Estate, Eternity, Emerald and Evergreen Matters
By: Carrie-Anne
Chapter One…Life is good J
Hey baby you really
Got my tail in a spin
Hey baby I don't even
Know where to begin
But baby I got one thing
I want you to know
wherever you go tell me
'Cause I'm gonna go ly ti
Susan awoke to the sound of a radio going on as she hit the clock and tried to turn it off as it fell off the bedside table and landed on the floor with a thud. The loud music from the clock continued to boom, as she groaned and then heard, "Got it."
We found love
so don't hide it
Life is a rollercoaster
Just gotta ride it
I need you
so stop hiding
Our love is a mystery
Girl, let's get beside it
Paul rolled over her, gave her a huge smile, "Morning," as his lips brushed hers before turning his attention to the clock radio with upbeat music coming from it.
Hey baby, you really
Got me flying tonight
Hey sugar, you almost
Got us punched in a fight
(That's all right)
And baby you know one
Thing I gotta know
Wherever you go, tell me
'Cause I'm gonna show###
Paul shut it off while hanging himself off of the bed and then proceeded back to 'his' side via way of hers. "Morning," Susan whispered as Paul had rolled himself back on top of her and they brushed lips again. They were cozy, cuddled and happy…undisturbed until…
"Mum! Dad! Daaa? Yer still here! Radical dude!" Nigel had run into Susan's bedroom with a beam from ear to ear as his parents with the covers up to their necks, as Paul replied, "Go on get dressed."
"Aye," Nigel hollered as he ran out of the room.
Susan laughed, spoke low, and gave Paul an odd-duck look, "Radical dude?!"
"Comic books?" Paul lifted a brow at his own question as Susan laughed again. "He's in a chipper mood say the least."
Susan gave another chuckle, "You would be if you woke up to both parents stark naked and in bed together? Mind you, it's the sock puppet show…it had a pretty interesting affect on me…"
"True…but I thought it was only me who has a striking affect on you?" Paul's lips found Susan's again as they heard, "Mum! Mum!"
"All right, Nye, I'll be up," Susan untangled herself from Paul's embrace and snatched her bathrobe that was hanging off of the chair and left Paul staring after her. Susan smiled as she wandered into the lounge.
"I can fry ya an omelet," Susan replied while pulling her hair back into a ponytail as Nigel nodded, "Oh yes, please! I'll go get the paper like we always do every Sunday! Dad will have a job too won't he? Since he's here?"
Paul voyaged out of the bedroom fully dressed, and spoke up, "Yes, I got a job. I'm Mum's second helper. You're the first."
"Exactly how much of this are you going to help me with? Since when do you cook anything editable?" Susan gave Paul a challenging look as he came up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist and snuggled his face into her shoulder, before giving her neck a kiss. He then snagged the spatula out of her hand, so he could 'take over' breakfast duty.
"Oh, lots. I cook editable things, pasta and toast..."
"Okay, what have you done with him?" Susan marveled and batted her eyelashes, showing off her cerulean eyes and then laughing out loud.
"Who?" Paul gave Susan a bright beam, while she taunts him.
"You're an imposter Pauly, aren't ya? The old Pauly didn't even know how to turn on a range!" Susan gave Paul a rueful look, which made him swat at her with the spatula to get her out of the way of the range as she dodged the swat and smiled charmingly.
"Eggs, Suz. I cook eggs."
"You fry eggs? Amazing, Pauly, I'm intrigued," Susan joked again as Paul tried very hard to deal with her messing with his senses in tantalizing and enchanting way. And if she continued to tease him, he'd burn the breakfast and just dive straight for her, in hopes to devour her, as their morning meal. He'd show her more of his deep affection: regardless if Nigel was in the room to witness it all.
"Stick around, Suzy-Q, and I reckon I'll show you how it's done! You set the table up. Here we go, go on," Paul responded as Susan let Paul take over the breakfast and pulled out place settings and plates…
Nigel jumped up and down shouting out, "Yes!" As he fled the flat and grabbed the newspaper down at the front door, Nigel then skipped up the steps and back inside of the home.
Minnie stood up in the crib waiting for someone to come and get her. She was quiet at first and then decided to cry. Jayne and Wayne woke up too as they climbed into the crib trying to keep Minnie company, but nothing worked---she was hungry and wanted food now. Lexie and Archie wandered into the room and glanced at the children.
"Oh geez, look at the lot of 'em!" Lexie laughed as Archie replied, "Who's first?"
"I'll grab this one and you snag 'em two!" Lexie smiled as she picked up Minnie, who kept crying even when she was held by Lexie and Archie grabbed hold of the twins, "On the count of three…we go together…"
"One, Two, Three!" Archie lifted up the children and then yelped out in pain as his back gave out on him.
"Arch? You all right?" Lexie glanced at him in concern as he looks up at her, unable to straighten out his back. The twins giggled on and on, "Dadadadadada!"
"I'm a wee bit crooked at the moment, Lex. Help me." Archie commented, looking to his wife for comfort. Lizzie stood in the door way, "Tsk, tsk…broke yer back and now have to lay flat, Arch?"
Archie shot his sister a rueful look, "Haven't you moved out yet?"
"Nah, you're stuck with me, dear brother."
"Oh goody gumdrops," Archie mumbled again as he rubbed his aching back...Lizzie stuck out her tongue at him and replied, "Hand 'em over. Mother will be up shortly anyway…" Lizzie snatched Minnie out of Lexie's hands.
"All right, I'll deal with the 'sickly', 'injured', and 'whiny' husband of mine…" Lexie joked, as Archie shot her a look too and grumbled out in pain, "I'm not whiny."
"You will be, come along now." Lexie helped tote Archie back to the bedroom as he attempted to lie down still in significant pain.
"Ow, ow, ow…"
"See whinin' all ready, look at ya." Lexie gave him an empathetic look and smiled brightly as she proceeded to tuck Archie in bed under the white comforter with wooden buttons.
"I told you I was gettin' ancient…you know dinosaur…" Archie made a joke while peering up at Lexie once again.
"There now, I'll be back to check on you after I help tag team the twins." Lexie chuckled after she finished tucking him in and then placed a kiss on his brow before leaving the room. Lexie returned within minutes with a sterling silver bell which had a wooden handle and gave it to her husband and winked, "Ring me Mr. Laird."
Archie got this huge captivating beam on his face, "All right," as he waited for Lexie to leave the room and then minutes later rang the bell…
Susan, Nigel and Paul finished breakfast of eggs and ham as Susan's hands wandered over the front page of the newspaper. She took a sip of her morning coffee as Nigel watched her open it up…
"Mum, who's that on the front page?" He asked quietly, as his eyes wandered from the comic section of the paper to front section that Susan had. Paul stood in the kitchen washing the breakfast dishes with a huge smile planted on his face and a dish towel over his shoulder. He had offered to wash up since there were only three plates and one fry pan to clean, "Yeah, Mum, who's on that front page?" Paul joked from the kitchen.
"Hmmm," Susan replied as Nigel asked again, "Who's on the front page?"
Susan with her reading glasses on the end of her nose moved her hand up to her face and took them off so she could fold the paper back to the front page and study the photo closely. As her eyes scanned over the photo, she added, "No one special, Nye. Why don't you go off an' get dressed?"
Nigel gave a quick nod of his head and ran off into his bedroom as Paul finished the dishes and neared the kitchen table and the seat that Susan occupied and in a quick motion she closed up the newspaper before Paul could see the photo on the front page. Paul snagged the paper out of her hands and set it to aside, as he leaned in to give her a smooch, after he broke free and then murmured, "I best be going, Suz…come to the house later on with Nigel."
"All right, I have some work to do." Susan smiled, while peering at Paul closely.
"Work? Cannit wait?" Paul begged, as Susan gave him a haughty look, "No, it can't wait. I have a deadline for a story next week. It's a follow up to something I had been working on a month ago."
"Ground breaking story? News at 18 hundred?" Paul punned again, "You reporters and yer work…"
"Oh?"
"Maybe I should stick around longer and keep you from your work…" as Paul teased her some more and put emphasis on 'your work' before tuning his lips into hers again.
"You'll do no such thing…" Susan broke free from the mind boggling kiss and stood herself up from the table to walk Paul towards the door. She gathered his blue fleece coat and handed it over to him. "Bye now. Off you go…"
"I'm going. Bye Nigel!" Paul hollered out before Susan shut the door.
Lexie stood in the kitchen bewildered and frazzled at Minnie, who cried on and on for 'Dada' and refused to eat and drink her morning bottle. Lizzie gave them both a look as she took a slight break from twins' duties in the sitting room to refill sippy cups with milk, "What's wrong, wee peanut?"
"She won't take it, that's what!" Lexie grumbled, "Minnie, you have to be starving, eat Sweet pea…"
Minnie shook her head 'no' at the bottle and put her hands in front of her face, as Lexie kept offering her the bottle. Minnie swatted her 'bubba' out of Lexie's hands and crying, "Daddada," and as the bottle crashed to the floor, tears continued to flow down her cheeks. Lexie then heard calls for her and rings from the bell she had given her husband, as Archie was making way down to the kitchen from the back stairway. "What are ye doin' up?" Lexie gave Archie a sideways glance after picking up the bottle from off of the floor.
"I kept ringing," Archie rang the bell once again and Lizzie scoffed, "You're acting like father."
Archie rolled his eyes at his sister, trying to ignore Lizzie's childish taunt, and spoke to Lexie, "What's her problem?"
"She's not eating, keeps wanting 'Dada'…I'm already not feelin' at all well meself…" Lexie rambled and Archie sat himself down on the stool and held out his arms to Minnie as away to relieve Lexie. Minnie refused, shook her head, and continued to cry.
"Maybe she caught ill, like you've been feeling of late." Archie sounded out to Lexie, as Minnie now glared at each 'grown up' in the room. She rubbed her eyes and Archie sized up her problem…her possible issue, "She's tired, the wee one is tired."
"Fer de past hour, Arch?" Lexie replied at wits end with the infant, soon toddler.
"Well, let's just take her into the sitting room…maybe she'll calm down then…" Archie suggested, trying to 'troubleshoot' Minnie like she was a business proposition.
Lexie shrugged, "I dun suppose ye'd be the one taking over wit her? I've a terrible headache…"
Minnie finally went to Archie, still crying, still fussy, and still wanting 'Dada.' Archie and Minnie left the room…
Paul strolled into the house, as he looked around at first. He ducked his head into the sitting room where Lizzie sat on the floor playing with blocks and the twins. Before he ventured down the hallway, Archie met him at the kitchen door…
Minnie with no tears and then giddily said, "Dada!"
Archie and Paul exchanged strange glances as the little one held out her hands to Paul.
### Life is a Rollercoaster- Ronan Keating
Chapter Two…Old way of life or the new way?
Paul had left Susan's just moments before a knock came to her door. Susan and her thoughts on cloud nine, glided across the floor, assuming it was probably Paul trying to 'keep her from working' as her hand when to the door handle she replied, "This is your game plan to pester me from working Pa---Henry?"
Susan's mouth dropped as she stared at her colleague from London, who was carrying a bottle of champagne under his right arm and a huge beam on his face. He leaned in a planted a gigantic kiss on her lips. Susan's eyes widened and she drew herself away…
"Surprise Pookie!" Henry exclaimed, as Susan gave him a blank look and then he pushed himself past her, "Happy to see me!"
"Um, Henry, what are you doing here?" Susan stared at him.
"You were in such a rush to leave last week that—?"
"I'm sorry. I had to tend to Nigel."
"Yes, okay, anyway, I didn't get to tell you the news…" Henry handed her the bottle of champagne and rubbed her shoulders with his free hands, and talking on and on as Susan's face was still showing signs of 'being weirded out by his arrival.' Signs she couldn't hide, even if she tried too… "You're being given an award for your piece just weeks ago!"
"What?" Susan's mouth dropped further, almost hitting the floor. She hadn't won an award or honorable mention for her writing before today…well once, but it was an amateur writing contest that her and her cousin Carol had put on when they were schoolgirls.
"Very prestigious award, lovely." Henry's features glowed as he announced, "2005 winner of Bedford Pace Award for Best Article in Print!"
"You're kidding me?"
"No, I'm not Sweetheart!" Henry with another huge smile pulled out a black box from his pocket as he turned to face her again after studying the 'homeliness of her flat.'
Susan stood there with her mouth still agape, funny look on her face as Henry turned around again and she tried to 'act natural.' "What's that?" Susan knew full well what was in the box, as he handed it to her but didn't open it. 'Oh crumbly crumb-bum. You dumped Lara 'the fake boobs are us flashy bimbo super model' or did she dump you? And decided to give us a go, now? Too late, Henry…'
"And what do you think it might be?" Henry winked at her as he went on to voice his 'undying' love for her, "Susan, I've been missing you terribly since you left the office, what are you doing way up here anyway? Living in such a dung heap? Away from news, away from people, away from traffic…"
'Away from you,' Susan's mind crooned out in slight panic and disgust at him trying to put down how her 'home' looked, 'Let him down gently…oh crumb!'
"It's just absolute extreme culture shock for me to fathom you being here…Your talent is outstanding and you wasted it on moving---?"
"Don't finish that sentence, Henry, especially if you're trying to tell me…"
"Susan, I just ponder more about you being away from me, and I get terribly depressed. I'm in shatters, my heart that is, and that I'll grow old and alone without you."
"What about---?"
"Lara? Dumped me, went back to New York, decided to remain friends, yes, oh well, she's not you and that's the short of it."
"And---?" Susan tapped her foot, getting edgy, and knowing she wanted to just push him out the door, but she didn't…her heart told her not too as her eyes set on the closed ring box and then Henry.
"This is where the editor, the gutsy hunky stud muffin editor in chief asks his hot chick writer for a hand in---?"
"Henry?" A voice spoke up from the corner of the room putting Henry's proposal moment on serious hold as Susan shoved the box in her pocket trying to hide it from Nigel.
"Hello Nigel. How are you?" Henry's translucent smile popped back up on his face…
"Dandy… Mummy, when are we going to go?" Nigel asked, talking about going to Glenbogle to visit his father…he stared at Henry as his stomach started to sour. Henry meant London, and London meant being far away from Glenbogle, which meant far away from his father.
"We're going now." Susan saw Nigel's thoughts of leaving for Glenbogle early as an escape from Henry.
"Susan, where are you going?" Henry asked as Susan handed him back the bottle of champagne and put on her coat while Nigel got on his coat, hat, mittens, scarf and boots…
"To see my father," Nigel spoke proudly as Henry gave him and then Susan an 'oh' face.
Susan and Nigel walked Henry out of the flat and down the three flights of stairs to the front of the building. Susan replied, "Good bye Henry."
Henry stood there with a peculiar look on his face and waved at Susan and Nigel as if they were listening to him, "I'll be right here when you get back darling! Wait, you still have my ring!" Feeling more awkward and out of place, as a little girl on a bike rode by him giggling, Henry gave her a 'shut-up you' look, tossed the champagne into the front seat of his car and hopped in.
Susan and Nigel climbed into her car as Nigel spoke up fast, "Mum, what's he doing here?"
"Nye, dun worry about it," Susan was worried herself as they traveled onto Glenbogle as her mind wandered to the ring still in her pocket.
It didn't seem to take Susan and Nigel any time to get to Glenbogle as her car putted down the long drive, over the bridge and further down the old beaten path until they stopped at the house. As Susan and Nigel made way towards the front door, Golly greeted them both. Nigel ran right up to him giving him a huge hug, "Hello!"
"Laddy, you've grown since I've seen you last." Golly teased while releasing Nigel from the embrace. It had been 24 hours since Golly had last seen Nigel and he was semi-conscious after his fall into the loch.
"Nuh-uh!" Nigel shook his head 'no' as Golly replied, "Morning Susan."
"Hi Golly," Susan smiled, as the door to the house opened and Paul and Archie came walking out…
"You're here…" Paul began his sentence only for Susan to finish it.
"Early. I know…" She left out the part that she was running away from her office ex-boyfriend, boyfriend or whatever he is to her and that's why they were there so early…
"No, I'm glad you're here." Paul corrected himself, hoping his greeting before didn't sound so negative. Before he could wander up to Susan to really say 'hello' another vehicle bounded down the drive and Susan's face revealed her true woes.
"Who's that?" Archie asked soundly, wondering if it was someone lost…
"Oh Susan, come on now, I drove hours upon hours and kilometers for kilometers, we need a chat-oh why hello there!" Henry boasted with the champagne bottle still in his hands after getting out of his car and then Susan turned to face him. Paul stood there puzzled.
"Henry." Susan spoke quietly, praying he wasn't going to make a fool of himself in front of everyone and not speak of the 'proposal' that he tried to offer her at her flat.
"Well, are these folks going to celebrate with us or not? If so, they should," Henry spoke ever so full of himself, which made Archie cock his brow at Susan and then Henry, before questioning, "Excuse me, perhaps you could fill us in on what we're celebrating in the wee early hours of the day?"
"I assumed Susan told you about her feat, just now." Henry announced, cocking his own brow at Archie.
"No, Susan didn't tell us about her feat." Paul spoke up curiously and eyed Susan intently.
Susan replied modestly, "It's nothing."
"Oh hush up, Susan, it's not nothing to be silent about, it's an award!" Henry chanted aloud, as Susan wanted to crawl away, under a stone key, one of the many which lined the front part of the house…
"An award?" Paul grinned, as he was suddenly very proud to be 'with' her.
"Ah, yea, um…" Susan found herself at loss of words…
"See modest approach, woman, we're going to have to change that. Not just any award," Henry shook his head and mocked Paul, while stating, "2005 Bedford Pace Award for Best Article in Print goes to—drum roll please—Susan Thatcher-Higgins—yea-as the crowd is supposed to go…wild?" Henry's voice went from happy, excited to muffled speech and then awkward silence when he noted that no one laughed at his commentary about Susan's award. He then walked right up to Susan, much closer to her than she or even Paul wanted.
"Well done, Susan," Archie answered promptly.
"What was the article on?" Paul asked Susan peculiarly as Henry spoke up in her place, 'Highland---!"
"Economy," Susan replied speedily, cutting off Henry before he could say more.
"Oh yes." Henry gave a triumphant nod of his head, accepting her answer.
Paul and Archie gave Susan a huge 'congratulatory' smile. Golly looked on, sensing trouble brewing in the air as he picked up Susan's awkward body language.
"An award?" Lexie gave Susan a dazed look of confusion as she held Maeve in her arms and then smiled, "Well, then congrats is in order, aye?" Susan and Nigel had entered the house behind Paul, Archie and Golly as Henry nipped at Susan's heels. Archie had announced to Lexie to get the champagne glasses for a celebration. Lexie complied as people gathered around the dinning table for the toast. Molly and Lizzie stood there each holding one of the twins.
"Yes, she wrote a brilliant article, one of the best!" Henry said matter of factly. Susan couldn't bring herself to speak clearly about it, until moments later, "It was just an article about Highland economy, nothing to brag on about, Henry."
"Nothing to brag on about, babe? Nothing to brag, babe? I'm elated to go on and on about it for you, you posh young thing! You have made the Globe look so dauntingly smashing!" Henry perked up, as Susan just wanted to melt to the floor or better yet hid under the dinning table.
'Posh young thing? Babe?' Paul's poor mind framed the word over and over again, 'Did he just call Susan, babe not once, but twice?"
Henry continued as Paul stared at Susan, "Besides since we're in the company of friends, Susan, we can announce our…"
Susan could tell Paul wasn't quite sure of what to make of Henry and his unannounced arrival, as he assumed Henry was her boss and wanted to share the news. The next bit of news, however, Susan didn't want anyone to hear. She decided to change the subject, cutting off Henry once again, and drinking her whole glass of champagne in one swoop, stating, "Excuse me, should I refill anyone's glasses? Oh dear, I'm out."
Susan then found herself dashing out of the room. Henry stood there feeling everyone's odd stares and perplexed looks, as Paul was about to speak up, Lexie intervened, "I'll be right back."
Lexie found Susan in the kitchen as she was pouring herself more champagne and responded sensibly, "Save some for me?"
"Oh, sorry," Susan bowed her head in Lexie's direction and finished pouring her a glass too.
"Susan, what's a matter?"
"Henry, Henry wanted to ask me to marry him at my flat," Susan blew out a breath, drinking the champagne, and Lexie tuned in more, "Nigel wanted to get over here to see Paul so I took it…"
"As an escape route?" Lexie quipped with a chuckle, taking a sip of her bubbly, "Oh I've been there…"
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I've dodged quite a few proposals, even Archie's before we finally hitched on." Lexie smiled, "Henry is quite a looker, I might add."
Susan gave a laugh, gulping more of the sparkly fluid, "Yes, well, if someone had told me office romances were meant to last, I probably wouldn't have gotten so closely involved with him."
"Office romance, well then, lots to goss about, aye?" Lexie gave her a wink, "Was it the kind of torrid love affair where you have dirty weekends?"
Susan laughed again, "Unfortunately so, up until Henry decided to find himself a new 'work-mistress'."
"Oh no,"
"Oh yes, and late nights in the office, emails on a computer, and bravely telling him that we couldn't be seen together. I believe I attracted him with a see through top and black bra, oh and a short leopard print skirt. I mean short, like thigh short, not below the knee. The mistress was from the New York office and well, Henry had decided to become engaged to her. Lara, he loves or loved Lara anyway… I told him off and explained that I was quitting and moving myself on."
Lexie laughed too, "Well, I think yer safe up here from attracting attention to yourself that way, especially with Paul as a concern, as for the moving along part, looks like he hasn't then."
"Paul," Susan's voice grew distant and dismal before adding, "I don't want to upset him."
"Susan, he came home whistlin' to himself and kept goin' on and on 'bout bein' wit Nigel and spending gobs an' gobs of time with you. It's the happiest I've ever seen 'im to date."
"He won't be so happy with me, Lexie if..."
"He hears Henry propose," answered Lexie, finishing off Susan's sentence, trying to anticipate what she was trying to say. Lexie now put two and two together and figured out why Susan panicked and ended up in the kitchen. Well, partially why as Susan thought more about her article and wanted to come clean on what exactly it was about. Then Susan's mind shifted to the black ring box still in her pocket, and her mess with her now ex-boss Henry Seaver.
Lexie thought for a moment about something cheer Susan up, but before she could reply, Paul walked in worried, hoping to ease his mind by finally checking in on Susan, "Ladies."
"Paul."
"You all right?" Paul asked quietly after peering from Lexie to Susan.
"I'm good," said Susan as she gave a nod of her head, finishing off another glass of champagne, indicating she wasn't good, but becoming full of despair at the dreaded situation she had put herself in!
Chapter Three…Diamonds are a girls' best friend or worst enemy?
Golly left the 'party' after Susan and Lexie, followed by Paul voyaged into the kitchen. He knew something wasn't quite right and an article on Highland economy stuck out in his mind like a sore thumb because he would have read it. He found way into the workshop and started to go through the most recent newspapers, in a 'recycling' pile. Golly normally used the papers to wrap up brown loch trout or to burn in his fireplace at his cabin or the woodstove in the workshop while he fixed things. Golly remembered reading something by Susan, late one night while sitting in his dark leather easy chair. His hands went over the newspapers one by one, 'last weeks' news, no…week before last, maybe…' Golly thought about each paper and looked for The London Globe than The Scotsman. Finally his hands traced over the paper, not the one with her article, but the one that was an editorial as his eyes scanned the question title…
How wrong is it for someone from the outside world to voice an opinion about our way of life?
"Oh yea, now 'ye remember ya, lass…" Golly spoke up and snatched the paper and hurried out of the workshop, ready to find Archie and Paul and explain to them both his finding.
Archie stood in the dinning room, as he was taking a sip of his own glass of champagne, his eyes instantly connected to Golly, who was standing in the doorway, nodding his head like he had something important to rattle on about with him. "Excuse me," Archie left the room, "What is it, Golly?"
"Ye betta 've a look," Golly handed over the newspaper to Archie, at first, Archie gave him an outlandish sideways glance, before accepting the paper…
"What's this?"
"It's 'bout that article Susan wrote, an editorial type, which expresses an opinion of Compton MacFarlane, Laird from Glencampbell," Golly bowed his head again, encouraging Archie to read it over carefully. Archie got to the title, and then the first two sentences before his annoyance at the situation crept in…
"Lad, don't get on her."
"Why not? Golly, this means she won an award for degrading someone's morals, someone's way of life, my way of life!" Archie struggled to be level headed, but he couldn't. Paul presented himself at the door, unsure of Archie's complaints, as he could hear them coming from the dinning room.
"What's that there?" Paul pondered, as Archie thrust the paper onto him.
"Read it. Go on," Archie encouraged with his hand gesture towards the paper in more frustration. Paul eyed him once over and then the paper.
"I don't believe it."
"Believe it, and I'd bet five pounds on it too as she won an award for it," Archie grumbled with a roll of his eyes, as his anger simmered.
"Oh come on, this has got to be a mistake. Susan wouldn't write something like this," Paul nodded his head in disbelief.
"Well, Paul, she did…now what do we do about? I tell you what we do, confront her head on and make her explain it all." Archie proclaimed topsy-turvy, as Lexie poked her head out of the dinning room while holding Jayne and walked up to the conversing men.
"Problem gents?"
"Lex, major problem, where's Susan?" Archie cast his eyes on Lexie and grabbed the paper from Paul, before wandering back into the dinning room.
"She's in here, why?" Lexie's brows arched at the fact that her husband didn't answer her question of, 'Why?'
"Need a word, with you, Susan," Archie normally didn't 'get angry' unless there was a real reason for it. He tried to force himself to remain calm, but it wasn't working…
"Okay," Susan felt relief to get away from Henry, as he was chatting on and on with Molly about London and living there, considering they had both lived in the same section of town at one point, over thirty years ago. Susan trailed behind Archie into the kitchen and Paul lagged behind them both.
"Care to explain your ideologies on Highland economy?" Archie placed the paper down on the countertop.
"What?" Susan glanced to Paul with confusion, before looking at the paper, the editorial and then noting her article being quoted and her name being slashed through the mud, "Oh bger," as Susan gasped knowing the trick was let out of the bag.
"Susan, you really wrote that?" Paul asked, feeling himself getting frazzled too.
"Okay, let me explain,"
"I was hoping you would do that," Archie challenged her and then let her have it, "Why did you write it?"
"I didn't know you when I did. It was an assigned piece, how was I supposed to know it would cause such a ruckus in the highlands of all places?" Susan shot Archie a look and then Paul.
"People don't take kindly to having the highlands made fun of around here from a city paper or small closed minded reporters... Is that why you moved here to sling innocent people, who you don't know through pigs slop?" Archie whined, and then pointed at the article, while waving his hands towards the paper again.
"I moved here to get out of the city and build a life for Nigel. My moving had nothing to do with this dreadful article!"
"You're right it's disastrous!" Archie muttered and cursed, but Susan stood her ground.
"You're judging me on an article I wrote before I even met any one of you, except Paul?" Susan snapped, "Look, I wrote it. I didn't say I stood by it!"
Archie grew silent, pondering his next course of action and Paul spoke right up, "Say you don't stand by it, then why is Henry here?"
Susan grew silent too and then replied unevenly, "I wrote an article on about Highland jobs, and how cutting down trees, and supporting forestry was a big deal. Land owners should be giving up lands to help the people, especially tenants, live at bit more freely, and not having to penny pinch every bloody month with sky high rents! The taxation is so steep that helping someone out should be more important than money hungry fools, especially Lairds. I never meant to cause any kind of 'foul play' here. It's true, there are high taxes and they are getting higher, and people who rent are paying more money each month to live. It's disgusting, but true."
"You believed cutting down a forest is a novelist thing?" Paul glared at her, wondering if she had changed, or if he was dealing with an entirely new Susan, one he wasn't sure he liked. The old Susan didn't like people destroying forests, nature, and ruining animal habitat.
"No! I don't believe it's a grand choice! I happen to like nature conservation! However the economy is sluggish right now and jobs help keep it going. People who cut down trees, fish, hunts, and makes a living that way, has a right to do it for the economy." Susan bellowed out, as Archie didn't say word and neither did Paul, but he wanted an answer to his question about Henry, which Susan ignored. Instead, Paul couldn't address her again because Nigel appeared at the door. He could tell his parents weren't happy nor his Uncle Archie, "Nye, what is it?"
"Mum, why is Henry here?" Nigel peeped with a hint of distress.
"Nye, he's just here," Susan lied, and Paul picked up on it right away, the old Susan would avoid eye contact, when saying something false and then a wrinkle her forehead.
"He's not here to take us back to London, is he?" Nigel asked concerned, Susan turned her attention to her son.
"No Nye, he's not taking you or me anywhere," Susan reassured, but Nigel and Paul weren't convinced as she glared at Paul, "What?"
"You're lying to him," Paul added flat as a pancake.
"I'm not."
"Yea, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"Yea, you are, Susan. You get this look about you when you're hiding something, out with it."
"You get your own look about you when you're keeping something from someone, like hmmmm…Lili? Remember that from last night, Paul? Or did you forget? Or how about quitting smoking fags once and for all? Oh wait, you forgot about that conquest years ago, didn't ya? How about ending up in military prison for leaving to find yer long lost family and getting dishonorably discharged?"
"Don't turn this around on me, Suzy! You're not going to get around me that way." Paul argued back…Susan and Paul were at war again and Nigel watched the display and his eyes went to his Uncle in hopes he'd get them to stop.
Archie gave Nigel a glance back, then Paul and then Susan, and yelled out in a peacekeeping measure, thinking his brother and his--whatever she is had lost their senses, "ALL RIGHT THAT'S ENOUGH! You there and you over there! Can we get back on subject, please?! You know the matter at hand!"
"No." Susan replied, as Archie gave her a disgruntled sigh. Nigel stood there wide-eyed at his mother's defiance as his father started in…
"No as in not telling me what's up with this Henry-bloke, or no as in not discussing what Archie wants to have a go at?" Paul sized up the situation, the best way he knew how, by putting Susan on the spot.
Henry and Molly ventured into the kitchen both equally smiling, as Molly spoke up with a happy camper gaze, "What a lovely idea about moving back to London, Susan, you must be excited, funny, I always loved it there, so did Archie."
Susan let out a huge groan and hung her head.
Henry gave her a funny look, "Susan, you look a little tizzied, everything all right?"
Paul glanced around the room, completely flabbergasted with Susan and her dismissing of his feelings and the fact that he actually cares about her. Paul was even more ticked off about hearing that she was leaving him once again.
Nigel then yelled aloud and tromped off, "I knew it! I finally have friends and you're going to take them away!"
Susan stood there, picking her head up to look at Nigel, before hollering to her son, "Nye, Nigel…"
Paul left the room going after Nigel on foot and left Susan standing there.
"Paul…" Susan spoke his name next.
Henry with a huge beam, "Sweetheart? Time for us to---?"
Susan groaned again as she cut off Henry's proposal for the third time in a matter of hours before walking out of the room. She went after Paul and Nigel. Henry tried to follow behind her leaving Archie and Molly exchanging bizarre glances.
"Well, you still have the ring, Sweetheart. I assume you're accepting it? Honey bun? Sweetikins? Pookie?" Henry ran along after Susan, before she finally stopped in her tracks at the study door, to hear…
"I wanna stay. I wanna live with you. I don't want to live with Mummy anymore. I don't like Henry. I hate London. I have no friends there. Henry's not nice to Mummy, and he's made her cry lots. He's not like you!" Nigel and Paul huddled and hugged each other. Susan's face pained at the scene, as she peeped into the room.
"Mum and me got some issues, Nye, okay? We'll work through it," Paul responded in a soothing tone, one that Susan had never heard before, the new Paul, cares about things, and cares about people, cares. The old Paul was harsh and hard on everyone, pessimistic about life altering events, and skeptical about everything under the sun…and drove her spastic, well, he still does.
"Susan, I need you to say something to me." Henry heard everything that Nigel said, and wondered if Susan sided with him.
"Henry, just give me a minute," Susan walked into the study and left Henry hanging, waiting impatiently for an answer to her marrying him.
"Nye," Susan called out, but he didn't glance up at her, just wiped the tears from his eyes and focused on Paul.
"Suz, I don't get you," Paul added curtly, while not even looking at her as he had his back turned towards her and his face studied on his son's. He didn't even want to acknowledge her after trying to cut him into two in the kitchen. She had hurt him, actually crushed him, and for once he could tell her out of frustration how upset he was with her. However Paul held back because of Nigel's fragile state of mind.
we might
kiss
when we are alone
when nobody's watchin'
we might take it home
"Nigel, we're not moving anywhere right now at this very moment." It was true she and Nigel had moved to Inverness two months ago for a new way of life and she had no plans of reverting to the old way of life, which was the London life style.
"If we're not moving, then why does Henry want you to move back there? Don't you love me? Don't I get to choose who I want to live with and where I want to go too?" Nigel voiced his own concerns.
we might
make out
when nobody's there
it's not that we're scared
it's just that it's delicate
"Nye, I love you enough to make life evolve around a world that you want," Susan found herself getting teary eyed too.
"I want you with Da and I want to stay here," Nigel spoke up, glancing to Paul and Susan.
so why
d'ya fill my sorrow
with the words you've borrowed
from the only place you've known
why d'ya sing hallelujah
if it means nothin' to ya
why d'ya sing with me at all?
"We'll discuss this later on," Susan changed the subject again, avoiding Paul's gaze, and thinking of a way to smooth out the very bumpy road ahead for her blossoming family. Henry, who had been listening in, walked away from the study and left the house, thinking about everything Susan mentioned about 'their' moving away.
we might
live
like never before
when there's nothin' to give
how can we ask for more?
"Yes, well, later on, maybe," Paul spoke up bitterly towards Susan as she could tell he didn't want to discuss anything with her now. Susan met the old Paul again and rock hard. Paul forced a smile to Nigel, even if Susan had ripped out his heart and stomped on it for good old merry measure, especially at the thought of her leaving him once again, "On ya go, Nigel."
we might make love
in some sacred place
that look on your face
is delicate
so why d'ya fill my sorrow
with the words you've borrowed
from the only place you've known
why d'ya sing hallelujah
if it means nothin' to ya
why d'ya sing with me at all?
That night, Archie gave up trying to reason with Paul about Susan's ideas on how to run and affective 'Highland economy'—he agreed with her on the taxes being too high and having to raise rents on suitable tenants, but he didn't consider himself 'money hungry' or 'a cheap-skate' .
Archie loomed over the accounting books in the office as his mind kept making his brows furrow at the pros and cons of being a Laird and sitting in a stone castle, like a king. His castle stone walls were closing in on him and suddenly he wondered why he was still running Glenbogle, well because that was his job. Did he love his job? Um, on some days, yes and others, no---even when he and Paul agreed on working together as partners and splitting the decisions and duties.
"Arch? You keep staring at that book and it'll start natterin' back to you," Lexie entered the office with a pile of mail in her hands as she dropped it on the desk in the upstairs office.
"What should the book be telling me? That I'm a Tyrannosaurs Rex and I can't run an estate worth beans? Do you think Jack in the Beanstalk would sell me his beans so I could venture up a vine and never return to our castle?" Archie pouted as Lexie found herself now consoling her husband as he pitied himself.
"Running, doesn't solve a thing, Arch, nor climbing up fictitious vines…aye, so you do think about what others see you as, but you can't help it. I'm certain Susan didn't direct her article at just you, but everyone who owns heaps of land and over charges tenants rents ye up here."
"You think I over charge them?" Archie's voice faltered as a look of being let down by her swept across his face, and Lexie shook her head, 'no.'
"Arch, you turn this place right side up when it was upside down. Susan doesn't know this and she said she didn't even like the article when she wrote it!"
Archie sat in his chair as Lexie sat down on the desk directly in front of him, as she placed herself on top of the accounting book, and gave her husband a beautiful smile. Archie's head fell into her lap, while he wrapped his arms around her waist, in a sitting styled hug. Lexie tousled his hair and whispered, "I love you Arch,"
"Oh? How much?"
"More than this accounting book could ever tell you," Lexie punned, as Archie gave out a moan, "What are these? Bills? Letters? Invoices?" as he turned himself to the pile of mail and his eyes fell onto the Forestry Commission and Village Counsel addressed envelope, "What do they want?"
"I dun no." Lexie shrugged as Archie released her and then opened the letter and stared at the letter head,
"Dear Mr. Archibald MacDonald,
RE: About a renewal of a land grant for lot 110536.
Apparently, to our dismay, you owe us 40,000 pounds to repay the thirty years of grants given to you to help with a certain land ordinance. The parcel of land, lot 110536, to our discovery, you do not have rights too. Please call for payment processing. The property will foreclose and be sold to the highest bidder, if we don't receive funds from you within 24 hours.
Sincerely, Edith Rankin, Assistant to Forestry Commissioner and Village Counsel"
Archie's face lost color as Lexie sat there eyeing her husband wisely, "Arch? You all right?"
"Read it," Archie panicked, handing the letter over to Lexie and feeling the need for a stiff drink and soon.
"Okay, this has got to be a kidder, if I have ever seen one. It's a mistake! I'll call Edith now and fixer-upper this." Lexie nodded, but Archie sat at the desk in complete confusion.
"Lex, Edith's had it out for us since day one! I have never been told anything about lot 110536! Where is lot 110536? I've never been there, have I?"
"Arch, calm down, Edith had issues with your father, not you. She's with the Glenbogle Women's Society which meets in our hot tub every Tuesday evening and I can corner her then as well. Besides you should chat with Paul about this too," Lexie stared at her husband, giving him warning about consulting Paul on the issue.
Archie blew out a breath, glanced at Lexie in despair, reclaimed the counsel letter and tossed it up into the air, "I will, Lex, but before troubling him, we should figure out where lot 110536 is…they want to auction off the land! If I don't own the land, I can't get the land grant renewal, can I? No, I can't!"
"If you don't consult Paul and it's the Wild Life Centre or Outdoor Activity Centre land, he'll have yer head on a silver platter like an apple-stuffed pork roast!"
"Lex, I'll have words with him."
"You betta. Now, The Vault must've somethin' on lot 110536."
"Oh?" Archie followed his wife into 'The Vault' a room off of the upstairs office and looked around at stacks of papers, shelves of dusty paperwork and also file cabinets as Lexie chanted out with a wink, " 'Pre war and post war....or is it the other way round?.....oh well it is all ancient history!' as your mother would say. Come long, Mr. Laird, let's start diggin'!"
Archie's eyes widened at the mess ahead of them to figure out where lot 110536 was, as his sigh also gave out his thought about how they'd need a blithering road map to get through 'The Vault,' he rattled out to his dear wife, "Maybe we should leave a trail of bread crumbs at the door, Gretel, so we can find our way back out."
"We won't get lost Hansel, or get to the bottom of this mess with ya sulkin' at the door way." Lexie punned back as she wandered the room looking for anything about estate land documentation.
delicate by Damien Rice