke loudly as Paul gave him a bright look.

"Yer onto somethin'," Paul smiled, as Archie gazed at him quizzically, wondering what he was getting at as Paul got his own idea, "Nigel, this weekend we shall create yer family tree."

Paul stood up from the countertop table and pulled out a bucket as Nigel stared at him and questioned his father, "How?"

"With this, dirt an'---?"

"A tree?" Nigel lit up as Paul beamed and Archie laughed, realizing what Paul had meant about 'creating a family tree.'

Susan arrived at the Glenbogle estate on Monday like she promised Nigel. She approached the front entrance as she opened the door and walked in, "Hello?" Susan hollered out, as no one was in the sitting area, or in the study, but she could hear loud voices in the dining area.

Archie, Lexie and Paul had decided to get the group together as a 'send off' lunch for Nigel. Susan yelled out again, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"That must be…" Paul spoke to Nigel, as they sat together at the table in traditional tartan, with Archie sitting at the head of the table and Lexie to his right. Molly sat next to Lexie and across from her was Golly, who had Paul and Nigel to his right. Lizzie and Martha were on the opposite end of head of the table.

"Mum!" Nigel yelled out, as he got down from the table and ran from the room, and engulfed his mother in a hug in the middle of the hall. He was ecstatic, jumping up and down and Susan hugged him back and then eyed his clothing curiously.

"What are you wearing?"

"Dad said I could dress like him! I got photos taken for my project and we also made this!" Nigel toted his mother towards a table in the hall with a small pine tree in a bucket and photos hanging on colorful rope from the tree's branches. Each photo was pasted onto a colorful piece of paper with different colored crayons spelling out the names of Nigel's family in his handwriting. "See there's Poppa Hector, Molly, Golly, Dad, Uncle Archie, Aunt Lexie, Aunt Lizzie, cousins Martha, Jayne, Wayne, and Minnie. Look, the rabbits too…all that's missing is you Mummy, Grammy, and Aunt Claire!"

"I see," Susan felt overwhelmed and when she started to feel cornered she had a habit of claming up. Paul sensed her sudden quiet manner and felt eager to say something sweet to her...

"Hello Suzy," Paul spoke out kindly, hoping she'd be okay with him helping Nigel with his project. He wanted to reassure her, but by the look on Susan's face she was fully flustered.

"I don't know what to say."

"Nothing much to say is there. Nigel had that project so I thought I'd help him with it." Paul beamed proudly, as he watched Susan's facial expression go blank. Not a good sign, Suzy…

"Mum, I learned about Lairds, MacDonald tartans, an' I can take this outfit with me and show it to Ms. Finlay! I got me kilt, Mummy! See!" Nigel excitedly showed off his threads, but Susan stood there getting nervous and wasn't sure if she liked the change 'her son' had suddenly taken. "Dad said I could move here too and go to school here and spend all me time with da rabbits and wolves and…"

"Slow down!" Susan headed her son's impressionable mind off at the pass. Paul glanced at her, sensing something wasn't right…

"What Mummy? You don't like that idea?" Nigel's face fell and his smile turned upside down.

"What have you done to him?" Susan asked sternly, as a wave, not just a wave but a tsunami formed between her and Paul…one that was meant to drown them both. She peered at Paul like he had created a monster and she just wanted her son back!

"Ah that, Susan. It was just---?"

"He's an impressionable young boy and you're already making him into something he's not. Ye're filling his head with nonsense!" Susan blew up at Paul…something Paul wasn't quite expecting. Maybe this was the new Susan…the one he hadn't managed to get to know and she left him because of it too.

"I canna spend time with him, you said so yerself…"

"I said you could see him this weekend, not for an eternity!" Susan shouted as an audience of Lexie, Archie, Lizzie, Martha, Golly and Molly appeared at the door…to watch the war zone unfold out in the hall between the two disgruntled parents, Paul and Susan, with poor Nigel stuck in between them.

"He's my son too, Suzy, I---?"

"You weren't thinking, Paul! I knew this was going to happen, you'd get his hopes all up…and then when something happens it'll fall part. I can't be here picking up pieces all of the dang blasted time!"

"Hey…Ya wouldn't be!"

"How so? Tell me when's the last time you took responsibility for your actions? When's the last time you made a decision for someone else and not just yourself? You haven't changed Paul and giving him traditions of having him respect someone's property isn't going to change anything!"

"Susan…I---?"

"Stop it! Stop yelling! I hate the both of you!" Nigel cried out and then on foot ran down the hall down the front foyer, outside, behind the house and away from everyone…his feet pitter, pattered on the small blanket of snow and frosted green grass as he ran and ran as fast as he could.

"Nigel!" Susan hollered out, "Now look at what you've done, Paul!" Susan ran after Nigel and Paul followed right behind her…as they both yelled out together, "Nigel! Nigel!"

The little boy kept running and running as his feet stepped out on to the shallow ice covering mixed with half of an inch of snow. The ice couldn't hold anyone for very long. He stood still, realizing he wasn't on the shore but standing on the loch, before he fell in.

Chapter Eight…Hypothermia brings parents together?

"Nigel!" Susan screamed as she sprinted towards the loch and his cries for "Mummy!"

Paul chased after Susan as they both stopped at the shore, "Holy Cow, okay, Nigel, I'll get you!" Paul hollered out, trying to figure out away to get onto the loch by using a kayak not far from the stone landing, he had left it there a few days ago after the snow had melted and when the loch wasn't completely iced over. There was a rope attached to the kayak since that was one of the ways that Paul tied it down to the wood landing over towards the beach.

"What are you thinking? He fell in and for sure you will!" Susan cursed at Paul and he glared at her.

"Someone has to go in, Suzy."

"I will. Just hurry put me on it and rope me in!" Susan suggested and Paul shook his head, but went along with it anyway. She gingerly climbed onto the kayak and then slowly she was pushed over onto the ice as Nigel continued to just barely bob in the water. He had only been in for less than a minute, as he cried again, "Mummy!"

"Nigel, I'm here!" She scooted closer and the ice started cracking more…like an egg falling into a fry pan. There was only a partial 10 foot out ice covering from the stone landing on the loch. The rest of the loch was moving and unfrozen, but still very cold water. Finally the kayak moved out closer to Nigel as he continued to thread water, before his head went in, as he was semi-conscious of his surroundings as his hands were high in the air.

"Nigel." The woman from his bedroom spoke to him as if she was swimming beside him.

"You're my guardian angel?" He remembered her.

"Yes, I'm Lili. You need to hang on tight, as your Mum and Dad are going to save you. You will bring them back together…they love each other Nigel, very much…" as she vanished again and…

Susan was able to get a firm grip on Nigel's hands. She then nodded to Paul to pull her in, which Paul did, as Nigel was plucked out from the loch's icy waters quickly as his body was hoisted up onto the front of the kayak. Within moments, Nigel was picked up by Paul and carried him in towards the house with Susan not far behind.

"Lexie, get him a warm tub!" Paul instructed to her. Nigel, who was still conscious, shivered, as Paul in pure fear spoke up to his brother…

"Arch, fire promptly!"

"Upstairs, my old room, fire place and tub in there!" Molly shouted out as Lizzie agreed the mother/daughter pair bounded up the steps. Paul with Nigel in his arms followed and Susan ran after them too. Golly stood by with the children until Lexie would come back.

In Molly's old bedroom, Paul and Susan both stripped Nigel down, as his kilt, undergarment, shoes, knee high socks, shirt and short jacket, were immediately removed, as he was eventually down to nothing wet on his body…Lexie was in the bathroom starting the tub and Archie managed to get the fire going…as Nigel still semi-conscious was wrapped and swaddled up in a down comforter and placed in bed after Susan turned it down. "He's still freezing, Paul!" Susan spoke up, getting miraculously worried about Nigel's health, "Mummy," Nigel mumbled as he started to come too…

"He needs sweet juice. Something sugared for food, Archie." Paul announced as Archie nodded his head, "Right, be back in a jiffy."

Lexie walked into the bedroom from the adjoining bathroom, "Bath's not ready yet, not enough warm water---have to wait for the tank to fill and warm the water. I have to check on my kids, be right back," said Lexie as she ran out of the bedroom not far behind her husband, leaving Susan and Paul and Nigel alone. "Paul, he's still shivering!"

"Susan, we got to elevate his body heat." Paul started to strip himself down as she glared at him in sheer horror. "What? Oh come on, it's not like ya haven't seen me this way before!" In fact you used to like me this way, even when we were kids! He pulled off his short coat, yanked off the black tie around his neck, undid his collar and sleeves and removed his dress shirt, as he stood there with his bare chest (The only part of him visible to Susan, and still was her favorite) with a kilt (which matched Nigel's) on his lower half.

"No way, I'm not…" Susan shook her head and covered her eyes. Paul found it amusing, but it wasn't the time to start laughing at her. He had to do first aid on their son and fast as he knew his Army first aid would come handy some how. He just didn't think he'd be using his training on his son!

"Susan, Nigel will pass on with Hypothermia if you don't help. Listen on and good! We got to generate body heat here!" Paul snapped, as he removed his kilt, boxers, kicked off his boots and socks and climbed into bed pulling Nigel into his arms.

"I'm cold D-d-d-d-dad." Nigel shivered, as Paul embraced his son and hugged him.

"We're gunna warm you. We'll do it. It's happen to me before, Nigel. Fallin' into dead cold water too…" His gaze went to Susan's, praying she'd just drop the modest act and get on with helping him warm up their son.

"Fine," Susan stripped off her coat, and then her jumper, unzipped her skirt, dropped it down to reveal her legs (one of Paul's favorite parts of her, and still was), and let out a remark, "Cover your eyes!" She realized Paul was staring at her as she undressed herself. Paul groaned and just did as he was told and closed his eyes shut. She shimmy her undergarment and bra off and then zoomed into bed, under the covers and spooned Nigel as close as she could.

"Still cold, Mummy," Nigel whispered, as Paul took his temperature with his hand, "He's gotta be 37 centigrade by now, maybe."

"He must be." Susan feared quietly, hoping Paul was right. She kissed Nigel's forehead, "Nye, you'll be warmer soon…"

"He'll be okay, Susan. We got to him in time." Paul whispered, as his hand which was cuddling Nigel's comforter wrapped body close to him, found the side of Susan's bare back. Susan's hand which was embracing Nigel's other side of his comforter wrapped body, found way to Paul's bare back side too. Susan and Paul were then entangled in a naked hug with Nigel warmly wrapped up between them. Nigel's body took in the warmth, as he stopped shivering, and started to nod off. He was still breathing, just feeling safe and sound in his parents snuggling.

Archie and Lexie appeared back into the room as they noted the scene and were totally confused "Um," said Archie and Lexie with baffled looks as they both tip-toed out of the room, in hopes to give Paul, Susan and Nigel some privacy. Lexie dropped Nigel's overnight bag into the corner of the room so he'd have a change of clothes and his sneakers too.

"What was that about? Them in bed like that?" Lexie asked as she stared at her husband out in the hallway.

"I do believe Paul was using his Army first aid training on not just his son but also his ex-girlfriend." Archie's face formed a petite smile and Lexie glared at him.

"What?"

"I don't feel so good." Lexie took off on her feet and ran off towards the bathroom in the hallway.

"Alexandra?" Archie called after her, assuming she had something to eat that hadn't sat well in her stomach. He found her gathered around the toilet after retching up lunch, as her hand went to the flush handle, "Lex, you all right?"

"I'm fine, just something I must have ate," Lexie said as she wiped her face down with a hand towel in the bathroom. Still, deep inside her grew a little being, one which would bring lots of joy to the family.

About an hour later, as Paul and Susan lay there, as she noticed her hand was now on his body and went to pull it away. "Where are Lexie and Archie?" Susan looked around the room with the fire still blazing in the fire place. Paul knew she was trying to change the subject of what just happened to them…hugging each other, like they meant it, like a family would, and a couple.

Paul was quiet and kept his hand on her side, Nigel was snoozing away, but still breathing and very warm now. Paul's smile kicked in, "I think he's tuckered himself out."

"Tuckered, isn't the word, is it?"

"Susan, I didn't mean to put ideas in his head. I just want to be there for him. Like my father wasn't there for---?"

"You, Lexie told me that you came here in search of your father. I told her I knew about your mother, the letter and the photo…"

"I had to find out."

"I know you did. You took leave without getting it approved? What were you thinking, being in prison? Paul…"

"Suzy, it was a long time ago…"

"Paul, that's part of why I left you, over ten years ago, I knew you had unfinished family business to tend too and taking care of me, or a baby, would keep you from it. With my father's deception on top of it…it just pushed me to make my own choice, and I'm sorry if it hurt you when I did it."

"That's why you did a runner? Is this the old Susan or the new one I'm speaking to?"

"Yes," Susan sat her self up, "And for your information, I haven't changed one bit, it's you who has changed…" as her body was covered with the blankets so only her bare back was visible to Paul. He wanted to caress her back, just feel her skin on his finger tips and the tingling feeling she always gave him when they would make love. No, you're still the same irresistible, Suzy…

"You didn't, by chance, toss out my peace offering? Those flowers I gave you this weekend?" He laughed, as he sat up next to her with his bare chest being revealed again. Susan chuckled too, "Um, no, I almost did, but I decided against it."

"Decided against it?"

"Yes." She smiled the first real genuine smile that Paul hadn't seen in years, which made him mesmerized by her beauty and grin back. Paul wasn't going to let the moment float away, or Susan, as she found him so enchanting that their faces magnetically tilted in…closer and closer, until their lips brushed together universally. Paul's hand found way onto the small of her back, as she felt the tingles from the warmth of his touch too. They were engrossed in each other, kissing passionately, when Nigel woke up. He smiled with one eye open and then closed it shut as he caught his parents loving each other.

Susan broke free from the kiss, as her body and heart ached for him. She needed to take a few steps back and decided it was time to get dressed. She also feared Nigel would wake and get the wrong impression. Paul, not feeling rejected by her, took the hint, as much as his body craved for hers, he started to dress too. Nigel finally sat himself up, "Mum, Dad…I saw her."

"Saw who?" Susan asked, as she finished putting on her shoes and Paul started to dress himself back up.

"My guardian angel, Mummy," Nigel beamed and Susan gave Paul a bewildered look.

"Yer what?" Paul questioned, as Nigel smiled at him, "My guardian angel, told me to hold on for you both when I was drowning in the water. She said you would both rescue me because you love each other."

"Okay, Nigel, did you by any chance hit yer noggin' this weekend?" Susan announced not believing a word that was coming out of his mouth. Paul groaned, before rolling his own eyes, "Suz, stop assuming he's not all right while he was here."

"Mum, my guardian angel is my friend. She told me to find Dad and I did. She told me you loved each other and I saw you kissing." Nigel replied as Susan stood there with 'Oh crumb' on her mind. Paul rubbed the back of his head.

"If you were kissing that means you're together, right? Mummy? Dad?" Nigel's hopes were up high and both parents feared of crushing him. Nigel stared at Susan and then Paul…

"Not exactly, honey. Mum and Dad have a lot to discuss," Susan glanced at Paul hoping for back up.

Paul gave her it, as much as he wanted to say they were together again, he just nodded his brow and spoke up, "Nigel, we got a lot to debate about. Mum and me."

"But Lili said you would!" Nigel started to get upset.

"Lili?" Paul asked confused, wondering who Nigel was talking about and hoping it wasn't the Lili he had once knew, the one who passed on just months ago.

"Lili's my friend and yours too!"

"Paul, you all right?" Susan confused by her son's new friend 'Lili' and sensed something wrong with Paul. Susan quickly helped dress Nigel with a new shirt, pants, undergarment, socks and sneakers.

"Aye."

"Who's Lili?" Susan asked again, noticing his face turn full of pain.

"Just a friend," said Paul causally, like he was hiding something from her. Susan picked up on his 'just a friend' tone and jumped to conclusions that it was something more. She was still dealing with the 'old' Paul…

"You're too much. Our son knows about your girlfriend? Is that why you want him to move here so you can get on with her?"

"It's not that exactly."

"Then what is it? Oh Paul…" Susan started to get upset, as she picked up all of the clothes that belonged to Nigel and put an arm around Nigel as she carried him out of the room, "Nigel, we're going,"

"But Mum…"

"We're going." Nigel looked at his father over his shoulder and said, "Bye Dad."

Susan and Nigel walked out of the room leaving Nigel's 'proper' clothing, the kilt, dress shirt, short coat and socks and shoes behind on the floor…

"Hang on Susan! Hang on a second!" Paul tried to finish dressing himself up, as he tugged the kilt on and had trouble fastening it before giving up on it completely and scurried out of the room after her. Susan set Nigel down in the upstairs hall as they hurried down the stairs, out of the house and to the car…Paul skidded in his dress shirt, boxers and in his stocking feet as he came to a halt in the front entrance of the house, "Susan!" Paul yelled out, but Susan and Nigel climbed into her car and drove away from the house, both with tears in their eyes. Nigel's because he knew his parents probably would never be together and Susan's because she set herself up thinking her and Paul were meant to be, and finding out it wasn't true.

Lexie and Archie stood in the hallway as they watched Paul come bounding down from the steps and took note of his dress.

"Um, don't suppose, the vicar wants to see you like this?" Lexie joked, as Paul glared at her and ignored how he looked.

"What does that mean?"

"Sorry, we just assumed you and Susan would be sailing down the aisle." Archie's face beamed and Paul grumbled, "She thinks yer dead cousin is me girlfriend!"

"Wha--?" Lexie asked as she stopped laughing and became dead serious.

"Aye, she does! I'm…" Paul grumbled and stomped up the steps before hollering a dawning realization, "I got to go on after her!"

Chapter Nine…Fools do fall in love and believe in fairytales

Lexie decided to take matters into her own hand as she dialed the phone number to Susan's flat. After an hour of no one there, as Lexie assumed they were still on their way home, finally, Susan answered the telephone, "Susan, Lexie, I'm ringing you to tell ya Paul's on his way."

"What does he want?" Susan asked as she was in the middle of getting a microwave dinner together for Nigel since he was hungry.

"Susan, Paul doesn't gotta girlfriend."

"Oh." Susan continued to listen to Lexie and set the warmed meal in front of Nigel.

"Susan, be reasonable when Paul arrives. He has a lot to tell ya, Lili is me cousin, the one I told you about, she died a couple months ago…"

"Wait, this is the cousin from America?"

"Aye, you're swift, Paul took it hard. Ye need to listen to him. He's being truthful with you. He wouldn't just lie to yer face."

"I see."

"Just give him a chance…" Lexie decided even though she had problems with Paul and his logic in certain situations, she was at least going to stand up for him.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." Susan and Lexie ended their phone call and she stood there, letting out a sigh.

"Who was that Mum?"

"Nye, just eat and don't worry about it." Susan strolled towards her bedroom as Nigel did as he was told and continued to eat the dinner.

Paul dressed himself up in his room and then returned to Molly's old room and picked up all of Nigel's new traditional Scottish clothes on floor and put them into his backpack. He walked down to the front hallway and then scooped up Nigel's 'family tree' before heading out to the land rover.

Paul's fingers went to the branch that was missing Susan's photo but hung a paper with her name spelled in pink crayon, 'Mummy' as he drove in the land rover on his way to Inverness. He felt stupid for not coming out and telling her about Lili or talking about Minnie and Duncan, but he hadn't had much of a chance to talk to Susan. He just needed to get a word in edgewise and then he needed to tend to Nigel. He was madly in love with her…he always had been madly in love with Susan, even pre and post-Nigel. He couldn't bear losing her all over again, new or old Susan he'd love her all the same.

The land rover stopped on the street, as Paul set on the emergency break and pulled it out of gear. He latched onto the tree and swung his back pack onto his back before shutting the door to the truck with his foot. He set off for Susan and Nigel's home.

Susan lay in bed staring at the ceiling. She loved the new and old Paul and longed for him…Oh crumb, her mind called out. She couldn't even contemplate working in her office or at the PC and she didn't eat anything either as she needed her quiet time. Nigel was glum too, as he went into his room and stared out the window. As he was watching outside, his eyes grew wide as he noticed his father carrying his belongings!

"Dad?"

Nigel walked out of the bedroom, through the lounge and out into the hall as he met Paul at the stairway. "Dad? What are ya doin' here?"

"Shhhh…Nigel, here's---?"

"My tree! I forgot my tree and Mummy said not to worry about it now. You brought me my tree!" He jumped up and down excitedly as Paul tried to hush him.

"I bear yer clothes too." Paul whispered as he pointed to his backpack on his back. "I got to talk to yer Mum."

"I dunno Dad, she's sad because of you."

"Nigel, did ya really see a guardian angel?"

"Yes, her name is Lili."

Paul shook his head in slight disbelief but he wasn't there to discuss angels, or them resembling Lexie's cousin, as he just wanted Susan back, "Look it might be best if you don't carry on so much about yer angel, Aye? Not until Dad explains somethin' to Mum."

Nigel nodded his head as he smiled, "I know how you can talk to Mummy and cheer her up."

Paul looked at him, "Spoken like me true son. Get going…" as he followed Nigel into the flat and then into Nigel's room. Paul glanced around at the posters of mountains and planets and models of trucks and planes, "You like these?"

"Yes, Mum loves mountains and she promised she'd take me mountain climbing one day."

Nigel's answer brought a huge smile to Paul's face as he remembered, teaching her how to climb…

"You help me talk to Mum. We'll both take you one day, Aye?" Paul winked as Nigel strolled over to his sock drawer and pulled out socks. He handed them to Paul as he gave him a weird look.

"Mummy always cheers me up with sock puppets when I'm down in the dumps. Dad, you can do it for her." Nigel beamed, as he put the socks on his father's hands one by one and then pushed him towards the door and over to his mother's room. Nigel whispered, "Get on your hands and knees and crawl to Mummy. She always does it when she puts on a sock puppet show for me." Paul did as he was told and crawled into the bedroom, as he never in his life imagined he would be 'groveling' at Susan's feet. find me here
speak to me

find me here
speak to me
i want to feel you
i need to hear you
you are the light
that is leading me
to the place where
i find peace again
you are the strength
that keeps me walking
you are the hope
that keeps me trusting
you are the life to my soul
you are my purpose
you are everything
and how can i
stand here with you
and not be moved by you
would you tell me
how could it be
any better than this
you calm the storms
you give me rest
you hold me in your hands
you won't let me fall
you still my heart
and you take my breath away
would you take me in
would you take me deeper now
'cause you're all i want
you are all i need
you are everything
everything

Nigel disappeared from the room with a bright smile, "Mummy better love this," he listened on as Paul gave his son a look of 'What do I do?', and Nigel mouthed, "Go Dad."

Susan lay there on the bed still zoning up at the ceiling when a sock popped up and then another one at the foot of the bed. She didn't look down at her feet until she heard, "Me miss Suz," from a sock.

The other sock added (after Paul cleared his throat and after he saw Nigel's mouth move with words of encouragement again, 'Go on Dad, Go.'), "Me really miss Suz too. Pauly's a dafty man and doesn't gotta girlfriend, but he's in dire need of one in particular…"

The first sock gave a nod, "Very dafty indeed, girlfriends are fer cuddlin', huggin', lovin' and not for causin' strife with or getting' in silly rows or straps about storks."

Second sock spoke up, "Pauly only wants one girlfriend and her name be Suz, because he got no one else…just wants…"

Susan crawled to the edge of the bed and looked over at Paul snatching Nigel's socks off of his hands, "You're a bldy blithering puppeteer, Pauly. Since when do you believe in fairy tales?"

Paul blurted out in complete wonderful admittance, "Since I've met you…since day one. I'm afraid an' this is the old Paul and the new one."

As his eyes studied her face as hers did his, while his mind plead out with hers for forgiveness in a silent conversation.

He spoke again get desperate because she wasn't saying anything to him after her admitted in his own way his love for her, "Suzy, 'am dread awful at sock puppetin' too." Paul struggled with the words but said them anyway, "Lili's Lexie's cousin, she died months ago. She was married to Duncan, father of Minnie. Look I---?"

"I know Paul." Susan cut him off instantly.

"You do?" He hung his head and looked back up at her.

"Lexie phoned me and said you might make an appearance. I'm sorry. I have a horrible ---?"

"Temper, jump to conclusions, an' drive me stark raving mad, Aye?" He spouted out, as he knew her…very well.

"Okay, some of those things." She teased him again.

"Susan. Sorry, so sorry." Paul begged, and hoped she was listening to him and closely…

"Paul," Within seconds, Paul's 'freed from socks' hands cupped her face and pulled her in for long awaited and sweet kiss and they broke free, resting their foreheads onto each other. Nigel then paraded into the room with zest and joy as he jumped onto the bed and gave his mother a huge hug and then his father as he was happy that his family was certainly together.

The End

Everything by Lifehouse